groved-bill

BIRD PHOTOS

GROVED-BILL ANI

birdfotos.com

**************************************************************

***********************************************

Approximately 14 inches tall and has a massive size bill. Groves in bill only seen close up.
Based on my views of this bird I find it to be a very reclusive type bird. Likes to perch deep in a tree.
Every time it comes to Arizona which is about once every year in October/November it's always
seen/spotted around bodies of water.

This photo was taken Sunday November 13th. 2005 in Gilbert Arizona at the Gilbert Water Ranch.
It has been here now for several weeks.

Gilbert is just East of Mesa Arizona which is just East of the Phoenix area.

****************************************************

Many times when trying to get a rare bird photo,
it's like trying to roller skate in a Buffalo heard, if you know what I mean.

I was only able to get one image and them got out of the way of the on-slot of twitchers.
Once the bird was spotted it was like an Avalanche of birders crowding around the tree and the bird did not stay long.

**************************************

To learn more click here;
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Groove-billed_Ani.html

I'll crop this image a bit so you can see it better.

*******************************************

There were so many birders chasing this bird it didn't stay in place more than a minute or two.

*******************************************************

Just had to go back and get more images.

New images as of 08/20/05

One of the reasons I was able to get these close up images was,
I was walking along the path camera put away in its bag, and on my way to my car with my head down.
I stepped on or in an irregular piece of ground by one of the artificial Burrowing Owl tubes this caused me to almost fall and
in the process of not falling I raised my head and there was the Ani not more 10 feet in front of me. Why it didn't
fly away I will never know, but I am very happy it didn't. All while this was happening the bird didn't even look around or back at me.

When I first stumbled on to the bird it was looking away from me.

My first photo.

It must have been a sleep, deep in thought, or listening to something, or maybe just soaking a few rays.

****************************************************

After all of the commotion I had just made, stumbling, and retrieving the photo equipment, it did finally
turn its head and with one eye gave me a good starring. Why did you not fly away bird??

******************************************************

The bird must have found me amusing stumbling around and almost falling down.

The sun was directly on the bird's back and feathers feathers and they show sort of an irredesent blue in with the black.
With out the sun directly shining on the bird's feathers they appear to be just plain black.

********************************************************

NOW, you know why it's called a Groved-billed Ani.

How close can I get to you, Ani before you will fly away??

**************************************************************

OOPS I just found out.

BY ANI, thanks for letting photograph you so close.

*************************************************

11/24/05 just a few more images

These images were taken from approx. 100 feet across the water on to a small island
where it flew into what I think is a salt cedar not mush good on trees.