A friend and I went over the hill yesterday to photograph Allen’s Hummingbirds.
“Over-the-Hill”, is how we long time locals say we’re going to Santa Cruz, CA. We have to go up and over the Santa Cruz mountains to get there. They are mountains not hills, but I learned this phrase as a girl and use it to this day. You know how that is I’m sure. 🙂
Anyway, Allen’s Hummingbirds. They’re residents of Southern California, and northwestern Mexico, and migrate into southern Mexico for winter, and in breeding season migrate north along the coastal areas. Luckily, they have found a lovely late Winter home in Santa Cruz where I’ve been able to view and photograph them for several years now.
Their colors are so different from the Anna’s Hummingbirds that I see year round.
They’re also quite funny, and sometimes their expressions and posture make me laugh out loud. Like this move I call- On Guard!
It still makes me laugh!
They have the most beautiful Gorget that gleams a brilliant orange when the sun hits it just right.
It’s always a joy to see them and spend a couple of hours in their company.
Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015
I spent the morning in San Francisco walking around North Beach and spent some time trying to photograph decisive moments and “street photography”. Something I’m not really practiced with. It was fun, and challenging.
Nikon Df| Nikkor 28-105mm| Delkin Digital Film| PS CC 2015 & Silver Efex Pro
I’m a bit out of sync with my posts this week since I was hanging with the family, and chasing Horsetail Fall light this past week-end. I didn’t find any doors to photograph this past week so I’m diving into my archives for Norm’s Thursday Doors this week.
This little church parish of Immaculate Conception is out in the countryside where I go birding quite often. It stands at the end of a small community called Tres Pinos in the township of Hollister, CA.
The Church building was built in 1892 by Father Bernard Smythe across the street from its current location. The land to build the church was purchased for $75.oo.
The Parish was moved to its present location when Hwy 25 was constructed.
The doors are humble…
the land, garden and sculptures around them are beautiful.
Winged Victory was constructed in 1945 as a memorial to World War II.
Sculpture “Father, if it is possible let this cup pass away from me. Not as I will, but as you will” ~Jesus Christ: Matthew 26:39
St Benedict- Protect our community…
The centerpiece of the 14 Stations of the Cross is Michael Angelo’s Pieta. It was sculpted in Carrera, Italy by Enrico Toricelli and donated by Fr. Stuhlmann and his brother in memory of their mother. The base of the sculpture was built by Edward Matthews.
“The grottoes were designed and built by Edward Matthews in memory of his son, Martin Matthews. The largest grotto is the site of the Nativity, complete with wooden figures and decorated with light.” Immaculateattrespinos.org
The Grotto Nativity
Grotto detail
Grotto-Three Wise Men
Grotto-The Shepard’s and animals in the manger
I didn’t get to go inside to photograph the chapel, but I hope to one day.
This is part of Norm 2.0 Thursday Doors. To see all the doors posted this week click here click on the little blue sync up button at the bottom of his page where you’ll be directed to links to all those participating.
Copyright 2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
I shared with those of you who read this blog regularly that I was heading up to Yosemite National Park on Friday to photograph something other than birds. That something was Horsetail Fall. If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile you’ve probably read about my past experiences trying to photograph it. The last few years during a major drought has been even more of a challenge.
This waterfall is fed by rainfall, and snow melt. Twice a year IF the conditions are just right magic happens. There are two conditions that must be present to make that magic. They are water flowing down Horsetail Fall, and Direct Sunlight. If one of these two elements is missing there’s no show. This phenomenon lasts about a week for the best lighting of the fall, but you can see it for about 2 weeks. It happens in February, and again in October. October is a real rarity though because by then there usually isn’t any water flowing.
On Friday it looked iffy by the time we arrived in the park. Clouds began rolling in during the afternoon but, Golden hour looked great, and kept my hope alive that there was still a chance that the Sun would light it up and color it red. We were already beginning to see a bit of orange minutes before it would be turning brilliant red!
Do you see all those clouds behind the mountain? BTW-That’s El Capitan at the top left of the Horsetail Fall for those of you unfamiliar with Yosemite’s mountains. I took this image at 5:26PM and at 5:30PM just when the color should have been turning a brilliant red like lava flowing down the mountain…the lights went out. Just as if someone had blown out a candle. POOOOF! All the light was gone. The sun had sunk into a low cloud bank and hundreds of us moaned in unison.
Yes, there are hundreds if not thousands of people who come to see this phenomenon each year. We drove home defeated once again by Mother Nature and the low Cloud Bank.
Last year I was skunked entirely. There was water, but no sun at all. The clouds rolled in and foiled all hope the one day I had to go up to try to get the shot.
2014 I gave it a miss completely. There wasn’t much water at all flowing the week the sun lined up and the day I could have gone there was no sun.
My friends and I looked at the weather, and cloud report for Sunday the 21st and thought it was worth trying again.
I spoke with the family about it, and they said it was perfectly okay if I left before Big Baby Boy and A. They had come up for the week-end to hang-out with us and #1 Grandson, and were leaving on Sunday. I gave lots of hugs and kisses to the family and left to meet my friends to try again for that shot at Horsetail Fall.
On the way up the clouds started rolling in. I hoped they stayed high and no thick cloud bank in the west blocked up the Sun again!
We got to the Secret Spot only to find nearly 50 people!! My secret spot since 2010 is no longer such a Secret Spot! Many people are looking to get away from the maddening crowd on Southside, and Northside Drive. So, my two friends and I set up our rigs and hoped.
We got color but not brilliant color like we got in 2012, and 2013 ,but at least we didn’t get completely skunked like last year.
I’m so grateful for an understanding family! Without their love and support I wouldn’t
have been able to spend 16 hours on the road trying to get “the shot”. I love you, and thank God for you everyday. ♥
It wasn’t the shot I was hoping for, but it was fun trying, and if you don’t try you don’t get the shot!
I’ll be trying again next year for the shot I have in my head…if the conditions are right.
Nikon Df| Nikkor 28-105mm @ 105mm| Delking Devices Digital Film| PS CC 2016
This has been a fantastic birding season so far! The Vermilion Flycatcher, the Red-tailed Hawk with its prey, the elusive Loggerhead Shrike, the Bald Head Eagle I didn’t get a photo of, the pair of Ring necked Pheasants, and the sweet Hermit Thrush on my fence all were amazing, and exciting sightings, but in Winter is there anything better than a Harbinger of Spring?
I heard Cedar Waxwings were showing up, a sure sign that Spring is on the way! I’ve had Robins in the Ginko tree out in the front yard, and in back yard lately so, I’ve been looking for the Waxwings because, they usually arrive with the Robins, and last year there was a flock of Waxwings in the Ginko trees a few houses away from me. That was a first for me. You can read about that here
Last week-end my birding friend and I stayed local and found some!
Soon they were taking turns flying down to the bush with luscious, ripe red berries beneath this tree.
… and one was shy,
I spent some time photographing the Robins that also were there to feed on the same berries, but I’ll save those images for another post.
I’m off to Yosemite National Park today to photograph something other than birds, and my son and his girl-friend are arriving early Saturday morning for the week-end. It promises to be a stellar week-end!
I’ll catch up with all your posts when I return. I hope you all have a wonderful week-end!
Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015
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