My three favorite North American photos at this point in time
are highlighted below. In fact, since one of my choices is a pelagic bird
photographed from the mainland, I've thrown in an "extra" choice just to
be fair!
All photos © D. Roberson.
Ross's
Gull Rhodostethia rosea while any photo of this gorgeous
creature is likely to be looked upon with approval, I thought the background
colors in the water enhanced this flight shot substantially. Taken at Churchill,
Manitoba, Canada, in June 1988.
Sharp-tailed
Grouse Tympanuchus phasianellus this male is in full display
in the crisp cold dawn on his dancing grounds in the American prairies.
All of the dancing grouse are spectacular, but I like this shot because
one gets a feel for the small hill on which the lekking site is located
with a prairie pot-hole in the background. One can also see the motion
in the central tail feathers and the feet and going a million-miles-a-minute
in its incredible stomping dance accompanied by lawn-mower sounds! His
yellow eye combs and purple neck sack are fully inflated. Taken from a
blind at Crescent Lake NWR, Nebraska, 14 Apr 1995.
Fork-tailed
Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma furcata yes, I know I have a
separate "realm" for pelagic birds, but this shot was taken from the continental
mainland. Occasionally strong winds offshore will push flights of these
storm-petrels into Monterey Bay. I photographed this one and its reflection
from the commercial wharf in the Monterey harbor, California, on 25 Aug
1983 [a similar shot was among the prize-winners in "ABA Members' Best",
Birding 21: 92 (1989)]. It is actually crystal clear, despite how
the photo comes out when posted to this media. It is fortunate that most
of these storm-petrels head rapidly back to the open seas. The Western
Gulls in the harbor learn these are easy meals within a couple of days
and reek carnage on those lingering in the harbor too long.
Little
Curlew Numenius minutus much of my North American photography
has been taken up in documenting vagrants. A lot of these have found their
way into the birding literature -- via Western Birds and CBRC reports,
or American Birds/Field Notes seasonal reports, or Monterey Birds
or
Rare Birds of the West Coast. One of the rarest is this Little Curlew
which has reached North America only a handful of times; this was the second
California record and the first for my home county (Monterey Co.): on Carmel
beach in Sep 1994. Flight shots can be difficult, but this one is actually
reasonably crisp (despite quality losses when posted to this media) and
shows many characters rather well.