“A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.” ― Eudora Welty
Copyright © 2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
I don’t see these guys very often so I was thrilled when I spotted one singing a couple of weeks back.
I carefully and quietly walked closer to it trying to get a closer image, but I spooked it, and even though I waited and waited it didn’t come back.
This image is cropped in a bit.
Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Lexar Digital Film| Tripod| Wimberley SideKick| PS CC 2015
More to come…
Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
This is my entry for Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 2 this week.
Another Red-tail from a birding expedition. We seem to have more Red-tails than any other Hawk. 🙂
To see all the entries this week click here.
Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Digital Film
More to come…
Copyright © 2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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
More to come…
Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
This Red-tail is from a couple of weeks back. My friend and I were birding in San Luis National Wildlife Refuge and nearing the end of one of the auto-routes when we spotted it high in the tree. I was driving and didn’t think I’d get a decent photograph of it because it was on the passenger side of the car/road, and climbing over the console and gear box wasn’t something I wanted to do.
We had the route nearly to ourselves so I thought I’d pull the car caddy-whompus across the road and shoot leaning into the passenger seat. I was able to get several images of it before another car came up and I had to move.
It is striking isn’t it with its white cap and that gaze?
Nikon D300s| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2015
Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
My friend Dali and I went out to Merced National Wildlife Refuge last week-end and found oh, so many Snow Geese, and some Lesser Sandhill Cranes along with the usual suspects. We were photographing some of the Snow Geese and other birds in the nearest marsh when all of the sudden the noise level escalated and the birds took to the air!
The squawking, screeching, quacking, and honking was so loud you couldn’t hear yourself speak! It was pretty neat to see and hear. We’re not sure but, we think a Hawk, or Coyote spooked them.
This is my entry to Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 2. To check out all the entries this week click here.
Nikon D300s| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Delkin Devices Digital Film| PS CC 2015 & On1 Photo 10
More to come…
Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
A few weeks ago I had a first time visitor to the little feeder which turned into a bird bath after the rainy week. I was thrilled to see the Western Bluebird in my yard!
Well, she like the temperature, and atmosphere so she decided to stay and have a bath. Luckily my camera was nearby.
Eyeing up the tub, and making sure the coast is clear overhead…
At her toilette
“Do you mind! I’m bathing here!” That look really got me thinking…”man I’m a voyeur!” 🙂
All clean! She had a good shake and flew away after this image was taken. I hope she comes back!
I took these images through the window so they’re a bit soft. I used the dehaze feature to help that a bit. It’s a pretty neat feature!
Nikon D300s| Nikkor 300mm f4| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015
Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Warning!: Some may find these images too graphic!
While birding a couple of weeks ago in the Sacramento Valley we spotted this Red-tail Hawk having lunch on a levy about 25-30ft away from us. It spotted us too. It didn’t like the way we kept staring while it was trying to eat so…
…it picked up its meal…
…and flew to a tree stump that offered a bit more privacy.
We watched it eat for a couple of minutes then slowly drove away leaving it to enjoy its meal.
The second image with the Red-tail in flight has a bit of motion blur. I was hand-holding the lens and not used to its weight and think it was me being a wobbly rather than a slight pan. The eye is pretty sharp, and the blur gives it a sense of movement I like enough to save, and share it.
I was also racked out to 500mm and I didn’t frame up the shot giving the bird enough room to fly out of the frame, so I extended the canvas a bit then added in some of the background to give the bird some room to fly out of the frame, and fix the composition. There’s a learning curve to all new lenses; getting used to the weight, and bulkiness -it’s a chubby lens, and framing with it will be what I strive to master in the coming years.
I liked the lens so much I bought one right after I returned the rental lens.
Nikon D300s| Nikkor 200-500mm VR (rental lens)| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015
More to come…
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