Monthly Archives: February 2024
Maine! Crossed Crows
American Crow: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — While out photographing bluebirds in our back yard, I saw a group of Crows active in the yard two houses up the street. Not sure what they were after in the short grass, but they were intent. I found this composition amusing. Crossed Crows at 50 paces! In the late afternoon light. OM System OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! More frogs
Red-eyed Leaf Frogs: Selva Verde Lodge and Reserve, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2023 — Part of what makes Red-eyed Leaf Frogs so much fun to photograph is the interesting poses they take and hold. We don’t pose them. This is the way we find them, caught in the act of being themselves. 🙂 OM System OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with in-camera focus stacking. ISO 6400 and 2000. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Sometimes magic!
Eastern Bluebird: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — Sometimes magic happens even while watching Bluebirds in the back yard. Afternoon light. Right place. Right time. And already focused on the bird. The touch of red from the maple buds. The side light. The translucent tail feathers. A short burst of images at 5fps. And then picking the best to process. Photomator’s delicate touch. Magic! OM System OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications.
Florida! Painted
Painted Bunting: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, 2024 — Though the boardwalk behind the Visitor Center is closed, the Painted Buntings are still coming to the feeders in the thicket at the end of the VC deck. It is always too dark in there, but with patience the birds will set on perches on their way to the feeders. OM System OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 770mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. ISO 12800. Processed in Pixomator.
Florida! Greenie
Green Heron: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — I like Green Herons, and there are always a few hanging out in the channel by the rest stop half way around Blackpoint Wildlife Drive. And as photos of Green Herons go, I particularly like the reflections in the water around this bird. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. -0.7EV. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Celebrity
Red-eyed Leaf Frog: Selva Verde Lodge and Reserve, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2023 — One of the “poster” species for Costa Rican conservation, the Red-eyed Leaf Frog, in its more colorful Caribbean slope variety. They are easy to find right at the foot of the stairs going up to the dining hall at Selva Verde. Flash is not allowed on the Selva Verde grounds, but the frogs do not seem disturbed by led flashlights and even small video lights, and they often sit in one spot for ten or fifteen minutes, so they are relatively easy to photograph. I always use a long lens with close focus so as to disturb them as little as possible. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. ISO 6400 @ f6.3 @ 1/200th. -0.7EV. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Bluebird attitude
Eastern Bluebird: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — I am amazed at the number of Bluebirds I see around home and around town, and on my walks further afield. I know of at least 20 nesting pairs wintering over just in the limited area I frequent, generally with last year’s young still hanging around. Quite a change in the going on 40 years we have lived here. However other species are faring with habitat reduction and climate change, the Bluebirds seem to be doing well. And they are always so interesting to watch. Such attitude for a small bird. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Florida! Tricolor portrait
Tricolored Heron: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — I have never seen as many Tricolored Herons at Merritt Island as I saw this year. They were pretty much everywhere around Blackpoint drive. This one was not disturbed by my presence, standing less than 20 feet away as I passed him on the berm. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Toucan in the rain
Yellow-throated Toucan: Selve Verde Lodge and Reserve, Sarapaqui, Costa Rica, December 2023 — This used to be the Chestnut Mandibled Toucan…and it is still listed as the Chestnut Mandibled sub-species of the Yellow-throated Toucan. It is resident from Honduras to Columbia. In South America the two Black-mandibled sub-species become dominant. A handsome bird, but not a good neighbor as they like to raid nests for eggs and nestlings. Not as common this year as where we have seen it in past years for some reason. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications (ISO 25600!). Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Florida! More Reddish dancing
Reddish Egret: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — More hunting dances poses from my favorite hunting dancer. Native Americans (and other cultures I am sure) celebrated the hunt with a dance. Egrets dance the hunt. It seems to work for them. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom, all right around 600mm (zooming to frame this very active bird). Program mode with my custom birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator. Assembled in FrameMagic.