Birds with Character - Dr. Dude Photography

This collection of photographs includes birds that are funny places, have interesting poses or postures, or exhibit any of a variety of humorous characteristics.

Two black vultures sitting on the concrete wall of a dam spillway above a sign that says "Danger Unsafe Area." — **Black Vulture, Mineral Wells State Park Dam, Mineral Wells, TX, September 5, 2021**
*Canon EOS Rebel T3i* with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 300 mm; ISO-250; f/7.1; 1/400 sec.

I love this picture. It seems like the Black Vultures are just waiting on something.

Tufted Titmouse holding on to a small branch and hanging upside down. The bird has been eating at a praying mantis egg case. — **Tufted Titmouse, Fort Worth Nature Preserve Trail to Dead End, Fort Worth, TX; January 4, 2022**
*Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 600 mm; ISO-3200; f/6.3; 1/2500 sec.*

This guy was hanging upside down, eating from a preying mantis egg case.

Mallard flying overhead with one wing tucked below as it is starting a sharp turn. — **Mallard, Fort Worth Nature Preserve Marsh Boardwalk, Fort Worth, TX, October 30, 2021**
*Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 500 mm; ISO-320; f/6.3; 1/1600 sec.*

This photograph used to be my representative picture of a Mallard. I caught him in mid-turn as he was changing direction to come in to land.

Belted Kingfisher perched on the tip of a tree limb with it's tail kicked up. — **Belted Kingfisher, Fort Worth Nature Preserve Cross Timbers Trail footbridge, Fort Worth, TX, November 13, 2021**
*Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 600 mm; ISO-2000; f/14; 1/2000 sec.*

I have always liked the way this bird is kicking up his tailfeathers.

Turkey Vulture standing in a dead tree with wings outstretch absorbing sunlight on a cold morning. — **Turkey Vulture, Cleburne State Park, Cleburne, TX, January 29, 2022**
*Canon EOS 5DS R* with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 150 mm; ISO-400; f/5.6; 1/3200 sec.

This sunning Turkey Vulture reminds me of a vampire for some reason.

American White Pelican flying low overhead against a blue sky. — **American White Pelican, Fort Worth Nature Preserve Cross Timbers Trail footbridge, Fort Worth, TX, December 30, 2021**
*Canon EOS 5DS R with Tamron 150-600 mm lens; 600 mm; ISO-800; f/6.3; 1/2000 sec.*

This is the first bird that I have photographed that I could see a band on its leg. If you look closely, you can see the band on its left leg.

Brown Pelican standing on the wall of an old Spanish Fort with its mouth open wide. — **Brown Pelican, San Juan, Puerto Rico, December 27, 2007**
*Sony DSC-H3; 63 mm; ISO-125; f/10; 1/160 sec.*
*This Brown Pelican does not appear in the Bird Species List as a representative example.*

This Brown Pelican standing on the wall of an old Spanish Fort in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico was either yawning or making a show toward me trying to scare me off.

Female Black-chinned Hummingbird taking a few minutes away from the nest scratching her belly. — **Black-chinned Hummingbird, Colleyville Nature Center, Colleyville, TX, May 8, 2022**
*Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100-500 mm L-series lens with 1.4x Teleconverter; 700 mm; ISO-1600; f/11; 1/1000 sec.*

This Black-chinned Hummingbird is my spirit animal. I just love the way she is perched and scratching her belly with that long bill.