Birding – Page 12 – Circadianreflections Blog

Great Egret Reflected

March 11, 2016March 11, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, birding, Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Coastal Birds, Great Egret, Nikon, Photography, Santa Clara County BirdingTagged Bird Photography, Birding, Birds, Birds in the Wild, Great Egret, Nikon, Santa Clara County38 Comments

Great Egret Reflected

I made this image with the rental Nikon 200-500mm VR lens the morning after I rented it.

I saw this Great Egret out in the pond within the range of the lens so I walked out to the edge of the pond to photograph it. I initially set up in landscape orientation then I zoomed out to 500mm, and only had its head and half its neck in the frame! “Oh no, that won’t do!” I thought. I switched to portrait orientation, which fit the whole Egret in the frame, but only half the reflection, and I wanted to get the reflection because it was very clear, and the blue sky and water were gorgeous on this morning. Next I started pulling my zoom in…400mm, nope, 300mm, nope, 200mm, not quite. I had to back up to get the whole reflection in, and stay at 200mm. This image isn’t cropped at all. So, began my learning curve with this lens.

After that week-end I liked the lens so well I bought one, and have been using it a lot. I’m on the down side of the learning curve now. 🙂

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 200-500mm VR hired unit| Hoodman STEEL Ultra High Speed Digital film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

Oh joy, oh bliss…

March 7, 2016March 7, 2016Posted in American Robin, Bird Photography, birding, Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Photography, WinterTagged American Robin, American Robin Male, Berrries, Bird Photography, Birding, Birds Feeding, Birds of North America, California, San Mateo County21 Comments

They’re mine! All mine!

Mine, Mine, Mine! They're all Mine!

It was a great morning for this American Robin, and for me too. It was a lot of fun

seeing him on this branch so full of berries.

American Robin-Male San Mateo County, CA

Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

California Thrasher

March 6, 2016March 6, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, birding, Birds, Birds of North America, Photography, Santa Cruz CaliforniaTagged Bird Photography, Birding, Birds in the Wild, California Thrasher, Nature, Santa Cruz County, Toxostama redivivum12 Comments

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.

More to come…

Monochrome Madness 2 46/52 Red-tailed Hawk

February 26, 2016February 25, 2016Posted in Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Birds of Prey, Black and White Photography, Monochrome Madness2, PhotographyTagged Birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Black and White Photography, Monochrome Madness2, Red-tailed Hawk7 Comments

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. 🙂

Monochrome Madness 2 47 of 52 Red tailed Hawk

To see all the entries this week click here.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Digital Film

More to come…

Harbinger of Spring

February 19, 2016February 18, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Cedar Waxwing, Nature Photography, Photography, San Jose California Nature PhotographerTagged Birding, Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, California, Cedar Waxwing, Nature, Nikon, Photography, San Mateo County, Spring Birding Migration, Wildlife, Winter Birding Migration19 Comments

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!

Cedar Waxwings

Soon they were taking turns flying down to the bush with luscious, ripe red berries beneath this tree.

Cdear Waxwing Feast

… and one was shy,

Cedar Waxwing

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…

Red-tailed Hawk 2

February 16, 2016February 15, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Birds of Prey, Hawks, National Wildlife Refuge, National Wildlife Refuges in California, PhotographyTagged Birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Birds of Prey, Macro photography, Photography, Red-tailed Hawk, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge16 Comments

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.

Red-tail Hawk

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

Monochrome Madness 2 44/52 Late Afternoon Merced Marsh

February 10, 2016February 10, 2016Posted in birding, Birds in the Wild, Black and White Photography, Monochrome Madness2, National Wildlife Refuge, National Wildlife Refuges in California, PhotographyTagged Bird Photography, Birding, Birds in the Wild, Black and White Photography, California Pacific Flyway;, Monochrome Madness2, National Wildlife Refuges37 Comments

MM2 Late Afternoon Merced Marsh_3000593

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…

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