Category: Birding

Astrophotography at Datil Well

Post author By Doug Backlund
Post date September 13, 2021
2 Comments on Astrophotography at Datil Well

This area of New Mexico has the darkest skies one can find anywhere in the United States. It is a great place for astrophotography but this time of year, one has to deal with the monsoon season and clouds. To top that off, the moon is getting bright again. I got in a couple of pretty good nights though. It is amazing to be out at night here and see how bright the Milky Way really is. There are lots of birds around too. I have a couple of feeders up and one hummingbird feeder. The Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays have eaten all of my black oil sunflower seed already and there is no place to buy more. A large flock of Pinyon Jays is roaming the area and but have been difficult to photograph.

Last night I worked on the Fireworks Galaxy. I got some time on this last June in South Dakota and added it all together to produce this.

Same with the Crescent Nebula. I really need a lot more exposure to make this one look impressive but this is what I have so far.

Probably the best shot I have ever taken of a Juniper Titmouse. I have a few of them coming to my feeder. The nice perch and clean background with nice light are a tough combination to get.

There are lots of hiking trails in the hills around here. I have found two of these lizards on the trails. This is the same species of horned lizard that occurs in western South Dakota, Greater Short-horned Lizard (*Phrynosoma hernandesi*).

A close-up of one of the short-horned lizards.

As always, right click on an image and open in a new tab or window for a larger image.

Birding Photography Travel

Datil Well Campground, New Mexico

Post author By Doug Backlund
Post date September 10, 2021
2 Comments on Datil Well Campground, New Mexico

I left Valley of Fires yesterday, it was getting too hot. I drove 130 miles west to Datil Well Campground. This area is at much higher elevation and although the forecast is for record high temps in New Mexico, it will only get to around 85 here. This is a BLM campground, with campground hosts, water, restrooms, but no showers. A few of the campsites have electric hookups but most don’t. Cost is $5.00 a day, $2.50 with my senior pass. When I first got here, I saw several Pinyon Jays and immediately put out some feeders. However, all I get at the feeders so far is some Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays, Juniper Titmice, and Mountain Chickadees. I have a Rufous Hummingbird and a Black-chinned Hummingbird too.

Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay. I have two of them, they are quite fearless once they get used to me. Using some almonds for bait, I can get them to pose on this rock with lichens.

I was talking with the campground hosts this morning, they said this area got 4.5 inches of rain in one storm, in less than an hour. It shows too, there is lots of erosion and an impressive bloom of flowers. This is some species of aster and is very abundant now.

Lots of paintbrush, I don’t know for sure which species this is, but it has been a long time since I’ve seen a red paintbrush.

This caterpillar was on the stem of the asters. I haven’t ID’d it yet.

Birding Photography

Still in the Black Hills

It has been quite a while since I’ve udpated, but I’m still here. Not much new. It was hot for a while, then rain, then it cooled down enough to require an extra blanket at night. I’ll take the cooler weather anytime. Bird migration has not picked up at all. The only “for certain” migrant I’ve seen is an Olive-sided Flycatcher. Archery Elk season opens September 1 and some hunters have trail cams at Baldwin Spring and Jumpoff Spring. For some reason, they have not put any at Lost Spring and that’s where the Elk are. I’m not going to say anything. For now the moon is full and no astrophotography, I am really starting to miss it.

Now the most common flower in the meadows is Dotted Gayfeather, shown here.

A Monarch nectaring on Dotted Gayfeather. I’m seeing quite a few Monarchs now.

Mountain Mahogany has seeded out, whole hillsides of Mountain Mahogany look silvery due to the seeds. I assume the spiral shaped awn has a similar function as some species of needlegrass, it forces the seed into the ground when the awn get wet.

I’ve got lots of Red-breasted Nuthatches coming to my feeders now. They are fun to photograph. White-breasted Nuthatches and some chickadees too. I’m hoping the Pygmy Nuthatches will discover the food source soon. I haven’t seen any hummingbirds.

As always, right click on a photo to open in a new tab for a larger image.

Birding Blacklighting Insects Photography

More Blacklighting

I decided to try the black light last night. This works best on dark, warm, humid nights. The moon is nearly full but it was certainly warm and humid. I got a few interesting insects. Birding is slow, a male Cassin’s Finch has found my feeder and comes in regularly, but nothing else does. I am sure glad I’m where I’m at because it has to be hot down on the plains if it is this hot here.

This is a mantispid, also known as a mantisfly. I’ve never seen them before and according to BugGuide this is a first for South Dakota. I had several come in last night. Most likely it is *Dicromantispa sayi*.

This moth is *Eubaphe mendica*, The Beggar. It gets its name from the spots which resemble holes in a beggar’s clothing. Also a first BugGuide record for South Dakota.

Birding Photography

Back to the Black Hills

Post author By Doug Backlund
Post date July 18, 2021

I left the Slim Buttes on Friday and drove back to my quiet spot in the Black Hills. It was getting hot up there and forecast to get even hotter. When I got to my spot, someone else was there with a big 5th wheel and ATVs. There was plenty of room for me too but I decided I wanted some distance from ATVs so went back to the main road and took the road to Jumpoff Spring. I have often thought about taking the Scamp on that road but haven’t done it because of a steep hill and a rough, rocky road to get up there. Well, I tried it, took it real slow in 4 wheel drive and it turned out OK. No cupboards dumped out and nothing much happened. I really like this new spot, even quieter and more remote. One thing I am certain of, no one is pulling a 5th wheel or big camper up here! I put out the trail cams yesterday near Baldwin Spring and got nothing, then this afternoon I was walking down the trail by camp when I saw fresh Mountain Lion tracks from last night, made after the light rain that fell. I had one hummingbird at my feeder this morning that hasn’t come back, I think it was a Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

The meadow by my new camp is full of Purple Coneflower and many other flowers, there is a clump of Bristly Poppy in the back. The abundance of Purple Coneflower is amazing here.

A Western Wood-Pewee at Baldwin Spring. This one of the best photos I’ve ever taken of this species, they always seem to land in a shadow or too high up.

How many more photos can I take of Western Tanagers? I just can’t pass up a good shot.

A very scruffy looking Vesper Sparrow, in heavy molt.

I only got one shot of the hummingbird and it is not a good one. But, looks like Ruby-throated to me.

Birding Photography

Birds, Flowers, Butterflies

Post author By Doug Backlund
Post date June 24, 2021

I haven’t been seeing anything too exciting. The weather has been windy and not good for trail cams. When the wind blows hard, movement of vegetation and shadows triggers the camera and I get hundreds of videos/photos with nothing in them. Now it looks like a couple of days of rain. I went back to Baldwin Spring one morning and got more nice bird photos. A walk in Hell Canyon was good for butterflies.

The Death Camas has all gone to seed, now the most abundant flower in my meadow is the Mariposa Lily. Thousands of them are in bloom now.

I think this is a Northwestern Fritillary. According to my butterfly guide, it is right on the edge of its range in the Black Hills.

Just a robin, but I really like this photo.

Birding Photography

The Birds at Baldwin Spring

Post author By Doug Backlund
Post date June 7, 2021
2 Comments on The Birds at Baldwin Spring

Baldwin Spring is my favorite bird photography spot in the Black Hills. I just wish some “new” birds would show up. I get photos of the same species every year. It is still fun to sit in my nest and take nice close-up photos. There is a perfect hiding spot (my nest) in between a juniper and some chokecherry bushes just a few feet away from the spring. I know the birds still know I’m there, but they get used to me. In the morning, the sun is behind me and usually the light is pretty nice. Today I carried the 500 f4 on a tripod to the spring. Yesterday I walked from camp, that is about 2 miles each way. I can drive to within a mile or so, depending on which route I take. One route is shorter and then one has to go down (and then up) a steep but short hill, maybe a few hundred yards. The other route is longer and downhill too but not as steep. I usually prefer the shorter route.

Yesterday I put my trail cams out at two trails leading to two other springs. There are no cattle this year so I’m hoping for something exciting to show up.

Spotted Towhees are a regular at the spring.

There are lots of Red Crossbills this year. They come in an amazing variety of plumages. This one is a juvenile bird, apparently they have already hatched a brood. Sometimes there will be 15-20 of them getting a drink or bathing.

Male Red Crossbill, full color. I have lots of photos.

A Gray Jay. I don’t see this species at the spring very often.

A juvenile Clark’s Nutcracker. I watched one of the parents feeding it. Note the fleshy gape.

Birding Photography

Back in Pierre, SD

I’m back in Pierre. Actually, I’ve been here over a week now. The first few days were cold and wet but pretty good for birding, as lots of migrants were forced to land. As it was in Arizona, rain is needed here too. On the way up here, I stopped in a BLM campground near Datil, New Mexico. It is the Datil Well Campground and I plan to spend more time there on the way back to Arizona. Very nice area for astrophotography and the birding is pretty good too. I had read about this campground before but the reviews all said there was no phone service/internet. However, I found that some campsites do have service, good enough for email, news and weather, anyway.

A Black-chinned Hummingbird at Datil Well Campground, New Mexico.

A Glossy Ibis at the Hyde WPA, near Pierre, SD.

A Semipalmated Plover and a Piping Plover, side by side, Hyde WPA.

My best bird of late, a Whimbrel at Hyde WPA. I got a text from Kenny Miller this afternoon letting me know he had found this bird. I headed up there and it was still present! A South Dakota life bird and a new Hughes County life bird as well. I have chased after Whimbrels in South Dakota a few times and they were always gone when I got there. I now have 370 species on my South Dakota life list. This is a lousy photo due to the distance, but I have lots of good photos of Whimbrels at the LINK.

Birding Photography

Birds!

It is sure good to see lots of birds again! I’ve been at Patton’s Hummingbird Center in Patagonia three times now and today is the first time I saw any Violet-crowned Hummingbirds. Apparently the numbers are down. I discovered that there are three feeders on the property (in the northwest corner) that do have Violet-crowned Hummingbirds. I never saw any on the rest of the property. The place is alive with other birds, too many species to list here. Lots of birders too.

I think I will leave tomorrow and drive to Silver City. I could stay here a long time but it is time to head north. Had a nice rain yesterday and the plant response to it was rapid, things are greening up. There was a dusting of snow on the Santa Ritas but it didn’t last long.

Not as close but I like the perch better!

I got very close to this male Ladder-backed Woodpecker.

A Greater Pewee in the Empire Gulch at Las Cienegas. I’ve never seen one away from the mountains. Obviously a migrant on its way to mountains, where the species nests.

Birding Photography Travel

On The Move Again

Post author By Doug Backlund
Post date April 27, 2021

I left Ajo on Sunday morning and drove to the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, near Sonoita. I’ve stayed here many times, it is free, quiet, and usually good birding. Like most everywhere else in Arizona, it is very dry. There is still water in the spring though and the cottonwoods are leafed out and green. The uplands are dry and brown. Had a nice rain this afternoon and now the forecast is for a low of 35F tonight! I would not be surprised to see some snow on the mountains in the morning.

Today Mark Otnes and I birded around Patagonia Lake where we had some good luck with a Least Tern.