Bobby Harrison

Pic of the Day

2012-03-02T20:17:00.003-06:00

American Bittern – Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida: I have seen less than a dozen American Bitterns in the wild, with most seen in the early morning hours before sunrise. On my last trip to the Viera Wetlands I had the opportunity to see an American Bittern during mid morning.

I actually walked upon the bittern, flushing it from its hiding place. Watching where the bittern had landed I stalked it to its new locations and was rewarded with a number of shots. After watching the bird stalk prey for about ten minutes, a car pulled beside me and the driver asked what I was photographing. At that time the bittern took flight and ended the longest amount of time I had spent with an actively feeding bittern.

This first shot was taken as the bittern came out of the reeds where it had flown from my previous flush. The second was taken after the passengers in the vehicle stopped to asked, “what are you taking a picture of?”

Top Image: Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/640 second @ f7.1

Bottom Image: Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1,000 second @ f76.3

Who's looking

2012-02-25T13:12:00.005-06:00

Albania and Azerbaijan have become the 104^th and 105^th countries from which viewers have logged on to Bobby’s Photo Blog. Welcome to the blog and please come back often. I am soon to make a spring trip to some of my favorite shooting locations and will be posting new images soon. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2012-02-15T20:10:00.002-06:00

Snowy Egret and White Ibis – Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge; Titusville, Florida: I love early morning light and this image was shot just as the sun crossed the horizon of sunrise. A thin cloud slightly diffused the light, yet maintained its brilliance while striking the subject.

The snowy egret and white ibis were forging together as the sun was rising. At every opportunity the egret attempted to snatch prey captured by the ibis. The egrets movements were kept in perfect step with the ibis, which made this duo appear to have a choreographed dance across the water.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/320 second @ f8

Pic of the Day

2012-02-04T09:06:00.006-06:00

Little Blue Heron – Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida: While shooting the white ibis (see post for January 28th) of the previous post, this little blue heron flew to an adjacent snag and landed. I shot two images of the ibis before it flew, and then turned to shoot the little blue. I only got two shots, before it too took to the wing. Everything happened very fast.

I know I have mentioned this before, but the Viera Wetlands is an ideal location to shoot. There are active birds there most all the time that provide great shooting opportunities. If you’re a bird photographer, you must make this stop a priority.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1,250 second @ f 8

Who's Looking

2012-01-30T21:27:00.001-06:00

Welcome viewers from Qatar. Qatar becomes the 103^rd country from which viewers have logged onto Bobby's Photo Blog. Welcome to the blog and please log on again. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2012-01-28T21:07:00.000-06:00

White Ibis – Viera Wetlands; Florida: I found this Ibis perched atop a snag on the west end of the Viera Welands. It was late in the day and the sun was just perfect to illuminate the ibis. The low, direct angle of the sun provided a warm glow to the white plumage and revealed distinct detail in the feathers. After a half dozen shots the bird was gone and a few minutes later, so was the sunlight.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1,250 second @ f8

Pic of the Day

2012-01-27T21:10:00.004-06:00

Sandhill Crane – Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida: When I was photographing a snowy egret (see January 19^th post) I heard the call of sandhill cranes coming toward me. As I looked up, two cranes were flying across the marsh and were almost upon me. Quickly, I loosened the tension on the tripod head and swung the camera and lens toward the oncoming birds. The cranes were so close, and at such an extreme angle, I could not even get my eye to the camera. All I saw was the left bottom corner of the viewfinder, and in that corner was a part of the cranes body as it flew past me. I fired two frames, and the excitement was over.
Now, why I stopped shooting an active, feeding snowy egret to capture two images that had no hope of being anything worth looking at is really beyond my comprehension. Perhaps it’s the hunter in me, the urge to capture something I know I can’t possibly catch; but, I try anyway. With the cranes gone, I turned to resume shooting the snowy egret.
Later in the evening, with the cranes out of mind, I began reviewing the images taken during the day. As I scrolled through the images, up pops the two shots of the sandhill cranes. The first image was out of focus, but the second image, much to my surprise was sharp. I knew when the images were taken, that the cranes were too close; the birds would be cropped. But, the second image was sharp, and though cropped as predicted, it was framed in a manner that was esthetically pleasing.

Sometimes you just get lucky, and the elements of the image just fall into place. I could try to duplicate this image in the same manner a thousand times, but I doubt that I could achieve such a sharp focus, and the subject so pleasing placed in the frame without looking into the camera, ever!

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1,000 Second @ f8

Pic of the Day

2012-01-24T20:58:00.006-06:00

Immature Purple Gallinule

Purple Gallinule (immature) – Shark Valley Slough; Everglades National Park, Florida:

Purple Gallinules are one of the most colorful birds in the states. One of the best places to photograph this menagerie of blues and aquas is Shark Valley Slough on the northern end of Everglades NP.

This past January I was at Shark Valley looking for purple gallinules. I was waiting for an adult to come out of the reeds I found this immature eagerly pulling flower bulbs off Everglades Water Lilies. I captured this bird in mid stride as it swiftly crossed the water using its long toes to distribute its weight on the lily pads.

If you are planning a trip to Shark Valley, the best time of year to visit is from late January to early March. Shark Valley is also an early morning shoot as the walking path lies on the east side of the slough. The early morning south Florida light is exquisite, but the park entrance is not open until after sunrise. I have often found the canal that runs east and west, on the south side of the Tamiami Trail at the entrance of Shark Valley Slough a great location to shoot until park gate opens.

By the way, the adult purple gallinule finally did come out of the reeds, and it did allowed me to take a few frames before skulking back into the shadows.

Adult Purple Gallinule

Top Image: Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/400 second @ f8

Bottom Image: Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/320 second @ f9

Pic of the Day

2012-01-23T11:34:00.001-06:00

Hooded Merganser – Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida: The day after I photographed the hooded merganser eating an apple snail (see post for January 2^nd) I photographed this male fanning its hood. This image, with hood fanned out, in the warm evening light truly shows the beauty of the hood merganser.

Who's Looking

2012-01-21T17:12:00.001-06:00

South Korea becomes the 102^nd country from which viewers have logged onto the blog. Welcome to my blog! I hope you enjoy the images and will return soon. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2012-01-19T21:18:00.002-06:00

Snowy Egret – Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida: On the west end of the Viera Wetlands I found this snowy egret searching for prey. Instead of walking through the water this snowy was leaping into the air and flying short distances then landing, perhaps to frighten fish into movement. The egret was very active and difficult to follow, but after a few attempts I got this shot as it left the water. A fast shutter speed, an f8 aperture and a 320 ISO made the image possible. Oh, the old adage, f8 and be there, still rings true!

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/2000 second @ f8

Who's Looking

2012-01-17T20:25:00.000-06:00

Welcome viewers from Brunei! Brunei is country 101 from which viewers have logged onto the blog. Please come back to the blog often. As the year waxes into spring I will be posting more images, so comeback soon. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2012-01-13T20:00:00.001-06:00

Reddish Egret – Merritt Island NWR, Florida: In one of the Black Point Drive impoundments at Merritt Island NWR I found this reddish egret searching for prey. Like reddish egrets do, this bird was running through the water with its head tilted almost parallel to the water. I followed the bird with my lens, panning back and forth as it chased for its prey through the water. As I was panning with the bird, it jumped into the air and flew twenty feet or so before landing in the water again. Fortunately, the focus was locked on the egret, and tracked the bird as it moved. The tracking feature allowed me to capture this humorous series of photos.

All images: Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1,600 @ f6.3

Pic of the Day

2012-01-12T21:11:00.006-06:00

Green-backed Heron – Merritt Island NWR, Florida: After shooting the horned grebe in the previous post, I found this green-back heron. I barely got out of the parking lot where when I saw this heron perched in a small tree. I immediately loved the scene and stopped to shoot. I usually see Green-backed herons perched in reeds or branches low and close to the water, but this one was perched in the open and high. The bird was standing and looking forward. I shot a few frames, but with the bird look straight ahead the image was boring. Soon, the heron juxtaposed its head to its body and the composition changed. The twist of the head and neck gave the image impending action and interest.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/800 second @ f8

Pic of the Day

2012-01-09T19:13:00.001-06:00

Another couple of shots of the Horned Grebe from Merritt Island NWR.

Pic of the Day

2012-01-08T22:43:00.005-06:00

Horned Grebe – Black Point Drive; Merritt Island NWR, Florida: I have made numerous trips to Merritt Island NWR over the years, but it has only been in the last year or so that I have found the refuge to be photographical productive. This weekend Black Point Drive hosted more birds than I have ever seen at the refuge. 3.4 miles into the drive I found this Horned Grebe feeding in an impoundment next to a parking area.

I could not believe my luck. Only minutes earlier I had photographed horned grebes in another impoundment, but the birds were too far away and I was not happy with any of the resulting images. This grebe was swimming along the shoreline of an impoundment and there were other photographers shooting. The bird seemed oblivious to their presence as it swam less than fifteen feet away.

Within minutes I was kneeling in the wet sand, along side the other photographers shooting eye level images. The bird was incredibly active. Its head was constantly bobbing back and forth and it was continually diving under the water. The bird was never still! Because of the fast action, I sacrificed depth of field and chose a fast shutter speed to stop the action. Fortunately, as this image attest, it was a good choice. When all was over, there were four very happy bird photographers.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1,250 second @ f 6.3

Pic of the Day

2012-01-05T20:48:00.001-06:00

Northern Shoveler – Viera Wetlands: Viera, Florida: As I made my last round on the impoundment roads at the Viera Wetlands I found this female northern shoveler swimming in water that reflect the clear blue sky above. The sun, only minutes from dropping below the horizon bathed in the bird with a yellow-orange, complementary light. In addition to the color and clarity of the shoveler, I love the added interest of the abstract reed reflection in the rippled water behind the bird.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/250 @ f 7.1

Pic of the Day

2012-01-02T20:04:00.003-06:00

Hooded Merganser after surfacing

Hooded Merganser swallowing Apple Snail

Hooded Merganser – Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida: I was driving along the dike roads in the Viera Wetlands today and saw numerous pairs of hooded mergansers swimming on the impoundments. As I was photographing this particular bird it dove underwater and came-up with an apple snail. I shot a few images and captured the top shot as the bird out ran its companions that tried to steal the snail, and the second shot just as the snail went down the gullet.

I’m exhausted from driving all night, so I’ll post more images later.

Top Photo: Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f 4, 1/320 @ f 9, Aperture Priority

Bottom Photo: Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f 4, 1/400 @ f 9, Aperture Priority

Happy New Year to All

2011-12-30T19:40:00.012-06:00

Roseate Spoonbill (audlt in its most splendid breeding plumage) – Estero Lagoon: Fort Myers Beach, Florida: As the year draws to a close and the North Alabama winter days wax colder, My thoughts turn to the warmth of Southern Florida and its birds. January is the month that begins the best time to shoot in Florida, with February to mid March being my favorite (I’m already planning my trips).
This will most likely be my last post for 2011. I will post again on the 1^st of January, or so. I leave this year with a portrait of one of Florida’s most colorful birds, and a memory for myself of one of the best times I’ve ever had photographing our beautiful wild birds.

With less than 24 hours until 2012, I wish all of you a Happy New Year. I look forward to the next year of images and posts. Bobby

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/640 @ f 9

Who's Looking

2011-12-27T22:46:00.001-06:00

December 27, has brought viewers from two new countries to Bobby’s Photo Blog. Viewers from Myanmar (Burma) have made Myanmar the 99^th country from which viewers have logged onto the blog.

Zambia has become the 100^th country from which people have logged-on. WOW, people from 100 countries! I thank all of you who have logged onto the blog and especially those of you who keep coming back. I can’t wait to see which country will be 101! Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-12-26T19:43:00.002-06:00

Roseate Spoonbill – Estero Lagoon; Fort Myers, Florida: This image is from my shoot at Estero Lagoon, I mentioned in my last post. As sunlight broke the horizon and hit the tide pool the spoonbills stopped their predawn feeding and began preening. Consumed in their preening duties the spoonbills ignored my presence and I took full advantage of the warm light that bathed the birds.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/200 sec @ f13

Pic of the Day

2011-12-25T22:08:00.002-06:00

Common Egret -- Estero Lagoon, Fort Myers Beach Sandbar: I posted a number of images from this shoot back in March. While looking for some images to post, I came across this Common Egret.

The morning I shot this image was incredible. The image was taken at a huge tide pool that had been cutoff from the Gulf waters because of the low tide. The tide pool was filled with fish and I photographed bird feeding for two mornings. This is just one of the many birds I shot. Many species were feeding before the sun rose, but after the sun breeched the horizon many birds began to fly to the tide pool.

I particularly liked how the wing provides a background and frames the bird’s head. Also, as this image demonstrates, the birds paid little attention to me, giving me great photo opportunities.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1,600 @ f8

Happy Holidays

2011-12-25T09:44:00.000-06:00

Just want to wish all of you hear at home, and around the world a Happy Holiday Season. I also would like to thank all of you who log-on to see the images that I shoot. Bobby

Who's Looking

2011-12-23T17:57:00.003-06:00

I would like to welcome viewers from Iraq and Ethiopia to Bobby's Photo Blog. Viewers from Iraq and Ethiopia have made these countries the 97^th and 98^th countries from which viewers have logged onto the blog. Welcome and thanks for checking out the blog, and please return often. Bobby

Recently Published Work

2011-12-22T19:16:00.004-06:00

The fall issue of Creation Illustrated is out. This issue holds my lates "A Lens on Creation," article. This issues article is on Saguaro National Park and its birds. If you are interested in subscribing to Creation Illustrated follow this link: http://www.creationillustrated.com

Pic of the Day

2011-12-16T19:31:00.010-06:00

Roseate Spoonbill – Alligator Farm, Saint Augustine, Florida: As mentioned in previous post, the Alligator Farm at Saint Augustine, Florida, is a great place to photograph nesting wadding birds. Among the nesters are the beautifully colored Roseate Spoonbills. This spoonbill was shot as it flew to its nest in the rookery. As the bird swooped over the boardwalk, it stretched its wings wide as it glided to its landing. The flight path was at the perfect angle for me to shoot the spoonbill against the bright blue sky. With the light behind the bird, the thin skin of the arm and feathers became translucent. The translucency clearly shows the wings elbow, wrist, and phalanges. Also visible is the delineation of primaries, secondaries, and greater, median and lesser wing coverts. It’s like having bird anatomy 101 in a single photo.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm f2.8, 1/1,000 second @ f10

Pic of the Day

2011-12-11T17:14:00.006-06:00

Horned Puffin – Saint Paul Island; Pribilof Islands, Alaska: With millions of seabirds nesting on the cliffs of Saint Paul Island, finding an interesting and unconventional pose can be difficult as most species of seabirds typically perch the sameway. After days of shooting the standard seabird photos, I spent many hours walking the cliffs looking for something unique.

While shooting along Ridge Wall, on the southwest shore of the island, I found this horned puffin tucked away in a hidden nook. To access the puffin I had to slide down a wet and slippery grassy slope, then climb a few feet down to a narrow ledge. In after thought, it was a risky move just for a photograph. I not only got myself to the ledge, but a camera backpack and tripod as well. Had I slipped, or the ledge given way I would a fallen eighty feet or more to a boulder strewn shoreline. Since I was on my own, it would have been days before anyone would have noticed I was missing.

The ledge on which I stood was only thirteen or fourteen inches wide, barley enough room for me to stand. Once on the ledge I barely had room for the tripod. I actually placed two legs of the tripod on the ledge about ten inches apart, while the third extended to rest on a rock protruding from the wall of the cliff.

Puffins, auklets and murres were all about me. As I stood shooting the puffin, parakeet auklets landed on shallow ledges only inches below my feet, they seemed to have no fear of me. After I was home and had the developed slides in my hand I was very happy I had made the effort. This image was unique among my seabird photographs; the puffin seemed to be in meditative repose. I did find that unconventional pose after all. I spent more than an hour on the ledge that day, and returned three more times during my two-week stay. The little niche I had found provided one of my favorite images from the pribilofs, and most definitely, one of my most unique experiences.

Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f4, Fujichrome Provia 100

Pic of the Day

2011-12-08T20:56:00.007-06:00

Willet – Captiva Island, Florida: While shooting shorebirds on Captiva Island, I found a flock of willets resting along the high tide mark. With beaks tucked under wings and standing on one leg the willets were poised in a classic rest pose.

As I set-up my camera to shoot, an ever present beachgoer gravitated to the birds to check them out. By the time I got the camera and lens on the tripod the birds had been disturbed and had begun moving back and forth toward the tide line. As the birds tried to avoid the beachcomber they would run to the waters edge and then back to the high tide mark. With the beachcomber passed, the willets would again strike that classic rest pose only to be disturbed by another beachcomber.

This image was taken as the birds were being disturbed by another passersby. The lead bird, always alert, is seen ready to act and guide the others from possible danger. The impending action and sharpness of the lead bird gives this image its focal point; but it is the various stages of awakening and sharpness among the background birds that gives the image its interest and impact.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1,000 second @ f 9, tripod mounted lens low to ground

Pic of the Day

2011-12-04T02:11:00.007-06:00

Ruddy Turnstone -- Captiva Island, Florida: When I arrived at the beach on Captiva Island I saw gulls, turnstones, and sanderlings feeding on various mollusk that had washed ashore during a storm the previous day. I used a tripod ball head attached to Frisbee that allowed be to place the center of the lens about ten inches above the sand. The angle gave me a great “shorebird's eye view” of what the birds were experiencing. As this turnstone snatched a piece of meat from inside an opened mollusk I started panning and shooting as the bird raced across the sand. Of the images I shot, I particularly liked this image which shows an out of focus gull in the background. One reason I like it, is that it gives a perspective of what the turnstone sees. The other, is that the out of focus gull adds interest to the image.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/640 second @ f13, ISO 200

Youtube Uploads

2011-12-03T09:28:00.003-06:00

Earlier in the year I posted some videos to the blog. They were of a pileated woodpecker feeding nestlings and a limpkin responding to territorial calls. The posted videos were small due to available space on blogspot. I have now posted those videos on youtube.

If you would like to see them with a bit more quality follow the links below and enjoy. Bobby

Pleated Woodpecker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7uiAgm0S6s

Limpkin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NOIw6z0TKQ

2011-11-30T20:14:00.000-06:00

Welcome viewers from Slovakia. You have made Slovakia the 96^th country from which viewers have logged onto Bobby’s Photo Blog. I update regularly, so come back often. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-11-29T20:51:00.000-06:00

Common Egret on Nest – Saint Augustine Alligator Farm; Saint Augustine, Florida: While strolling along the boardwalk at the alligator farm I found a great angle on this egret nest. When I spotted the nest the adult was absent, but soon after setting-up the camera the adult arrived. Expecting food, the nestlings that had been docile and inconspicuous, leaped up and began begging for food. Once the nestlings discovered there was no food they stood still long enough from me to get a shot with sufficient depth of field to keep both the adult and nestlings sharp.

Nikon D3, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/200 second @ f6.3

Who's Looking

2011-11-26T20:01:00.000-06:00

Welcome viewers from Guadeloupe! Guadeloupe is the 95^th country from which viewers have logged onto Bobby’s Photo Blog. Welcome to the blog. I post quite often, so come back and visit often! Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-11-24T19:16:00.000-06:00

Cliff Swallow and nest – Bear River NWR; Brigham City, Utah: Spaced along the road between the Bear River NWR headquarters and the refuge entrance are numerous information kiosks recently added as part of the refuge renovation plan. Soon after their construction the kiosks became the platform for nesting colonies of cliff swallows. Cliff swallow traditionally built their mud nest under the rock overhangs of cliffs; but soon after humans colonized the New World, cliff swallows adopted manmade structures in addition to those rocky cliffs.

This cliff swallow nest was just one of a hundred or so built in one of the wooden kiosk. I used my car as a blind to approach the colony. Parking perpendicular to the kiosk I used a beanbag to steady the lens. As I shot this cliff swallow peered out of the nest entrance and looked directly into the lens, providing the much need eye contact with the subject.

Ivory-billed Woodpecker News

2011-11-20T22:15:00.006-06:00

Painting from the
Auk, 1889; Vol. 15, No3; p217-223

For those of you who are interested in what’s happening on the ivory-billed woodpecker front you can follow the links listed below.

In a nutshell, Martjan Lammertink discovered what is believed to be the only known photo documentation (16mm film) of an imperial woodpecker. The film was shot in 1956 in the state of Durango, Mexico by amateur ornithologist William Rhein. The imperial is a close relative of the ivory-billed woodpecker of our southern states. In the latest issue of the Auk, Martjan, and Tim Gallagher published a scientific paper on the film, and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology released the film for public viewing on their website. Tim also published a popular article in Living Bird.

See the film at: http://www.youtube.com/embed/bZCTPkQIJj4?rel=0

The Auk article abstract:

www.birds.cornell.edu/imperial

“Return to Durango”, in Living Bird magazine by Tim Gallagher:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/Page.aspx?pid=2314&utm_source=Cornell+Lab+eNews&utm_campaign=9fd3ba100c-Cornell_Lab_eNews_2011_10_2610_26_2011&utm_medium=email#top

The film has made quite a stir. Ivorybill investigator Bill Pullium, who has been agnostic about the Luneau ivorybill video has done an extensive analysis of the imperial woodpecker film in comparison to the Luneau ivorybill video. In his conclusion Pullium simply states:

“The bird in the video shot by David Luneau in Arkansas in 2004 is an Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Campephilus principalis. I have no residual doubts, either personal or scientific. This species did not go extinct in 1945 or 1984, it persisted at least through 2004 and is quite likely still extant as I type these words. All the anomalies identified a priori (without foreknowledge of the Imperial film) in the flight of the Luneau bird that did not appear to line up with a Pileated Woodpecker do line up with the documented flight of an Imperial Woodpecker, the Ivorybill's closest relative.”

Bill Pullium analysis is well worth reading and can be found at this link:

http://bbill.blogspot.com/2011/11/imperial-film.html

An interesting series of comments about the analysis can be found on the “IVORYBILLLIVE” blog.

http://ivorybills.blogspot.com/2011/11/further-imperial-analysis.html

This link will take you to additional analysis by Bill Pullium that he posted on November 14. The 11 comments at the end of the post are worth reading!

http://bbill.blogspot.com/2011/11/woodpecker-wingbeats-revisited.html

Also, if you are looking for updates on the ivory-billed woodpecker, you can always go my ivorybill blog at: www.ibwfound.blogspot.com

Who's Looking

2011-11-20T11:03:00.002-06:00

Welcome viewers from Nigeria. You have made Nigeria the 94^th country to log onto Bobby's Photo Blog. I update the blog often so please come back to the site and see what's new. Bobby

Pick of the Day

2011-11-19T08:44:00.002-06:00

Osprey – Sanibel Island Causeway, Florida: I had stopped along the causeway that leads to Sanibel Island to photograph shorebirds when I spotted this osprey had some distance away. I turned my camera toward the bird and began tracking it in my viewfinder. As the bird flew by it dipped into the water and snatched up a tassel of seaweed. The photograph was taken in late winter when osprey begin their nesting activity. This bird was gathering the seaweed to line its nest. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

This is one of the first images I shot in digital format. Though I was pleased with the image, the camera did not shoot enough frames per second for bird photography. It was not until cameras were capable of shooting at least five frames per second that I fully adopted digital imaging for my bird photography.

Nikon D70, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/2000 second @ f10, shot hand held on beanbag while panning with the bird.

2011-11-18T06:44:00.003-06:00

Chestnut-sided Warbler – Magee Marsh, Ohio: The second weekend in May is typically a great time to catch warblers and other passerines passing through Magee Marsh on their northward migration. This chestnut-sided warbler was on its way north when it stopped at the marsh to refuel before flying over Lake Erie. Warblers at Magee Marsh are usually seen low in the branches and easy to watch and photography. However, that is not the norm, warblers are most often high in the tree tops and seen from underneath (as seen in this photo), forcing the birder to lean the head back as he or she strains to look upward. This strain cause great discomfort on the neck after a morning of warbler watching, and is know as “warbler neck.” If you’re a birder, you know exactly what I’m talking about!

Now that the fall migrants have passed through, I can hardly wait for spring!

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/80 second @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

2011-11-10T20:06:00.004-06:00

Blue and Gold Macaw – Saint Augustine Alligator Farm: Saint Augustine, Florida: Back in late April I was in Saint Augustine, Florida photographing nesting egrets and herons at the local alligator farm. While I was there I took the time to photograph some of the macaws that are used in the local tourist show. I don’t often photograph captive birds, but this macaw was perched in the perfect location with a great background. I could not resist taking a few images.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm f2.8, 1/60 sec. @ f8

Recently Published Work

2011-11-04T21:30:00.003-05:00

My latest "Birding Escapes" column is out. The current (Autumn 2011) issue of Living Bird, just arrived in the mail. The “Birding Escapes” is on Catalina State Park in Tucson, Arizona. When this issue goes live on the web, I will post a link......Bobby

Who's Looking

2011-10-28T19:54:00.001-05:00

I would like to welcome viewers from Macedonia (FYROM). Macedonia is the 93rd country from which viewers have logged onto Bobby's Photo Blog. Welcome, and visit the blog often!

Pic of the Day

2011-10-28T19:28:00.000-05:00

Everglades Kite – Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida: Loxahatchee NWR is located just west of Palm Beach in what was once the eastern expanse of the wild everglades. Today the former everglades north of highway US41 is a series sugar cane fields and huge water impoundments with controlled water levels. They are also home to the endangered Everglades Kite, also know as the Snail Kite. The Everglades Kite is a specialist, feeding primarily on Ampullariidae, or Apple Snails as they are commonly known. This kite was photographed as it soared over the sawgrass glades searching for Apple Snails. Clearly seen is the kites deeply curved beak, which it uses to open the snails Operculum and reach inside the shell to extract the meat of the snail.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4

Pic of the Day

2011-10-17T21:31:00.001-05:00

Black-necked Stilt – Farmington Bird Sanctuary; Farmington, Utah: About forty miles south of the famous Bear River NWR is the Farmington Bird Sanctuary. Farmington is a little known bird photography paradise along the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake. Like Bear River, Farmington host the same species of birds, but it is smaller, and the birds seem a bit less shy. Along with stilts, American avocets, cinnamon teal, coot, yellow-headed and red-winged blackbirds nest right up to the road. Another thing, fewer people visit this sanctuary as compared with Bear River, meaning less disturbance when shooting.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 EDIF VR, 1/320 sec. @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

2011-10-09T20:47:00.002-05:00

Mexican Jay – Santa Rita Lodge; Madera Canyon, Arizona: The Mexican Jay is a common species found in pine-oak canyons of the southeast Arizona mountains. I photographed this Mexican Jay at the Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon, a world renown birding hotspot. I typically travel to Madera Canyon to photograph hummingbirds, but the Santa Rita Lodge is a great place to photograph acorn woodpeckers, black-headed grosbeaks, blue grosbeaks, house finch, lesser goldfinch and Gould turkey. The best time for hummingbirds is after July first, but I like late June as well, as the other species are in prime breeding plumage. If you have never been birding in southeast Arizona, it is a trip worth making.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/60 second @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

2011-10-07T20:51:00.001-05:00

Before

After

Least Bittern – Wakodahatchee Wetlands; Palm Beach, Florida: If I had to make a list of birds that are the most challenging to photograph, the least bittern would be near the top. Bitterns are secretive birds and are most often seen in the breeding season when they are busy chasing each other through their weedy habitat. I have spent hours looking for bitterns; slowly driving along drainage canals and pond edges looking for the slightest movement that might give up this master of disguise. Their delicately streaked feathers provide the perfect camouflage among their golden marsh reed habitat. On occasion I do find them; and when I do, I savor the opportunity to shoot.

Finding bitterns is one thing; finding them in a good location for shooting is another. I found this least bittern while walking the boardwalks of the Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Palm Beach. Florida. The day was late and the sun was inching toward the horizon. As the sun dropped this bittern came out of hiding to hunt among the lily pads that sheltered small fry. I immediately took advantage of the situation and began shooting. As the bittern slowly tread across the lily pads it would pluck a small fry from the water. With each stab I shot a burst of frames. These two images captures the essence of the hunt. As the bird stalked it would stretch its head forward, slowly turning it left and then right to gauge the distance of the prey. Then, with lighting speed the bitters thrust forward. Before the eye can realize what has happened, the head springs back to the body with a fish in its beak. In less than a second the small fry is gone and the routine begins again as I continue to shoot beyond what the light will allow. I savor each moment with each frame shot and look forward to the next hunt for the least bittern.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/320 second @ f7.1, Arca Swiss Ball Head on Gitzo Tripod

Pic of the Day

2011-10-02T21:33:00.004-05:00

American Avocet – Bear River National Wildlife Refuge: Bear River NWR is one of the best places I have found to photograph avocets. This Avocet (top photo) was photographed within fifteen of the road that leads to the refuge entrance. High water pushed many of the birds close to the road this year making them easy to photograph.
Because much of the birds nesting habitat was submerged some avocets nested right up to black-top on the gravel shoulder (bottom photo). I saw this bird as I drove along the road. After seeing it, I turned by van around and pulled the driver side along the edge of the black-top and stopped right beside the bird. Confident in its camouflage the avocet set perfectly still. I shot a burst of four images then pulled away leaving the avocet to its incubation duties.

Top Photo: Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 ED ifvr, 1/800 sec. @ f6.3, Handheld on beanbag
Bottom Photo: Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85mm, Exposure 1/1,250 sec. @ f5.6, Handheld

Pic of the Day

2011-09-28T21:35:00.001-05:00

Harbor Seal – Machias Seal Island; Cutler Maine: In earlier post I have shown photos of the seabirds taken on Machias Seal Island off the coast of Maine. On my last trip to Machias seal the captain took the boat by an adjacent rock where harbor and gray seals haul out. The light was terrible and the seals were just lounging on the rocks. They were not very interesting, however, regardless of the light and lack of activity among the seals I shot lots of photos. As the boat skirted the island I found this harbor seal bobbing in the water just off the island. As the boat passed, the seal turned its head toward me and looked straight at me. The simplicity of the image and eye contact made the scene very appealing, providing a image I was happy to capture.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 VRIF, ISO 200, 1/3,200 @ f 4.5, Handheld

Pic of the Day

2011-09-27T20:20:00.005-05:00

Herring Smokehouse

Cans of Sardines - The last can of Sardines
packaged at Seal Cove is displayed.

Sardine Museum and Herring Hall of Fame: While driving south to Seal Cove on Grand Manan Island this summer I “saw a sign, “Sardine Museum and Herring Hall of Fame.” My first thought……Herring Hall of Fame?” Well, indeed! At Seal Cove I saw directions to the Sardine Museum and Herring Hall of Fame. With a name like that I had to stop. I made the turn, and pulled into a open spot beside a run downed building.

I wasn’t really sure if I was at the museum or not, but was soon greeted by a young woman who began to tell me about the museum. Herring fishing and sardine canning was part of the Seal Cove economy until the early 1990. At that time the herring fishing came to halt, and thus the end of sardine canning in Seal Cove.

In the late 90’s the buildings and were bought by Michael Zimmer from New York City. Zimmer founded the museum to preserve this part of Grand Manan’s history. I found the museum to be quite fascinating. The artifacts used in the sardine canning process that had been arranged by Zimmer made for an interesting photo opportunity.

By the way, at its height the Seal Cove sardine factory produced a million 10 and 18 pound boxes a year. Eighty percent of the world's smoked herring was produced at Seal Cove. To learn more about the museum follow this link:

http://www.redgage.com/blogs/bikermom/a-man-a-can-a-plan.html

Pic of the Day

2011-09-23T20:00:00.002-05:00

Little Blue Heron – Tamiami Trail, Florida: As the Tamiami Trail turns east and crosses southern Florida on its route to Miami, it traverses a great wilderness that is composed of Fackahatchee Strand State Park, Big Cypress Swamp and the Everglades National. The trail crosses habitat that include cypress swamps, cypress hammocks and sawgrass prairies. The varied habitat and canal that parallels the highway provides great opportunities for shooting. When I travel to southern Florida, I always make it a point to spend a few days along the two-lane highway to photograph its abundant birds.

When I cross the trail from west to east I typically start around mid to late afternoon. Traveling east along the trail at that time place the sun to my back, which provides perfect illumination for my subjects. This Little Blue Heron was photographed along the stretch of highway that crosses Big Cypress Swamp. The day was waning quickly and the sun was low on the horizon. The scene was overall very dark; only the heron was lit with sunlight. The lighting made the use of auto metering useless. To obtain a correct exposure I used my cameras spotmeter to meter the heron feathers. Once I had an exposure reading I underexposed the feather by 2/3 of a stop, which placed the feather a little darker than a middle tone. By placing the bird’s feathers at the correct tonality the dark water and foliage was properly exposed.

With all said, I never really think too much about the technical aspect of photography when I’m shooting. I have been taking photographs so long that the technical aspects are second nature to me. What I am constantly thinking of is the aesthetics, always looking for a scene, a group of elements that will make a good image. When I see it, I usually only have time to set-up the gear and shoot. If I had to think about the technical, I most likely would miss the shot. I’m glad I didn’t miss this one.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/125 sec. @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

2011-09-20T21:10:00.004-05:00

Ring-necked Duck (hen) – Ritch Grissom Wetlands, Viera, Florida: When I am shooting, I always target the male birds of the species. With few exceptions males are the most colorful, therefore making them an ideal subject. Females on the other hand are mostly dull and drab. Dull and drab are necessary traits for individuals that will set on a nest for hours on end. However, they are beautiful birds in there on right. The hen ring-necked, with its variations of browns and grays also sports a white facial ring at the base of the bill and the white ring on the tip of the bill as does the male. The mottled browns and white patches breaks-up the body shape thus providing the perfect camouflage, and a stunning portrait.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4 w/1.4 teleconverter, 1/400 @ f10

Pic of the Day

2011-09-16T21:20:00.003-05:00

Dawn on Anhinga Trail – Everglades National Park, Florida: My favorite time to shoot is the hour before and after sunrise. This image was taken about thirty minutes before sunrise when the saturation of colors in the sky and reflections were at their peak. In the predawn light the common egret was stalking prey along the waters edge. After a short time of shooting the egret jumped into the air and flew across the water to the opposite shoreline. Though blurry, the egret’s movement provides action that gives the colorful landscape a focal point and interest as well as an overall pleasing aesthetics.

Nikon F5, Nikkor 24mm, Fuji Film, ISO 100, Shutter and f-stop unkown

Pic of the Day

2011-09-12T10:25:00.002-05:00

Anhinga – Anhinga Trail: Everglades National Park, Florida: Strolling along Anhinga Trail in the Florida Everglades I came upon this Anhinga perched on the wooden rail along the trails path. As you can imagine the red eyes caught my attention immediately. As I readied my tripod and lens the Anhinga latched onto every move I made, and would not take its eyes off me. This was just what I wanted, the bird looking directly into the camera lens.

The red eyes are certainly the center of interest and the gaze into the lens makes them even more poignant.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, Arca Swiss ball head on Gitzo Tripod, 1/200 sec. @ f8

ISO 200

Pic of the Day

2011-09-09T17:32:00.002-05:00

Warty Comb Jelly – Tennessee Aquarium; Chattanooga, TN: This was the most interesting jelly I saw at the aquarium. As the jellies floated around the tank the jelly flashed colors of blues, yellows, greens and reds. The colors appeared to move up and down the sides of the jellies like the flashing lights of Las Vegas neon sign.

After being completely hypnotized by the movements and flashing lights, I read the accompanying fact sheet. What I thought was bioluminescence was actually light refraction. As the jellies swam through the tank its lobed sides rippled back and forth. Lights illuminating the tank refracted through combs that lined the edge of the lobes giving the appearance of flashing lights. The flashing lights appeared to move up and down the side of the Sea Walnut’s side. It was amazing to watch!

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 24-85mm zoom set to 85mm, Hand held, 1/30 sec. @ f5.6

Who's Looking

2011-09-08T21:35:00.002-05:00

I would like to welcome the viewers from Jordan. Jordan is the 92nd country from which viewers have logged onto Bobby's Photo Blog. If you enjoyed the blog please log-on again, and send the URL to your friends. Thanks for looking. Bobby

Pic of the Day II

2011-09-06T20:15:00.004-05:00

Another Spotted Jellyfish from Tennessee Aquarium

Pic of the Day

2011-09-06T11:02:00.003-05:00

Spotted Jellyfish -- Tennessee Aquarium; Chattanooga, Tennessee: This is another jellyfish I photographed at the Tennessee Aquarium over the weekend. Spotted Jellies were very popular among the visitors, and there were a ton of visitors. The Spotted Jellies were in a round (360 degree) tank in the middle of the room, and there was a constant flow of people mesmerized by the little jellyfish. The Spotted Jellies were small, some the size of quarter and others a little large than a silver dollar.

The round tank made shooting difficult, but I found if a jelly was close to the glass, and I shot perpendicular to the glass I could get a sharp image. As you can probably tell, I loved shooting the jellyfish.

The next jellyfish I will post is even smaller than the Spotted Jelly, and it flashes lights!

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 24-85 zoom set to 85mm, Handheld, 1/250 sec. @ f5.6, ISO 5000

Pic of the Day

2011-09-04T20:55:00.007-05:00

Sea Nettle Jellyfish – Tennessee Aquarium; Chattanooga, TN: My son has been living in Chattanooga for at least 5 years now and on every visit one of us would say. Next time we’re (your) here, we’ll go to the aquarium. Well, today we did. The Tennessee Aquarium is excellent, and we had a great time! I did take a few photos while there, mostly of the jellyfish.

All the jellyfish were mesmerizing, and fascinating to watch, especially this Sea Nettle Jellyfish. To take the image I had to crank-up the ISO to 5000, then set the exposure compensation to –1 1/3 stop to compensate for the dark background. I took dozens of images but this one had a nice flow with the tentacles and shape of the body. Of course, the complementary colors of blue and yellow set against each other did not hurt either.
Had I used the technique of upping the ISO earlier in the day, I would have had some nice images of fish as well. I will post some different jellyfish species over the next few days.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 24-85mm zoom set to 24mm, handheld, ISO 5000, 1/160 sec. @ f 3.5, full frame image with no cropping

Pic of the Day

2011-08-27T19:12:00.006-05:00

Fern – Sarett Nature Center; Benton Harbor, Michigan: It was at Sarett Nature Center some 34 years ago that I honed by skills as a nature photographer while attending Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. I spent many hours walking the numerous trails and boardwalks photographing everything I could get my camera on. Since those days of long ago I have moved far from Sarett; yet, I return as often as I can. Over the last three years I have made two trips to the preserve and had the opportunity to walk its trails to photograph its abundance of birds and lush flora.

This image was photographed along a trail that skirts Sarett’s immense wetlands. Ferns are abundant, lush and full within the preserve, and this fern beckoned to be photographed. The soft, subdued light under the forest canopy was perfect for the shot, but it also meant a tripod would be essential. I positioned the camera and tripod over the select area and used the zoom lens to compose the image.

Though I shot the original image in color, and the subtle green values created the image I had envisioned, I saw more. Using photoshop I dropped the color from the image and adjusted the tonality using the curves settings. Coming from a black and white film and print background I found the black and white conversion much more appealing.

I have posted both the color and, black and white image for you to compare. Which to you prefer?

Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85mm zoom set to 66mm focal length, Gitzo Tripod with Arca Swiss monoball head, 1/4 second @ f14

Who's Looking

2011-08-25T08:59:00.002-05:00

Welcome viewers from Vietnam, Vietnam is the 91^st country from which people have logged onto Bobby’s Photo Blog. I hope you enjoy the blog and will Log on often. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-08-21T20:03:00.001-05:00

Mountain Bluebird – Moraine Valley; Rocky Mountain National Park: Moraine Valley is perhaps one of the best places that I have ever visited for Mountain Bluebirds. The birds are very approachable and provide great opportunities for shooting. This bird and its mate allowed me to stalk and take photos for an hour and half while conducting its normal daily activity. The birds at Moraine are well adjusted to the park visitors.

I shot this image while the bird perched on a branch against a bright backgrounds of clouds. To expose the bluebird with detail, instead of a silhouette I over exposed the CCD by more than 2 stops. Over exposing the background produced a near white backdrop for the bird, while rendering the bluebird with detail and accurate color.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII, 1/200 sec. @ f6.3, Gitzo Tripod and Arca Swiss monoball head.

Pic of the Day

2011-08-18T20:50:00.011-05:00

Sorry for not posting sooner. School has resumed and I have been very busy preparing for classes. First day was Wednesday. I currently have 102 students in one of my classes, and 15-20 in each of my other three (full classes). I'm looking forward to a great semester. Now that things are underway I should be able to post more often. Bobby

Pronghorn Antelope – Colorado: Driving north out of Craig, Colorado to Interstate 80 in Wyoming, I crossed a hundred miles of the beautiful and desolate country. The rolling hills were green and inundated with pronghorn. Along the road it seemed that I was encountering Pronghorn around every curve.

I saw plenty of lone Pronghorn and groups of males, but when I saw this buck with his harem I had to stop and shoot. My first thought was that I would never get close to this animal. But, much to my surprise the buck did not move his harem off in a gallop when I stopped.

Fortunately the buck was just off the road, and very close to a cattle gate that gave me access off the main highway. As I dove off the highway on to the side road the buck stood his ground, while watching me intently. The females continued to feed, apparently relying on the buck to tell them when to run.

After shooting for about five minutes the male turned toward me, curled his upper lip and snorted. After taking the shot, the buck turned and walked away. At the males signal the females turned and trotted off in the same direction just in front of the buck. I was surprised that I had the opportunity to shoot and happy to have captured the behavior on file.

Interesting facts about Pronghorns:
Pronghorns are the only living member of its family in the world. It is the fastest land mammal in the world and can sprint as fast as 60 mph and can sustain a speed of 30 mph for miles. The African Cheetah is often credited with being the fastest animal, but it is a sprinter and can not sustain its speed over long distances. Pronghorns usually have twins and weight 5-7 pounds at birth. Adults can reach 75-130 pounds. Males have forked antlers consisting of Keratin growing on a bony core. Only 40% of females have horns, and the female's horns never split and never get longer than their ears. For more interesting facts about Pronghorns, click on this link: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:N3CSQ40DitsJ:www.gpnc.org/pronghor.htm+Do+female+Pronghorn+Antelope+have+horns&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII, 1/160 @ f4, Handheld on beanbag from van window

Recently Published Work

2011-08-12T23:17:00.001-05:00

I just returned from Florida, where I spent a few days visiting some of my favorite sites and family, (see the August 8 post). When I returned, the summer issue of Creation Illustrated was in the mail. This issue holds my latest "A Lens on Creation" article. This issues article is on Machias Seal Island and its spectacular seabirds.
If you are intrested in subscribing to Creation Illustrated follow this link: http://www.creationillustrated.com

Pic of the Day

2011-08-08T21:50:00.010-05:00

Thunderstorm over Fort Myers Beach from Sanibel Island Causeway -- Florida: Summertime in Florida is a great time and place to photograph thunderstorms. I shot this image from one of the spoil islands on the causeway to Sanibel Island. The view from the spoil island is looking northeast over San Carlos Bay. The image was originally shot in color and converted to black & white in photoshop.

Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85 zoom-set to 24mm, 1/500sec. @ f10, Handheld

Pic of the Day

2011-07-31T23:18:00.001-05:00

Black-billed Magpie – Moraine Campground; Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado: I have many photos of Black-billed Magpie. But, I was not happy with any of them. While I was photographing wildflowers this Magpie flew to a nearby rock and landed. I quickly gave up the flowers and began stalking the magpie. I took photos at a distance just incase the bird flew, but it remained on the rocks and let me make a close approach.

As I shot I became quite humored by the Magpies antics. As I shot the Magpie would stretch its head under its body, and between its legs. It appeared to be picking something from it feathers, perhaps parasites. Whatever the reason, the behavior made for interesting photos.

Oh, by the way, I am happy with these Magpie images. Clear, unobstructed backgrounds and behavior always make the image more interesting.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII, 1/160 sec. @ f8, Gitzo Tripod with Arca Swiss B2 ball head

Pic of the Day

2011-07-30T00:07:00.007-05:00

Razor-billed Auk, Image A

Razor-billed Auk, Image B

Razor-billed Auk – Les Iles au Perroquets; Mingan Archipelago, Quebec: These images are just two of the many Razorbills I photographed at Les Iles au Perrosquets on the north shore of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Just before landing, Razorbills, like all alcids, move their legs from a streamline position under their body (Image B), and bring them forward as they prepare to land on the islands cliff face (Image A). Most of the Razorbills photographs I shot were of birds with legs and feet in a streamline position. I was fortunate to get a shot just as the Razorbill was beginning its upward swing and bring its legs forward. Luckily, I snapped this image as the Razorbill moved into an angle that placed a highlight in the eye as well.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 300mm 2.8 VR, 1/2000 sec. @ f7.1, Handheld using custom made gunstock mount

Who's Looking

2011-07-29T21:18:00.002-05:00

Welcome viewers from Morocco! You have made Morocco the 90^th country from which viewers have logged on to Bobby’s Photo Blog. I hope you enjoyed the blog and will forward the URL to your friends. I update the blog often so please come back…..Bobby

Who's Looking

2011-07-29T16:47:00.001-05:00

Viewers from Macau and the Isle of Man have made these two countries the 88^th and 89^th countires (respectively) from which viewers have logged onto Bobby’s Photo Blog. Welcome to the blog. I hope you enjoyed the images and if so, please log on often.

For all of you who log on, please let your friends know about the blog as well. Just copy the URL and pass it on. Thanks for your help in getting the word out about the blog……Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-07-27T23:20:00.004-05:00

Atlantic Puffin – Machias Seal Island, Maine: While I was able to get flight shots of Puffins and Razorbills on Les Iles au Perroquets, in the Mingan Archipelago, I had to travel to Machias Seal Island to get close-ups.

I tired to get to the island out of Cutler, Maine. However, the one boat that travels to Machias Seal was booked for the entire month of July. Fortunately I was able to catch a ride from Grand Manan Island, in New Brunswick. Unfortunately, I did not get to the island until 2:30 in the afternoon. This time would not have been too bad if the typical weather of fog and clouds prevailed, but the day was perhaps the most beautiful I had ever seen in the Gulf of Maine. The sun was high, bright and hot. The hot weather kept most of the birds off the rocks and in the water.

Once in the blind I lucked out with finding a rock perch used by the puffins that provided a clean background and also provided an angle to the sun that that reduced harsh shadows. While shooting I was discouraged with the light and fewer number of birds. But, after viewing the images I was quite pleased with the results.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm f2.8, 1/800sec. @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

2011-07-25T22:03:00.003-05:00

Yellow-headed Blackbird – Bear River National Wildlife Refuge; Brigham, Utah: I searched and searched Bear River NWR for a Yellow-headed Blackbird to photograph. Now, Yellow-headed Blackbirds were everywhere. But all were quite shy, and every time I got close enough for the shot, they flew. I wanted that close-up image of a Yellow-head blackbird with head held back, beak agape and singing its territorial song.

It seemed that all the males were doing what I wanted, but I just could not get close enough. I had worked all morning and had not got the shot I really wanted.

As I drove out of the refuge I traveled the 12 mile road between the refuge entrance and the headquarters building, again Yellow-headed blackbirds were plentiful. Yet, every time I got close to the birds, they flew. In the last quarter mile I saw this blackbird perched on a fence post singing its territorial call. As so many times earlier that day, I slowly pulled my van within shooting distance. This time the blackbird did not fly. Just as I had envisioned the bird continued singing with head held back and beak agape. Now, if I could just get this shot with the blackbird on a natural perch. Until then, I’ll enjoy this image. Hope you do as well.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII, 1/320 sec. @ f6.3

Pic of the Day

2011-07-24T13:52:00.004-05:00

Thunderstorm from Grand Manan; New Brunswick, Canada: I must confess that I have not obtained the number of quality images that I had hoped over the summer. I added many adequate bird photos and even new species, but unique images seemed to escape me.

On my last evening at Grand Manan, I found myself on the northwest corner of the island. Looking west across the Gulf of Maine the setting sun was shinning through a major thunderstorm.

The light was beautiful and the scene memorable. As I looked west the landmass to the north was Campobello Island, New Brunswick, the vacation destination of U. S. President, Franklin Roosevelt almost three quarters of a century ago; to the south, the Maine Coastline. The golds and blues of sky and water were harmonious and exquisite.

Beginning my photography career at 15 years old, I shot black and white film and made my own prints from the first time I picked-up a camera. I grew-up seeing the world in color and in my mind visualizing those color images in tonalities of black and white, a necessity for creating dynamic black and white images. So, when I saw this scene I not only saw a beautiful color image, but a stunning black and white photograph as well.

In this post I am showing both the color image and the black and white conversion. I do some manipulation on all my photos. I have never seen a digital image that did not need some curves (contrast) and color correction manipulation, and the black and white conversion requires much more. I also do manipulation when printing from black and white film as well. The idea with both mediums is to utilize the full potential of either medium to create a full tonal range image.

As the thunderstorm moved from Campobello Island into Maine, I continued to shoot many images as the sun set. The scene that evening provided what I felt I had missed over my summer travels.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 24-85mm set to 24mm, 1/50sec @ f8

Pic of the Day

2011-07-23T09:14:00.006-05:00

Atlantic Puffin – Les Iles au Perroquets, Mingan Archipelago; Gulf of Saint Larwence: After the last post, I though I should post a close-up of a puffin in flight. Hope you like it!

Nikon D300, Nikkor 300 f2.8 VR, 1/2,00 sec. @ f 7.1

Pic of the Day

2011-07-22T00:23:00.007-05:00

Atlantic Puffin (composite) – Les Iles au Perroquets, Mingan Archipelago; Gulf of Saint Lawerence, Canada: This is a composite of 10 images I made of one bird as it flew by. Most of the images are very sharp, though about 3 are a little soft. I included the soft images in the composition as it completes the series and at the computers resolution the soft images are not perceived as such. The series shows the bird further away at the right and closer on the left, thus the difference in size of the puffin. The original composite is 14” x 45”.

I had a great time shooting flying Alcids, but it was exhausting raising the D300 and 300mm 2.8 to my shoulder for a couple of hours. However, I do like the results……hope you do as well.

Double Click on the image and the composite will expand to 10” wide

Nikon D300, Nikkor 300mm f2.8, Digital Capture ISO 320

Update, and Pic of the Day:

2011-07-21T09:53:00.009-05:00

Hello everyone, this is my first post since July 7. Sorry for not posting sooner but I have been on (and off) the road since my last post.

My latest travels have taken me to Canada and Maine. My Canadian destination was Longue Pointe de Mingan, on the north shore of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. From there I took a small boat to, Les Iles au Perroquets to photograph puffins and other seabirds. After arriving at Les Iles au Perroquet I found it somewhat of a disappointment as I was under the impression that I would have the opportunity to get very close to puffins.

While the island host about 200 breeding puffins, there are no blinds that allow close access to the birds. Though I could not get close-up images of the birds I quickly saw the potential of shooting flight shots as the birds flew to their burrows. The only other location I had photographed Atlantic Puffins was Machias Seal Island, off the coast of Maine. While standing in the blinds at Machias Seal, it is next to impossible to take flight shots, so I took advantage of the situation on Les Iles au Perroquets. By the way, this translates to “Island of the Parrots.” The name was given by old sailor who called puffins, “Sea Parrots,” because of their large colorful beak.

To shoot the flight images I used a 300mm lens mounted on a custom made gunstock mount. The gunstock mount allowed me to follow the birds with a smooth panning motion. A cable release in the gunstock allowed me to release the shutter as if pulling the trigger of a gun. I would say that about 1/3 of the images I shot were sharp. Not too bad as the puffins were extremely fast fliers. Razorsbills, by the way, flew considerably slower. I did not notice this until I started taking the flight shots. Razorbills were somewhat easy to get the lens on and follow; puffins were much more difficult because of the speed they flew.

I also used a Nikon D300 with an MBD-11 set to continuous high frame rate. I love shooting the Nikon D7000 with its 16 mega pixel frame, but it simply does not shoot enough frames per second to get the job done in this situation.

Razorbill Auk – Les Iles au Perroquets, Mingan Archipelago; Gulf of Saint Lawerence, Canada:

I have always loved photographing razorbills. They are a real challenge being a totally black and white bird. Well, that is not quite true. The black is really a brown-black, but in bright sunlight, as when this shot was taken, the angle has to be just right to see the brown coloration.

As the auks and puffins flew past me they would often tilt at an angle that illuminated the bird at just the right angle to put a highlight in the eye. I began shooting before the tilt, with the expectations of capturing an image with the highlight in the eye. I like using cameras with a fast frame rate to capture the wings in just the right position.

I had to watch for birds flying low over the water at some distance from shore. Once finding one that appeared to be heading ashore, I pointed the lens and locked focus as it approached. The birds move very fast and I often lost focus. This was simply caused by my inability at times to pan the camera as the birds flew passed (they move sooooo darn fast).

I lucked out with this bird, it has two sand eels in its beak. One of the reasons I went to “Les Iles au Perroquets” was to photograph puffins with fish. I was happy to settle for this image.

More to come..............

Whitney enters National Wildlife Federation's 41st Annual Photo Contest

2011-07-07T00:51:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone. My daughter Whitney, has entered the National Wildlife Federations 41^st annual photo competition. This is her first contest and she has entered some very good images. The contest has a peoples choice award. The following link will take you to Whitney’s images. Please take the time to go to this site and vote for her images. All you have to do once you are on the page is -- click on the green, checked box, by the vote count. You can log on every day and vote for your favorite image. Please vote as often as you can. Here is the link:

http://www.nwf.org/PhotoContest/PhotoContestHome.aspx?search=true&firstname=Whitney&lastname=Robison&sort=RECENT

Thank you for voting for Whitney’s images. --- Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-07-03T21:51:00.000-05:00

Mountain Bluebird – Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado: I was at the Moraine Campground looking for Mountain Bluebirds to photograph, but was having no luck at all. A Black-billed Magpie flew in looking for a handout so I decided to photograph it, as I had no good photos of magpies in my files. After shooting for a quarter hour I resumed my search for Mountain Bluebirds.

After what seemed to be forever of scanning the hillsides for bluebirds I finally found a female fly-catching from a low hanging branch of a pine tree. Once I saw the female I gathered my equipment and began the stalk. I moved slowly and was able to approach within 20 feet before shooting. Then, I spotted this male hawking insects from a nearby pine branch. Both birds were very approachable and I followed them for over an hour. This is just one of the many bluebird images I shot that day, and I will post a few more in the near future.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII, 1/60 second @ f6.3

National Wildlife Federation photography contest

2011-07-03T09:59:00.006-05:00

I recently received an email from John Nuhn, photo editor of National Wildlife Magazine. If you are not familiar with National Wildlife Magazine it is one of the premier nature magazines in the world. Each year the magazine sponsors a Nature/wildlife photography contest for amateur and professional photographers. For all you photographers, there is still time to enter. Just follow the link to enter the contest, Good Luck!

http://www.nwf.org/photocontest/?s_src=20110630_NW_Pro_LastCall

Who's Looking

2011-07-01T23:03:00.000-05:00

Jersey becomes the 87^th country from which viewers have logged onto Bobby’s Photo Blog. Welcome to the blog and log on often. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-06-27T22:00:00.000-05:00

American Avocet – Bear River National Wildlife Refuge; Brigham, Utah: This is another image of an America Avocet I shot at the Bear River NWR. Bear River is such an amazing place to shoot. The early morning and evening light is exquisite, in addition to the light the reflections of the mountains in the water, (as in this photo) makes for uniquely colored backgrounds of soft pastels. In this image, the late evening clam provided water with little movement giving an almost perfect reflection.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII, 1/250 second @ f 8, ISO 200

Who's Looking

2011-06-26T21:49:00.001-05:00

I would like to thank the viewers from the Dominican Republic for logging onto Bobby's Photo Blog. The Dominican Republic becomes the 86^th country from which viewer have logged on. Welcome to the Blog and please log on often. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-06-26T01:02:00.003-05:00

Marsh Wren – Bear River NWR, Utah: Driving along one of the many cattail marshes in Bear River NWR, I found this Marsh Wren atop a reed singing its territorial song. As I watched the wren it moved among its favorite perches within its territory. I positioned my van by one of its favorite perches near the road and used the van as a blind. Not long after parking and zeroing in on the perch, the wren soon made its appearance. Climbing to the top of the reed the Marsh Wren raised it head, opened it beak, and broadcast its call across the marsh, which was promptly answered by another wren nearby. It territorial proclamation gave me the opportunity to shoot this image, and many more.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII, 1/1000 Second @ f7.1, ISO 200

Pic of the Day

2011-06-25T11:38:00.003-05:00

Caribou Mountain, Idaho: As I drove north to Yellowstone after leaving the Bear River Refuge I took a route that led through the high valley of Gray’s Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge is the nesting grounds of about 1,200 Sandhill Cranes and the rare Trumpeter Swan. Unfortunately I did not have time to visit the refuge, but I did take the time to shoot this scenic of Caribou Mountain which is just one of the majestic views from Gray’s Lake.

Caribou Mountain is a massive chunk of granite that rises 9,803 feet above sea level and is famous for its placer gold deposits that were discovered in 1874. Though gold is no longer mined at Caribou Mountain,individuals can still pan for gold in the mountains streams. But, that is not the reason I want to return to Gray’s Lake. For me it is the cranes and swans, they are much more valuable.

Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85mm zoom set to 48mm, 1/1,250 second @ f10, ISO 200

Whitney's Photo Blog

2011-06-25T10:52:00.002-05:00

My daughter and her husband recently made a trip to Maine. They climbed Mt Katahdin and then they were off to Machias Seal Island where they photographed Atlantic Puffins and other seabirds. They had a great time on Machias Seal. Whitney has updated her blog and has some great puffin photos posted. You can checkout her blog at: www.whitneyrobison.blogspot.com, she will soon be adding more puffins and other shot from the trip.

Pic of the Day

2011-06-23T22:44:00.000-05:00

Grand Tetons and Field of Dandelions – Teton National Park, Wyoming: Driving along Antelope Flats Drive in Grand Teton National Park, I found this field of flowering dandelions. The yellow flowers provided the perfect foreground for an image of the Grand Tetons and blue sky. Walking among the flowers I found a spot with the greatest density of blooms and chose it as my foreground for the photograph. I attached my camera to a tripod and lowered the camera until it was about 18 inches off the ground allowing the expanse of flowers to fill the foreground space. I used a small aperture to create an extended depth-of-field which provided a sharpness from the flowers in the foreground to the mountains in the distance background. The yellow flowers, stretching to the foothills is the perfect complement to the blue sky that frames the mountains. Some days you just get lucky!

Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85mm zoom set at 55mm, 1/100 sec @ f22

Pic of the Day

2011-06-22T23:21:00.004-05:00

Eastern Kingbird – Camas National Wildlife Refuge; Hamer, Idaho: I arrived at Bear River NWR on a Sunday evening. The shooting was great and there were lots of birds. I was in the refuge before sunrise on Monday morning, and again I had a great morning of shooting. By 11:00 AM officials closed the refuge due to rising water. With the refuge closed I headed to Grand Teton National Park, and then to Yellowstone.

Spring was still a few weeks away in Yellowstone so I headed to Camas NWR in Idaho.

Camas is an exceptional location. The refuge has an auto drive that took me deep into the preserve. Because of the late spring many of the birds were just beginning to nest. After photographing Tundra Swan, Yellow-headed Blackbirds and Eared Grebe I came across this Eastern Kingbird.

I have photographed kingbirds before, but in my previous shots the kingbirds have been perched on man-made objects (fence post, barbed wire, road signs, etc.) This time I had a kingbird on a natural perch, I could not believe it. When I saw the bird on the natural perch I rolled my van window down, rested the camera and lens through the open window and slowly drove toward the bird.

As I approached the kingbird it flew from the perch caught an insect on the wing and returned to the same perch, What good fortune! As the bird alighted on its perch I started shooting and kept shooting. I shot numerous images as the bird twisted and turned. Finally, I had a kingbird on a natural perch. I was very happy, maybe next year I can get a Western Kingbird to do the same thing!

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII, 1/200 sec. @ f8

Pic of the Day

2011-06-22T11:03:00.004-05:00

Thunderstorm over Great Salt Lake from Antelope Island, Utah: After a morning of shooting birds at Bear River NWR, clouds began to fill the skies. With the loss of light I thought I would drive to the Farmington Bird Sanctuary about thirty miles to the south and check it out. At the sanctuary I was able to shoot close-up photos of Black-necked Stilts (see previous post) in the soft light that the cloud cover provided.

Around 3:00 PM the cloud cover at Farmington began to break-up and I though I would check-out Antelope Island. Antelope Island is a state park and refuge known for its birdlife, especially along the 7 mile causeway to the island. As I drove along the causeway I found it to be particularly void of life. When I arrived at the island itself little had changed. Where the causeway connected to the island there was an abundance of Yellow-headed Blackbirds, but that was about it.

As I drove around the island I could see massive thunderstorms that had formed over the Great Salt Lake. Using my I-pad, I opened the “Weather Bug” apt and saw that the storms stretched 130 degrees from the southwest to the northeast. Bear River Refuge, which lay north of Antelope Island was under a torrential downpour. This shot is of the southern tip of the storm as seen from White Rock Bay. This photo is a color digital image, which I converted to black-and-white in Photoshop.

Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85 zoom set to 30mm, 1/1000sec. @ f10

Pic of the Day

2011-06-21T21:45:00.002-05:00

Black-necked Stilt – Farmington Bird Sanctuary; Farmington, Utah: Driving through the Farmington Bird Sanctuary I saw this Black-necked Stilt aimlessly wandering in a circle. I stopped, used my van as a blind and began shooting. I took numerous images, but with each image I shot I was perplexed over the behavior. There seem to be no reason for the aimless wandering.

After about five minutes of shooting another stilt that I had notice feeding about a hundred feet away suddenly took flight and flew directly to the bird I was photographing. As soon as the new stilt alighted the bird I had been photographing flew off and the new arrival walked about three feed into the nearby grasses and settled onto a nest. The behavior of the bird I had been photographing now made sense.

The male had been protecting the nest from potential predators while the female was away feeding.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII, 1/250 @ f8

Pic of the Day

2011-06-17T18:05:00.001-05:00

Clark's Grebe and Western Grebe -- Bear River NWR: After the Bear River NWR was close I headed north to the Tetons and Yellowstone. The Tetons were nice, but Yellowstone (like the Tetons) were having a late spring. I was here a year ago and Yellowstone was green and filled with birds. Not this year, Winter is holding on! After a day in the Teton's I got a call from the Refuge Manager at Bear River, he told me he was opening the refuge on Friday. On Thursday evening I headed back to Bear River.
This morning I shot these two image of the Clark's and Western grebes. Both of the birds are lifer's for me. The first lifer I've had since the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in February 2004.
I love the Bear River NWR, the shooting is great! If you have never been to this refuge, you should. Plan to be here in early to mid June. The birds are nesting and the refuge is hopping! Check back soon for more updates.

Look at the images closely. Can you tell which is the Clarks and which is the Western?

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4

Video of the Day

2011-06-16T11:01:00.001-05:00

American Avocet -- Bear River NWR, Utah: This video was taken at the same time the picture of the previous post as shot. I enjoy shooting video, but the shooting situation is not alway conducive to video. I have had a few people email that they really enjoy the videos, so I will continue to shoot more when opportunites arise.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4

Pic of the Day

2011-06-15T15:20:00.002-05:00

America Avocet – Bear River National Wildlife Refuge: Avocets are plentiful at Bear River NWR. Some Avocets are already on eggs, while other are still staking out nesting territories. This Avocet, one of a pair, must have been staking out its nest site. This bird and its mate were incredibility tame and walked right up to me. I took this particular image as the bird fed in a flooded field. I also did a video of this bird and will post it soon. More images to come! I will make another post when I get another connection.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/640 sec. f6.3

Pic of the Day

2011-06-13T21:24:00.000-05:00

Tabletop formation – Kremmling, Colorado: I took the scenic route to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge after leaving Rocky Mountain National Park. The route took me through Kremmling, Colorado. Just outside the north end of town I saw this fascinating mountain. Its formations were captivating and I just had to shoot some images. This is one of my favorites. More images to come!

Nkion D3, Nikkor 24-85 zoom, set to 34mm, 1/1000 sec. @ f7.1

2nd Times a Charm!

2011-06-12T23:48:00.002-05:00

As I posted previosuly, I was at Oklahoma's Tallgrass Prairie Preserve when I had to return home for a family medical issue. Now, all is well and I have arrived at the Bear River NWR near Brigham, Utah. I shot some nice photos today and hope to upload by tomarrow or Tuesday.
I also got a life bird today, a "Clark's Grebe," I'll post an image ASAP. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-06-05T11:33:00.002-05:00

Greater Roadrunner – Catalina State Park; Tucson, Arizona: Well, since I have had to return home due to family medical issues I thought I would post some images from my files. Hopefully I’ll be back on the road around Thursday and shooting soon after that.

This image of a Greater Roadrunner was photographed at Catalina State Park in Tucson, Arizona. Roadrunners are fascinating birds. When I see one, I think this is how a small Jurassic dinosaur might have looked. They are members of the family Cuculidae, which include the cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. The roadrunner is a large ground dwelling cuckoo that races around the desert and scrub seeking lizards, snakes and insects to devour.

Using my van as a blind I followed the roadrunner as it searched for prey in the parks desert scrub. After 30 minutes or so of hunting among the branchy willow the roadrunner walked into a grassy field and then into an open area allowing me to take a few unobstructed shots that showed off its blue and red feathered supercillium, long legs and thick, heavy bill. The roadrunner really does look prehistoric!

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/250sec. @ f7.1, handheld resting lens on pillow while shooting form the window of an Astro van.

Trip Update:

2011-06-05T10:10:00.001-05:00

Unfortunately I had to return home due to family medical issues. I left the Tallgrass Prairie arond 1:30PM on Friday and arrived home about 2:30PM Saturday. I should be back on the road by Thursday if all goes well. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-06-02T23:15:00.009-05:00

TARANTULAREX

Oklahoma Brown Tarantula -- Tallgrass Prairie Preserve; Pawhuska, Oklahoma: Before arriving at the Tallgrass Prairie near Pawhuska, Oklahoma I stopped in Wichita Fall, Texas to see my aunt and second cousins, so I did not arrive at the prairie until almost sunset this evening. Once I arrived in Pawhuska, I went directly to the prairie to check out the flowers. I am a little early, though flowers are in bloom. The next two weeks should be great flower photography here on the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.

While driving out of the preserve I saw a large insect, bug, something crawling across the road. It looked like a spider, but it was huge. By the time I stopped I was a hundred feet past it, but backed-up to check out the "something." To my surprise it was a tarantulas. I had never seen a tarantula in the wild before. It was moving fast and I had interrupted its evening outing. To keep the interruption to a minimum I grabbed the iphone and took this snap shot. I placed a quarter beside the tarantulas for size comparison. This was sooooo cool!

Taken with an iphone

On the road

2011-05-31T13:55:00.003-05:00

I am heading to the Tallgrass Prairie, then further west. I will post updates after i do some shooting. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-05-29T01:58:00.002-05:00

Red-eyed Vireo – Magee Marsh, Ohio: This is one of two shots I took of a Red-eyed Vireo at Magee Marsh during the spring migration. The vireo is searching for insects under the tree leaf. All the warblers and vireos I saw were feeding on very small insects from under the tree leaves. I do not know how many warblers were in the woodlands the day that I shot this image, but they seemed to be everywhere and were constantly feeding all day. I can’t begin to fathom the weight of insect biomass that was consumed during my three-day stint at the marsh, though I am sure a study as been conducted on the topic. To see the 1^st Red-eyed vireo image and text I posted click on this link: http://bobbyharrison.blogspot.com/2011/05/pic-of-day_15.html

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/125 sec. @ f8

Pic of the Day

2011-05-28T11:20:00.001-05:00

“I’m All Shook Up” – Magnolia Warbler – Magee Marsh, Ohio: During the last few hours of shooting at Magee Marsh the rain was falling light, but steady. The warblers moved about the low hanging branches providing ample opportunity to shoot. This beautiful male Magnolia stopped on a branch to rid water from its feathers and preen. The actions of the bird were vigorous as each feather was passed through its bill. Once the preening was finished it shook it entire body as a way to settle all of its feathers into place.

The slow shutter speeds captured the movements of the body while the head, which remained almost motionless remained sharp. When I saw the image I could not help but think of those famous lyrics of Elivis!

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm 2.8 with 1.4 tele-converter and 30mm of extension tubes

Pic of the Day

2011-05-22T00:16:00.010-05:00

Tree Swallows – Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Ohio: At the end of my first day at Magee Marsh the light cloud cover of the day began to thicken, thunder rumbled and a light rain began to fall. I left the Magee Marsh boardwalk about 5 PM, and by the time I drove out of the paring lot the rain began to fall. With the rain falling and light levels low, I decided to explore the surrounding area just to see what other opportunities might be available the next morning.

My first stop was the Ottawa NWR, which lays adjacent to Magee Marsh. The road to the visitor’s center was lined with bluebird boxes that were spaced about 300 feet apart. Instead of Bluebirds, each of the boxes were occupied by a pair of Tree Swallows. In front of one nest box was a small tree that provided a perfect perch for the attending swallows.

Using my van as a blind I parked about twenty feet away from the perch and began shooting photos of the female. Within a few minutes of shooting the male flew-in and began copulating with the female while on the wing. Shutter speeds were slow, but the slow speed added motion blur, which in turn added movement and action to the image.

When I left Magee Marsh that evening I had thought the days shooting was over. I had no idea that another great opportunity would present itself to me. Even though the light was quickly diminishing, shutter speeds were slow, and a light rain fell, the final images of the day were the highlights. Shooting seldom seen behavior is exciting, especially when unexpected.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/160sec. @ f7.1

Who's Looking

2011-05-21T16:27:00.003-05:00

Aruba marks the 85^th country from which viewers have logged onto Bobby’s Photo Blog. Welcome to the blog and please log-on often as I update the bolg with new images every day or so. I hope you enjoy the blog and will return. Bobby

Pic of the Day

2011-05-20T18:47:00.006-05:00

Blackpoll Warbler – Magee Marsh, Ohio: During my first day at Magee Marsh I saw numerous Blackpoll Warblers. In fact, the most I had ever seen in one day. This Blackpoll was one of three males and two females I saw at one time while on the Magee Marsh boardwalk. I was following this male Blackpoll with my 500mm lens as it bounded from limb to limb. Eventually it moved to a limb and paused for a fraction of a second. The view was unobstructed, and the auto-focus snapped the image into focus. I got this one and only shot before the Blackpoll slipped back in the leaf cover.

The Blackpoll is a overland spring migrant along the eastern and central flyways, but during fall migration the Blackpoll strikes out over the open ocean as it heads south to its South American wintering ground.
This was the first time I had the opportunity to photograph this beautifully patterned warbler.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/160sec. @ f7.1