Trying to finish up last weeks shots in Henderson. On the way home Mike spotted a field and barn that were just covered in blackbirds. I was in the back seat where the window only rolls down half way, plus I still had the long lens on and the monopod attached! 
Mike turned the car around and while wrestling with the camera and equipment I tried to get a few shots before they all flew away. With the big lens that resulted in several "porthole" shots before I gave up and stripped the camera of the lens and the monopod and got out of the car!
Those "porthole" shots can be cropped down like this.....but it makes it very hard to tell what you are photographing.
This poor cow stood there patiently watching the crazy lady with her camera wondering why I wanted so many photos of him :-)
Most of the birds headed off to a field nearby.
They were all over the ground, the barn, any structure nearby. There was a spill of grain on the ground next to the silo. I'm sure that was the main attraction!
A black band of them out in the field. Not many at this point compared to what was there to begin with.
A black ridge of them on the roof :-)
A nearby wire was covered with them.....only a few in this photo.
In the middle of all of these birds two hawks were swooping around! The only decent shot I got was when he swooped the ones on the wire.
He perched on the roof corner at one point and took off just as I shot. Finally he went down behind the barn where we couldn't see him. We think he nailed one of them.
Cropping in a bit closer. A big Red-tail, I believe.
I wanted at least one photo of just the barn and silo....with some birds. You can see the pile of grain by the silo.
Another barn on the same farm, but down the hill.
Mike turned the car around and while wrestling with the camera and equipment I tried to get a few shots before they all flew away. With the big lens that resulted in several "porthole" shots before I gave up and stripped the camera of the lens and the monopod and got out of the car!
Those "porthole" shots can be cropped down like this.....but it makes it very hard to tell what you are photographing.
This poor cow stood there patiently watching the crazy lady with her camera wondering why I wanted so many photos of him :-)
Most of the birds headed off to a field nearby.
They were all over the ground, the barn, any structure nearby. There was a spill of grain on the ground next to the silo. I'm sure that was the main attraction!
A black band of them out in the field. Not many at this point compared to what was there to begin with.
A black ridge of them on the roof :-)
A nearby wire was covered with them.....only a few in this photo.
In the middle of all of these birds two hawks were swooping around! The only decent shot I got was when he swooped the ones on the wire.
He perched on the roof corner at one point and took off just as I shot. Finally he went down behind the barn where we couldn't see him. We think he nailed one of them.
Cropping in a bit closer. A big Red-tail, I believe.
I wanted at least one photo of just the barn and silo....with some birds. You can see the pile of grain by the silo.
Another barn on the same farm, but down the hill.There was a whole herd of those black cows further off in the field.
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12 comments:
A lot of action here Mary.
The birds look like starlings to me.
The black cows are probably Aberdeen Angus.
The farm certainly looks like it has seen better days.
An interesting series of shots all under duress. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River.
Roy: Yes, the birds were Starlings. I have been seeing a lot of swarms of them in this cold weather. I've got a bunch at my house right now. Glad to know what kind of cows :-) That one barn did seem to need some care, but over all it wasn't a bad place.
Gary: Next time I will remember to get rid of the monopod while in the car :-)
Hi Mary...those first few photos remind me of something right out of the Alfred Hitchcook era!! lol hahaha!!
I bet you didn't try for a bird count did you. : }}
Like the old farm pictures of the barns!!
Have good week Mary!!
What a lot of birds! I laughed at Grammie's comment about a bird count!
I don't think I have ever seen so many birds in one place.Even if they are Starlings,this is amazing.
Blessings,Ruth
That's a lot of birds!
An Arkies Musings
Have an umbrella if they fly over you! ;)
We've also seen many black birds in a few yards and fields over the past week or so. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures as you did.
Beautiful pictures of ALL of those birds.. Wonder what kind they were???? Amazing... We saw a big bunch recently --but got no pictures.
Love those old barns also... Thanks for sharing, Mary, and thanks to Mike for turning around.
Hugs,
Betsy
I really like the porthole shot. All those birds would make Alfred Hitchcock jealous!Must have created quite a deafening noise too.
Love the barns.
B.
It always makes me wonder when I see a bunch of birds on a wire or on a roof top...why do they all gather in one spot...specially like on a wire where there is lots of room, and they will all be sitting almost touching.
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