H.J. Ruiz – Avian101 – Page 749 – "My Backyard Visitors" – All about birds

Indian Peafowl

Going through my files and List of Birds I realized that I had completely forgot to count and add one more bird. The Indian Peafowl. One of the most beautiful birds I’ve seen. There is more information about this bird next:

Indian Peafowl – Latin name: Pavo cristatus

A resident breeder in South Asia. The peacock is designated as the national bird of India.There are two Asiatic and one African species of flying bird in the genus Pavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae, best known for the male’s extravagant eye-spotted tail covert feathers, which it displays as part of courtship. The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen, and the offspring peachicks. The adult female peafowl is grey and/or brown. Peachicks can be between yellow and a tawny color with darker brown patches or light tan and ivory, also referred to as “dirty white”.

White peacocks are not albinos; they have a genetic mutation that is known as Leucism, which causes the lack of pigments in the plumage. Albino animals and birds have a complete lack of color and red or pink eyes while White peafowl have blue eyes. The white color appears in other domestically bred peafowl but in different quantities. Chicks are born yellow and become white as they mature, according to the Peafowl Varieties Database. Indian peafowl of all colors, including white, have pink skin.

As with many birds, vibrant iridescent plumage colours are not primarily pigments, but structural coloration. Optical interference Bragg reflections, based on regular, periodic nanostructures of the barbules (fiber-like components) of the feathers produce the peacock’s colors. Slight changes to the spacing result in different colours. Brown feathers are a mixture of red and blue: one colour is created by the periodic structure, and the other is a created by a Fabry–Pérot interference peak from reflections from the outer and inner boundaries. Such structural coloration causes the iridescence of the peacock’s hues since, unlike pigments, interference effects depend on light angle.

NOTE: The Indian Peafowl is a new addition to my List of Birds as: # 198

Text Excerpt © Wikipedia – All photographs © HJ Ruiz – Avian101

Tags: birds, Indian Peafowl, nature, photography, photos of birds

Hey! I’m in Luck!

That particular morning the sky was gray and semi dark, the grassy fields were exuding a milky white dense fog. I drove to the side of the water reservoir and parked my vehicle. I picked a safe spot for my base of operation, from that point I could hike a short distance to several interesting areas. Being early that morning, the sun was still low in the horizon, below the trees tops. The sky was gray but the sun had begun to shine through. The light effect was definitely not so convenient but added a certain accent to the milky fog of the morning. We must remember that the location is in Florida, as soon as the sun is up the warm tropical temperature also kicks in. I figured that the fog was going to dissipate and the sky would turn from gray to blue. It was exactly what happened I was proven right! The time passed and soon enough then I realized that we had a brilliant day outdoors.

Not very far from the reservoir, I walked until I found a medium size pond, I spent some time there saw some birds, shot some pictures and then I walked northbound to a large grazing field, I could see in the distance a few dozen cattle near the other end of the field,then some white spots moving near the bovines caught my eye. I moved closer and I zoomed my camera and realized they were a bunch of Cattle Egrets. Hey! I’m in luck! I thought. I got as close as I could and shot some pictures of them. For the first time I saw these species while they walk. They move their heads and necks forward, take the step and retract their necks again, as a piston would move in a cadence fashion. Very peculiar walk compared to other egrets I’ve seen.

Later I drove to another location where I found some more cattle egrets but this time wasn’t a field, it was in a swamp area.

Next, I have some photos for you. Enjoy!

Notice a Tricolored Heron in the foreground!!

Text and photographs © HJ Ruiz – Avian101

Tags: birds, Cattle Egret, nature, photography, photos of birds

Sharing My Thoughts

Since the time I began to feel more interested in birds a few years ago I have progressed from first, watching and feeding birds to a more important phase to dedicate my free time and photographic skills in order to document my findings.

I’m not in pursuit of profit or any monetary reward from my work, I simply suffice with my personal achievement which translates to unmeasurable satisfaction.

I’ve learned a great deal about avian life and it’s work in progress by learning from my experiences. In addition I complement my learning by reading a number of books and other informative media. Studying has always fascinated me a great deal, whatever the subject might be.

I have found a new source of exuberance being more in touch with my feathered friends the birds.

I just hope not to be that boring with my rant, I merely share my thoughts with you.

Next, I have some photos of the Tricolored Heron from my last vacation in Florida. Enjoy!

Tricolored Heron and Reddish Egret

Tags: birds, nature, photography, photos of birds, Tricolored Heron

Be Patient and Be Persistent

One exciting moment for me was photographing an Osprey for the very first time, during my last vacation in Florida. It never enter in my mind that I would find Ospreys at this location. As a matter of fact, when I arrived to that location, I was feeling a bit disappointed because the morning was very gray and foggy, also, there were no birds on sight for a while but I made my mind to stick around, not to rush to the conclusion that would be a bad day and instead I decided take a stroll with my camera around fields, swamps and ponds ready for any event.

It didn’t take long when I saw movement amid the fog near a wooden fence, it was a Palm warbler, then I saw a number of white birds walking around some cattle grazing on a field a few hundred yards from where I was, and so on I discovered many birds now at different points now that the fog had dissipated by then the sun had risen more and brightened the sky more. In conclusion, turned out to be one of the best days I had for birds. My suggestion to any bird photographer or bird enthusiast:

“Be patient and be persistent.”

Of course the highlight of my day was when I saw an Osprey splash in a pond and grab a fish (most likely you’ve seen the pictures of that event when I posted them a few days ago.)

Some time later that day I saw more Ospreys and took some more shots which you’ll see next.