An american avocet spreads its wings to come in for a landing

Most of the bird images I take tend to be portrait-type images. The reason for this is situational – like it or not, birds do a lot of standing around. While these static shots are great for exploring the finer details of a bird’s plumage, they show little of a bird’s behavior. That’s why whenever possible, I try to capture birds in action. Whether it be flying, foraging or fishing, photographs of birds in action can tell a more complete story about that species, as well as show off details that may otherwise be hidden.

Feet extended, a brown pelican skies across the surface of the water as it lands

One of my favorite action shots is the landing. When a bird comes in for a landing, the body tends to be more upright, which allows the underside of the wings to be angled toward the lens. The bird needs to stop both its downward and forward momentum, causing the wings to fan out at their maximum surface area, as shown in the first photo above.

Because the bird’s body is more upright, the landing is almost an action version of a portrait shot. Anthropomorphizing the body position, the bird is almost saying, “Okay, I’m here and ready for my photo op.”

A brown pelican flaps its wings as it lifts off the surface of the water

Conversely, the take-off shot is not usually as photogenic. The body is more parallel to the ground, and on the downstroke, the wings tend to flatten out and their detail is hidden from the camera. Also, the bird is definitely headed somewhere else, which lacks the same connection a viewer might feel with a bird portrait.

A white pelican spreads its wings as it takes off from the water

Sometimes, however, I get lucky with a take-off photo and capture the wings in the full upstroke position, showing wing detail and freezing a pose that happens very quickly. Although I am happy with outcomes like this, I still prefer the landing poses in photographs.

At the end of the day, there are so many bird behaviors to capture, finding those perfect moments is an endless quest. Multiply that by almost 9,700 bird species, and rest assured that the life of a bird photographer never gets dull.

An american avocet continually watches the skies above its nesting area, looking for would-be predators. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering 0 EV: 1/1600 sec. at f/8.

The stilts were even more wary, as some of them had freshly hatched chicks. The most common threats were gulls, as they dive-bombed the nesting site. Occasionally a northern harrier would fly overhead, sending the stilts into a panic.

A black-necked stilt watches the skies above its nesting area, looking for gulls and raptors. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering 0 EV: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6.

One stilt had three precocious young who were anxious to explore their new surroundings. It was a fairly constant effort to corral them together, and try to keep an eye on three little ones at once.

A black-necked stilt watches over its freshly-hatched chicks. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering 0 EV: 1/1250 sec. at f/9.

The chicks were just getting old enough to venture away from the nest to practice feeding on their own. Their unsteady clumsy legs sometimes pitched them sideways into the shallow mud. They would stray from the nest for only a few minutes, at which point they’d turn around and head back, perhaps out of some primal instinct to stay close to a parent.

Two black-necked stilt checks explore the shallow water near their nest. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering 0 EV: 1/640 sec. at f/8.

As the sun set, the stilt settled down into the shallow scraping of a nest it had created at the edge of the pickleweed. One by one, each chick would press its way into the feathers of its parent, so it could nest in relative safety.

A day's end, a black-necked stilt cuddles its chick, inviting it to nest within its feathers. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering 0 EV: 1/500 sec. at f/11.

Finally just one chick remained before it too nestled into the comforting feathers of its parent.

The female avocet signals that she's ready to receive the male by standing with her head close to the water with the beak straight out in front. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1: 1/800 sec. at f/8

As they begin, the female signals to the male that she’s ready by standing alert with her head low and forward, close to the water. The male stands next to his mate, or directly behind her.

The male avocet mounts the female from behind. The act of copulation lasts only a few seconds. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1: 1/800 sec. at f/8

In one quick motion, the males jumps up onto the female’s back. Breeding only lasts a few seconds, during which time the male flaps his wings repeatedly. Just as quickly, he jumps down again.

Immediately after copulation, the avocets cross beaks. Holding them in this position, they walk in a tight circle two or three times. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1: 1/640 sec. at f/8

Immediately after copulation, the avocets turn toward each other and cross beaks. Each bill rests against the other’s neck, with the male standing slightly taller than the female. Holding this position, they walk in several tight circles.

Soon after the avocet pair copulates, they promenade side-by-side in a straight line. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1: 1/800 sec. at f/8

Once the circles are completed, they march off together side-by-side. I always find it fascinating to watch these intricate rituals that have developed over thousands of years.

Rising out of the water, an american avocet flaps its wings in the air. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3: 1/1600 sec. at f/7.1

An american avocet pair gather nest building material. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-40D. ISO 200. Evaluative metering -1: 1/640 sec. at f/8

May you and your loved ones have a happy Valentine’s Day.

I’d like to wish my Valentine and beautiful wife of 7 years, Kerry, a very special day. Thank you for all of your love and support in everything that I do! I love you.

A young american avocet chick wades in shallow water looking for food

I was fortunate this spring to get out and capture a few different species of new hatch-lings. It was wonderful to watch these brand new birds explore around their nests. The image above is an american avocet chick, while the image below is a black-necked stilt chick. While these chicks look very similar within the first few weeks of their lives, they soon begin to develop characteristics of the very different looking adult species.

A black-necked stilt chick is reflected in shallow water, Baylands, Palo Alto, California

While the avocet and stilt chicks tend to stay very close to water, canada goose chicks spend most of their time on land, feeding off of grass. The gosling below was one of five siblings, all feeding amongst short grass, very close to their parents. If anyone approaches too closely, the geese will corral their chicks and surround them, hissing a warning at the offender (which is why I always stayed a good distance away).

A Canada Gossling grazes in the short grass. He stops periodically to peer about.

The last species I covered this spring is the ever-present mallard duckling. I followed a family with four chicks for a few days, watching the mother keep her chicks hidden in the tall grass next to a pond, while the father warded off any other water foul that ventured too close. Here is the mother with one of her chicks, just after preening.

A mallard hen preens with her chick in the grass next to a slough

The flash gallery below features more images of these very cute newborns. Please enjoy them, share it with friends, or click through to the spring babies gallery on my photo site. I hope you enjoy watching as much as I enjoyed capturing them.

A nesting american avocet peeks above the pickle weed

This american avocet was sitting on her nest, hidden in pickle weed along the bank of a shallow slough. Avocet nests are fairly unimpressive – they are usually just a small scrape along the ground, sometimes lined with grass. Sometime avocet females will lay their eggs in other avocet nests – or even the nests of other species. Likewise, other species (usually black-necked stilts) have been known to lay their eggs in active avocet nests. The avocet female that tends the nest will raise the stilt chicks as if they were her own.

An American Avocet eats a particle of food in a shallow pool in early morning

I photographed this american avocet at first light, just as the sun was peeking over the eastern horizon. Like most avocets this time of year, this one is in full breeding plumage, with reddish feathers all around its neck and head. In non-breeding plumage, its head and neck match the white of the rest of its body. This avocet had just snatched a food item from the shallow water. They feed either by dunking their entire head into the water, or by skimming their upturned beak across the surface of the water.

Early morning is a great time to photograph wetland birds as the water is usually very still, and the birds tend to be very active with morning feeding. Also, with the still water and low sun angle, reflection shots are possible.

Here are a few more photos from the same morning of this and other avocets.

An American Avocet opens its beak to call as it feeds in early morning

An American Avocet is reflected in a shallow pool, a blade of grass decends from its beak