March 17 – My Nature Journal
March 17, 2024 Nature Journal
Eastern Towhee
Pipilo erythrophthalmus
In general, scientists aren’t allowed to anthropomorphize animals. But nature journalers are allowed a little more leeway. And there’s no denying that sometimes, a particular angle, expression, or setting can imply a certain human-like emotion.
For example, I spotted this male Eastern Towhee foraging for insect prey amidst dead leaves and pine needles in a sunny patch of open pine forest today. This isn’t unusual in the slightest; Eastern Towhees are very conspicuous birds.
And not just because of their bold coloration; dark hoods and wings (black for males, dark brown for females), white breasts, and rufous sides. But Eastern Towhees kick up a noticeable racket when foraging for food—literally. They scratch enthusiastically with both legs in leaf litter to uncover tasty insects and hop, flutter, and dash around. In short, they are quite hard to miss.
This male was foraging for food in just this way. He seemed to be giving it his all; his crest feathers were raised and his body feathers were fluffed out. To me, he looked quite sinister as he hunted his breakfast.
And I felt grateful to be off his menu.
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
When I first started photographic nature journaling, I quickly realized that different bird species fall on a continuum based on how easy they are to spot in the wild and photograph. Birds range from “easy” to “downright difficult” to photograph.
The Eastern Bluebird ranks high on my list of “easy to photograph” bird species. Both sexes are beautiful; both are easy to photograph.
First, the brilliant blue feathers of the males—and the equally beautiful, if slightly less vibrant, blue-gray feathers of the females—both attract attention and stand out strikingly against the landscape. The combination makes for some great photographs.
Second, I’ve found Eastern Bluebirds to be fairly calm birds, especially in comparison to some exceptionally flighty birds like Carolina Chickadees (Poecile carolinensis). Eastern Bluebirds tend to stay in a small area for several minutes at a time, either foraging or perching.
Third, they come out into the open regularly. Some bird species stay in cover, blocked from clear view by foreground foliage or branches. Not so the Eastern Bluebird. These birds hop along open ground like lawns, meadows, and clearings—often in bright sunlight—and perch on high, isolated branches or street signs.
These behaviors allow a reasonable amount of time to adjust camera settings as needed—a courtesy for which I’m always grateful and which make Eastern Bluebirds one of the most photogenic birds in all Bird-dom.
Today’s Nature Journal Snapshot
|
Time of Day |
Mid-morning |
|
Setting |
Brushy meadow, open pine forest |
|
Temperature |
65° F / 18° C |
|
Weather |
Sunny |
|
Humidity |
75% |
