California – Page 9 – Circadianreflections Blog

An Ice Plant Sunset

March 12, 2012March 12, 2012Posted in Astrophotograhpy, California, Landscapes, Nature, Nikon, Photography, TravelTagged Allen's Hummingbirds, California, D700, landscape, Nature, Nikon, Photography, Santa Cruz, Travel, UCSC Arboretum, UFO's, Vasili's Greek RestaurantLeave a comment

I decided to spend the night in Santa Cruz the night before shooting the Moonset at Pigeon Point Lightstation. I would be able to sleep in an extra 40 minutes. Which meant I could sleep until 3:45AM and only drive 30 minutes to my shooting location, and I would get to spend some time with my friend Rainey. We met at the University of Santa Cruz Arboretum to photograph the Allen’s Hummingbirds that return each February to the succulent garden at the Arboretum. They are so cute, and very active. This guy hardly stayed still 2 seconds together. He looked kind of cross about me taking his photo a few times. You don’t suppose he’s sticking his tongue out at me do you?

We stayed at the Arboretum until closing time then we went to Vasili’s Greek Restaurant on Mission Blvd. for dinner. We shared an order of SPANIKOPITA: Spinach and Feta Cheese Baked in a Filo Dough Triangle which was served with fresh sliced lemon to squeeze over the warm filo triangles, and an order of KEFTETHAKIA: Greek Meatballs. These were served sitting in a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil, and garlic vinaigrette. These were to die for! We both wished we had ordered these for our entrée.

We both ordered the HORIATIKI SALATA for our entrée. A salad of Capers, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Bell Peppers, Red Onions, Feta Cheese, Pepperoncini & Greek Olives, tossed with a light vinaigrette and topped with a slice of fresh French bread for dipping into the vinaigrette. They offer 2 sizes small and large. The small was more than plenty.

Neither one of us had room for dessert. I will definitely be returning to Vasili’s.

From here we went over the Natural Bridge State Beach to shoot the sunset. (See 1st photo) After the sun went down, and the color faded we began to pack up and call it a night, when a woman who parked in the spot next to me asked,” Are you taking photos of that thing in the sky? What is it?” I looked up and saw what looked like a rocket streaking across the sky heading southwest with a long contrail then at that moment something broke off the contrail and it fell toward the sea.

and the end of the contrail with the little piece falling off …

Then it just disappeared. Poof. It burned up. A meteorite? Space junk? We have no idea. There was nothing in the paper. Perhaps it was just a flare? It made for an interesting end to our afternoon and evening.

Rainey and I went for a coffee, then said good-night as we both had early wake-up calls. Her’s for work, mine for a Moonset.

Santa Cruz, California, Natural Bridges State Beach, Nikon D700| Nikkor 17-35mm & 80-200mm| Induro Tripod| Dinner photo taken with my iphone

Osprey- Adult

March 11, 2012March 11, 2012Posted in Birds, California, Nature, Nikon, WildlifeTagged California, Osprey, Photography, Travel6 Comments

Osprey- Adult, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

Via Flickr:
Copyright © 2012 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved

A couple of friends alerted me to an article in their hometown paper that told of a pair of Bald Eagles that had been sighted moving into an old Blue Heron nest.
My friend Dali and I headed over to check it out after we shot the Moonset in Pescadero.

When we arrived we spotted some finches in a tree and while shooting those I noticed a Bald Eagle high in the sky and coming our way. Dali spotted the other one off to the left.
They were far too high for my gear to get a photograph of them, but they looked beautiful soaring way up there in the blue sky.
They were flying south and I watched them until they were just tiny specks.

We also heard there is also a pair of Osprey living in this park so we scouted all around the lake and found a favorite perch and hunting spot of theirs.
He or she is flying over a part of the lake I’d seen it return to a couple of times.
I missed seeing it catch a trout earlier. It was obscured by trees and brush, but the sound was amazing. I won’t forget it.

We stayed for several hours but the Eagles didn’t return. We hope to get back here one day soon and see them.

I had to crop it in to get this view. My lens and TC combo are just not long enough.

Nikon D700|Nikkor 80-200 @ 200mm + 1.4x TC| f8| 1/4000 sec| ISO 1600| Manual Mode| Tripod

Winter Yosemite February 2012

March 5, 2012March 5, 2012Posted in California, Landscapes, Nature, Nikon, Photography, TravelTagged California, D700, El Capitan, Manual Focus Lenses, Nikon, Photography, The Three Brothers;, Winter, Yosemite National Park2 Comments

This is a very popular photo spot in Yosemite National Park,and while here to shoot the Horsetail Fall annual event we stopped here. A companion whom I drove up with had never been to Yosemite before so this was a “must see” stop for him. Even though I missed the snow in valley, I have to admit the colors, and textures here were marvelous.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 18mm Ai-S| f16| 1/30 sec| ISO 200| Manual mode| Tripod|

Cooper’s Hawk or Bird on a Wire

March 4, 2012March 5, 2012Posted in Birds, California, Nature, Nikon, Photography, WildlifeTagged Birds of Prey, California, Coopers Hawk, Hawks, Nikon D700, Photography, Silicon Valley, Wildlife3 Comments

The Copper’s Hawk that I saw in my neighbor’s tree back in late Jan. was on the power lines in my back yard this evening!
I grabbed my camera and hoped he was still there. While I was viewing the playback he flew away and I missed the “in flight” shot. ARG!
I was so excited to see him, but he must be here because there is a pair of nesting Mourning Doves nearby. I suspect he’s after the chicks. I hope he comes back so I get a flight shot, but I don’t want him to get the chicks!

A Ground Dweller

March 4, 2012March 4, 2012Posted in California, Nature, Nikon, Photography, Travel, WildlifeTagged Birds, Burrowing Owl, California, Nikon, Photography, WildlifeLeave a comment

Yesterday I had the pleasure of hanging out in Muir Woods National Monument with several photography friends. Several of them had hoped to see owls, but we hadn’t seen or heard any in the 4 hours we had been in the forest. When we met a fellow photographer Dennis A. and he heard there was an interest in seeing owls he kindly shared with us the location where several pairs of Burrowing Owls live.

My friend Dali who is an avid Raptor/bird photographer was eager to go to see if we could find them, and find them we did. (see his photo of the Burrowing Owl here)

I first spotted the pair and thought they might be Ground Squirrels, but as we pulled around I saw they were a pair of Burrowing Owls perched just outside their nest, and partially hidden by a little patch of tall grass. They’re adorable!

After parking the car and grabbing our gear we quickly but cautiously made our way to the nest. Once spotted the female dove into the burrow, while the male stood guarding the entrance. Not expecting to do any bird photography I wasn’t carrying my longest lens yesterday, so I was not able to get as close a shot as I would have liked, but getting as close as I dared I fired a few shots before the male dove into the burrow. Here he is just before he dove into the burrow.

Once in the burrow the male kept his head out keeping watch. He’s all eyes and beak!

It was quite exciting to see them. This is the first time I’ve ever seen Burrowing Owls.

We crept just a bit too close for his comfort and he disappeared down the burrow not to be seen again.

Dennis said there are several pairs living in this field, and we did spot another pair but they must have received word that we were about because before we even neared half the distance between us and them they dove into their burrow.

While wandering around looking for the owls we did see turtles sunbathing along an irrigation canal. That was an unexpected surprise.

Dennis A. here’s a huge “SHOUT OUT!” for sharing with me and a couple of friends the location to these Burrowing Owls that have made a field in Vacaville, CA. home. Thank you!!!

Nikon D700| Nikkor 180mm f2.8| Induro CT213 Tripod

Pheasant Under Grass

February 29, 2012February 29, 2012Posted in Birds, California, Nature, Nikon, Photography, WildlifeTagged All rights reserved, California, D300s, In the wild, National Wildlife Refuges, Nature, Nikon, Nikon D300S, Photography, Ring-necked Pheasant, Wildlife2 Comments

This is my first Pheasant capture! A couple of friends and I were shooting with a Meet-up group in Solano County and were on the way back from lunch when one of my companions noticed him. I was shooting from a car window, and didn’t think anything would be very good, but was thrilled to see this shot would be a keeper. I love his coloring, wing patterns, and long tail. Even though he’s sort of camouflaged in the grass I’m thrilled that I was able to capture a photo of him in his natural habitat. He darted behind a knoll just after this shot. I didn’t see him again.

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 70-300 @ 300| f5.6| 1/1600 sec| Iso 500| Manual Mode| Hand-held

American Bittern

February 16, 2012February 16, 2012Posted in Birds, California, Nature, Nikon, Photography, WildlifeTagged Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, American Bittern, California, D700, Nature, Nikkor, Nikon, Photography, Water fowl, WildlifeLeave a comment

Sunday afternoon I spent with Rainey and Dali photographing birds and waterfowl. Late in the day we saw a Bittern and an Eurasian Wigeon. The lighting and weather weren’t ideal; the sky was getting darker both due to time, and it had been stormy the night before so the sky was still overcast and flat. Monday the sky was blue, and the sun was shining so we decided to go back in the afternoon to take advantage of the better light. The Bittern was there in the same place we’d seen it before tucked in the reeds under an overpass with the late afternoon sun warming his back. This shot was taken from the overpass looking down on him/her.

I uploaded Lightroom Beta 4 to try it out. I’m a bit lost since this is the first time I’ve ever tried LR, but I have to say the highlights and shadow recovery sliders are pretty good. The white feathers around his neck were pretty blown out due to the late afternoon sun beating right down on him. LR did a great job of bringing back the detail in his feathers on his shoulder, and neck. I’m going to be using LR4 for the next several weeks. I’ll be sharing my thoughts and feelings about it as I learn it.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 80-200 @200mm+ Tamron 1.4x TC| f8| 1/50sec| ISO 500| Manual Mode|hand-held

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