Pygmy Nuthatch, Sitta pygmaea: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
It was my second
visit to Rocky Mountain National Park that I overnighted at the Moraine Park
Campground. During the night a fierce
storm raged through the campground, a driving rain poured in such torrents that
I began to wonder if my van was going to float away. Not having weather information available I
wasn’t sure if I would see a sunrise the next morning or not, but by dawn the
storm had passed and the clouds began to breakup shortly after dawn.
On my way out of
the campground that morning I noticed some small birds flying between pine
trees near the campground entrance. By
the jizz of the birds I suspected them to be Pygmy Nuthatches, and as soon as I
got my bins on the birds, my suspicions were confirmed. I quickly pulled off the road, grabbed my
camera and headed toward the birds. No
sooner had I reached the nuthatches I discovered that the birds had a nest in
an old pine snag. The birds were busy feeding and among the
pinecones and making trips to and from the nest cavity. I took this shot as one of the birds poked
its head from the cavity and stopped briefly before launching itself into the
air. By the look on its face, it doesn’t
appear too happy to have its picture taken.
This picture appeared on the back cover of the Autumn, 2013 issue
of Living Bird Magazine.
Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/200 second @ f/6.3
Sounds like a great experience! Lovely photo!
ReplyDeleteThank you Shelia. It really was a wonderful experience. Bobby
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