Tammie Rogers
Inspired by Dogs & Nature
My Favorite Color
“What is your favorite color?” I don’t know why we feel so compelled to ask children to identify a singular hue as their best one. But, as a kid I always answered, “Blue!” Eventually I realized that there’s more to life than the primary colors, and I began to proclaim that purple was my fav.
Soliciting Purple Martins to grace our farm by erecting a housing unit was exciting. Yet, once I began watching them, I had to admit that these birds aren’t really purple. Yeah, I suppose they aren’t truly black, either, but they might as well be.
I’ve known for years – actually since I acquired my first dog – that black dogs are not easy to film. Stella, my second pup, was a yellow Labrador retriever and she always seemed more photogenic than Macho. He was a mutt with a bit of white trim, but his lovely facial expressions were dampened by his dark coat. So, when I began filming the Purple Martins that chose to make our address their home, I was reminded how challenging it can be to get a great shot of a dark colored animal.
My photographic issues were exacerbated by the fact that the background behind the Purple Martin house was also very dark. Most often, I shot from my patio, which was the easiest place for me to hang out and film. There’s a stand of mature trees behind the house that just sucks up an finer details in the birds. Then, there’s the grumpy facial expression of the birds themselves, which is caused by the downward curving bills that are clearly designed more for snatching small insects on the wing, than to land a top modeling job, or earning the “cutest bird” contest. So, it’s hard to get a big response, “Oh, what a beautiful picture!” of a Purple Martin.
The other day I was able to shoot the birds from a different position, and I share those images here. The blue sky background helps the birds “pop.” The lighting was right so that I was able to capture the glint in the birds’ eyes in several of the pictures. That is my own personal standard for determining whether I accept the photo as worthy. I’m sure there are professional photographers who could critique my pictures in many other ways -but I’m not a pro and I am not an experienced birder. Still, I have expectations for my own art. That is really all that matters. Whether it is in work or play, I feel it is important to establish a standard, then strive to achieve it. You can up your expectations as you gain knowledge and skill – and I to grow, you should continue to move out the benchmark you hope to attain. That is my philosophy.
You will notice that many of the birds have their mouths open. While it was quite warm that day (ok… it was HOT) I don’t think they were panting. Purple Martins chortle and call to each other constantly. They vocalize when perched on the house and while in flight. I also believe that some of these birds are recently fledglings that may be communicating to their parents for a snack. I hope that you enjoy this new perspective of the Purple Martins that soars in the sky we share with them.
Our “Red House” is the original Purple Martin abode that we put up last year. The Gourd Tower is new, and it was populated after the red house. At first, I wasn’t sure that the birds would actually assume occupancy of the gourds. But, they did and the parents who raised chicks in the gourds are a couple weeks behind the ones that already fledged their chicks from the apartments in the red house. Below, you’ll see a female Purple Martin that is still tending to her brood.
I believe the next photo is of a chick that is checking out the big, beautiful world he will soon enter.
Hi Tammie I am prone to black but love tutti fruttie, Like most colors, not pastels to wear though, nor can I wear tan or yellow or pastel anything.