Maine! Terns in flight
Least Terns: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I am just beginning to learn to shoot birds in flight with my new OM Systems OM-1 and the 100-400mm lens. The camera makes it easier, but I don’t get enough chances to practice. These shots of Least Terns hunting over the mouth of the Mousam River here in Kennebunk were all underexposed, for the bird, as the camera did not fully compensate for the bright sky background. I had to bring up shadows in post processing. Still, for what amounts to a first try at small birds, I am pretty happy with the results. 🙂 I have attempted Least Terns with each new camera I have owned, and the OM-1 certainly makes it easier. Program mode with my evolving birds-in-flight modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. 800mm equivalent. ISO 200 @ f7.1 and f6.3 @ 1/3200th.
Wildlife of Keoladeo National Park: Golden Jackal
Finishing up, I think, the wildlife posts from Keoladeo National Park, in Bharatpur India, this is a Indian Golden Jackal, a handsome wild canine common throughout Asia and into Europe. It is most closely reflected to the wolf and coyote, and, in fact will cross breed with Asian Wolves and domestic dogs. It is about the same size as the North American Coyote, and favors river bottoms and agricultural areas, as opposed to foothills and mountains. Sony Rx10iv at 238mm equivalent. (It was right beside the road.) Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixomator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
India! Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt: Chambal River, Chambal River, Chambal, Uttar Paradesh, India, March 2023 — Another shot from our boats on the Chambal River. Black-winged Stilt has, again, one of the widest distributions of any bird, according to some, existing on every continent. Others consider the Africa/Asian as one species and the Stilts of the Americas as another. Some consider the Stilts of northern Asia different than the stilts of South Asia and Africa. So, confusing at all? Elegant, eye-catching birds whatever! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th. +.3EV.
India! Deer and Antelope of Keoladeo
Deer and Antelope of Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India, March 2023 — We can’t leave Keoladeo without showing off the ungulates. We have here the Chital or Spotted Deer, a group of females and a single male; then two shots of female Nilgai, one shot of a male Nilgai or Blue Bull, a male Sambar Deer, another male Nilgai, a family of Sambar, and what might be another Blue Bull and his harem. All taken with the Sony Rx10iv at or near 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos.
Biggest Week in American Birding: Redstart
American Redstart: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — There were lots of American Redstarts at Magee this year while I was there. The problem was not finding a good photo opportunity, the problem is choosing which of the good photos to share. This was taken when the sun was high so the light is not ideal, but still…who can pass up another Redstart! OM System OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Pixomator Pro. ISO 320 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.3EV
Indian Wildlife: Rhesus macaque
Rhesus macaque monkey: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India, March 2023 — before moving on completely from Keoladeo, I need to spend some time with the other wildlife we saw there. I was amazed by the numbers and variety of the wildlife that a country like India has managed to preserve. Of course this wildlife, the Macaque as it is called in India, has managed to survive and thrive right along-side the human population. Primarily a vegetarian, the Macaque is happy to live in villages, temples, ruins, around farms, and even cities where there is any open space. Troops were a common sight everywhere we went. They are not, as far as I am concerned, among the “cute” monkeys, and can be quite aggressive. They certainly are survivors though and you have to admire them for that. Sony Rx10iv at various focal lengths for framing. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos.
India! Great Thick-knee
Great Thick-knee: Chambal River, Chambal, Uttar Paradesh, India, March 2023 — My impressions of the Chambal River area are colored by a bad lodge experience, but we did see some interesting birds. This Great Thick-knee (formerly the Greater Stone-Curlew) was on a mudbank in the Chambal River and seen from out tour boat. It is a common bird throughout India and less common, or at least less widely distributed, down through South-east Asia, and around the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/1000th, +.3EV.
Biggest Week in American Birding! Palm Warbler
Palm Warbler: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — Another warbler that I expected to see more of this year at Magee was the Palm. Generally they pass thought in large numbers, but this year they were few. Maybe it was just the timing. OM System OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 640 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.3EV
India! Mottled Owl
Mottled Owl: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — One last Mottled Owl before we leave Keoladeo. We saw at least a dozen in our 3 days there. They apparently have no fear of humans. Sony Rx10iv at 591mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 500 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
India! Black-crowned Night Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — I posted a photo of a Striated Heron, misidentified as a Black-crowned recently and had to correct it…but these are definitely Black-crowned Night Herons. 🙂 From our last morning in Keoladeo. Again, as I said in the last post, they have one of the largest ranges across 5 continents of any bird in the world. Sony Rx10iv at 586mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th.