Tornado Alley

     Yesterday, April 27th more than half a dozen tornados ripped through Huntsville and the surrounding communities, leaving large areas of destructions an fatalities. Many toronado swept through the state, and surrounding states. One tornato destroyed a major power conduit from Browns Ferry nuclear plant leaving the Northeast region of the state without power. Power is expected to be resored in about 3 days. Bobby

Pic of the Day

  American Alligator -- Alligator Farm; Saint Augustine, Florida: So, I spent three days photographing herons and egrets at the alligator farm.  I would have been remiss had I not taken some alligator photos as well.  After all, I was at an alligator farm.

   I shot this image of two alligators lounging on the waters surface near the boardwalk that I worked from to photograph the nesting birds.  I have spent many, many hours over the years in swamps and have had many encounters with alligators.  It is easy to become complacent and lose a true sense of fear of the animals.  Most all gators I see are lying around riverbanks and lakeshores basking in the sun, or lazily floating in the water.   At the alligator farm I was reminded of just how wild and dangerous gator really are.

   I just happened to be looking in the right direction, at the right time to see the action.  A Snowy Egret was walking along the shoreline of the pond that held the hundred or so big gators of the farm.  The egret seemed cautious, keeping its distance from the gators basking on the shore.  However the distance was not great enough.  Like lighting a gator sprang from its illusion of slumber and grabbed the egret before the bird was able to raise a wing.  In an instant more than half a dozen gators converged at the point of action, but it was too late for them, and the egret.  In a fraction of a second only the yellow feet of the Snowy Egret were visible protruding from the gape of the gators mouth.   Nature had reminded me not to be complacent, but to always be vigilant when in the wild, or in this case in a popular tourist attraction where the wild was brought to me.

Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85 set to 85mm, 1/125sec. @ f9

Who's Looking

   Honduras becomes the 82^nd country from which viewers have logged onto Bobbys Photo Blog.  Welcome to the site and please visit often.   Bobby

Recently Published Work

   The spring issue of Creation Illustrated is out!  My column, A Lens on Creation covers the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska, Oklahoma.  If you are interested in subscribing to Creation Illustrated follow this link: http://www.creationillustrated.com

Video of the Day

I have discovered that the videos do not appear on the blog when using an iPad.

  Pileated Woodpecker -- Horsecove; Gurley, Alabama:  This video was taken in 2007, when a Pileated Woodpecker nested in my front yard.  I shot over a hundred hours of video and hundreds of still photos.  I have always been fascinated with woodpeckers, and could not believe my good fortune to have a pileated nest in my front yard (only 250 feet from my front door steps).  To see  a still image of the male with nestlings go to the May 6, 2010 Pic of the Day post (click here: http://bobbyharrison.blogspot.com/2010/05/pic-of-day_06.html.)  The video was taken with a digital  Sony Mini-DVcamcorder.

Video of the Day

   

   Limpkin -- Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida:  While in Florida this past January I experiment with the Nikon D7000's video capabilities.  It is fabulous.  I did discover that manual focus should be used.  The autofocus motor sounds are very distracting.  To manual focus, a Hoodman loop or similar type loop is essential.  I also shot video at the St. Augustine Alligator farm of the Tri-colored Heron nest seen in the last post.  I used the hoodman cine loop kit and it worked great.   I hope to do, and post more HD video with this fantastic camera!

Additional note:

   This is a HD file (1280x720) but it looks no better on the web (blogspot) than the large or medium resolutions that I previously posted.  I have left the large resolution posted below so that you can see for yourself.  However, the HD file on the computer looks great when played on the computer through i-movie and on a wide screen TV.

Additional note 5:52pm CDT: 

     I talked with my mac people today and they are suggesting that I post the videos on You Tube.  You Ttube can carry the large files without the compression that is applied by blogspot. I will soon post the HD copy to You Tube and then post the link on the blog.  Look for the link either later tonight or tomarrow.     Bobby

Video of the Day

   

  Limpkin -- Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida:  While in Florida this past January I experiment with the Nikon D7000's video capabilities.  It is fabulous.  I did discover that manual focus should be used.  The autofocus motor sounds are very distracting.  To manual focus, a Hoodman loop or similar type loop is essential.  I also shot video at the St. Augustine Alligator farm of the Tri-colored Heron nest seen in the last post.  I used the hoodman cine loop kit and it worked great.   I hope to do, and post more HD video with this fantastic camera!

   This is a large resolution video (960x540) from a HD file.  I am still trying to load HD video for the web but am having problems.  I am sure the problem is with me, or perhaps it just takes a looooong time to load HD video.

Pic of the Day

   Tri-colored Heron -- Alligator Farm:  Saint Augustine, Florida:  This is a female tri-colored heron from the St. Augustine Alligator Farm.  This female was photographed in between nest building activity.  The male would bring a branch to add to the nest about every 4 to 5 minutes.  She would take almost as long placing the stick by pushing, tugging and pulling to get it in just the right place.   Usually, before she was finished the male would bring another branch and she would go through the same routine again.  The process was fascinating to watch and all the activity took place about 15 feet in front of me.

The name, Tri-colored Heron is just one of many names this bird has been called over the years.  Other names from the past include, Audubon's Heron and Louisiana Heron.  I actually prefer Audubon's Heron.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm EDVR 2.8,  1/100 sec. @ f5

Whintey's Blog

My daughter has updated her blog with flowers and fireworks.  You can see her work by clicking on this link:  www.whitneyrobison.blogspot.com

Pic of the Day

   Roseate Spoonbill – Alligator Farm; Saint Augustine, Florida:  As the day wanes at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm the birds in the rookery begin their evening duties before settling-in for the night.  As the sun dropped closer to the horizon this Roseate Spoonbill flew to a nearby tree and began preening.  During the course of preening, rival spoonbills landed nearby.  As they landed the roseate lifted its head and pointed skyward, letting the others know that he was king of the roost.  
   The spoonbill was perched around twenty-five feet up the tree.  I used a 500mm lens to shoot the image from a distance.  Keeping my distance and using the long lens decreased the angle of view between the camera and bird.  This techinque gives the illusion that the spoonbill was closer to ground level.               
Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1.600sec. @ f10

Pic of the Day

   Snowy Egret – Alligator Farm; Saint Augustine, Florida:  The heron rookery at the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm is well known to bird photographers.  It is a natural heronry at one of Florida’s most popular tourist attractions that rest above a lake that is filled with a hundred bull gators.  Herons and egrets naturally nest above gator holes as the gators protect the birds' eggs from marauding raccoons, opossums and bobcats.  This Snowy, one of a pair nesting in the rookery displays to its mate during nest building activities.   

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm 2.8VR, Digital Capture ISO 400, 1/1,600 sec. @ f5.6

Pic of the Day

   Scrub Jay – Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge:  After my first morning of shooting the bird rookery at the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm I went south to Merritt Island.  I enjoyed shooting the Scrub Jays a month earlier and thought I would try them again.  I arrived at the Scrub Jay Ridge Trail about three o’clock in the afternoon.  I first headed south but found no jays, then north, but still no luck.  However, I did find lots of mosquitoes, and I have the bits to prove it!  After striking out I returned to my van to down load images from the memory cards of the mornings shoot.   After down loading the images I made another run along the Ridge Trail.  No sooner had I left the van I saw three Scrub Jays in the exact location I had photographed jays back in March. 

  As I walked down the trail I spotted this bird perched atop an old snag.  The jay was on a perch without distracting branches in the foreground or background.   I shot a dozen frames when then the bird jumped into flight.  I continued to shoot.  I could not believe my good fortune,  I had captured the jay with wings spread, and a catch light in the eye.  I just love it when everythngs comes together.  I can’t wait until the next opportunity to photograph Scrub Jays.

Both Photos:  Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO 200, 1/5,000 sec. @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

   Snowy Egret – Alligator Farm; Saint Augustine, Florida:  Greetings all, This has certainly been the year of Florida for me.   I am here for the third time this year.  On Thursday I left for Saint Augustine to photograph egrets nesting at the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm.  The birds are very numerous. Great Egret nesting is well underway with chicks ranging in size from just hatched to about a week and half or more old.  I shot a number of images that I am very pleased with.  Snowy Egrets now have eggs and Tri-colored herons and Spoonbills are building nest.  Woodstokes should have chicks, but I have not been able to see in the nest.

   This Snowy egret was photographed after bring a small tree branch to its mate to add to the nest.  Snowy’s are quite beautiful in their nuptial plumage.  I will post more images of the nesting birds as time permits.  I have a few more days of shooting and then its back to the classroom.


Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 VR, ISO400, 1/500 sec. @ f7.1

Recently Published Work

   My Birding Escapes column, published in the winter issue of Living Bird Magazine is now online.  The article is about Shawnee State Forest.  The Shawnee is a beautiful place to visit, especially in spring.  To read the article, follow this link:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=2142

Thanks,  Bobby

Pic of the Day

   American Oystercatcher – Fort Desoto Park; Saint Petersburg, Florida:  There were very few birds at Fort Desoto Park when I arrived, but those that were feeding in the estuary made good subjects for my camera.  While I was photographing a winter plumed Black-bellied Plover a pair of American Oystercatchers flew-in and landed on the mudflats very close to me.  The female ran to quickly to the grassy edge of the estuary while the male stood his ground on the mud flats.  As I shot a few frames the male took off in a quick sprint toward the female, allowing me to shoot this image as the Oystercatcher ran at full gallop.  My favorite part of the image is the movement, and the water kicked up as the bird runs across the flats.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO 200,  Exposure 1/1,250@ f6.3