Category: Nature

Horsetail Fall 2013

Posted in Copyright 2013 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved., Nature, Nikon, PhotographyTagged , , , , , 4 Comments
Horsetail Fall 2013, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

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Copyright © 2013 Deborah M Zajac. All Rights Reserved

This is the 4th yr I’ve gone up to Yosemite trying to capture the natural light show that happens when conditions are just right. For a week or so in February and October during sunset the sun lines up with the fall, and if there is water running down the fall the sunlight will turn the water red like lava or fire.

This year we had more snow on El Capitan than last year, and the day was sunny, but it was cold up there, and it’s been rather dry with no rain for awhile so there wasn’t as much water as we hoped for.
We did get some lovely color and the wind kicked up a little so we were treated to the mist lighting up at the top of the fall.

Every year it has looked different, and I’m hoping one year the fall will be spewing tons of water, and the sun is shining brightly.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 80-200mm| Tripod

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Sora

Posted in California, Copyright 2013 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved., Nature, Nikon, UncategorizedTagged , , , Leave a comment

Sora, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

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Copyright © 2013 Deborah M Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

While out birding recently my friends Dali, Rainey, and MamaZ ; Dali and I spotted a Moorhen, but it kept ducking in and out of the reeds so I wasn’t able to get a clean photograph of it so we decided to go around the marsh once more before the light faded. Dali spotted this Sora busy hunting for food. I thought at first it was a big Sparrow, but was thrilled when I got a better look at it. This was the first time I’d seen one!

I didn’t get clear view of him. He too liked the privacy of the reeds, but at least he was close enough to get a picture of.

The migration back to the North seems to have started as there are fewer birds around the marshes we visited. I probably won’t be visiting this area again until Spring.
It was great getting together with Dali, Rainey, and MamaZ.   We even splurged on Guacamole Burgers and fries. I’m looking forward to our next get together!

Nikon D700| Nikkor 80-200mm @200mm| f5.6| 1/800sec| ISO 1000| Manual Priority| Hand-held

 

White-tailed Kite

Posted in Copyright 2013 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved., Nature, Nikon, Photography, WildlifeTagged , , , Leave a comment

Copyright © 2013 Deborah M Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

A photo I took of a White-tailed Kite recently while trying out a friend’s lens.

White Tail KiteI wanted to see what 500mm looked like and how much closer I could get the birds, and test the weight of it.
It’s a pretty light lens actually. I got a lot closer view of this Kite!
This Kite is  calling its mate or parent, I’m not sure which.  Just a short time later a second Kite flew below this one. Together they flew off to another nearby perch. My friend and I moved our position to continue photographing them and discovered the second one brought a Vole for dinner. The  Vole is in the talons of the second Kite which unfortunately is hidden behind the branch, but it’s the best shot of the Vole I got before they started to consume it.
Kites with Vole_3576
Thanks Dali for letting me try your lens! I definitely want a longer lens for birding. I have to keep saving.

Nikon D300s| Tamron 200-500mm @ 500mm| f11| 1/1250s| ISO400| Manual Priority| Tripod

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“It is the sweet, simple things in life which are the real ones after all.” Laura Ingalls Wilder

Posted in Birds, California, Copyright 2013 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved., hikes, Nature, Nikon, Photography, WildlifeTagged , , , , , , Leave a comment

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Copyright © 2012 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 70-300mm vr

 

Northern Harrier on the Hunt

Posted in Birds, California, Nature, Nikon, Photography, WildlifeTagged , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Copyright © 2012 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

This Harrier was just one of many great birds I saw when I got out for a day of birding recently. The Harriers were flying low over the ponds, and marshes all day long. Whenever they were near, or overhead the Snow Geese, White-Fronted Geese, Ibis, and Coots would take to the sky. The noise was amazing to hear.
Late in the afternoon  we saw a Harrier chasing a Snow Goose, the goose dived into the marsh grass with the Harrier in hot pursuit! We waited with anticipation to see if the Harrier would come up with the Goose. He did not! That was one lucky goose.

Northern Harrior on the Hunt                                                                 Nikon D300s| Nikkor 80-200 @ 200 + Tamron 1.4x TC| f8| 1/800 sec| ISO 500| Hand-held and shot from the car window

There must have been a Harrier nearby to create this stir-up

White Fronted Geese

Snow geese in retreat…

Snow Geese in Flight

a couple of Greater White-fronted Geese enjoying the pond,

Greater White-fronted Geese

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Marsh Wren

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Mash Wren, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

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This is my first Marsh Wren capture on film. I tried to get one back in 2010 and have been trying since. My friend Alex told me what this bird was then and how hard they are to get on film. Boy, was he right! They’re flity little things. This one  was busy hopping from reed to reed, but thankfully he wanted to be in the sun after days of rain, and didn’t retreat inside the reeds so I was able to capture him on film.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 80-200 @ 200mm+ Tamron 1.4xTC|f8|1/800s|Manual Priority| Hand-held

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