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Author Archives: Teri J Pieper

Burrowing Owls

The birding highlight at Malheur NWR may have been seeing Burrowing Owls. It’s been years since I’ve seen them. We saw two pairs. One pair was too distant for good photos. We did observe them exchanging food or maybe something else and also an attempt at copulation. The other pair had a burrow very near the gravel road so we were able to view and photograph them from the car.

In some of these images, you can see the male, the lighter one, attempt to give the female a gift. We decided it was a piece of watermelon rind. She was not impressed and retreated to the burrow and he dropped it and stomped on it! Males are lighter because they spend more time outside the burrow and their feathers get sun bleached.

A Few Shorebirds from Malheur

Shorebirds are always fun to watch. Their gangly legs and long beaks are just so interesting. The Wilson’s Phalarope is a bit different, mostly foraging while afloat in shallow water. Another difference is that the female is the more colorful of the pair and the male incubates the eggs and gets the youngsters off to a good start in life. I think the avocets enjoy looking at their reflection.

Long-billed Curlew, Black-necked Stilt, Willet, American Avocet, Wilson’s Phalarope.

Birds in Flight

At Malheur NWR, I had plenty of chances to work on improving my birds in flight photography skills. Lots of types of birds around all the time. Forester’s Tern, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Long-billed Curlew, Swainson’s Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Northern Harrier aka Marsh Hawk.

Birds, Birds, Birds

The girls and I just returned from a nearly three-week roadtrip. We spent time in the California desert and also at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. I made lots of pictures. Lots. So far, I have processed most of the bird photos from Malheur and even skipping many, I still have so many favorites. It’s overwhelming. Here is a group of several miscellaneous species to get started. Sandhill Cranes, Osprey, Song Sparrow, Bullock’s Oriole, Cinnamon Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, Ring-necked Pheasant, White-faced Ibis, Pintails, Franklin’s Gulls, Yellow-headed Blackbird, White-faced Ibis, Turkey Vultures. There will be more.

Kayak Birds

I took my kayak out for the first time this year yesterday. It was a perfect morning on the lake – calm water, blue skies and comfy temperature. There were not a lot of birds but the birds we did see were pretty and ready to have their pictures made. Birding from a non-motorized boat is the best.