1694 replies to this topic

[TGK]

I've got two nice close-ups below.  Admittedly, I'm cheating a bit, as they are being held by Hawk Watch International Staff after banding on Bonnie Butte, SE of Mt. Hood in Oregon.  Hawk Watch has been counting migratory birds of prey on Mt. Hood for 20 years.  They set up on the Butte 6 miles SE of Mt. Hood in late August and stay until late October or so.  Counts can range from 2,500 up to 4,500 birds across 18 species.  They also net and band a percentage each year.  My wife and I have been going up for years, as it's also a good opportunity for some fall camping before the snow flies.  A nice primitive campground is near by and the views from Bonnie Butte are great.  The road is a bit rough, not recommended for trailers, but not a problem for any vehicle with good clearance, particularly if it's dry.  First one is a Red Tail, followed by a Coopers Hawk.

 

When the public is on hand, they sometimes bring the birds they recently banded down the ridge from the banding station for viewing just before release.  It's very educational, particularly for kids, to see these beautiful creatures up close before being released back to the wild. 

 

Hawk Watch runs a similar migratory bird count on Goshutes Mountain in Nevada that can yield even higher volumes of birds.

Attached Files

•  DSCN0396.JPG   169.85K   51 downloads
•  DSCN0402.JPG   181.98K   49 downloads

Edited by TGK, 28 January 2014 - 05:39 AM.

[Riverrunner]

Here are a few more...but I'm going back when I first got my DSLR.  There were shot with a 40D and 55-250mm.

 

The cool things that one see's while fishing....

 

Osprey...

 

 

Cedar Waxwing...

 

 

Coons!

 

[Riverrunner]

Nice silhouettes, Park!

 

Riverrunner:  You are on the right path.  I love the 70-200 f4, and swear I can recognize the wonderful color and pop of that lens.

My custom setting:  C1 on my 7D is 1/1000s, f5.6 (max for my 400mm), and iso 400.   If I can kick up the shutter speed in good light, I do it with the control wheel right by the shutter button.  

 

Your 50D has options for C1 and C2.  Just figure out your best wildlife/birding settings and set them up, then use the menu to 'register the settings'.  Voila! A quick twist of the knob and you are dialed in.   I find this to be pretty handy when an opportunity presents itself and I have a short amount of time to react.

 

Yes I love that 70-200!  I wish all of my lenses would take photo's like that one! I'll look into using those presets too.  Lots too learn!   

[pvstoy]

Any of you are interested in going to Winnemucca Nevada, every year they have “Shooting The West” photography symposium that I have attended for years.   Attached is a link to their web page for more information. 

 

http://www.shootingthewest.org/

 

Been busy with catching up here and looking forward to adding a couple images when time allows.

 

 

[ski3pin]

I like ravens.

 

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Nice, nice image of the raven!   I like corvids as well, they are so blasted intelligent.  

 

Here's a link to a shot, and a shameless plug that I posted on ExPo.    The plug is for Oregon Water Watch, a conservation group that works to preserve in-stream water flows for all parties, including consumptive users, recreational users and wildlife.   For any of you folks that like to fish, or that farm and need water, Oregon Water Watch is a balanced environmental group to work with.   

 

Here's another image of ravens appearing to show affection for one another.   It was truly a romantic setting.   There had been a windstorm at Furnace Creek, and the lids on all the dumpsters were blown open.  Our two canoodling corvids perched on the edge after finishing their fine dining experience, then began to preen one another.   Humor aside, it was really interesting to watch their behavior.

 

Edited by Wandering Sagebrush, 30 January 2014 - 01:20 AM.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Coyote (Canis latrans)

 

[ski3pin]

Very nice shot of the 'ote, Mr. Sage! We were serenaded Saturday evening.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Very nice shot of the 'ote, Mr. Sage! We were serenaded Saturday evening.

 

Thank you sir!  Nothing like the serenade of a song dog to help one sleep.

 

This is a bit of a sad photo for me.   This is Sally (All the female coyotes at Ridgefield NWR are named Sally), and this past year, the refuge brought in a small herd of Columbian white-tailed deer.  In order to boost survival rates of the deer, they shot thirteen or fourteen of the coyotes that we had been following for years.   I usually agree with a lot of the decisions that the refuge management have made over the years, but this did not seem wise.

Edited by Wandering Sagebrush, 03 February 2014 - 12:53 AM.

[Lighthawk]

"This is a bit of a sad photo for me. "

 

To quote the Chili Peppers (amazing they were part of the SB halftime show today),

 

True Men don't kill coyotes!