Monthly Archives: July 2023
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.
New Mexico! Red Crossbill
Red Crossbill: Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, July 2023 — Red Crossbills are a rare bird at the Randell Davey Audubon Center in the foothills above Santa Fe, though they are common in the mountains above. Something has brought a few down this July…some combination of food supply and breeding success probably. There is at least one adult feeding a fledgling at the feeders in the gardens at Randall Davey. 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.
New Mexico! Rufous Hummingbird in the shade.
Rufous Hummingbird: Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, July 2023 — I went up to the Randall Davey Audubon Center in the foothills above Santa Fe to photograph birds around the gardens and feeders. The Audubon Center never disappoints. The feeders attract many of the birds of that elevation, and a good selection of New Mexico Hummingbirds. This is the season in New Mexico when Rufous often dominate the feeders and I found both adult male and immature birds guarding feeders. I tracked this one down to its perch in the deep shade of tall bush, right between two feeders. It was apparently trying to guard them both…but then that is the Rufous for you. 🙂 Note that in the subdued light of the interior of the bush, the gorget shows as much green as orange. OM Systems OM-1 at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 500 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
New Mexico! Western Tiger Swallowtail
Western Tiger Swallowtail: Camino Real Hiking Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 2023 — There is water flowing in the Santa Fe River, still, after a wet spring in New Mexico, which means an unusual amount of birds and insects along the water course where it flows down through a series of parks on the west side of the city and along the bike and hike trail of Camino Real. True it is more of a creek than a river at that point, but along with quite a few birds, I found a couple of nice fresh Western Tiger Swallowtail butterflies sipping minerals from the wet sands at the edge of the river. They would fly over the water and dip for drink, and them, if I was patient enough, eventually settle on the shore. OM Systems OM-1 at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/800th.
Magpie
Black-billed Magpie: South Valley Park, Denver, Colorado, USA, July 2023 — a lucky shot from our hike in South Valley Park on the mountain edge of Denver. When I saw the bird it was on the rock, of course, but as I pressed the shutter button, it took off. Happens sometimes 🙂 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 @ 1/800th.