Posts Tagged ‘Nikkor 600mm f/4 VRII’

Follow The Herd?

Follow The Herd?

An image of a group of birds all heading in the same direction – hunting for sustenance in the Far North during their breeding season.  But, can you spot the “odd man out”?  I am not sure why, but I am always thrilled when I can get a shot with more than one species together […]


A Way to Attract the Girls

A Way to Attract the Girls

The Short-billed Dowitcher (Linodromus griseus) has a way with the girls during breeding season.  He flies thousands of miles north, to the Tundra and puts on his breeding plumage.  The plumage is highlighted by a bright orange (rufous) foreneck and breast.  This is irresistible to the females – the purpose of the exercise. Then after […]


Ablutions in the Tundra Marshes

Ablutions in the Tundra Marshes

It is past 9:00 pm, there is no hint of sunset, but we are into the sweet light of the day, referred to by most as “golden hour”.  I have been out since 6:00 am, just after sunrise, as there isn’t much night this far North – just south of the Arctic Circle – in […]


The Solitary Sandpiper

The Solitary Sandpiper

At first I easily mistook this bird for another Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa malanoleuca), as there head been several around.  However, this bird was working the marsh for food by itself.  A quick consultation with Sibley’s pointed me to the Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitarius).  Apparently it is often mistaken for a Greater Yellowlegs but is described […]


Stalking the Jaegers

Stalking the Jaegers

Week 1 in Churchill, Manitoba we had seen a pair of Parasitic Jaegers (Stercorarius parasiticus), on one of the areas of Tundra marsh from a distance, while driving by looking for suitable bird shoots.  Week 2 and one of the objectives I set myself, was to get some good shots of these birds.  So with […]


Migrating Shorebirds fly to the Tundra

Yes a great deal of the shorebirds that we see during our summer vacations and all winter long fly thousands of miles to the tundra in order to mate and breed.  Part of this process is the courtship of the males and females to choose their partners and then nest and mate. One of my […]


A day in the Tundra Marsh

A day in the Tundra Marsh

Yes, I am still here in Churchill, Manitoba.  Although the workshop concluded on Sunday morning I am here putting my lessons into practice. One of the pre-requisites for the workshop was a pair of “Hip-Boots”.  Something I had never heard of, but a quick search on the internet showed me what I had to get […]


Nature’s Sentry

Nature's Sentry

The change in plumage of the shorebirds and the distance they migrate in order to mate is mind-blowing.  Most of them gather here in Churchill in the very north of Manitoba, Canada which is sited on the Hudson Bay. The plumage change is most significant in the male birds as it is their way of […]


Birding in the Tundra

Birding in the Tundra

I am on a Moose Peterson workshop in Churchill, Manitoba to photograph the nesting migrating birds.  Why?  Because most of the shorebirds display dramatically different plumage when mating and these images can only be caught here!  So we are on our second day and I wanted to share with you come of the images from […]


Who would have thought – An Owl that Lives Below Ground?

Who would have thought - An Owl that Lives Below Ground?

Yes indeed the Burrowing Owl digs its own burrow in which to lay and hatch its young! In Cape Coral, Florida you are told to look for vacant building lots to search for Burrowing Owls (Athene Caunicularia).  This proves the Owls are a wise as legend has, because in Cape Coral their habitats are protected […]


How do you feed your children?

How do you feed your children?

Spending hours at The Venice Rookery on my new project, bird photography, I get the chance just to watch and observe different behaviours.  One that started to get my attention was the different way some of the nesting birds fed their young. A Great Blue Heron with one chick arrives on the tops of the […]


Juveniles ONLY – NO ADULTS !

Juveniles ONLY - NO ADULTS !

I made a return visit to Pinecraft Park in Sarasota to show Louise the Barred Owls and the Pileated Woodpeckers.  However, on this visit I could only shoot the juveniles.  We did see an adult Barred Owl, but it was right against the trunk of a tree and completely obscured by branches and leaves.  But […]


For Someone who has just started their bird photography – it can’t get any better than today!

For Someone who has just started their bird photography - it can't get any better than today!

Recently, was it really only yesterday, I had my first encounter with a Pileated Woodpecker and that was fantastic. Today I was heading for The Celery Fields near Saratoga (well in the last ten days I had been to two different Lettuce Lakes – perhaps there is a salad theme here?) having had the best […]


This Morning at The Venice Rookery

This Morning at The Venice Rookery

I always rise early so that I can shoot in the sweet light of the morning.  At The Rookery the sun rises behind you as you are lining up on the wildlife which is just perfect.  Today was a GREAT day for me – I saw (and shot) my first Pileated Woodpecker. What a treat, […]


Great Egret Chicks – how cute

Great Egret Chicks - how cute

Visiting The Rookery at Venice again there is this Great Egret nest on the edge of the “island” in full view.  For the first time I saw Great Egret chicks – how startlingly strange they look with their green skin an white “punk” plumage around their head and necks.  And those big eyes, which when […]


Tricolored Heron – entertained me this morning

Tricolored Heron - entertained me this morning

This morning at The Rookery in Venice, Florida, a Tricolored Heron entertained me for quite a time as it edged its way around the banks of the pond looking for its breakfast.  Its gorgeous blue beak and it richly coloured plumage caught my attention so I was captivated and watched it as it patiently worked […]


Revisit to Honeymoon Island State Park, Florida

Revisit to Honeymoon Island State Park, Florida

Yesterday morning I went back to Honeymoon Island State Park.  Mainly because I had heard the day before that there was a pair of Great Horned Owls that had two chicks that had fledged – AND also I had such a great day there on Saturday.  On Saturday I had spent some time moving slowly […]


A Day for Raptors

A Day for Raptors

Today I visited Honeymoon Island State Park (by myself!!) for the first time.  Not knowing what to expect I went directly to the Nature Centre and got some excellent advice on where to go.  So I headed straight for the 3.5 mile nature walk.  Parked, set up “bigger” with a 2x on my D4 and […]


Fort DeSoto

Fort DeSoto

This is my first visit to Fort DeSoto County Park in Pinellas County, Florida.  So this is really only day 3 of my new project – shooting wildlife, in particular birds.  It is at last warm (last week on the East side of Florida it was very cold and windy) with a pleasant breeze taking […]


First Outing for Bigger Bertha

First Outing for Bigger Bertha

I called my 200mm-400mm f/4 VRII lens “Big Bertha” when I first got it because it is big and also heavy.  I use this mostly for airs hows.  I have recently acquired “Bigger Bertha” to use for wildlife and this was “Bigger’s” first outing.  Also for my new heavier duty Really Right Stuff tripod and […]