FLIP THE CRAB

Snowy Egret eating a crab, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, California

The light was a little dull when I had this Snowy Egret in the viewfinder, but when the bird caught a crab and tried to eat it, I let the shutter rip at high speed. The egret flipped the crab in the air, caught it again with its bill, and finally swallowed it.

It was a chilly morning at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands (Los Angeles had even a little bit of snow a few days earlier). Most Snowy Egrets had gathered in a corner of the lagoon and preened their feathers in the warm sun.

I have to show at least one picture of a Snowy Egret with its black legs and big yellow feet out of the water.

NATURE CLICKS #526 - RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD

Here is a couple more pictures of yesterday’s photo session. I believe the first is a male juvenile, too young for having already a ruby-red throat. Their appetite is not less than that of an adult bird and they feed on the same flowers as the butterfly I showed you in my last blog post. It was shot with the same setup and a little flash helps again to reveal the colors.

This is the dominant male, “the bully”, who likes to perch in a small maple, just next to a hummingbird feeder between the flowers. He will chase everybody away who comes close to that feeder or any flowers nearby. Hummingbirds are very protective of their territory and use a series of vocal declarations or visual displays to scare any intruder away. I chose this photo for the hummer’s gesture, with one of the feathers in the bill after he had cleaned and preened his plumage.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Nikon SB 800 speed light, MAGMOD MagBeam flash extender      @ 600 mm

TRYING TO STEP UP A NOTCH

Juvenile male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, near Durango, Iowa, 1/125s, f/6.3, ISO400

One of the goals I wanted to accomplish this year was to step up a notch with my hummingbird photography. The time is just right, we have probably at least a dozen birds buzzing around the house and the new generation is as aggressive as the old “bullies” in their pursue to “own” one of the feeders we provide.

I mentioned in my last post already that I started using a new light modifier, a small soft box that attaches to the speed light. It still maintains the same purpose, just to bring out the colors in the bird’s feathers. The ambient light is still the main light source for the pictures. But it takes more than a new piece of gear to make better images. First I analyzed photos made during the last few years and realized that I had very few that caught the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds during a special gesture. To make it clear, there is nothing a hummingbird does slowly and even preening is done in short intervals that last maybe a second.

1/100s, f/6.3, ISO400

This juvenile male was my main subject today. He often returned to the same branch above one of our feeders and allowed me really to work with him between the “high-speed chases” that went on all afternoon and evening. Many clicks were made, but after the sun disappeared behind the trees on our ridge, there was a brief moment when a shaft of warm light hit the hummer just perfect, and this became my favorite shot of the day.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Nikon SB 800 speed light, Impact Quikbox Micro Softbox

SEVEN CYGNETS

Trumpeter Swans, Mississippi River, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa ----------    

As the long time reader of my blog may remember, I have watched and photographed swans here in eastern Iowa since 8 years, but I don’t think I ever have been so close to a family of Trumpeter Swans. Seven little cygnets were guarded by their parents today in the Green Island Wetlands. I’m not sure if this muskrat mound at the shore of one of the canals was the actual nest site, because I don’t remember seeing any swans there a week ago during my last visit. At our arrival the whole family preened their feathers, probably getting ready for a little “Sunday cruise”. Indeed, a few minutes later they all took off and swam deeper into the wetlands and out of sight.

PREENING - OFTEN A GOOD GESTURE

Snowy Egret, San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, California ---------

No visit in the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve or the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Southern California is complete without a photo of a Snowy Egret. I have photographed this beautiful bird many times before and the question at another visit is always, how can the previous results be improved? The answer lies first in a review of older images. Do I need improvement on the technical side (i.e. sharpness)? What was missing? What kind of shot would I like to make? For the Snowy Egret I found out that I have plenty of images showing the bird standing in the water or walking along the shore and looking out for little fish to catch. This is how we see the egret the most and I can tell you, I added some more photos to the library that show the bird just doing this. What I didn’t shoot before was an egret preening its feathers. This is a great gesture that tells a story about this bird.

In harsh light exposing strictly for the highlights on the white egret darkens the background but I used it too my advantage because it also hides some mud and clutter that would otherwise distract from the subject of the photo. Sure, this can be done in post process at home on the computer but getting it right in camera is the real deal for me.

NATURE CLICKS #365 - TRUMPETER SWANS

Green Island Wildlife Refuge, Iowa

During one of my recent trips to the Green Island Wetlands I came across this pair of Trumpeter Swans. It is really not difficult to find them anymore. These wonderful birds have made a great comeback here in Iowa. Getting close enough for a good photo is a different story that cannot always be told. The swans were fighting the squally wind and so did I during my attempts to keep the focus on them. Most of my images show the two swans swimming next to each other and looking in the same direction. That one shot, where one of the trumpeters started preening its feathers made all the difference for me. This little gesture changes the story telling. Neither the strong wind nor my presence seemed to bother them. They preen their feathers when they feel comfortable and safe.

KNOWING THE LOCAL RESOURCES

Male House Wren

Sometimes time and the circumstances in our lives don’t allow to go the extra nine yards to make the next great image. Over the years I learned that for these situations it helps to know the local resources, work with well known subjects, and still be able to produce some interesting pictures.

At this time of the year the female House Wrens sit on their second clutch of eggs in one of our nest boxes and the males support and protect them from any kind of intruders. I have made many pictures of the little wrens over the years, so what can I still aim for? It is the gestures that never repeat one to one and that make the difference between the bird just sitting on a perch and a more interesting pose. So, here is the male, preening its feathers and guarding the nest. As soon the offspring is hatched the parents will be busy feeding the young House Wrens, and this is another good time to make a few clicks with very little efforts, even if the available shooting time is very limited…