A Pheasant at Twin Oaks

Wednesday, April 23, 2014,

Ring-necked Pheasant at Twin Oaks Horse Sanctuary

This is a Ring-necked Pheasant that I saw at Twin Oaks Horse Sanctuary. Twin Oaks is a non-profit horse rescue/sanctuary in Manorville, NY. They rescue older, unwanted horses and give them a nice place to live out their days. They really do good stuff. I was there to help capture some video footage for a fundraising appeal. All morning I had been hearing the pheasants call out but I could never locate one. They sound sort of like a rooster with a sore throat but without the whole cock-a-doodle-do bit. After we got the footage for the video I went back to searching for pheasants. I was still hearing them but not seeing any when Cynthia, (the young lady that was writer, director, producer, editor, and reluctant star of the vid), took the time out to point this guy out to me. She did this while she was distributing hay for the horses with a wheelbarrow. Hey, it’s not all videos and glamour when you’re caring for horses. This guy was in some underbrush at first so I had to stalk him a bit before capturing this shot in a somewhat more open area but without Cynthia’s help, this shot never happens. I’d still be scratching my head, wondering where the heck that bird was. Thank you Cynthia, and good luck with your fundraiser. JK

For more information about Twin Oaks, you can visit them here and this is them on Facebook. Please consider helping them out.

 

Young Ring-necked Pheasant At Avalon

Saturday, November 23, 2013,

20131012085015-5x7wFour Harbors Audubon Society holds its monthly walks every second Saturday at Avalon Preserve in Stony Brook. These walks are great for sharing and collecting all kinds of nature info. I’ve learned a great deal during these walks, and not just about birds. It has been my experience that ‘birders’ are not all about birds themselves. I’ve yet to meet anyone on these Audubon walks that doesn’t see or look for the bigger picture. Each of our walkers seem to enjoy nature as a whole, not just the birdy parts. Of course, these walks are about birds so it’s always cool, and well, wonderful, to find any interesting feathered critters. Our October walk did not let us down. This is a young Ring-necked Pheasant, probably male, that we encountered that morning. This guy may look a bit drab now but he’ll grow up to be snazziest dresser on the block. And who can tell? Perhaps we’ll see this same bird during a future walk. I certainly hope so. They make for great pics. JK.

Yet Another Ring-necked Pheasant

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Click for a larger view.

Yesterday was a busy day. In the morning I took an early hike through David Weld Sanctuary before going kayaking later on. The grounds were still very wet from the morning dew and the rains that we had the day before. I was soaked from the knees down in no time. I saw several rabbits with ticks – it must be a bad year for the little buggers – and I was graced with another Ring-necked Pheasant sighting. This guy was strutting and calling from a large rock that is just off one of the main paths. I got a couple of decent shots. I should have gotten more and better ones at that but that’s how it goes. He would only call when I would duck down out of sight so I was unable to get a shot of him crowing but I could hear a great deal of wing flapping as he called. I’d like to know what’s going on there. In my mind’s eye he’s doing a King Kong across his chest. Maybe, if I try hard enough and long enough, and eat all my veggies, I’ll manage to get that magic shot. Don’t hold your breath. JK

Another Ring-neck Pheasant at David Weld

Saturday, May 10, 2008

I took a hike through David Weld on Wednesday morning. Birds were everywhere. I went looking for this guy through the open fields. As I was following him I flushed up a hen. I snapped a quick pic but the focus was lousy. This male was content to let me trail him for a bit. I suspect he was leading me away from his loved ones. The colors on these birds really come alive in the sun. That breast flashes just as brilliantly as his red face. I’m not sure the camera truly captures it. Here’s another shot of the same bird. JK

Ring-necked Pheasants

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Click for a larger pic.

If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. I went back to David Weld Sanctuary this morning to try my luck at getting a shot of a Ring-necked Pheasant. And lucky is what I got. After hiking the short loop (I’m not crazy about the long loop – it brings you very close to some back yards), I was going to see about going into the field where I saw one yesterday. On the way I spied two hens taking cover from me in some Timothy (tall brown grass). I took a few shots but the birds were in good cover.

Meanwhile, as I’m shooting, I’m hearing a rustling behind me which I take to be a squirrel in the undergrowth. Pheasants are cooler than squirrels, (no offense to you squirrel huggers), so I pay it no mind. When the two hens were out of sight I turn and this guy is ten feet away and coming out into the open. I think he was deliberately trying to distract me from his family. I’ve seen quail (I assume they were Bobwhites) do the same thing. I can’t say for certain that distraction was his intention but that’s the feeling I had. I was glad enough to get the shots.

This is one of the hens. They do a better job of blending in than their mates. JK