Looking Back at 2019 part 2

Looking Back at 2019 part 2.

 

This was one of my favorites of not only 2019, but possibly ever for me. We were at the Kelly Warm Springs in January and there were about 12 Trumpeter Swans taking advantage of the warm water. They had been preening when one looked up just long enough for a couple frames. In post processing I added a little more steam using the Dehaze slider in Lightroom, but moving it to the left, therefore adding haze.

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 100, shutter speed of 1/250th of a second, Sirui tripod, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron150600g2, #SiruiUSA, #BirdNirdvana, #BearWoodsPhotography, #NatureInFocusPhotographyWorkshops

Juvenile Bald Eagle, Good News, Bad News…

Juvenile Bald Eagle, Good news, bad news.

 

Sometimes images come with a “good news, bad news” disclaimer, and this is one of them. The good news is this Eagle perched across from the boat docks from our workshop group one morning this past weekend. It was waiting and wanting to fly in to feed on a deer carcass someone had dumped. Every time it would approach it got mobbed by a bunch of Grackles and Gulls. I am guessing from the location they dumped it, they were hoping for a gator to get it. No, this wasn’t in Bear Woods, it was in Apalachicola. So what could be the bad news? Well the day before 2 folks with us left a few minutes after us and captured images of a beautiful mature Bald Eagle sitting on the dock feeding…

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 450, shutter speed of 1/2000th of a second, handheld, Shimoda Explore 40L backpack, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron150600g2, #ShimodaExplore, #Apalachicola, #BearWoodsPhotography

Heading South for the Winter

Heading South for the Winter.

 

Without a doubt the bird with the most voracious appetite is the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I can always tell when they are here in spring as well as fall as to the amount of food that I have to replace in the feeder. It almost doubles when they are passing through. I go from a large plastic cup, I think it is a Burger King cup, to a Maxwell House plastic can full each day. I would estimate they are consuming about 2 to 3 pounds of Black Oil Sunflower seed each day! It is great to look out though and see 10-15 of these beautiful visitors on and around the feeder area. I know they will be leaving soon, and it will be about 5 or 6 months until I see them again, but it is great while it lasts.

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 1400, shutter speed of 1/125th of a second, Sirui P424S monopod, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron #Tamron #TamronUSA #TamronLensesUSA #TamronImageMaster #Tamron150600g2 #SiruiUSA #BearWoodsWildlifeSanctuary #BirdNirdvana #BirdPhotography #BearWoodsPhotography

Northern Parula

Northern Parula.

Without doubt one of the prettiest Warblers that migrate through Bear Woods in the Fall is the Northern Parula. The soft green of the bird and the bright yellow is hard to miss when it visits. They are one of the more vocal birds that visit in the Spring, but still chatter loudly in the Fall. There is some cooler weather predicted in the next few days and hopefully Fall with take hold soon. I know though when it does, it will be time to say goodbye to the Warblers for 5 or 6 months. Time to enjoy them while I can.

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 1000, shutter speed of 1/125th of a second, Sirui P424S monopod, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron150600g2, #SiruiUSA, #BirdNirdvana, #BirdPhotography, #BearWoodsWildlifeSanctuary, #BearWoodsPhotography

Blue-winged Warbler

Blue-winged Warbler.

 

The Blue-winged Warbler is one of my trifecta of Warblers I hope to see during the migration, the other two are the Golden-winged, and Black-throated Blue Warblers. I got to see the Golden-winged a week or so ago, but didn’t get to photograph it. So far though I am being skunked by the Black-throated Blue for the year. I heard this one yesterday long before I saw it, but then it popped up in the corner of the yard. I waited patiently as it worked its way over to the area closest to me. It didn’t pose for long, but I only needed 1/100th of a second! Such a beauty!

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 4500, shutter speed of 1/100th of a second, Sirui P424S monopod, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron150600g2, #BirdPhotography, #BirdNirdvana, #SiruiUSA, #BearWoodsWildlifeSanctuary, #BearWoodsPhotography

Chestnut-sided Warbler with Pokeweed berry stains

Chestnut-sided Warbler with Pokeweed berry stains.

 

I constantly get asked why all the birds come to my backyard. Well it is simple, I make it inviting for them to visit. I’ve shown photos of my yard before, the Bear Woods Wildlife Sanctuary, and I see the looks on people’s faces…its nothing special. That is exactly right, it is very plain, nothing exciting, just inviting. The details are what makes it inviting to the birds. Native plants bring in insects and produce berries and seeds that birds love. I’ve shown videos and still of the bears eating Summer grapes, and birds on flower heads. This is a Chestnut-sided Warbler that just filled up on Pokeweed berries. The purple stain on the beak is the remnants of breakfast. I have several Pokeweed plants growing behind the house and this time of year they are covered with Warblers, Tanagers, Thrashers, Thrush, Bears, and more. They are great for all the birds but especially the ones building up calorie counts for the trip south. It is hard for some folks to let their yards go more native, and I get that, but if you really want to see a larger number of birds visit…invite them.

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 1100, shutter speed of 1/125th of a second, Sirui P424S monopod, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron150600g2, #SiruiUSA, #BearWoodsWildlifeSanctuary, #BirdPhotography, #BirdNirdvana, #BearWoodsPhotography

(Not so)Scarlet Tanager

(Not so)Scarlet Tanager…

 

Okay, it is a Scarlet Tanager, your monitors aren’t off, your eyes don’t need to be checked, you might be color blind, but that doesn’t change anything here. This is a beautiful male Scarlet Tanager in his fall and winter plumage. When Scarlet Tanagers fly south for the winter, vacationing I assume, they molt out of their brilliant red feathers and put on a beautiful yellow coat. The males have the black shoulders. I have been absolutely inundated with Scarlet Tanagers the past week or so, with as many as a dozen visiting the trees to eat berries and bugs. I will even have a Summer Tanager, Orchard Oriole, or Baltimore Oriole mixed in with them at times. I know they will only be around a week or so more, so I will enjoy them all I can until next Spring when they return all decked out in red.

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 2200, shutter speed of 1/60th of a second, Sirui P424S monopod, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron150600g2, #BirdNirdvana, #BirdPhotography, #SiruiUSA, #BearWoodsWildlifeSanctuary, #BearWoodsPhotography