F/13.0, 1/640, ISO 400.
Mallard
As a scarecrow, people say I’m outstanding in my field.
But hay, it’s in my jeans.
Interesting Fact: Mallards, like other ducks, shed all their flight feathers at the end of the breeding season and are flightless for 3–4 weeks. They are secretive during this vulnerable time, and their body feathers molt into a concealing “eclipse” plumage that can make them hard to identify. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mallard )
F/6.3, 1/640, ISO 200.
American Kestrel
What did the painter say to her boyfriend?
“I love you with all my art!”
Interesting Fact: It can be tough being one of the smallest birds of prey. Despite their fierce lifestyle, American Kestrels end up as prey for larger birds such as Northern Goshawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Barn Owls, American Crows, and Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks, as well as rat snakes, corn snakes, and even fire ants. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Kestrel )
F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 250.
Northern Shoveler
How do you know if there’s a snowman in your bed?
You wake up wet!
Interesting Fact: The bill of the Northern Shoveler is about 6.5 cm (2.5 inches) long. The bill has has about 110 fine projections (called lamellae) along the edges, for straining food from water. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Shoveler/lifehistory )
F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 500.
Northern Cardinal ( Female )
What do you give an elephant that’s going to be sick?
Plenty of space!
Interesting Fact: Males sometimes bring nest material to the female, who does most of the building. She crushes twigs with her beak until they’re pliable, then turns in the nest to bend the twigs around her body and push them into a cup shape with her feet. The cup has four layers: coarse twigs (and sometimes bits of trash) covered in a leafy mat, then lined with grapevine bark and finally grasses, stems, rootlets, and pine needles. The nest typically takes 3 to 9 days to build; the finished product is 2-3 inches tall, 4 inches across, with an inner diameter of about 3 inches. Cardinals usually don’t use their nests more than once. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/lifehistory )
F/5.6, 1/1600, ISO 400.
Common Merganser ( Female )
Tom and Bob are talking:
Tom: “I managed to lose my rifle when I was in the army.”
Bob: “And…”
Tom: “I had to pay $1000 to cover the loss. I’m starting to understand why a Navy captain always goes down with his ship. ”
Interesting Fact: Often when one bird dives in a large group, the others follow the leader and disappear. They can stay under for up to 2 minutes, but they normally dive for less than 30 seconds. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Merganser/lifehistory )
F/6.0, 1/160, ISO 320.
Wild Turkey
What did the turkey say to the computer?
Google, google, google.
Interesting Fact: Wild Turkeys live year-round in open forests with interspersed clearings in 49 states (excluding Alaska), parts of Mexico, and parts of southern Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, Canada. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wild_Turkey/lifehistory )
F/8.0, 1/200, ISO 320.
Dark-eyed Junco
Caller: Dials in 911 Hello officer, I broke my arm in 3 places!
Officer: Then stop going to those places.
Interesting Fact: When foraging, Dark-eyed Juncos typically hop (rather than walk) on the ground, pecking or scratching at the leaf litter, or flit very low in underbrush gleaning food from twigs and leaves. They sometimes fly up from the ground to catch insects from tree trunks. In flight, they flap continuously and pump their tails so the white outer tail feathers flash; flight is very agile as the bird maneuvers through its tangled environs. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Dark-eyed_Junco/lifehistory )
F/10.0, 1/400, ISO 250.
Common Merganser
Did you hear the watermelon joke?
It’s pitful.
Interesting Fact: Common Mergansers spend much of their time afloat, loafing, fishing, and often sleeping on open water. They may form flocks of up to 75 individuals. They often swim in small groups along the shoreline, dipping their heads underwater to search for prey and then diving with a slight leap. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Merganser/lifehistory )
F/11.0, 1/500, ISO 500.
Ruddy Duck
Why are trees so care free and easy going?
Because every fall, they let loose.
Interesting Fact: Ruddy Ducks breed in wetlands and reservoirs from southwestern Canada through the western United States and Mexico, as well as in scattered sites in the eastern United States and on the Caribbean islands. About 86 percent of the breeding population is concentrated in the prairie pothole region of south-central Canada and north-central United States. Their breeding habitat includes large marshes, stock ponds, reservoirs, and deep natural basins. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruddy_Duck/lifehistory )
F/6.3, 1/800, ISO 800.
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
Why did the police arrest the turkey?
They suspected it of fowl play!
Interesting Fact: Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers have been found drilling sapwells in more than 1,000 species of trees and woody plants, though they have a strong preference for birches and maples. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker )
Through Open Lens 