ML246998811

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

This bird was found and identified earlier in the day by other birders. When I arrived Justin Straight, Brandon Miller and David Bradford were on the East side of Vern’s Pond watching and photographing the bird. It was perched high on a dead branch of a Gooding’s willow and occasionally flew out to catch a large insect (likely dragonflies as there were many in the area), and then perched in the same general location and consumed its prey. The habitat is a patch of cottonwood/willow trees along the edge of a 1500 acre restored wetlands area. I’m told this bird is a second year subadult due to it having mostly adult plumage with some barring on the tail, light feathers in the wing and light spots on the chest. A thin long, and delicate appearing raptor, slightly larger than a Merlin with a silky light grey head, darker body and almost black wings and tail, and with black around the eye and forward to the beak. The beak was small and curved. Pictures to follow.

Technical information

Model

E-M1MarkII

Lens

M.300mm F4.0 + MC-14

ISO

200

Focal length

420 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/8.0

Shutter speed

1/250 sec

Dimensions

2392 pixels x 1883 pixels

Original file size

585.9 KB