Nemesis Birds

Everyone who photographs birds has them; a species (or multiple species, at times) that simply refuses to allow you to make an image of them. Eventually you get them and you move on to another nemesis bird. Today, however, I had a run in with a nemesis bird of a different kind. At the picnic area in St. Mark's National Wildlife Refuge I saw a bird that I had not seen before - a "lifer" if I kept a "Life List". Naturally I had a desire to make a few images and add it to my "shot list". The bird in question, a Hermit Thrush, was quite cooperative and allowed me to get close a couple of times. Unfortunately I never got off a single shot. In strict terms, the "nemesis" would be the bird that I couldn't photograph but, in this case, another bird was the culprit: a Northern Mockingbird. Now I know full well that "mockers" can be quite territorial but this one only seemed to have a problem with my thrush. It was A-OK for all the other birds in the vicinity to forage; cardinals, sparrows, warblers, jays, grackles. Everyone but the Hermit Thrush. Both times that I set up the shot this rotten bird would fly in and chase the thrush away just as the focus locked. After the second time I waited around a bit, but it never came back. Arrgh (I'll try again tomorrow anyway).

I'd left Lakeland Monday morning with a couple of birds as my primary targets (Snowy Plover and Gull-billed Tern) and spent the afternoon at Bald Point State Park in that quest. I did not see them but, mixed in with some Ring-billed, Bonaparte's, and Herring Gulls, a few Royal and Forster's Terns I found this lone Caspian Tern. It was not a new bird for me, but it was the first time I had seen or photographed one that was not flying.

Finally, as I made my way back to the parking area from the beach I encountered (and failed again to photograph) my latest "true" nemesis bird, an Eastern Phoebe. This one started in earnest last week in Lakeland and hopefully I'll get it before I leave here Friday.