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| The ultimate water bird |
So, this year’s bird page features water birds and is dominated by Flamingos – Greater Flamingos, to be precise – that Scott and I photographed at Parc Ornithologique du Pont de Gau in the Camargue in southwestern France.
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| An assortment of photos we didn’t use on the August page |
This year’s bird page is a bit different and certainly does not adequately show all the birds I photographed in 2024. But, I chose style over quality.
You already saw a few birds on previous pages and you’ll see more later in the year.
Main Page
The main page is all Flamingos and the calendar page is other birds. So, I will show you which Flamingos we used and which we didn’t before discussing other birds.
If you want more information on Flamingos in France, click here.
All the Flamingos we saw were in the ornithological park, which is actually a preserve, not a zoo. In other words, these birds are wild. We saw several hundred.
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A flock shot we didn’t use
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| A distant flock shot that didn’t make it |
The main photo is, obviously, the best of the lot, mainly because of the way the afternoon sun catches’ the bird’s eye.
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| Sometimes an extreme close-up does the trick |
Down the right-hand column are a number of other favorite shots. Since horizontal pictures are usually easier to place (and to use in a blog) Flamingos are challenging because, unless they are flying …
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This shot from the right column demonstrates how hidden colors emerge
when in flight; Photo: Scott Stevens |
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Here are more on the wing that didn’t make the selection;
it was so hard to choose; Bottom left: Scott Stevens |
… they are extremely vertical ...
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Four tall shots: juvenile, showing off the bright wing colors, “I’m ready for my close up,”
a classic pose; Left: Scott Stevens |
I mentioned that the Greater Flamingo’s brightest colors are on the wings. So, you definitely see them when they are flying. But, they also show them when they stretch or preen.
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We waited and waited as we watched sleeping and standing Flamingos, hoping they would stretch;
sometimes they did; Photo: Scott Stevens |
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| Here are two more similar to one of the tall shots I used showing a lot of color |
The Flamingos gather in the Camargue because the salt marshes are full of the tiny organisms that comprise their diet. So, most of the time, they are feeding.
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| Coming up with a mouthful of dinner; Photo: Scott Stevens |
Then, the rest of the time, they tuck their heads in for a nap.
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| We didn’t use this shot that shows the graceful curl of their necks as they sleep |
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| So pretty |
We went to the Camargue because I wanted to see Flamingos. Scott and I came away with hundreds of photos. Here are a few more we didn’t use in the calendar ...
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| Sleeping and preening |
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| Just being Flamingos |
Calendar PageOn the calendar page, I changed gears, featuring other water birds from all over the world ...
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| The first shot was a gorgeous White Stork we came upon in a roadside pond in the Camargue |
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| These are a few other photos that we didn’t use of the same bird |
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| Next, on the other side of the world, is a Southern Lapwing in Ushuaia, Argentina |
The Blue-eyed Shag (AKA Antarctica Cormorant or Antarctic Shag) was the most common bird we saw in Antarctica.
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| We opted to crop in on this mom’s goofy face; Here is the crop and the original |
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| More domesticity and goofiness that wouldn’t fit |
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| Two swimming shots that were rejected |
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| And another we didn’t use of a Blue-eyed Shag against a blue Antarctic sky; Photo: Scott Stevens |
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Next on the calendar is a majestic-looking Dolphin Gull with a brilliant orange bill and legs,
photographed in Ushuaia |
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| This Little Heron was sharing the pond with the White Stork that is also on this page |
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Two more Little Heron shots we didn’t use; the left is in the Parc Ornithologique
and the right in the roadside pond; Left: Scott Stevens |
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| Gray Herons are very common in Europe and the Camargue had many |
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| A couple more shots of Gray Herons; Left: Scott Stevens |
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| Oh, and that flying one passed right over a Mute Swan |
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| This Mute Swan from the Parc Ornithologique didn’t get used either |
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Not all the European photos we used were from France; this gorgeous Common Kingfisher
was the highlight of Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve in Wales |
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| Another view we didn’t use; Photo: Caty Stevens |
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Flipping hemispheres again, this shot of Cape Petrels (also called Pintado Petrels)
is from the Beagle Channel in southern Argentina |
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This photo we didn’t use better shows why they birds are called Pintado
because the word means painted |
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Then back to France with a calendar photo of a black-and-whited Pied Avocet in flight;
we used the shot on the left, but this beauty also provided a couple of other options |
Unused Photos
That’s it for photos that were on the calendar and a number of options that weren’t. We had many more nice water bird photos that we culled down to some addition options. These are the good ones that got left behind.
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| Also from Parc Ornithologique, a flock of Black-winged Stilts … |
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| … an adorable Eurasian Moorhen chick … |
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| … a graceful juvenile Eurasian Moorhen … |
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| … and a Mallard |
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| From elsewhere in France, a stretching Great Cormorant in Les Issambres |
We saw some pretty water birds in Tierra del Fuego National Park in Argentina.
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| Upland Geese flying overhead |
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| A male and a female Upland Goose; Right: Scott Stevens |
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| A Black-necked Swan |
Although the calendar page doesn't feature any water birds from the good ole' USA, I did have a few in the running.
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| A Glossy Ibis in Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in new Mexico |
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| A Snowy Egret having a bad hair day on South Padre Island, Texas |
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| A Tri-colored Heron fishing on South Padre Island |
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| Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and a Bue-winged Teal, also on South Padre |
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| A Laughing Gull on South Padre |
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A Bald Eagle in Rocky Mountain National Park and an Osprey in
Yellowstone National Park; Right: Scott Stevens |
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| American White Pelicans in Rocky Mountain National Park |
Then, of course there were other water birds on the way to and in Antarctica.
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| In the Beagle Channel, a Southern Giant Petrel … |
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| … and a Black-browed Albatross |
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| A South Polar Skua in Antarctica |
Oh, and we didn’t forget. We did photograph lots of Penguins in Antarctica. They got their own page in December.
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| These Chinstrap Penguins on Deception Island look like they were worried |
This page featured only water birds. You’ll see more North American birds in October, but that left a few favorite birds with no place to go.
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| A flock of House Sparrows in Mont Saint-Michel, France |
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| A Chimango Caracara in Tierra del Fuego; Left: Scott Stevens |
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| A Common Buzzard and a Red Kite in the French Alps |
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| Another Red Kite in Pentre Ifan, Wales |
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| A Northern Wheatear on the Gower Peninsula, Wales |
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| A Eurasian Blue Tit at Teifi Marshes |
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| A British White Wagtail on Derwentwater in Keswick, England |
That’s it for August.
Next month, we’ll visit some quaint towns and cities, both abandoned and occupied.
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| Oppede-le-Vieux, France |
