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ssheipel

ssheipel

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A Northern Cardinal, taken a couple of weeks ago. Of note this past weekend was the 'scariest' outing I've ever had in terms of absence of wildlife. Quite literally I saw a single chickadee (and heard them only twice more), a single Cardinal, and some distant peeping at one point (likely sparrows). There were some waterfowl, but even those were in small number, even the longtailed ducks were countable! Weather was mild (too mild for this time of year). Worrisome.
Northern Cardinel tail chopped off copy.jpeg
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Nice capture of a beautiful bird Steven,
I unfortunately am unable to comment on your changing weather patterns, except to say that we are also experiencing odd weather in my part of the world with very unusual extreme flooding in some parts of Southern Africa.
Looks like your new lens is in good capable hands,
Gavin
 
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Excellent photo. Yes, there's an obvious drop in bird numbers this year -- in keeping with the reported 30% decrease in the North American bird population. Although the reported decrease is primarily in migrating species, it seems to be true for year-round residents as well.
 
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Gaduf said:
Nice capture of a beautiful bird Steven,
I unfortunately am unable to comment on your changing weather patterns, except to say that we are also experiencing odd weather in my part of the world with very unusual extreme flooding in some parts of Southern Africa.
Looks like your new lens is in good capable hands,
Gavin
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Thanks Gavin. Yah, not so much worried about the weather changes in this instance and more the near silent 4 hours 15km walk I spent in a wooded, marshy, lakeside spot -- I mean there effectively were NO birds to see and a handful heard (beyond a small, usually big, number of waterfowl). Where I start this 'hike' I can usually step into a small meadow and have several chickadees land on me. I didn't even see any gulls in the air now that I think about it. I had a similar few days in the mountains a couple years ago. Woke every morning to silence instead of a cacophony of bird song/calls. It was freaky. Over the holidays I saw news reports and videos of the flooding in Southern Africa. Terrifying stuff! And am really enjoying the lens; love it so much the angst of the cost has evaporated :)
 
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Woody Meristem said:
Excellent photo. Yes, there's an obvious drop in bird numbers this year -- in keeping with the reported 30% decrease in the North American bird population. Although the reported decrease is primarily in migrating species, it seems to be true for year-round residents as well.
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Thanks Woody. Yes, the stats on bird populations decline is startling -- the number I remember is that 30% represents 30 Billion birds, gone!
 
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Callie said:
Steven
Beaut image! Like it!
Have you managed to go away to shoot hippos like you wanted?
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Thanks, Caille! No Hippo expeditions planned, as yet. I'm off to the far north in the spring to chase Polar Bears. Hope to do Sea Wolves next, then Africa, making sure hippos are a prime target :)
 
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ssheipel said:
Thanks, Caille! No Hippo expeditions planned, as yet. I'm off to the far north in the spring to chase Polar Bears. Hope to do Sea Wolves next, then Africa, making sure hippos are a prime target :)
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Steven - Can't believe its 3-years since I last was on this site. Glad you get time to go out and get the images of such iconic critters. Enjoy! ;)
 
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Very nice Steven. The past two to three years has seen a steep decline in birds in Delaware. I've seen articles that we're on the verge of a great extinction, or at a minimum a steep decline. This is our own making. Literally the canary in the coal mine.
 
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ssheipel said:
A Northern Cardinal, taken a couple of weeks ago. Of note this past weekend was the 'scariest' outing I've ever had in terms of absence of wildlife. Quite literally I saw a single chickadee (and heard them only twice more), a single Cardinal, and some distant peeping at one point (likely sparrows). There were some waterfowl, but even those were in small number, even the longtailed ducks were countable! Weather was mild (too mild for this time of year). Worrisome.
View attachment 80154
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Wonderful image. Very well done.
 
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RockvilleBob said:
Very nice Steven. The past two to three years has seen a steep decline in birds in Delaware. I've seen articles that we're on the verge of a great extinction, or at a minimum a steep decline. This is our own making. Literally the canary in the coal mine.
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Thanks Bob. Avian flu is thought to be playing a very big part in drastic recent population declines, I was just reading yesterday, but the 30% decline in total bird population in NA since 1970 is definitely of our own making! Tragic.
 
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