Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher
Polioptila melanura
Black-Tailed Gnatcatchers live in pairs all year. These birds are nonmigratory and are found in arid desert areas year-round. They thrive among some of the driest and thorniest scrub and brush found in southwestern USA and Mexico. Undisturbed habitats are mandatory for them to nest successfully, and they will often abandon territories if we introduce human structures to their environment.
Their range includes southeastern California, southern Nevada, southern Arizona, Sonora Mexico, southern New Mexico, southwest Texas and northern Mexico south to central Mexico.
Today, taxonomists recognise three subspecies of Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher:
- P. m. melanura lives in southern New Mexico and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, south in Mexico through central Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Durango, Guanajuato, and San Luis Potosí.
- P. m. lucida lives in southern Nevada, southeastern California, Arizona, northern Baja California (Mexico), and on several islands in the Gulf of California.
- P. m. curtata lives on Tiburón Island, off western Sonora in northwestern Mexico.
Like all their gnatcatcher cousins, these birds are always on the move, flitting through the scrubby elfin forests in the deserts they love. It’s a cheerful moment for me when I meet them in the dry, lonely places they call home. Most of my meetings with these bold watchdogs have been in the deserts of southern California, but southern Nevada, Arizona, and Texas have provided me with their company as well.
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Rockhouse Truck Trail near Clark Lake in the Anza Borrego State Park. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:27 7:38 |
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Location:
Rockhouse Trail |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X5085-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Planet Ranch bosque on the eastern side of Bill Williams NWR in Arizona. North of Parker, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:04:29 13:11 |
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Location:
Planet Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D3X8403-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Palm Canyon. Near Borrego Springs, California. San Diego County 2012-03-24. |
Date Taken: 2012:03:24 10:49 |
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Location:
Borrego Valley |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X8819-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 11:05 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X9041-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 11:12 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X9059-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Northeastern Tucson Arizona, near the Catalina Highway. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:20 13:26 |
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Location:
Tanque Verde |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 380 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: D721253-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Northeastern Tucson Arizona, near the Catalina Highway. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:22 8:57 |
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Location:
Tanque Verde |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: D721531-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Agua Caliente Park is in northeast Tucson Arizona near the Catalina Highway in Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2008:11:28 14:12 |
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Location:
Agua Caliente Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD3017BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Borrego Springs. Anza Borrego, Northeast San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2010:05:05 16:56 |
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Location:
Palm Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD6950.BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Female. Borrego Valley. East San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2003:03:07 9:06 |
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Location:
Borrego |
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Camera Information: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED, |
File Name: A3C07a05-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2003 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Seen in the wooded Nature Trail at Cibola NWR, South of Blyth, CA. In Arizona near the Colorado River. |
Date Taken: 2006:02:17 14:50 |
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Location:
Goose Loop |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/9.0, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD1674BlackTailedGnatcatcher |
| © 2006 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: The Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona is a well known desert oasis and a great place to meet birds. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:23 9:32 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatcatcher_D5X3074-Boyce-Thompson-Arboretum |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: The Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona is a well known desert oasis and a great place to meet birds. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:23 9:31 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatcatcher_D5X3047-Boyce-Thompson-Arboretum |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Hanging out at the edges of the marshlands at Havasu NWR in Arizona. East of Needles, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:27 10:44 |
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Location:
Topock Marsh |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X2416-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: I'd camped here in late September with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:28 5:34 |
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Location:
Cottonwood Spring |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/5000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D5X0335 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: These birds were seen in the vicinity of Red Hill, on the eastern shores of the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:27 16:05 |
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Location:
Red Hill |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D5X3998 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: These birds were seen in the vicinity of Red Hill, on the eastern shores of the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:27 16:10 |
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Location:
Red Hill |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D5X4049 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Poe Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:30 13:53 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X3289-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Poe Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:30 13:56 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: D3X3303-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Poe Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:30 13:56 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X3305-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Hanging out at the edges of the marshlands at Havasu NWR in Arizona. East of Needles, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:27 10:44 |
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Location:
Topock Marsh |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X2413-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Birds *AND* mammals were the subject of the SDNHM study during this expedition. Though rodents occupied my primary focus, I did not neglect the common birds at this site. Pinyon Wells, Joshua Tree National Park. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:10:12 17:20 |
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Location:
Pinyon Wells |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatcatcher_D728321 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Northeastern Tucson Arizona, near the Catalina Highway. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:20 13:26 |
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Location:
Tanque Verde |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 380 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: D721262-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: These birds were seen in the vicinity of Red Hill, on the eastern shores of the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:27 16:04 |
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Location:
Red Hill |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D5X3962 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: These birds were seen in the vicinity of Red Hill, on the eastern shores of the Salton Sea. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:27 15:43 |
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Location:
Red Hill |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D5X3857 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Seen near Cottonwood Springs in Joshua Tree National Park. Riverside County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:18 18:08 |
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Location:
Cottonwood Spring |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatcatcher_D5X6197 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Seen near Cottonwood Springs in Joshua Tree National Park. Riverside County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:18 18:05 |
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Location:
Cottonwood Spring |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatcatcher_D5X6194 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Planet Ranch bosque on the eastern side of Bill Williams NWR in Arizona. North of Parker, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:25 13:39 |
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Location:
Planet Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X2298-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Poe Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:30 13:54 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X3299-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
|
Description: Poe Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:30 13:53 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X3282-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Female at the Visitor Center, west of Borrego Springs, California. Anza-Borrego State Park, San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:06 9:27 |
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Location:
Rockhouse Trail |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X9071-BlackTailedGnatCatcher-Female |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Begging Juvenile at the Visitor Center, west of Borrego Springs, California. Anza-Borrego State Park, San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:06 9:25 |
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Location:
Rockhouse Trail |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X9046-BlackTailedGnatCatcher-Juvenile |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Clark Dry Lake, northwest of Borrego Springs, California. Anza-Borrego State Park, San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:06 8:00 |
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Location:
Rockhouse Trail |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X8971-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Female by Clark Dry Lake, northwest of Borrego Springs, California. Anza-Borrego State Park, San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:06 7:13 |
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Location:
Rockhouse Trail |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X8944-BlackTailedGnatCatcher-Female |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Female by Clark Dry Lake, northwest of Borrego Springs, California. Anza-Borrego State Park, San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:06 7:12 |
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Location:
Rockhouse Trail |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X8919-BlackTailedGnatCatcher-Female |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Female by Clark Dry Lake, northwest of Borrego Springs, California. Anza-Borrego State Park, San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:06 7:08 |
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Location:
Rockhouse Trail |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X8904-BlackTailedGnatCatcher-Female |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Female by Clark Dry Lake, northwest of Borrego Springs, California. Anza-Borrego State Park, San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:06 7:07 |
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Location:
Rockhouse Trail |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X8902-BlackTailedGnatCatcher-Female |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Clark Dry Lake, northwest of Borrego Springs, California. Anza-Borrego State Park, San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:06 6:16 |
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Location:
Rockhouse Trail |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X8881-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 11:05 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X9041-BlackTailedGnatCatcher-1 |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: Planet Ranch bosque on the eastern side of Bill Williams NWR in Arizona. North of Parker, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:25 13:41 |
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Location:
Planet Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X2318-BlackTailedGnatCatcher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: I met these birds in Del Rio, close to the Rio Grande in thorny mesquite thickets just outside of the city limits along Duck Pond Road. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:09 10:34 |
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Location:
Duck Pond Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D508130-DelRioTexas |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: I met these birds in Del Rio, close to the Rio Grande in thorny mesquite thickets just outside of the city limits along Duck Pond Road. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:09 10:38 |
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Location:
Duck Pond Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D508211-DelRioTexas |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
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Description: I met these birds in Del Rio, close to the Rio Grande in thorny mesquite thickets just outside of the city limits along Duck Pond Road. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:09 10:38 |
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Location:
Duck Pond Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D508218-DelRioTexas |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
|
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 9:55 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D5X0478-BoyceThompson |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
|
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 9:35 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D5X0426-BoyceThompson |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher(Polioptila melanura) |
|
Description: I spent an early mid-November morning at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona, where I met several of the 'usual suspects', such as this bird. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:16 9:29 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BlackTailedGnatCatcher_D5X0371-BoyceThompson |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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