PATIENCE REQUIRED

I don’t think we ever had so many Blue Jays here in our woods during the winter. They are very skittish and avoid being close if they are aware about a person’s presence. The trick to make the click is to stay calm, don’t move much, and just wait until these birds forget about you and come back within reach of the lens. The more difficult part in this process is to get a clean background, without a lot of branches and twigs right behind the bird. We have a lot of trees here and those spots are hard to find. As I said, moving is not an option and patience the only solution…

Nikon Z6II, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, FTZ adapter, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head,   @ 600 mm, 1/200 s, f/8, ISO 400

PATIENCE REWARDED

Great Blue Heron, a stealthy hunter for fish

Another great spot to look for neotropical migrants, like warblers, is Bankston County Park. The clear water of the stream that runs through the valley is source of life for many critters and birds. It is also a popular spot for trout fishing. This morning I gave it a try. You can hear the birds, sometimes you may see one, but today I got skunked. Not a single warbler came close enough for a picture. I think I was patient and spent almost an hour in the same spot, a place I had used successfully other years before. Just as I was ready to leave things took a different turn. This beautiful Great Blue Heron landed just in front of me and started the hunt for a fish. The bird waded towards me and obviously cornered a fish below the rock you see in both pictures.

Great Blue Heron after the catch, Bankston County Park, Eastern Iowa

The hunt lasted 26 minutes. I saw the heron strike and the fish was swallowed very quickly. Obviously just a small one. Unfortunately the kill happened behind the rock and out of sight for me. But the way the successful hunter walked away from the scene was priceless and the shutter of the camera was rattling. Patience got rewarded, for the Great Blue Heron and for the photographer…!! 😊

All images: Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head

NATURE CLICKS #283 - CLIFF SWALLOW

When I started shooting with the Nikon D750 back in April I wrote here in the blog that I have to get physically closer to my subject in order to use the full potential of the full frame sensor. The Cliff Swallows built their nests out of mud below a concrete bridge that crosses the Little Maquoketa River down in our valley, just a few miles upstream. Getting closer to them requires some climbing over a rocky slope, fighting the way through tall weeds, and dealing with hordes of mosquitos. This is a challenge but these extra steps are necessary to fill the frame with the nest and its master architects, the Cliff Swallows.

All images: Nikon D750, Sigma 50-500mm / f4.5-6.3 APO DG HSM, tripod, gimbal head, SB 800 speed light

There are several dozen nests under this bridge and the colony of swallows is feeding their offspring at the moment. It takes some patience to make the click if you focus on one particular nest. Sometimes the parents don’t return for several minutes. Taking the challenge of moving in closer and adding a little patience led to some rewarding images and great shooting fun today...