Elijah Gildea
REDDING, CALIFORNIA
Equipment: Nikon D850, Nikon 200-500 lens
In 2006, Elijah spotted a pair of bald eagles— the first he’d seen in his life. He was so excited that he went out the next day and purchased a new camera. Soon he was photographing rufous hummingbirds nearby, then traveling to find even more species. “I am always in pursuit of capturing incredible or beautiful hummingbird moments,” he says.
“Hummingbirds initially caught my eye because of their iridescent colors, and they have kept my interest because of their incredible variety,” Elijah says. His hobby is now a parttime job. He shoots professionally for Perky-Pet bird feeders and leads tours in Costa Rica, while teaching local photography workshops.
In his own backyard, Elijah regularly welcomes six species. “I live on the outskirts of town, which is apparently a great location for hummingbirds,” he says. “I have 12 large hummingbird feeders up and spend my mornings drinking coffee, cleaning and refilling feeders, and watching the dozens of hummingbirds.” And his camera is always nearby, no doubt!
Bill Friggle
DENVER, PENNSYLVANIA
Equipment: Nikon D600, Nikon 200-500 lens
When Bill’s severe arthritis forced him into a power chair, he felt depressed by his limitations. Reading about another photographer who had similar challenges inspired him to return to the hobby of his youth. “On the days you can, you go out and do what you can,” he says.
Bu hikaye Birds & Blooms dergisinin June/July 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Birds & Blooms dergisinin June/July 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Sense or Nonsense? - Why some birds can taste and smell - but others can't
Does a porcelain berry taste like a blueberry to a gray catbird? Does a block of lard smell like frying bacon to a northern flicker? The short answer is no. While some avian species do have a well-adapted sense of taste or smell, they can't distinguish between flavors and odors the way humans can. They're not picking up every ingredient in the suet you put out, says José Ramírez-Garofalo, an ornithology researcher at Rutgers University in New Jersey and the director of Freshkills Biological Station in Staten Island, New York.
Maple Mania - Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
Food-Focused and Fierce - Meet Canada jays and learn why they eat almost anything they can find
Even if you haven't heard of Canada jays, you've heard of their relatives. Members of the corvid family, they belong to the same group as American crows, blackbilled magpies, and jays including blue, Steller's and scrub. "Unlike many of the other jays, a Canada jay doesn't have a crest of any kind; it just has a rounded head," says Dale Gentry, director of conservation for Audubon Upper Mississippi River.In 2018, the Canada jay's name was changed from gray jay, but Dale thinks the former adjective was fitting. "Most of its body is shades of gray with some white," he says. "There are different subspecies that have different physical traits, but most of them have some lighter coloring on their foreheads, upper breasts and throats, each with a darker streak that starts at each eye and goes back."
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