Throughout our current California journey, I loved some glorious birding. I additionally developed my newest manifestation of a collection of pores and skin infections that I’ve skilled over the previous yr, this one worse than all its predecessors. (Not a sugar downside, in case anybody considered that; my fasting sugar ranges are completely wholesome.) Imagine me, Staphylococcus aurea will not be the form of species I might select to write down about on 10,000 Birds. However right here I’m, packed stuffed with a number of antibiotics, holding my leg up as a lot as doable, wishing I have been as soon as once more traipsing the hills of Michoacán.
An American White Pelican with its touchdown gear down
A uncommon upside to this case is that it has allowed me to do some lengthy overdue work on a byproduct of my birding obsession. Like many modern-day photographic birders, I’ve constructed up an enormous backlog of photographs on my long-suffering laptop computer. I need to return and eradicate my hundreds of outdated photographs, I actually do. However every week a brand new batch of photographs clamor for my consideration. That’s, till a gap in my leg retains me from taking any new photographs for a few weeks.
Townsend’s Warbler
Black-vented Oriole
On any outing I could take a whole bunch, even hundreds, of digital photographs. I’m fairly good at making the most of my preliminary pleasure to maneuver one of the best 100 or so right into a second file. I additionally normally get one of the best ones onto 10,000 birds, and crucial ones (for proving sightings, and so forth.) onto my eBird report. Typically I even get round to eliminating the unique massive file, as soon as I’m certain I gained’t want any of these photographs. Area issues with my laptop computer encourage me.
Clark’s Grebe, again when Michoacán’s lakes nonetheless had water
The all the time gorgeous Elegant Euphonia
The place I actually fall behind is on my final step, which is to undergo some long-past day’s remaining photographs, put 3 or 4 on my screensaver rotation, save any with uncommon scientific advantage elsewhere, after which eradicate your complete file for that day. How far behind have I fallen? Properly, throughout my convalescence I’ve managed to eradicate some 1,500 or extra photographs — simply from December 2021, and January-February 2022. The disgrace! The occupied reminiscence!
A male Flame-colored Tanager
One among solely a handful of photographs of Nice Horned Owls that I’ve ever taken
Together with the satisfaction of clearing out a few of this occupied reminiscence, I’ve additionally loved discovering simply what number of very nice photographs I used to be attaining by that time-frame. Actually, together with including a pair dozen photographs to my rotating “Finest Birds” file, I’m additionally making an attempt to eradicate many older photographs from that very same file. These older photographs simply can’t maintain as much as my more moderen ones.
male Hooded Oriole
An Iguana, making the most of a gap undoubtedly made by a Golden-cheeked Woodpecker
I’ve been photographing birds now for about 10 years, with out taking any lessons or receiving any coaching. Those I’m interspersing with this narrative are from these first two months of 2022, about 8 years into this journey. Some are extra inventive, whereas others simply characterize their species unusually properly, at the very least so far as my portfolio is anxious. (I also needs to observe that many, if not most, have in all probability already appeared in 10,000 Birds in posts from these dates.)
Two male Lazuli Buntings
A Nutting’s Flycatcher, with lunch
Luca lately wrote right here concerning the birder/fowl photographer dichotomy. I’m one other one who loves photographing birds, with none actual inventive pretensions or aspirations. However I need to say, it’s definitely good to have the ability to have photographs to take pleasure in, when one is briefly unable to get out and see the precise feathered beauties.
An unusually gentle morph Pink-tailed Hawk
Savannah Sparrow
And whereas I do hope to quickly take some new photographs to share with you all, I hope these photos, from early 2022, will do — whereas I nonetheless have a leg up.
Wilson’s Snipe, with a Western or Least Sandpiper
