Grasshopper Sparrow

[Bill Dix]

I'm laid up with a torn rotator cuff, so I won't be lifting any camera gear for the next few months. Just as well. I had two good trips in the first half of the year, so my travel funds have been depleted; and there's not much happening around here in July and August. My batteries will be recharged by the time the fall season rolls around. So I'm going through old files to see what I haven't posted before. Here's one from last year, taken in a local field.

D500, 500f4 + 1.4 TC, ISO 1000, 1/1250s @ f/6.3 manual

[Isaac Grant]

Sorry to hear about your injury Bill. Hope you heal quickly and get back out soon. I love Grasshopper Sparrows. You have a nice singing pose. But I am not crazy about the plant touching the tail. Head could use a bit more sharpening.

As for July and August being slow, I think our area has tons of opportunities at this time of year. There have been lots of great birds around offering excellent photo opportunities. Local breeders, lingering or vagrant waterfowl, returning shorebirds, the beach nesters and so on. Not to mention if you expand out a couple hours all of the breeding songbirds in the mountains. Funny but I think this is my favorite time of year around here. Call me if you ever need some pointers or have specific species you are after.

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Hi Bill, take care and hope you recover fast! Love the bird and the perch with clean BG. Agree with Isaac reg the tail & sharpening. Colors are quiet pleasing.

[John Mack]

Hope you have a speedy recovery. Nice image here. Like the calling pose. The background is nice. Neat perch as well.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hi Bill, lovely little bird... makes me want to go to Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area in search of them. Love the singing post, perch, and background. I might give it a try to remove the leave touching the tail but it would be difficult. Thank you for sharing.

Now to your shoulder... how the h*** did you do that. You are too old my friend to have a injury like that. Hoping and praying you recover soon. Take care.

[gail bisson]

Hope you get better soon Bill! I agree with you that summer is the slow season in the NE.
Sweet image and I love the perch and singing pose. Just wish the leaf wasn't touching the bird.
Gail
I never noticed the little shoulder patch of yellow before.

[annmpacheco]

Sorry to hear about your TRC Bill, boy that hurts... I wish a speedy recovery for you. The grasshopper sparrow is lovely on a sweet perch, although the back leaf touch the butt isn't ideal, i agree w a bit more head sharpening. love the singing pose...

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all for the comments. Yes, I agree that the leaf is unfortunate. I thought about titling this "Hey, That Tickles".

I appreciate all the kind wishes. Surgery tomorrow morning, then several months of rehab, and I'll be back in the field.

Joe, long story how I did it. Suffice it to say that it involved a Zodiac in frigid Arctic waters, a heavy camera, and a Guillemot on an ice floe. Too old, you say? More like not old enough to know better.

And thanks, Isaac, for reminding what I'll be missing. I'll be thinking of you out there where the Greenheads are large enough to carry away small foreign cars.