Mates
Sandhill Cranes mate for life.
Shot at sunset from afar.
Consumnes Wildlife Refuge
The Hunt for Birds
KRP was off a couple of days this week so she took me out hunting birds. We made it to the Colusa Refuge – lots of ducks, a few Egrets, but otherwise most of the big birds have not arrived yet. Everything is about 2 weeks behinds schedule here. Even the rice, corn, and squash fields have not been plowed or harvested yet. So it was rater a bust finding any Sandhill Crane birds.
I really enjoy sitting outside away from the noise of the city and the blah blah blah of all the silly people in this neighborhood – the birds of a different feather. I just drive out to the refuge and sit there for hours. I listen to the different birds singing out their songs and I even hear there wing beats if it is quit enough. The frogs croaking, the bees and (unfortunately) wasps buzzing it is quite the symphony. If something interest me I try and snap a picture. Sometimes the birds and sometimes?
In one section of the refuge the staff flooded two fields. Seriously, there were over a hundred cranes – putting the birds just about an eighth of a mile out of the range of my longest lens. ha! I waited on the other side of the refuge hoping a few birds would fly over and land – a few did the other night – but nope no cranes. So I started waiting out the little sparrows that hide up in the weeds along the edges of the trails and pond. Eventually a few little immature White Crowned Sparrows (the strips on their heads are kind of a chestnut rust color and no white more gray on the heads so fairly sure of identification) started hopping in and out of the brush. It is hard to locate them and take a picture of them when they come out – an I tell you those little birds are quick!
I am starting to wonder about myself. I am sitting forever watching birds? Field guide at my side? a have a vision of my grandparents in mind here . ..
Dragonflys, Photography, Cranes, and Jerry
One of the things I enjoy about being involved with photography is all the folks I meet. In the early 2000’s I met my friend Chuck while at the dog park. Later on I became interested in photography and we found ourselves out shooting together. Chuck was the first person who explained how aperture controlled the depth of field. I still use his method to show others how it works.
Chucks next door neighbor, Jerry, is a photographer also – a real photographer – as in he makes money selling is photos and has for years. I really enjoy talking with Jerry and I do not get very many opportunities to so. so Friday I was very excited that I was able to go and talk with Jerry. Just about anything Nikon Jerry usually has the answer or will pretty darn fast.
I arrived exactly on time – I actually sat around the corner text messaging to kill time so I would not arrive early.
Jerry
The purpose of my visit was two fold. One I really enjoy Jerry and looking at all his photos. Two, we both just recently purchased d7000’s and I wanted to pick his brain about settings and what not. And talk we did. I left with a loaner book and a super photo he took of two Sand-hill Cranes. I believe that Jerry has forgotten more about photography than I have even known
The Book
Last night I read and read the photography help book about the d7000. I jotted down a few notes and fell asleep. This afternoon I loaded up my gear and headed out to the refuge armed with some new ideas on specific camera settings. I still have not gotten it all worked out but I did get some better shots than my first attempts and the Sandhill Cranes did fly over head – way up but hey – I managed to grab a few shots of them. Not the best as most were shot at the max of the lens. But, way better than the before my chat with Jerry.
Sitting at a bench a noticed a bunch (what do you call a group of dragon flys? a swarm?) of Dragon Flys and zoomed in on them. I was really impressed at how fast the camera focused and how well it meters. My Nikkor 70-300mm has never taken this clear of a close in (ok I have never taken this good of photos with it).
Some Crane shots:
and these little birds were fluttering all around:
All photos can be viewed larger by clicking on them.
I might upload them to flickr or picasa later on?
It’s The Birds
This afternoon KRP was baking and it seemed no matter where I turned I was getting in the way. This made for a good excuse to enjoy the sunshine – yes we saw the sun today! – and head out to the wildlife refuge.
On first glance through the shots I picked out a few to post. It surprised me how many birds were there today. Right after I arrived some kids scared the geese on the other side of the road and they all flew over us and started to land out on our side. Wow all the bird watchers and photographers were so busy staring at them that we forgot to take pictures and look through binoculars. It was amazing and they just kept coming!
I remembered to get out my camera and caught the last bit of it all. Just awesome. Usually I sit there and wait and about once every two hours a gaggle will fly over and/or land but todays flights were not the norm for me anyways.
I know some of you are probably getting tired of nothing but photos but for the most part it is all am finding to do lately. With the Christmas rush it is not fun to venture out and about. The rain has put a damper on many things also.
So that is what I have been doing. Reading and taking photos.
So here are a few from today:
