ALL LINED UP TODAY!

Brown Creepers, Little Maquoketa Valley, eastern Iowa

More snow this morning and a great chance to tell winter stories with our photos. To get some snow trails in the picture it was required to extend the exposure time at least to 1/160 seconds or even slower. This all worked well and it also helped to employ the Westscott FJ80 II speed light to overcome the deep gray sky and have a little bit of color bouncing back onto the camera sensor.

And then it literally got all lined up and I was able to make a photo I was hoping for since a long time, but never was convinced it would happen. I knew we have two Brown Creepers in our woods and I have seen them both at the same time before. Unfortunately never really close to each other. Either one always seemed to mind their own business. While focussing on woodpeckers that came to our suet feeders today I suddenly saw both Brown Creepers lined up on the log below a feeder cage. They normally move pretty fast up a tree but for a few seconds both birds had stopped and waited until a Red-bellied Woodpecker had left the food source.

The Brown Creeper is the tiniest bird we see here during winter time. With their fast action it’s not an easy task to have them in sharp focus. As you can imagine, this shot made my day!

Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Westscott FJ80 II speed light,    @ 840mm, 1/160s, f/9, ISO 200, image slightly cropped,

NO SUMMER WITHOUT HUMMERS

Juvenile Ruby-throated Hummingbird

I can’t let the summer go by without making a few pictures of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. I guess the birds who have been in our woods during the breeding season have moved on already and it seems we see different hummers every day now on their way south to Central America. However, this juvenile defended one of the hummingbird feeders fiercely and didn’t let any other bird even come close all afternoon.

I experimented quite a bit today with different exposure times or exposure compensation for the background and used also the Westscott FJ80 II speed light. In the picture above the bird was backlit and I froze the hummer at 1/4000s and let the translucency of the wings tell the story. The sun didn’t hit the front element of the lens directly because I shot from underneath the roof of our porch. A hint of flash made sure the body of the bird got some light as well.

The photo below was shot three hours later, about mid afternoon, when the sunlight wasn’t as harsh anymore. With almost the same settings (f/8, ISO8000, -1EV) but a shutter speed of only 1/400s the result was totally different. Of course, with such a slow shutter the wings are not frozen, which I actually prefer in most of my photos of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Westscott FJ80 II speed light, Westscott Magnetic diffusion dome

ONLY IN THE SPRING

Chipping Sparrow braving the rain

There are certain photos that we can make only in early spring. It’s not just about the usual arrival of several birds from the south during the last week of April, but also about a certain quality of light at this time of the year, the still open space between branches in the trees, and the color that is added by the lush green of the first leaves that pop out. Not to forget that most birds look at their best during mating season.

After all the thunderstorms that hit the Midwest we had a rainy Sunday and the muted light made for some nice photography in the front yard. This male Chipping Sparrow didn’t hide from the rain and watched a female below. Most of the time they can be seen together foraging on the ground. Having the bird on an oak branch with fresh leaves makes for a much better picture than just sparrows in the grass.

House Wren

Currently two House Wrens sing their heart out near any potential nesting site in the yard, starting already early in the morning. They both hope to attract a female at some point in time but I think the ladies aren’t even here yet. At least I haven’t seen one today. The House Wrens perch often on a solitary branch or stick and make it easy for the photographer to find a background that isn’t distracting from the bird.

All photos: Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Westscott FJ80 II speed light, Westscott Magnetic diffusion dome @850 mm

I WAS WAITING FOR THIS!

Female Red-bellied Woodpecker

You haven’t seen much new here in the blog lately beside my ”RETROSPECT 2023” blog posts, but today I had to take the camera out on the porch for some exciting bird photography. It is still warm, way to warm for this time of the year, but late morning it started snowing. The roads still remained clear but in the trees the white stuff accumulated a little bit. After all the gray weather and rain lately, this was a delight today! It also was another chance to work with the new speed light, the Westscott FJ80 II with a dome diffuser attached. As always, shortly after the camera on tripod was in place outside the door, the birds started to return.

The still young oak tree in front of the house, becomes more and more a hub for the birds before they fly over to a feeder. This female is one of three Red-bellied Woodpeckers that have their home somewhere nearby.

Female Downy Woodpecker

I’m trying to find out how many Downy Woodpeckers we actually have here in our woods. So far I have counted 7, but since they move fast between the front and back side of the building, I’m still wondering if there is even a couple more hanging around.

Female White-breasted Nuthatch

A couple of White-breasted Nuthatches are permanent residents up on the bluffs here. This female showed up alone today but quite often we see both birds and sometimes the male is stealing seeds from the female.

I used the Westscott FJ80 II speed light in manual mode for today’s photos. With its big display it’s easy to change the settings, eben without the use of my glasses. I’m very pleased how this new tool in my bag delivers . With the diffusion dome attached you can’t even tell that a speed light was used, since there is hardly any catch light in the bird’s eyes, but the colors of the feathers are revealed gorgeously. This is most prevalent in the photo of the Red-bellied Woodpecker.

As always, I try to tell a story with the photo and today it was all about the snow. To get the trails of snow flakes it takes about 1/60 s to 1/160 s. At that shutter speed not every shot is tack sharp while using a 600 mm focal length. Nevertheless, at the end the old rule applies, if the eye of the bird is not sharp, the picture ends in the virtual trash can, no matter if the snow trails look good or not…

BIRDS AND A NEW TOOL IN THE BAG

Black-capped Chickadee

I haven’t produced much with the camera lately, mostly due to a busy travel and work schedule, and this won’t change much for the next couple weeks. We had some snow on the ground this morning but it melted away quickly and made for a gray and drab rest of the day. I had in mind to do some bird photography, just shooting away from a tripod on the porch, while the birds approach our numerous bird feeders. With the lack of quality light it was the perfect time to practice with a new tool that is in my camera bag already since October. I just had no chance until today to use a new speedlight, the Westscott FJ80 II, for any wildlife photography. It has delivered good results so far for taking pictures of machinery during a trade show in October and for family photos during my recent trip to Germany.

Male House Finch

Of course, I was excited to see what it can deliver for color enhancement of birds on a gray day like today. I tested a lot today but will talk about the technical side of this speedlight in a future blog post. More practice with the new tool is definitely required, but so far I have been impressed with the quality of light it can deliver with a diffusion dome attached.

All photos: Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Westscott FJ80 II speed light, Westscott Magnetic diffusion dome

Female House Sparrow

Male Downy Woodpecker

REAL NECTAR, MAYBE A BETTER TASTE?

Ruby-throated Hummingbird at the phlox

As already reported I was out in the yard last weekend and tried to capture the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in flight, while they hover at a blossom or just near a hummingbird feeder. We feed a clear sugar-water solution, with the recommended mix of 1:4, and our feeders have been very popular all summer long. The metabolism of these tiny birds is just incredible and we go through quite a bit of liquid. But beside that we have lots of garden and wildflowers in our yard and their nectar has maybe even a better taste, who knows? While shooting near a feeder is more predictable, because the birds use them more often, but including a flower in the frame is more desirable for the photographer. Bee balm and the purple coneflowers have been a favorite in July and early August but they are almost all gone now. The wild growing phlox is still plentiful and has nectar as well. The hummers stick their bill deep into the blossoms in order to get the nutritious meal with their long tongue. The light was fading away already a bit at 7pm. With a hint of flash, softened with the Quickbox Micro softbox and a dome diffuser in front of the speed light, the colors of the hummingbird and the phlox blossoms had still a chance to shine.

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, Impact Quikbox Micro Softbox,    @ 600 mm, 1/800 s, f/8, ISO 6400,

TIME WITH HUMMINGBIRDS

Adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbird

It’s this time of the year when we have to refill each of our three hummingbird feeders twice a day. The young Ruby-throated Hummingbirds compete heavily over the food sources with the adults. Yes, we have many flowers in our yard but this wouldn’t be enough to keep them all happy. The male adults often perch near a feeder in small trees or bushes and defend ”their” feeder vigorously against any intruder. However, they are outnumbered by the juveniles and females and so every bird has finally a chance to drink and boost their energy.

The best time to shoot the birds perched in a little maple in front of our porch is early or midmorning. No flash was required to reveal the brilliant colors of the hummingbird’s feathers.

Juvenile male buzzing and hovering near a feeder

The second photo was made the night before, when the sun was already low and behind the trees. This time I had a speed-light mounted to the camera but softened its output with a small on-camera softbox. The Nikon Nikkor 70-200, f/4 lens was used at 200 mm in order to move quickly and follow the action of the hummingbirds while they hover near the feeders. I love the buzz of their wings and for me that has to be part of the story I try to tell with a photo of a hummingbird in flight. It is possible to freeze the action of the wings with a faster flash output and a shutter speed of about 1/1600s or faster, but hummingbirds are constantly in motion and I prefer to shoot with 1/200s for the motion blur of the wings. This is maybe a little more difficult and not every click may lead to a good result.

WITH A HINT OF FILL FLASH

Male Yellow-rumped Warbler

Every new bird species that arrives here after migration from the south is greeted with cheers. While this year some species have not arrived yet, or at least have not been seen, today a Yellow-rumped Warbler landed right here above the bluffs of the Little Maquoketa Valley this evening.

One of my goals this year is to improve my wildlife photography while using a speed light. I hardly ever use a flash light as the main light source. I’m a strong believer that the ambient, natural light should give a sense of the circumstances when and where the photo was made. And of course, there is always an exception from these wishful ideas if we want to tell our story with a photo.

When we sit on our porch in the evening at this time of the year, the setting sun shines right in our eyes and every bird in the front yard is backlit. To make a click, like the photo above, requires some kind of light from the front. This is when the flash from an off-camera speed light can be used to fill in the shadows and enhance the colors.

I admit, I’m not really good working with a flash light, but today I practiced a lot with the birds that are always here. When I just thought I figured it all out, this beautiful male Yellow-rumped Warbler, in full breeding plumage, landed right in front of me and gave me a minute to work with. As you can see, the warbler is backlit, the background is absolutely gorgeous, but the bird had too much shadow and did not stand out. Well, a little hint of fill-flash can make all the difference…

GEAR TALK: MAGMOD MAGBEAM WILDLIFE KIT

MAGMOD MagBeam Fresnel flash extender -------

Well, I haven’t done any gear talk in a long time and after over ten weeks of testing I’m ready to write a little blog post about a new piece that made it into my photo bag. The MAGMOD MagBeam Wildlife Kit is a fresnel flash extender that has replaced the good old ‘Better Beamer’. Technically it works the same way, a fresnel lens collimates the light from the speedlight and extends the capabilities of the flash light by 2-3 extra stops. This is a big deal for my wildlife photography and I use the MagBeam usually with the long lens, the Sigma 150-600. There are two reasons to use the flash extender. First it allows to increase the depth of field, especially under low light conditions, but more important for me is to improve the quality of light for bird photography. Flash fill makes a big difference for the colors.

Now retired: Better Beamer flash extender

So why did I give up the old Better Beamer for the new MagBeam? Mounting the Better Beamer to the SB 800 speedlight has been always an awkward procedure, especially if someone is in a hurry. The flimsy plastic parts are held together with velcro and if you don’t secure the Better Beamer with gaffers tape, there is always a chance that the whole unit falls off while moving around. The MagBeam has a rubber part that fits tightly over the speedlight, called the MagGrip. It has a couple strong permanent magnets embedded that hold the actual flash modifier with the fresnel lens. When you need the MagBeam in the field, you just snap the modifier onto the MagGrip and start shooting. This is a big plus in my books and one of the main reasons why I like the MAGMOD MagBeam a lot. The modifier is made out of rubber and is collapsable for smaller packing.

Mourning Dove, photo made with MAGMOD MagBeam flash extender

In direct comparison of both flash extenders I would say the MagBeam delivers a slightly softer light, and this is a good thing. This may have to do with its oval shape, but I’m not sure. The only downside I can see so far is the little heavier weight of the new tool over the old Better Beamer. This is not a problem for me. The faster mounting time and softer flash fill outweigh the extra weight and the MAGMOD MagBeam will definitely stay in my photo bag.

SCARLET TANAGER AND THE AMBIENT LIGHT

The Scarlet Tanager is a very secretive bird but sometimes the males show up at our suet feeders for a brief moment. Usually they also disappear very quickly again after getting a few peanuts. It is not so difficult to make any feeder pictures but it takes a lot more to make the click while they are in the trees around our house. The thick and lush canopy of our trees here swallows up a lot of light and locking in the focus can be a challenge. As always in these kind of situations I use the speed light only for flash fill, for boosting the colors and not as my main source of light. This means to shoot with slow shutter speeds (1/60s for this photo). The ambient light plays a big role for the environmental portraits I’m aiming for in my wildlife photography and using the full power of the flash light would just not deliver the results I’m looking for. Not having every single feather of the bird tack-sharp is the small price I have no problem to pay in this matter.

NATURE CLICKS #290 - BELTED KINGFISHER

Nikon D750, Sigma 50-500mm / f4.5-6.3 APO DG HSM, SB 800 speed light

I have reported about my desire to get closer to a Belted Kingfisher here in the blog just recently. Well, another visit in the Green Island Wetlands last weekend lead to this shot. I had the SB800 speed light on camera and was working the bird for almost three minutes. As most birds, the kingfisher didn’t care for the flash and was concentrating on one thing only, the fish in the water. This was the last click before it went down like a rocket. I couldn’t see the impact on the water from my location but heard the splash...