I love to PAN.

Some birds fly faster than others.  Some pretty much fly in straight line.  Others like the swallow are constantly turning and going up and down.  The f-16′s of the bird world.  Or the Flycatcher.  Fast and unpredictable flight.  As I have watched the American Avocet I’ve noticed some routines in their flights.  At Farmington they often between ponds.  Back and forth. And pretty much in a straight line.  So I set up. Put the long lens on the D3s and waited between the ponds.  I almost always shoot in aperture priority.  Gives me control over the depth of field.  Though most of the time I shoot wide open to isolate the subject.  It is a look and feel in a photograph that I like.  So I am shooting wide open (f/6.7 on the 600 with a 1.7 teleconverter).  The long lens allows me the distance I need from the Avocet so they will fly directly between ponds.  And not be deterred by my presence.  I am 90 degrees from the birds as they fly by.  Panning right then left.  Fortunately I have a great Gitzo tripod with the gimbal head.    Makes the panning a little easier and smoother than hand holding.  Besides that, I would have to look like the hulk to hand hold a 600mm lens successfully.    After about 800 or so frames I was done (sunset).  Ended up with a couple of keepers……

I did take the liberty to convert to black and white and erase the original colored layer of the Avocet back in.  The full color photo was a little bland.

For the most part I have a camera is near me.  It was cloudy (again) today.  Some sprinkles.  No sunshine.  As I traveled I noticed off in the distance a fight.  Geese fight to be exact.  Had to push the ISO up to 3200.  Shot wide open at 6.7 (includes 1.7 extension compensation).  Even with the limited noise the shot is pretty sharp.  What was amazing is the two birds chased each other for a while.  Even as I drove off…..

Shot this guy Sunday morning.  Can’t find him in my Bird’s of Utah book.  Incredible landing technique don’t you think?

Got up early today!

There really is not anything better than early Sunday morning with the camera and wildlife.  Today was one of the best.  It’s spring.  Love is in the air.  Birds procreating.  Eggs a lay’in.    Bird enthusiasm everywhere.  A great time to enjoy being out.  A better time to get incredible shots of unique characteristic’s and behavior’s.    A Great Blue Heron landed in a body of water (pond).  Fishing for it’s young about a 1/4 mile away in a Heron rookery.  Out of nowhere a Goose swooped in and chased the Heron out.  I watched this same exercise several times.  The goose was protecting a nest that it’s life companion was roosting on.  The Heron was probably coming to it’s favorite fishing hole.  The goose would have none of that.  This went on for some time.  I was startled at the size of the Goose.  I have never seen the two flying near each other.   I always thought the Blue Heron was a larger bird.  This photo of the Goose chasing the Heron shows otherwise….

Egrets have all the fun.

Out at Farmington Bay Friday to see the local Egrets.  They are back!  And beautiful as ever.  Arrived before sunrise to find this guy.  He performed for me for about an hour.  I had to go to black and white in post.  It just felt right.  Shot wide open the closest drops of water are out of focus.  Still like it.  It is one of those images our eyes just don’t catch……and keep like this one.

Road side quick click…I saw these swallows and had to stop and watch.  There was hundreds of them.  Fast and beautiful.  Head back in a couple of days to see if they are gathering here for a reason.

We all need water.

Have you ever watched animals drink?   A few years ago I watched a horse drink 5 gallons of water in short order.  Sounded like a huge pump.  Cats..well they lick water.  Never figured out how they do that.  Do fish drink water?  We drink from cups, straws and drinking fountains.  For the first time I saw an Egret drink water.  At first I thought he was fishing.  He dropped down to the water and raised his head quickly and threw his head back.  Thirsty.  We all need water. Even shore birds.

On the road for the first time in quite a while.  The last time I was out it was for vacation.  This week ……work.

As noted in my earlier blogs I loved my time at Gatorland in Florida.  Photographing birds.  The Giant Egrets were amassed there.  I keep going back to the hard drive to look at pic’s.

Only saw one fight.  I am only guessing it was a fight.  Most likely it was a love spat.  When the wings are wide open there is little more beautiful…….

If it wasn’t for the comedy I may spend less time in front of birds.

They really are funny.

This day this Blue Heron was excited about something.  Or an unknown lurking monster was chasing the Blue winged scaredY bird.

I was laughing so hard I could hardly keep my finger on the trigger………

I loved my time with the birds in Florida!

What was thrilling me was the introduction to new birds.  Ones that I won’t find near home.

The Green Heron.

Small but beautiful.  And flies very fast!  The combination of the lighting mix and the speed of this beauty made it difficult to get “that” shot!  This one is my favorite.  As he was flying at me he became shy to the camera instantly and turned.  At elevens frames-a-second my odds went up…………