Such handsome fellows!

This guy was with his lady love, but unfortunately I could not capture her.  And even if I could she was out in the plowed field and blended right in.

Another handsome bird. 

This makes three or four times I have driven through and seen some.  For several years we hardly ever drove through the strip pit area without at least seeing  one or two.  But the past 2 or 3 years, they have been few and far between.

Not the greatest but still thrilled...Pheasants!

Another bird post...

Ring-necked pheasants!  There were three of them, but the other continued running up across the hill.  While these two were almost to the point of fighting.

For some reason the colors in these are all over the place...even before I played with them.  I think they look almost like taken in winter...but I promise you they were earlier this week.

The two picked at each other just a minute or two, they took off running, and I am not even sure that they were running from me.   I have messed with every photo and this is the best I could do.

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We used to see pheasant every time we were at the strip pit area...usually at least two or three.  This entire year, until last night I think we have only saw one.  Then last night, I saw three!  I hope it means they are still there, or are returning.

No short-eared owls, I saw one hawk but I don't even think it was a Northern Harrier.  At one time you would not believe how many came out there.  But it may have been a bit later when they came.  Not sure.  But I know from my past photos, that the owls would have been there by now.

The fight is on!

These are from almost 10 years ago...

from March of 2009.  It is something I never thought I would witness, and I have never seen it since.

Not a great photo....basically a blur of motion.

These are all cropped.

Mrs. Ring-necked Pheasant

Looking at these and looking at the ones I posted a couple days ago where I was shooting blind...maybe I should continue shooting blind.

I was shooting from inside the car and could see my screen but these still feel a bit unfocused  to me.  Still, she is a beauty.

Attention!

Attention!

March!

Photo overload of one subject....

We made a pass through the strip pits late this afternoon...I cannot choose just one photo so what follows is a lot of photos of two Ring-necked pheasants we saw out there.

This one above I really, really had to work with in Picasa--and it still isn't the greatest.

The one above and the one below are very similar, but am still posting them both

Look at the one below...

it had just 'shaken it off.'  If you look you can see that its feathers are ruffled...

The one above is a different bird and this is cropped from a photo that was taken at quite a distance.

And here it is again...original photo followed by a cropped version.

and below is my last pheasant photo....for now..

I am linking this to Tuesday's Treasures cause I sure consider them a treasure.  These are the only two we seen today...they are few and far between out there now.  Two or three years ago, we would have seen 8 or 10 on a spring afternoon.

Also going to link to the Bird D'Pot at I'd Rather B' Birdin'.

We had a pheasant day...

Just a few shots from the strip pits.  Remember to click and expand the view.

Those these two look like the same photo, they aren't.

You about got admit they are one beautiful bird....

I hope you enjoyed these.

We seen these two at the strip pits...

We had been watching pheasants disappear into the weeds.  I was not even attempting to photograph them because the dried weeds and grass was just too much.  It took me totally by surprise when this one flew towards the road but behind us.

I was totally unprepared and did not get focused good.  He was just there and gone.  I have played wit this trying to improve it but not sure I succeeded.

A ring-necked beauty

We decided to do a quick drive through the strip pits tonight...the first thing we saw was a ring-necked pheasant. Not this one. The first one flew off and landed in weeds, etc. that were tall enough for him to hide in.
But we spotted this fellow on a bit farther and he started to run when I stepped out of the car...the bottom picture is actually one of the first taken. Anyway, when he started to run, I got back in the Rav4 and he only ran a few feet and went back to eating.

I would have liked to get closer but could not unless I wanted to be wet up to my ankles...plus it is posted with keep out signs every where you look. So from the roadside is about the only way I ever take a photo out there. I just really feel like I have to respect people's rights...

One cold bird

This was one of two pheasants we saw at the strip pits last night. Click on it for a larger view. To see the photos of pheasants that I am most proud of click here....they are on my other blog.