Posts in Category: flight
Taking aim
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2025 — The Least Terns on our local beach have gotten serious about defending nesting territories. Though I stay well away from the strings set out by Fish and Game for their protection, they are still intent on using me for target practice. Two can play that game and I use the opportunity to practice my birds-in-flight…I was going to say “skills” but that implies that there is skill involved when mostly it is just a matter of taking your chances often enough so that you come home with some results that are worth processing…with a few “keepers”. Mostly I find that after their initial alarm and half a dozen passes at me, they settle back down to their nest sites…there are no eggs yet…and if they do not then I move on. I do have a growing collection of white spots on my hat. If I count my keepers and the spots I think the Terns and I are coming out about even. I should point out that this is all taking place on a popular tourist beach, with folks in beach chairs and on blankets all around me, so the Terns do not lack for targets. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Least Tern
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, May 2025 — I got my trike back on the road yesterday…all assembled and some minor adjustments in the morning, and out to the beach with my camera in the afternoon. I was surprised by the number of Least Terns already making themselves at home on our local beach. Last year they did not come in numbers until their original nest site at the mouth of the next river south of us failed. This year they seem ready to establish a first nest on our beach. It will take me a while to get my eye and hand in for tern flight shots…but I am happy with this for a first day effort. (The terns have probably been on the beach for a few weeks…but I have not been to a long stretch of too cool, too wet, May weather.) Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Chorus line over Ottawa
White Pelicans: Estuary Trail, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2025 — The Magee Marsh boardwalk is sandwiched between Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and Lake Erie. When you can’t be out on the boardwalk (due to crowds or regulations…we are not allowed to take our class groups out on the boardwalk) there is always the Estuary Trail at Ottawa, which you can get to from either end of the Magee parking lot. And Ottawa has Pelicans! We saw several flight going overhead, some close, as these were. I like the formation here. It reminds me of a chorus line in a musical, though Pelicans are not all that musical. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
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.