My Saturday Bird this week is a female Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and is a follow up to my Saturday Bird two weeks ago which was a male Red-winged Blackbird.
I waited two weeks to post the female because the males normally arrive some time before the females. This allows the males to set up territories before the females arrive.
This female was photographed in central Saskatchewan in the spring.
My Saturday Bird this week is the Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). The species is found in most of North America and much of Central America.
Northern populations are migratory heading south for the winter. This is a male singing to proclaim his territory and attract a mate having just arrived in central Saskatchewan, Canada in the spring.
This is my very late contribution to the Tuesday Photo Challenge – All You Need Is Love prompt.
I admit I had forgotten about the challenge until seeing the contribution from Cee Neuner.
Blackbird is a song on The Beatles White Album.
A small selection of Blackbirds.
A male Yellow-headed Blackbird.
Male Red-winged Blackbird.
Male Common Blackbird.
Female Red-winged Blackbird.
This is my contribution to the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Negative Space prompt.
The prompt started me thinking about some of the photos of plants and flowers I have taken using various fast portrait lenses this summer.
That started me thinking about my use of negative space in some of my bird photography.
My idea for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Sense of Hearing quickly came to mind. Waking up in the spring to various birds singing and calling to proclaim their territories made it an obvious choice.
In the spring the males of lots of bird species are proclaiming their territories by singing and calling. As much as humans may enjoy hearing some of these songs they’re doing it to let rival males know they’re claiming the area as their territory and to attract a female.
A European Robin proclaims the area as his territory, Faddiley, Cheshire.
A male Yellow-headed Blackbird proclaiming his territory in Saskatchewan.
A Tree Pipit singing from the top of a tree on Bickerton Hill in southern Cheshire.
A male Red-winged Blackbird proclaiming his territory in Saskatchewan.
This is my contribution to the One Word Sunday prompt Inspiration.
Having started digitising my slide archives last winter I found quite a few “birds in their habitat” shots. A type of image I like but never seem to shoot nowadays.
However, having rediscovered these old film shots I’m inspired to start looking for these type of images again.
A male Red-winged Blackbird singing to proclaim his territory in Saskatchewan, Canada.
A female Red-winged Blackbird in its habitat in Saskatchewan, Canada.
This is my contribution to the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: On Display.
I decided to take a sideways look at the challenge and go with a selection of birds on display to attract a mate or displaying to a potential mate.
A pair of Great Crested Grebes performing the weed waving part of their courtship display.
A displaying male Yellow-headedBlackbird.
A male Ruddy Duck displays to a female. The bubbles in the water in front of the male are from him forcing the air out of his chest feathers by striking his chest with his bill which is part of the courtship display.
A displaying male Red-winged Blackbird.
