Nikon – Page 49 – Circadianreflections Blog

California Quail

March 19, 2016March 19, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Nature, Nature Photography, Nikon, Northern California Birds, Photography, Quail, San Jose California Nature PhotographerTagged Birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Bokeh, California Quail, Nature, Nikon, Photography, Santa Cruz CA34 Comments

When I was setting up my rig a few weeks ago in Santa Cruz to photograph Hummingbirds a California Quail jumped up on an old weathered post not too far from me surrounded by lovely flowers. I moved pretty quick to finish setting up my tripod w/Sidekick and mounting my camera hoping it would stick around!

California Quail on Post

“You lookin’ at me?”…

California Quail- The Look

A little Morning Stretch…

California Quail-Morning Stretch

Seeing and photographing this Quail first thing in the morning made my day. They’re so quick, and skittish that I’ve only been able to get a few good images of any. The rest of the images I made this day were icing on the cake.

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

Wishing you all a great week-end!

More to come…

Thursday Doors 11/52 Nº111

March 17, 2016March 17, 2016Posted in Architecture, Photography, Santa Cruz California, Thursday DoorsTagged Architecture, Cat decoration, cat feeding bowls, Doors, Exterior, Nikon, Photography, porch light, potted plants, Santa Cruz CA, Thursday Doors20 Comments

While in Santa Cruz over the week-end photographing Hummingbirds I saw this door that I thought was nice looking, so stopped to take the photo for today’s door post. Front door with cat decoration and pots

Every cat in the neighborhood must feel welcome here.

Nikon Df| Nikon 28-105mm| Delkin Devices Digital Film| PS CC 2015

This post is part of Norm 2.0 Thursday Doors. To see all the doors posted this week click here then click on the little blue view/sync up button at the bottom of his page where you’ll be directed to links to all those participating.

Are there Bonus points for having a car door in the reflection? 🙂

More to come…

Anna’s Hummingbird-Female

March 14, 2016March 14, 2016Posted in Anna's Hummingbird, Bird Photography, birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Hummingbirds, Nikon, Photography, Santa Cruz CaliforniaTagged Annas Hummingbird, Bird Photography, Birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Hummingbirds, Nature, Nikon, Photography, Santa Cruz California37 Comments

I went over to Santa Cruz on Saturday while we had a break between rain showers to photograph Allen’s, and Anna’s Hummingbirds. It was a lovely day in the Arboretum.

There were very few people there since the weather wasn’t ideal. While I was waiting for a male Allen’s Hummingbird to return to a favored perch I looked behind me and saw a lovely female Anna’s darting around the Ericaceae plants which is a succulent plant.

Here’s a series of 3 images that shows her approach to the plant, feeding, then resting on a perch.

Anna's Hummingbird Female Approaching flowers

Anna's Hummingbird Female Feeding

Anna's Hummingbird Female perched on a branch

I love the fresh Spring color palette in this series, and this pretty little Hummingbird.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Tripod w/ Wimberley SideKick| Lexar Professional Digial Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

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…

Monochrome Madness 2 48\52 Silos

March 9, 2016March 9, 2016Posted in Agriculture, Americana, Black and White Photography, California, Monochrome Madness2, Photography, Sacramento Valley, CA, SilosTagged Agriculture, American West, Americana, Black and White Photography, Central California, Farming, Monochrome Madness2, Nikon, Sacramento Valley, CA, Silos11 Comments

I am loving Silos at the moment, and wish I was a little closer to the central valley or countryside where there are more of them. In the right light I think they’re really interesting and tell wonderful stories.

These silos are located in Sacramento Valley where a lot of rice is grown.

Monochrome Madness 2 48 of 52 Silos

I added a border with the curly edges because it reminded me of the old black and whites

from my childhood, and I thought it worked for this image.

This is part of Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 2 challenge. To view all the images

submitted this week click here. here.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 28-105mm| Hoodman STEEL Ultra High Speed Digital Film| PS CC 2015, Nik Silver Efex Pro, and On1 Photo 10

More to come…

Allen’s Hummingbird-Male

February 29, 2016February 29, 2016Posted in Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Hummingbirds, PhotographyTagged Allen's Hummingbirds, Bird Photography, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Boken, Hummingbirds, Nikon, Nikon 200-500mm, Photography32 Comments

A friend and I went over the hill yesterday to photograph Allen’s Hummingbirds.

“Over-the-Hill”, is how we long time locals say we’re going to Santa Cruz, CA. We have to go up and over the Santa Cruz mountains to get there. They are mountains not hills, but I learned this phrase as a girl and use it to this day. You know how that is I’m sure. 🙂

Anyway, Allen’s Hummingbirds. They’re residents of Southern California, and northwestern Mexico, and migrate into southern Mexico for winter, and in breeding season migrate north along the coastal areas. Luckily, they have found a lovely late Winter home in Santa Cruz where I’ve been able to view and photograph them for several years now.

Their colors are so different from the Anna’s Hummingbirds that I see year round.

Allen's Hummingbird Male

They’re also quite funny, and sometimes their expressions and posture make me laugh out loud. Like this move I call- On Guard!

On Guard!

It still makes me laugh!

They have the most beautiful Gorget that gleams a brilliant orange when the sun hits it just right.

Allen's Hummingbird Male

It’s always a joy to see them and spend a couple of hours in their company.

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

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…

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