Biggest Week in American Birding! American Redstart
American Redstart: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — You had to wonder how the major blow-down that decimated the cottonwood canopy at Magee Marsh would effect the birds use of the area during migration. And certainly there have been changes over the past two years in the timing and staging of the migration at Magee…but the main change has been for photographers. Before the blow-down the light at Magee was challenging under the canopy…not, not so much so. Sunlight reaches right down to ground level and spotlights skulking birds like this American Redstart. 🙂 While I suspect the blow-down had a major impact on insect life in the marsh, evidently there are still enough bugs to attract the avian visitors in the spring. OM System OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving birds modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 250 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.3EV.
India! One last Kingfisher…
White-fronted Kingfisher: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — One last shot the the White-fronted Kingfisher that was hunting the picnic area behind the canteen at the end of the Keoladeo access road the first day we visited there. Several times while we were sitting at the picnic table it flew down to probe the ground for grubs. That bill is a multifunction tool. Such an amazing bird! Sony Rx10iv at 595mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1500th.
Biggest Week in American Birding! Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — Sometimes the birds at Magee are just almost too close…and sometimes they are closer! This Nuthatch as right above the rail of the boardwalk. I had to stand on the far side to get focus. Luckily it was early in the morning and traffic was still light. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 522mm equivalent (only!). Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. ISO 640 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.3EV
India! Rose-ringed Parakeet
Rose-ringed Parakeet: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — I don’t think of parrots or parakeets when I think of India, but it turns out that the Rose-ringed Parakeet is one of the most common birds in Rajasthan. We saw them every where we went. A handsome bird…large by parakeet standards…the size certainly of a medium sized parrot. (Turns out the terms parrot and parakeet are at best vaguely defined.) Sony Rx10iv at 310 and 600mm equivalents. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 160 and 250 @ 4 @ 1/500th.
Biggest Week in American Birding! Red-wing showing off
Red-winged Blackbird: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — It is not often that you get to see the erect epaulette of the blackbird from this angle, showing off the yellow under feathers. Of course, with the many thousands of Red-winged Blackbirds inhabiting the marshes along the Erie Shore, your odds are considerably better! OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 320 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.3EV
India! Green Bee-eaters again
Green Bee-eaters: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, May 2023 — I might have mentioned that I throughly enjoyed watching this pair of Green Bee-eaters hunting around the canteen at the end of the Keoladeo access road. I like bee-eaters, and have had a chance to enjoy them on three continents now. I have seen them in Hungary, Uganda, Kenya and South Africa…and now in India. Always a treat. Sony Rx10iv at 591mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th
Biggest Week in American Birding! Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2023 — Some years the Chestnut-sided Warblers are so thick at Magee Marsh that they dominate all other species…and the are feeding down so low and so close that it is hard to get them in frame when taking a photo. Not this year! While I was there they were few in number and all feeding high in the canopy. Most of my shots you can not see the yellow crown at all, they are taken at such a sharp upward angle. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f9 @ 1/1250th. -.7EV
India! White-fronted Kingfisher
White-fronted Kingfisher: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — A Kingfisher in the dappled light under a free standing tree in the picnic area behind the canteen at the end of the road at Keoladeo, showing off all its colors. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 500 @ f4 @ 1/500th. +.7EV.
Biggest Week in American Birding! Warbling Vireo
Warbling Vireo: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — Not a warbler, but a Warbling Vireo. There are always lots of Warbling Vireos at Magee during the Biggest Week in American Birding…but nothing like this year. It seem as if every other bird you saw as a Warbling Vireo. And they were close and cooperative for the most part. Certainly on my first days there, if not for the Warbling Vireos, I might have been disappointed. OM Systems OM-1 with the 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed Pixomator Pro. ISO 250 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th, -.3EV.
India! Green Bee-eaters
Green Bee-eaters: Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — Besides our glimpses of Hoopoe, there were many other birds around the canteen at the end of the access road in Keoladeo. This pair of Green Bee-eaters were busy hunting the open area around the trees and picnic tables. Endless entertainment! And, of course, bee-eaters are among my favorite birds, whenever I am anywhere they are. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.