Wildlife photography provides opportunities for one to observe something new and different and then with thoughts of capturing a photo. The typical photo of a greater roadrunner is like the one below:

Roadrunners are usually running off so to see this one for minutes was great fun! Greater roadrunners have a bushy crest capable of moving up and down, a long tail, and a blue skin patch behind their eye. While taking time to watch this bird more closely, I saw some behaviors new to me. With feathers spread out, the bird almost looked comical and I wondered what’s going on.

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Was this bird trying to impress another bird? No other bird was obvious to me from the angle where I stood. I continued to watch with hopes I may capture the roadrunner preying on something, running off, or taking flight to a tree top. None of that happened, but I did see the bird’s bushy crest with an unusual look, something I had never seen before or at least not from the rear! Is that how it always looks when the bird puts the crest up?

It is wonderful to be in no rush while watching wildlife since otherwise I would not have seen this bird carrying on with this activity. Then I saw what looked like a piece of straw in its beak … was this bird courting? I still could not see another bird in the area.

I will never know what all that activity was about since the roadrunner ran away from me. It was an interesting number of minutes watching this bird. I was glad to have the time with no other people around to spook the bird. Moments like this are precious! It is easy to understand the value of the outdoors and taking time to be in it as often as one can. I wish everyone had this opportunity even if at a local park. I am fortunate!