Posts in Category: animals
Curiosity, with a hint of challenge: Western Grebe
While we were watching Western and Clark’s Grebes at Lake Hodges, at the north edge of San Diego, this Western came in close to shore, apparently to see what we were doing, and to make sure we were no threat. It is mating season and this is, again apparently, a territorial display. With those red eyes, it does not take much to make a grebe intimidating. 🙂 Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds in flight and action modifications. 1/1000th @ f4 @ ISO 160. -.3EV. Processed in Polarr and assembled in FrameMagic.
Coming in! Pelican
Standing on the tops of the cliffs at La Jolla Cove in California, you often get to photograph Brown Pelicans in the air from above. In the top panel this bird was already coming in to land in the rookery. You can see the flared tail and the curve of the wings. The second shot is full braking just before touchdown. Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds in flight and action modifications. 1/1000th and 1/1250th @ f4 @ ISO 100. -1EV. Processed in Polarr.
Courting Grebes
We went to Lake Hodges to see the courting Western and Clark’s Grebes. These two are Western and are doing the last act of the courting ritual before actually getting up and running, or “rushing” as it is called, across the water. This pair actually decided not to rush, but they got as far as flinging water at each other with their bills. San Diego River Park at Lake Hodges, Sony RX10iv at 600mm. My birds in flight and action modifications to Program mode. 1/1000th @ f4 @ ISO 200. Processed in Polarr.
Allen’s Hummingbird
This is apparently a good year for Allen’s Hummingbirds in San Diego, California. On our first day here, someone told my daughter Sally that they are “everywhere”, and that certainly has been our experience. In past years the Anna’s predominated, and we have seen a few Anna’s right were I expected to see. them…along the trail above the marsh at Formosa Slough for instance, where I have seen them every visit to San Diego…but there were also Allen’s there…which is a first for me in all they years I have been coming to the San Diego Birding Festival. Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. +2 EV (to compensate for the backlight). Processed in Polarr.
Flying the red flag!
Here’s something you don’t see everyday, even if you spend a lot of time at breeding Brown Pelican rookeries…in fact, in all my visits to La Jolla Cove in La Jolla, California over many years, this is the first time I have seen it. This bird had just landed and was, maybe, displaying its pouch to establish territory…at least enough territory to put down its feet in the crowded colony. That red! Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. 1/640th @ f4 @ ISO 100. Processed in Polarr.
Alligator
No trip to Orlando Wetlands Park in Christmas, Florida would be complete without an Alligator or two. They have some big ones there, and they are in the habit of hauling out at the water’s edge to warm up in the sun. On occasion they even get right up on the pathways. My rule is “never get closer to a gator than twice the length of its body” and don’t get close at all if you can help it. This shot was taken at 212mm equivalent from about 15 feet away…which was a little closer than I was completely comfortable with, but the alligators never even blinked as I edged by on the path above it. The worst part was that there was a Little Bittern in the reeds behind it, and I could not get a good shot of the bird without getting closer to the Alligator…such is life at Orlando Wetlands Park. Sony RX10iv at 212mm equivalent. My birds and wildlife modifications of Program mode. 1/800th @ f4 @ ISO 100. -.3EV. Processed in Polarr.
Roseate Spoonbill
Back in Florida for the Space Coast Birding and Nature Festival in Titusville. I got out to Merritt Island and Black Point Drive this morning and saw all the usual subjects except for Wood Stork. The Roseate Spoonbills, in full breeding plumage, were particularly cooperative. Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. My birds and wildlife modifications of Program mode. Processed in Polarr.
Three-fingered Sloth, Mother and child
I posted a gallery of shots of the male Three-fingered Sloth taken at Cope’s home in La Union, Costa Rica a few days ago. This is the female with her child, from our visit the week before. Always something fascinating at Cope’s. Again, the sloth was so close the photos were taken at 120-140mm equivalent (except for the close up of the face, which was at 600mm equivalent). And again, it was very dark under the heavy canopy so these were all taken in Anti-motion Blur mode. Notice how green the fur of the female sloth is…that is, of course, algae growing in the fur. We were close enough to see the moths that feed on the algae. I am calling this a Three-fingered Sloth in line with the new naming convention, instead of the more traditional Three-toed Sloth, since, again, both tree sloths of Central and South America have three toes on each hind foot. Processed in Polarr.Â
Oropendolas
As I have said before, Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park is one of the best places for bird photography in the Sarapiqui region. Perched right on the edge of a high bluff above the river, at tree-top level for the trees growing below, they get a unique mix of canopy and understory feeding birds. Montezuma’s Oropendolas (on the right in the panel) are easy to see in the Caribbean lowland rainforests of Costa Rica. They come to the feeders at Selva Verda Lodge every day, but the Chestnut-headed Oropendola (on the left) is much more difficult. Here, at Dave and Dave’s we had them both at the same time, only a few feet apart. I could not quite fit them in the same frame, but it was close. The Oropendolas are giant orioles, and make giant oriole style nests that hang 2-3 feet below supporting branches. The Oro in their name comes from the yellow tail feathers (gold), and the pendola comes from the hanging nests. Both the Chestnut-headed and Montezuma’s are striking birds. Their burbling liquid calls are one of the most recognizable sounds of the rainforests. Sony RX10iv at 560mm equivalent. Anti-motion Blur Mode. Processed in Polarr and assembled in FrameMagic.
Stripe-throated Hermit
The Stripe-throated Hermit, like most Hermit Hummingbirds, rarely perches where anyone can see it…or get a photo of it. Even field-guide photos are mostly flight shots. And, unlike the other Hermits, it is small…one of the smaller hummingbirds of Central America, so it is not easy to catch in flight. This is my best shot from 16 days in Costa Rica, taken at Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Pavilion in La Virgen. Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. My custom flight mode modifications of Program. 1/1000th. Processed in Polarr.