Gilbert Riparian Preserve Jan 31 2021

 I spent the morning at the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert this morning. I had heard about a Roseate Spoonbill that seems very comfortable there. As always the Riparian Preserve did not dissapoint, even though it was jam-packed full of people. I had been told that there were a ton of photographers with the Spoonbill, so I headed to the pond with the most people around it - not a Spoonbill in sight. So. I wandered. Just as I thought the Spoonbill had left, I heard from an older lady that "there is a bird with a funny looking beak asleep in the reeds in Pond 2"... of course, I was at Pond 3. The Spoonbill was fast asleep for a good 40 minutes... woke once, yawned, pooped and went back to sleep again! He was awake long enough for me to get a couple of images.

Roseate Spoonbill

Aperture Priority f5.6, 420mm, 1/500 sec, ISO 320, +1 EV

Black Phoebe

Aperture Priority f7.1, 420mm, 1/500 sec, ISO 320

Black-crowned Night Heron

Aperture Priority f7.1, 420mm, 1/2500 sec, ISO 320

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Manual Mode, f6.3, 500mm, 1/640 sec, ISO 320

Coopers Hawk

Manual Mode, f7.1, 420mm, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320

Starling

Manual Mode, f7.1, 420mm, 1/250 sec, ISO 320

Least Sandpiper

Aperture Priority f7.1, 420mm, 1/1600 sec, ISO 320

Northern Mockingbird

Manual Mode, f7.1, 420mm, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320

Pied-billed Grebe

Aperture Priority f5.6, 420mm, 1/1600 sec, ISO 320

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Aperture Priority f7.1, 420mm, 1/250 sec, ISO 320

Snowy Egret

Manual Mode, f7.1, 420mm, 1/3200 sec, ISO 320

Verdin

Aperture Priority f7.1, 420mm, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320