New Mexico! Black-headed Grosbeak
Black-headed Grosbeak: Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, July 2023 — There were at least a couple of pairs, or one male and several female, Black-headed Grosbeaks coming to the feeders at Randall Davey Audubon Center in the foothills above Santa Fe. This is a bird I do not get to see in Maine, though we do have a few Rose-breasted Grosbeaks pass through our yard every year. That beak is just amazingly massive! OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixomator Pro. ISO 1600 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
New Mexico! That other rufous…
Rufous Hummingbird: Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, July 2023 — If you have spent time around Rufous Hummingbirds, you have seen the “other” iridescent color of the Rufous gorget. The light has to be just right but that green flash is pretty striking…it is most often seen in indirect light, when the bird is in the shade. It is rare to see it as you do in this photo, with strong illumination. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 2000 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
India! Great Stone Curlew
Great Stone Curlew (Great Thick-knee): Chambal River near Rathambore, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — Another new bird from our short boat excursion on the Chambal River near Rathambore. Called either the Great Stone Curlew or the Great Thick-knee, it is a large and interesting shore bird through India and South-east Asia. 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. Plus .3EV.
New Mexico! Rufous Hummingbird
Female or sub-adult male Rufous Hummingbird: Randell Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 2023 — There were all most as many of these birds at the Randell Davey Audubon Center in the foothills above Santa Fe as there were full adult males, though they were not “guarding” feeders. I am sure some of them were females, but some were probably sub-adult males. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 250 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
India! Mugger Crocodile
Mugger Crocodile: Chambal River near Rathambore, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — Besides the Gharials the Chambal is home to another crocodile…the Mugger. It lacks the long thin snout of the Gharials and is, on average, slightly smaller…though these two are certainly big enough to inspire some respect. Sony Rx10iv at 534 and 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 160 and 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
New Mexico! Juniper Titmouse
Juniper Titmouse: Randell Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, July 2023 — The Juniper Titmouse has the second largest range of the North American Titmice, second only to the Tufted Titmouse which spreads itself across all of the US east of the great plains. The Juniper Titmouse, as the name suggests, inhabits the dry mid-elevations of the southwest, in oak-juniper or pinion-juniper scrublands. It is less present than the Tufted is in its range and visits feeders less often, so I was happy to see it around the Audubon center in the foothills above Santa Fe. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 1000 @ f4 @ 1/640th.
India! Little Egret and Indian Cormorant
Little Egret, Indian Cormorant: Chambal River near Rathambore, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — Of course I was taking the photo of the Little Egret, and did not see the Cormorant until today, when I was getting ready to post the photo. 🙂 Another shot from our second and much more productive river tour on the Chambal. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixomator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/800th.
New Mexico! Red Crossbill
Red Crossbill: Randell Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 2023 — A couple more shots of the Red Crossbills currently visiting the Randell Davey Audubon Center in the foothills above Santa Fe: perched and caught in the act of taking flight. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f7.1 @ 1/1000th.
New Mexico! Western Bluebirds
Western Bluebird: Camino Real Hike and Bike Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, July 2023 — I think these might actually be first and second brood chicks from this year, still hanging around the nesting area in the Cottonwoods along the Santa Fe River channel beside the old Camino Real route through the city. Either that or the more adult looking one is molting. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 and f7.1 @ 1/640th and 1/1000th.
New Mexico! Immature Red-tailed Hawk
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk: Randell Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, July 2023 — I went up to Randell Davey Audubon Center, in the foothills above Santa Fe, one last time on our last day in New Mexico. We are home now and I am about half unpacked, but taking a break to revisit this very healthy looking juvenile Red-tailed Hawk which was circling the parking lot with one of its parents. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds in flight modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 1250 @ f6.3 @ 1/3200th. Plus .7EV.