c_birds's Favorites

This is an interesting story with a happy ending. My friend David Ferry and I were driving along Hwy 87 at 60 mph near Crystal Beach, Texas, when I glimpsed what I thought was a Least Bittern standing on the very edge of the road with cars whizzing past. I made a U turn and went back where we indeed found a Least Bittern, resting back on its tarsus joints within inches of passing traffic. I picked up the bird and we stood on the side of the road to examine it. My best guess is that (1) it took a glancing blow off a car windshield, perhaps, or (2) It was totally exhausted from migrating across the Gulf of Mexico. It did not seem to be badly injured and its wings did not seem to be broken. Rather than just leave it here on the road to be crushed and killed I decided we would take it to a nearby marsh area off the roadway where it could die in peace and dignity. So we drove off with Dave holding the bird in his lap and heading to a marsh well off the road where I know Least Bitterns were present. We put the bird down on the edge of the marsh and it just stood there looking at us. I was about to just drive away and let nature take its course, but decided to take a few more shots of the bird. I got down low to the bird's level and it went into the characteristic bittern pose by stretching its neck high and trying to look like a swaying bit of marsh grass. It kept a watchful eye on me from both sides of its raised bill and image 1 shows this action. The bird then started slowly walking away from us. I bent down to take another shot and the bittern took flight and flew out into the marsh and out of sight. I choose to believe it recovered and is doing well.

near Crystal Beach,
Galveston Co., Texas
26 April 2018

I have a 100 gallon tub of water near my house so wildlife can drink. Just as it was getting dark a short while ago something caught my eye and this small White-tailed buck came to drink. Somehow this fella got a plastic jug caught up in his velvet antlers...I hope he can get it off. I had to chuckle at this sight, however, something I had certainly never seen before. Anyway, he drank some water then trotted away. Hope he will be OK!

Update:
I found several of these at Cedar Bog again this year. The last one might be Hexatoma brevicornis, so if you have expertise, please D.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172420801
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172420799
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172420798
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/175243975

Note: I have photographed this Hexatomini at Cedar Bog in Champaign County, Ohio for at least 17 years. Always in the same area.
I've added two other observations; one from back in 2004.
Links to those observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88273567
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84762884
Here's an observation this year (2022) with better pics of wing venation. Same location.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124010854

©williamwisephoto.com Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Sunday, April 16, 2023.

• Location: Minnie's Lake; N30.86442° W82.31940°
• Cloudy with high 83, low 52.
• Sunrise 7:00 AM; Sunset 7:58 PM
• Daylight hours: 12 hours 57 minute (+1m 48s)

See and learn more about the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge on my blog at www.okefenokee.photography

While doing homework on a bench, this chipmunk jumped on to see what I was doing. I let her take a look but she only got to the search bar and gave up. So I put on some of my chipmunk pictures for her to see. Posed for observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/129984459

Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania. I was working in early morning light from a boat on Lake Nzelekela when a crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) seized a Tilapia. 600 mm lens mounted on a Wimberley head and tripod. Natural Light. Pam Osborn image