circadianreflections

…. The Season of the Sandhill Crane

February 7, 2011Posted in Uncategorized3 Comments

…. The Season of the Sandhill Crane, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

Click the photo to see it large
While framing up the Sandhill Cranes this Great Egret buzzed these three.
How great is that! It made up for harsh lighting and shooting at the wrong time of the day. Not knowing if I’d get an opportunity to come back before the Sandhill Cranes leave for the year I shot until the sun went down.

” Hey Baby, you’re the next contestant in the game of love.” ~ Elephant Bull Seal

February 6, 2011Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

" Hey Baby, you’re the next contestant in the game of love." ~ Elephant Bull Seal, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

A friend and I went out to Ano Nuevo to take a tour with a docent out to the bluffs to see the Elephant Bull Seals, females and pups. This big guy moved sinuously over to this female and slung his fin over her body and started making advances. Females who are not in estrus will do all they can to get away from an advancing male; throw sand, and run! For these two, however, the courtship has begun…

The males arrive first in the winter followed by the females who come to give birth to their pups. They nurse the pups for 3 weeks then they abandon them, mate again then return to sea to eat.
The pups mortality rate on land is 10% they are left to fend for themselves without even knowing how to swim! Those that make it out to sea to return have a mortality rate of 50%.

For more information and History see:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=1115

Swanson Creek Uvas Canyon

February 5, 2011February 5, 2011Posted in California, hikes, Landscapes, Nikon, Nikon D90Leave a comment

Swanson Creek Uvas Canyon- Orton Effect, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

To see it large click the photo.

I spent a couple of hours with friends Dali, and Alex in Uvas Canyon shooting waterfalls, and hoping to see a lot of Ladybugs. Unfortunately, there weren’t too many Ladybugs today, and the waterfalls weren’t running as full as we found them last year. I think we were here too early this year.
If time allows I’d like to return in a few weeks.

I liked the way this little fall cascaded over the fallen log then down the rocks, and the tree roots, and boulders covered in moss gave the scene some great color, and texture.

Northern Shovelers

February 4, 2011Posted in Uncategorized1 Comment

Northern Shovelers, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

I’ve been wanting to see a Shoveler close enough to get a good shot for a year. Finally I got not one but two! This pair was out on a pond in Redwood Shores in San Carlos, CA.

“San Francisco itself is art, above all literary art. Every block is a short story, every hill a novel. Every home a poem, every dweller within immortal. That is the whole truth.” ~ William Saroyan

February 3, 2011February 3, 2011Posted in California, NikonLeave a comment

“San Francisco itself is art, above all literary art. Every block is a short story, every hill a novel. Every home a poem, every dweller within immortal. That is the whole truth.” ~ William Saroyan, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

Oh, it’s rather compressed in this view. Click anywhere in the photo to see it Large. It really does look better larger-
To see it on black click the photo once more after being redirected.

After my friends and I shot the sunset in Pacifica we drove into San Francisco to find this hill. The goal was to climb it and take night shots of the city. Our goal wasn’t quite met. There is a particular building we were hoping to see that can’t be seen from here. Disappointed, neither Tj, or DD shot from here. I alone set up and took the shot- well 3 shots. It was a bit foggy and looking through my lens I thought this was going to be horribly out of focus. I’m glad it was only fog and not my eye sight! I’d love to come back up here when the moon is up and the sky is clear. Another shot for the bucket list. My list grows instead of shrinks.

San Francisco, Buena Vista Park; California; Night Photography

Did I see a Hawk!?!

February 2, 2011February 2, 2011Posted in Birds, California, Landscapes, Nikon1 Comment

Warbler, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

To see the photo large click anywhere in the photo.

DD and I went out to Cosumnes and Woodbridge Preserves to see if we could spot and photograph Sandhill Cranes yesterday. While walking along the river walk at Cosumnes this little one was flitting about in the trees lining the path. I haven’t added a Warbler to my list of birds photographed so I stopped to try to get this one.

I’m not sure which type of Warbler this is. Is it a Yellow Rumped Warbler or something else altogether?

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 300mm f4@| f4| 1/320 sec| ISO 500| Manual Mode| On a Tripod

Yellow Rumped Warbler, California, Birding; San Disk Ultra II Digital Film; CS5

Sandhill Crane

January 31, 2011January 31, 2011Posted in Birds, California, NikonTagged Sandhill CraneLeave a comment

Sandhill Crane, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

To see the photo larger click anywhere in the photo.

We were headed back to town after spending a lovely afternoon with B who is a local resident of Chico and who very kindly offered to take us out on some back roads to look for Snow Geese and other birds when B who was driving the lead car slowed down then stopped.
Alex wondered what they saw and off to the left behind some tall bushes I saw two big blue birds. I asked, “Are those Herons?”
Alex said, “”Those aren’t Herons, they’re cranes!” I think we all realized it at the same time because no sooner had he finished that sentence I had my camera out, the car door open and so did everyone in B’s car with Alex quickly following me out of the car.

There were two Sandhill Cranes standing here, but I have cropped one out since it had its back to me with his face turned away.
What a thrill! Finally one that was sort of close to the road! You recall me telling you how I missed them last year and really hoped to see them this year so you know I was excited. I didn’t think my photo would turn out. I took three before they got skittish and flew off. Two were awful this is the best one of the 3 shots I took.
They flew to a back corner and there in the corner were several more!

In just a few weeks these wonderful birds will start leaving for more Northern climates. I would like to get out to the marshlands once more before they do.

Nelson Road; Butte County; Oroville, California; Sandisk Ultra II Digital Film; CS5

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