Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Phoebe.

 

Even though I typically post one image each day, I usually capture images of several birds, most of which I seem not to share. Not because I don’t feel they are good enough to share, but because I have so many other images! With Mickey here, my mornings are spent playing “throw the ball, tug of war, throw the ball, and of course, throw the ball.” It is a chance for me to post some other bird images. One of my regulars is the Eastern Phoebe. I have one pair and their young in the yard most of the day. They hang out in the mornings near the beehives and snag a few slow moving bees. They are quite amazing birds to watch when they are hunting on the wing.

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 2200, shutter speed of 1/125th of a second, Sirui P224S monopod and L10 head, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Sirui, #SiruiUSA, #SiruiImaging, #SiruiProfessional, #BirdNirdvana

Advertisements

White-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch.

 

One of my regulars, and very entertaining visitors as well, is the White-breasted Nuthatch. There seems to be less this year than last, but still in fairly good numbers. They like to “hide” some of their seeds of later, only to have them taken by Downy Woodpeckers often. I have seen a couple groups of juveniles come in with their parents to be fed and that is always accompanied by commotion since they do not like any other birds nearby apparently. I see them often but try not to take them for granted as being special visitors to the backyard.

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 1600, shutter speed of 1/125th of a second, Sirui P224S monopod and L10 head, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Sirui, #SiruiUSA, #SiruiImaging, #SiruiProfessional, #BirdNirdvana

Little Miss Curious

Little Miss Curious.

 

By far the most curious of all the Warblers has been this female Black and White Warbler. Each time I have been out on the porch to photograph, she has to come over and check me out for a little while. She spends a minute or so going up and down the post and then sits on top looking at me. She has been a great portrait subject so far as well! With Mickey visiting this week, it is a little tougher to get out and watch the birds. Mickey wants to play with all of them, and the chipmunks, and of course the squirrels. That has been a bonus with Mickey, the squirrels aren’t as happy to see him!

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 720, shutter speed of 1/125th of a second, Sirui P224S monopod and L10 head, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Sirui, #SiruiUSA, #SiruiImaging, #SiruiProfessional, #BirdNirdvana

“Mickey”

“Mickey”

 

Today’s post is not really about photography techniques, more so about my idea of doing more than simply taking a photograph. A photograph is just a moment in time, where an image is a memory of that moment. This memory is of our house guest this week, Mickey, a long haired miniature Dachshund. Mickey is staying with us for a week while his parents are vacationing. Mickey is a lot of energy and is such a sweet boy. He loves to play, play, cuddle and then play again. He is learning to be a canine model while he is here and I am learning to photograph a quickly moving canine. It is also helping me to heal the hole that has been in my heart for a couple of years with the loss of my girls. The hole will always be there, but Mickey is helping me learn how to work around it. Photography is about a lot more than capturing moments in time, it is about memories and life for me.

 

Tamron 18-400mm Di-II VC HLD lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f5.6, ISO 720, 1/1500th of a second, handheld utilizing the Vibration Compensation feature of the lens, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster

Napoleon II

Napoleon II.

 

When I went out yesterday, I decided to try and move over a foot and isolate Napoleon against some nice green trees about 75 feet away. I knew this would simply make a smooth green background. I used to use a flash when I would photograph Hummingbirds all the time, but I haven’t in a while, I sort of like these softer “portraits” in this light. To give you an idea of how close he is in relation to my position, this is uncropped at 600mm, at about 9 feet.

 

My post is a little late this morning, I have been busy with my “house guest” for the next week, a long hair miniature Dachshund named Mickey. I hope Mickey will pose for some images for me!

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 1600, shutter speed of 1/125th of a second, Sirui P224S monopod and L10 head, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Sirui, #SiruiUSA, #SiruiImaging, #SiruiProfessional, #BirdNirdvana

Napoleon

Napoleon.

 

I don’t really spend a lot of time trying to name the birds in the yard, but there is a story to this one. I had recently replaced a Carpenter Bee trap with a Hummingbird feeder, hoping to relieve a little pressure all the birds were putting on each other at the other one. Well, this one male has claimed the feeder as his territory. As I sat on the porch photographing the other birds, he would land on this “Bee” art Evelyn has on the porch. It is just outside of minimum focusing distance on the lens, so I decided to photograph him when he perched. He is strongly backlit there, so I had to time it with him showing his gorget and light reflected off of the house. He could care less that I am sitting 8 feet away. I was telling Evelyn about it and she says, “oh, that’s Napoleon”! She says for such a little guy he has a lot of attitude. Since France captured the World Cup yesterday, I decided I would let the name stick. So Napoleon, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, it is!

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 1600, shutter speed of 1/125th of a second, Sirui P224S monopod and L10 head, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Sirui, #SiruiUSA, #SiruiImaging, #SiruiProfessional, #BirdNirdvana

Hooded Warbler (m)

Hooded Warbler (m).

 

I have been getting some visits from some female and juvenile Hooded Warblers, but the other morning was my first visit of the year from one of the adult males. He popped up from the back of the crepe myrtles and zipped around a bit before disappearing, but returning a few more times for quick visits. He was back the next days as well, but briefly. Yep, things are picking up!

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 4500, shutter speed of 1/250th of a second, Sirui P224S monopod and L10 head, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Sirui, #SiruiUSA, #SiruiImaging, #SiruiProfessional, #BirdNirdvana