Posts in Category: flight

Sandhills in the sky

Sandhill Crane: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, Florida, January 2025 — Florida Sandhill Crane in the clear blue sky over Orlando Wetlands. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds in flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Pink overhead

Roseate Spoonbill: Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, January 2025 — This is pretty much a full breeding plumage male Roseate Spoonbill coming over fairly close on Black Point Drive in the full Florida afternoon January sun. Does not get much better! Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. 1/2000th. Processed in Photomator.

Pairs competition

Black Skimmer: Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2025 — I love watching Black Skimmers skim! And I love trying to catch them with a camera. Love might not be the word actually as there is quite a bit of frustration involved…but I do enjoy the attempt. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. 1/2000th Processed in Photomator. (Sad to think that this and other National Wildlife Refuges are under threat…I, personally, would not want to see our Wildlife Refuges abandoned or, worse, tuned into commercial theme parks. Just saying.)

Out of the grey

Forster’s Tern (?): Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2025 — I am not a tern and gull expert, but I am thinking Forster’s Tern, as being one of the mostly likely at Merritt Island in winter. Still that dull, dark, dank Thursday so it is mostly grey on grey…kind of condensed out of the sky with the tail feathers just solid enough to see. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.

Florida! pink on grey

Roseate Spoonbill: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, Florida, USA, January 2025 — Still a damp cold Thursday morning at Orlando Wetlands, but actually quite nice light for the Spoonbills in flight. A composite of three images. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in Pixomatic. Frame added in LikeAFrame.

Florida! Special delivery

Roseate Spoonbill: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, Florida, USA, January 2025 — On a cold dark dank Thursday morning at Orlando Wetlands this Roseate Spoonbill was flying back and forth between a little one tree hummock right by the boardwalk and his nest in the larger hammock, further out, diligently gathering nesting materials. Slim pickings, and already well picked over, but he was finding enough to keep him busy. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Florida! Skimmers

Black Skimmer: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, January 2025 — We finally had some sun yesterday afternoon, though it was still unseasonably cold and the wind was high. High enough to keep a good chop on the water. I found a pair of Black Skimmers working on of the larger impoundments along the drive and spent a happy 20 minutes standing on the berm trying to catch them in action. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds in flight and action modifications. 1/2000th. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.

Maine! Flight against the light

Ringbilled Gull: York County, Maine, USA, November 2024 — I got down to the beach yesterday to see what was in the river mouth, hoping for a few winter ducks in close. Not much yet, but I had some fun with the gulls in flight with the sun behind them. Sony a6700 with Sony E70-350G at 525mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and Luminar Neo (a small amount of motion blur reduction).

Maine! Herring Gull Overhead

Herring Gull: York County, Maine, USA, November 2024 — We will pause my coverage of Yellowstone to bring you this Herring Gull in flight from our local beach. I went down early yesterday specifically to try from some birds-in-flight shots with the new lens…BIF are a challenge with any camera and any lens and it takes continual practice to “keep your eye in”. Sony a6700 with Sony E 70-350 G at 525mm equivalent. Program mode with my BIF and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Maine! Incoming!

Great Egret: York County, Maine, USA, September 2024 — The group of Egrets and Herons were close, by Maine standards, to the trail already when this Great Egret decided to move to a pool right in front of me. I got the camera in action and flight mode in time to catch a burst of shots as it crossed the marsh toward me and landed. Another study in wing power. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my action and flight modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.