Bird photos
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This immature White-crowned Sparrow pauses astride two branches to pose for my lens. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIV camera using a Canon 800mm lens. The exposure was 1/3,000 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 045 -
This White-crowned Sparrow lands briefly on a stalk to scan for food and watch me fumble with a long lens in time to make a good shot. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIV camera using a Canon 800mm lens. The exposure was 1/1,500 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 044 -
This immature White-crowned Sparrow is feasting on a grasshopper. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIV camera using a Canon 800mm lens. The exposure was 1/180 sec. at f/6.7 using ISO 1,600. 043 -
The Red-winged Blackbird is probably the most plentiful of the passerines this winter. Everywhere I look the trees and brush are full of them. This one is watching me from 70 feet away. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 800mm lens. The exposure was 1/250 sec. at f/11 using ISO 800. 042 -
This female Red-winged Blackbird sits patiently for me as I try to adjust the camera for very low light. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/60 sec. at f/5.6 using ISO 400. 041 -
This immature Golden-crowned Sparrow is hiding in a bush and turned at the right moment as I released the shutter. Foreground obstructions make auto focus difficult. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/1,000 sec. at f/8 using ISO 400. 040 -
Suction cup mounting is a great solution for mounting your camera from a vehicle’s sunroof. Vacu-Pod’s solution uses an adapted Wimbley gimbal head and quick release plates for ease of assembly. The Manfrotto Pump Cup, used extensively in the movie industry, can also be adapted for a similar mounting application. Vacu-Pod also has a solution for vehicles with out sunroofs. Check the article for website links. 039 -
This is my inexpensive window mount made from scrap wood. My lenses are big and heavy and I’d rather have them resting on the car’s window frame rather than possibly cracking the glass with a glass mounting system. This allows me to move freely but I always make sure I hold it very steady. 038 -
We’re at the end of our migration season and thousands of birds are making their way home to mate and raise their young. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/750 sec. at f/6.7 using ISO 1,600. 037 -
Seems like rush hour to get back home to mate and raise their young. The sound of large quantities of birds is very exciting and you can capture that sound if you have a DSLR capable of shooting video. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIV camera using a Canon 100mm – 400mm zoom set to 400mm. The exposure was 1/3,000 sec. at f/5.6 using ISO 800. 036 -
Photographing Geese in flight is a bit of a challenge if they aren’t close to you. You may have to use a long lens to bring them up close. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIV camera using a Canon 800mm lens and a 1.4X teleconverter for an equivalent focal length of 1,456mm. The exposure was 1/750 sec. at f/11 using ISO 800. 035 -
Being able to shoot birds directly overhead is a great advantage with birds in flight. Image stabilization on your lens makes this possible. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIV camera using a Canon 100mm – 400mm zoom set to 400mm. The exposure was 1/2,000 sec. at f/5.6 using ISO 800. 034 -
Flying home. These Sandhill Cranes are flying home after a winter in the Sacramento area. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIV camera using a Canon 100mm – 400mm zoom set to 400mm. The exposure was 1/4,000 sec. at f/5.6 using ISO 800. 033 -
It doesn’t seem possible for a bird like this to be able to fly. It has the ability to streamline its body into a shape that makes it possible. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 800mm lens and a 1.4X teleconverter for an equivalent focal length of 1,456mm. The exposure was 1/750 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 032 -
A bird in flight is a beautiful sight to watch and even more beautiful to photograph. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/750 sec. at f/9.5 using ISO 1,250. 031 -
Still miles away from their roost for the night, these Sandhill Cranes have finished their day-long search for food and are returning to the safe fields of the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 800mm lens. The exposure was 1/1000 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 030 -
Well after the sun has set, this last Sandhill Crane finally arrives at Woodbridge Ecological Reserve to roost for the night. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 800mm lens. The exposure was 1/500 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 029 -
With just moments to spare and the last rays of an intense sunset on their wings, these Sandhill Cranes come home to roost for the night. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 800mm lens. The exposure was 1/3500 sec. at f/8 using ISO 400. 028 -
Sandhill Cranes are coming home to roost for the night at Woodbridge Ecological Reserve. There’s just a hint of the glow left over from an intense sunset on their wings. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 800mm lens. The exposure was 1/350 sec. at f/8 using ISO 400. 027 -
The power lines over the parking lot at Woodbridge Ecological Reserve, is a favorite landing place for a male American Kestrel. Here, he’s airing out his tail feathers. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/1500 sec. at f/6.7 using ISO 400. 026 -
When photographing birds you have to stay vigilant to catch any action. During the day these Sandhills don’t do much other than forage for food and occasionally move across an irrigation ditch. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/2000 sec. at f/4 using ISO 400. 025 -
During the day, Sandhill Cranes loaf in the fields around Woodbridge Ecological Reserve. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 using ISO 400. 024 -
Winter sunsets are just one benefit of visiting Yolo Basin Foundation's Duck Days February 24-25, 2012. Check their web site for more details. http://www.yolobasin.org 023 -
Beautiful sunsets are just one benefit of visiting Yolo Basin Foundation's Duck Days February 24-25, 2012. Check their web site for more details. http://www.yolobasin.org 022 -
Hundreds of geese flying in formation are a wonderful sight. I always wonder what the first one did that caused all the others to follow him. I guess some geese are just born to lead. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 300mm lens. The exposure was 1/180 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 021 -
This White-tailed Kite was photographed in late afternoon light as he was watching dinner. Photographing from a car allowed me to creep very close to the bird without scaring him away. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 800mm lens fitted with a Canon 1.4 teleconverter. The exposure was 1/750 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 020 -
With the hunting season over, the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area has opened up more roads to areas that were previously closed. These American White Pelicans were found in a newly opened area. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 800mm lens fitted with a Canon 1.4 teleconverter. The exposure was 1/750 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 019 -
I love preserves and wildlife areas that let you drive through them. The vehicle appears to act like a blind and birds usually let you get closer to them than if you were on foot. This photo of a Snowy Egret was made at 25 feet from a vehicle with a 300mm lens. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 300mm lens. The exposure was 1/1500 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 018 -
I like shooting photographs of birds in early morning or late evening with soft warm colored light. This Northern Pintail looks nice in late afternoon light. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 800mm lens. The exposure was 1/1000 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 017 -
Mallards are usually plentiful in most preserves and relatively easy to photograph. Some ducks swim or fly away so quickly that photographing them is a challenge. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/1000 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 016 -
Plenty of shore birds can be found in fields that are being flooded because the water brings out their food. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 800mm lens. The exposure was 1/1000 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. -
Any time you are near water, always be prepared for a sunset opportunity especially in winter. Storms bring potentially beautiful clouds that can give you that magical moment. This photo was made with a Canon 5D MkII camera using a Canon 16-35mm zoom lens set to 35mm. The exposure was 1/60 sec. at f/6.7 using ISO 800. 014 -
This curious Egret must have heard something in the grass because it left a pond and crossed the road to pursue it. Moments later it disappeared into the thick brush. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 100-400mm zoom lens set to 400mm. Then I attached a 1.4X Teleconverter that increased the focal length to 560mm. The exposure was 1/3000 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 013 -
This Black Phoebe has lunch in its beak and looks anxious to eat it. I shot this from my car while slowly driving down the dirt roads. Many times small birds will fly away as I approach but if you stay still for about five minutes they all return and you can make some nice close-up photos. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/1000 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 012 -
It may appear this Great Blue Heron is searching for a meal but I think he is admiring a beautiful winter sunset. It is a shame the people racing along Interstate 80 in the background don’t make the time to enjoy gentle scenes like this. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. This bird is 250 feet away. The exposure was 1/750 sec. at f/9.5 using ISO 1250. 011 -
Yolo Bypass offers a variety of birds to photograph. Good photos of bird’s uses the same techniques used in any other subject. In this case, the rule of thirds in composition places the bird in the right third of the photo with the subject looking into the frame. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/750 sec. at f/9.5 using ISO 1250. 009 -
I tried to sneak up on the Red-tailed hawk but didn’t succeed thankfully. If I had surprised him, he’d flown away immediately. When shooting a subject partially obscured with foreground, you need to use the manual focus function of your lens. Stabilization will still work even if the auto focus is turned off. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/2000 sec. at f/4 using ISO 400. 008 -
Long telephoto lenses create large sun disks. I used a 500mm lens and waited for a few Sandhill Cranes to fly by. Canon Camera Company will have 300mm thru 800mm lenses set up this Saturday January 28, on the Sunset Tour offered by the Galt Winter Bird Festival. The use of the lenses and cameras are free. Just bring a spare memory card. Check the article for their website for more information. 007 -
This Great Blue Heron was photographed at the Cosumnes River Preserve. It sat motionless for about a half hour and allowed me to walk to a focus distance of 68 feet. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/3000 sec. at f/5.6 using ISO 800. 006 -
This Red-tailed Hawk was photographed along Desmond Rd. at Cosumnes River Preserve. It just sat there for about a minute while it assessed my threat level. Obviously my lens looked too ominous and it flew away. At 10 frames per second, I had enough time to squeeze off about 30 photos. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/750 sec. at f/8 using ISO 800. 005 -
This Western Meadowlark was photographed at Cosumnes River Preserve after a long wait. Walking or driving up to a tree with birds sitting on the branches will usually scare them away. If you wait long enough, they usually return. Pre-focus, and be ready for when they return. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/2000 sec. at f/4 using ISO 400. 004 -
This Western Meadowlark has just caught lunch. It was photographed at Cosumnes River Preserve along Desmond Rd. This photo was made with a Canon 1D MkIII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/2000 sec. at f/4 using ISO 400. F/4 was used to throw the background and foreground out of focus. 003 -
Over 250 species of birds have been recorded at the Cosumnes River Preserve. Galt and the surrounding Cosumnes River Preserve is home for the 5th Annual Galt Winter Bird Festival this Saturday January 28, 2012. Check the article for their website for more information. This photo was made with a Canon 5D MkII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/250 sec. at f/11 using ISO 400. 002 -
A Sandhill Crane comes in for a landing at the Cosumnes River Preserve. Galt and the surrounding Cosumnes River Preserve is home for the 5th Annual Galt Winter Bird Festival this Saturday January 28, 2012. Check the article for their website for more information. This photo was made with a Canon 5D MkII camera using a Canon 500mm lens. The exposure was 1/250 sec. at f/11 using ISO 400. 001
