Tdgraves less big year 2018

[Kitsafari]

lovely shot of the godwit in sparkling waters to hit the  magic 300! and it's only June. 

 

that's a pretty song sparrow and an impressive acorn woodpecker.

[Tdgraves]

On our last day in California, we went with my brother-in-law to look for birds in San Francisco bay. He was kind enough to let me borrow his 500mm f4.0 lens. It was the first time I've tried a prime long lens and it is very heavy. I'm not sure that he anticipated the 5 mile walk that followed, but suffice it to say, we all slept well that evening! The IQ was mind-blowing and the amount of light it gets in is amazing, but having to have a monopod and heavy attachment is a real downside and an adjustment, especially for BIF.

 

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 3/5/18

 

 

Canon 5D mark iii, 500mm f4, ISO 160, f 5.0, 1/1600

 

 

Canon 5D mark iii, 500mm f4, ISO 100, f 4.0, 1/2000

 

 

For comparison, Canon 5D mark iii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 320, f 7.1, 1/1600

 

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 200, f 7.1, 1/1000

 

 

303) Western sandpiper

[Tdgraves]

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 3/5/18

 

Canon 5D mark iii, 500mm f4, ISO 100, f 4.0, 1/2000

 

 

304) Dunlin

[Tdgraves]

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 3/5/18

 

Canon 5D mark iii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 320, f 7.1, 1/12500

 

 

305) Common tern

[Tdgraves]

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 3/5/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 500mm f4, ISO 200, f 4.5, 1/2500

 

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 500mm f4, ISO 250, f 4.5, 1/3200

 

 

 

306) Red-necked phalarope

[Tdgraves]

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 3/5/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 500mm f4, ISO 125, f 4.0, 1/1250

 

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 500mm f4, ISO 125, f 4.0, 1/4000

 

 

 

307) Forster's tern

[Tdgraves]

And now for the star of the show...

 

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 3/5/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 250, f 7.1, 1/1600

 

 

This is when we decided to swap the camera bodies on the long lens....

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 500mm f4, ISO 160, f 5.6, 1/1600

 

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 500mm f4, ISO 125, f 5.0, 1/1600

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 500mm f4, ISO 125, f 4.0, 1/2500

 

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 500mm f4, ISO 100, f 4.0, 1/2000

 

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 500mm f4, ISO 125, f 4.0, 1/2000

 

 

308) American avocet

[Tdgraves]

and some duplicates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tdgraves]

That would appear to be it for California. 73 birds in a week is more than I expected and plenty of mammals too!

[TonyQ]

A lovely Phalarope and excellent photos of the American Avocet (I didn't know there was one!).

It looks like a very enjoyable trip.

[Galana]

Some terrific shots there. Loved the Avocet and RN Phalaropes..

[Peter Connan]

Congratulations on exceeding 300, and some magic shots, especially the Avocet!

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @Peter Connan @Galana and @TonyQ

[PeterHG]

Lovely Avocet and Phalarope shots!

[Tdgraves]

thanks @PeterHG makes me want a prime lens even more, sigh 

[elefromoz]

@Tdgraves,  297) American goldfinch (imagine what a lovely shot it would have been  the wind was blowing the flowers and as soon as I took this one, the bird flew off...)

 

If you were Flora focussed rather than Bird focussed, its a perfect photo! Congrats on 300, a great California collection. The Brandts Cormorants are quite startling with the bright blue splash.

[Tdgraves]

Early in June, I took a trip to Lakenheath fen, where I have never been before. Judging by the number of people there with long lenses, it could be a good birding spot, but not on the day I went

Still, I had a nice walk (and drive) and managed to get a couple to add to the BY. I couldn't get a spot in the hide though  

 

First a couple of duplicates

 

 

 

and one to make up for my worst EBC ever....

 

 

Being next to two air bases, there were also other "birds"

 

 

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Lakenheath Fen, Suffolk, UK, 7/6/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 640, f 7.1, 1/640, EV +1

 

Now, I think this is what all of the lenses were waiting for. Unfortunately, it flew over me when I was on a path surrounded by 6 foot reeds, so it took a while to track and focus, so not quite an EBC, but not an award winning photo either. It is only the first time i have tried to get a photo of one though....and on y the second time of seeing one!

 

 

309) Eurasian bittern

[Galana]

 

8 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

It is only the first time i have tried to get a photo of one though....and on y the second time of seeing one!

But despite the odds you still got it.

[Tdgraves]

The other two I captured were new species at least

 

RSPB Lakenheath Fen, Suffolk, UK, 7/6/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 500, f 7.1, 1/800

 

 

310) Garganey

[Tdgraves]

This one was very frustrating. There were three in the reeds right next to the path, they were slowly getting higher and into camera shot, when one of said "long lenses" stomped past, between me with camera half raised and the birds ( a gap of <1 M). Grrrr. Managed to get one of them further into the reed beds though.

 

RSPB Lakenheath Fen, Suffolk, UK, 7/6/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 500, f 7.1, 1/1250

 

 

 

311) Eurasian reed warbler

[Tdgraves]

I also managed a glimpse of my first ever bearded reedling, so three new birds in one day is pretty good, but from hearing the complaints of the "long lenses" I think it was just a bad day. They have breeding cranes, so I will definitely go back and try again at some point.

[Tdgraves]

Having just done the next installment of my Kruger TR, I realised that there was a raptor that we had not identified. Not only had we missed it off of the BY, it was a new one for us too!

 

Near Lower Sabie, Kruger National Park, South Africa, 2/2/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 320, f 7.1, 1/640, EV +!

 

 

Some less good shots to prove the ID

 

 

 

312) Lesser spotted eagle

[Tdgraves]

Having just posted in my Kruger TR, can I convince you that the bird in the background is a common sandpiper?

 

No change to the score as I have double posted wood sandpiper...

 

Near Lower Sabie, Kruger national Park, 3/2/217

 

Canon 5D mark iii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 400, f 6.3, 1/1000, EV +1/3

 

 

312 again ) Common sandpiper

[Galana]

12 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

can I convince you that the bird in the background is a common sandpiper?

Er,,, Not really with that supercillium and those long legs. More like juv. Wood although the length of bill is of concern.