Pic of the Day

     Magnolia Warbler – Magee Marsh, Ohio:  Another of the many magnolia warblers that I saw at Magee.  Though not singing his heart out as the male in the post for May 13, this little fellow struck a handsome pose before flitting off into the brush.


Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/250 @ f4, Fill Flash

Pic of the DAy

     Eastern Kingbird – Camas National Wildlife Refuge, Idaho:  Going through my files I found this image of an Eastern Kingbird.  Most kingbirds I have photographed have been on fence post or barbed wire.  I was excited to find this bird perched on a reed and even more excited that it did not fly away when I stopped to take this, and many other photographs.

     I have plans to head north soon and photograph neotropical species before they cross Lake Erie.  I’m looking forward to seeing and photographing lots of warblers, tanagers and other passerines. 

Who's Looking

     I would like to welcome viewers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Sudan to Bobby’s Photo Blog.  These two countries are the 106^th and 107^th countries from which viewers have logged on.  Welcome to the blog and please come back often.  Bobby

Happy New Year to All

    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

Pic of the Day

     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

Who's Looking

     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

     American Egret – Gatorland; Orlando, Florida:  In January a friend, who lives in Florida told me of the egret rookery at Gatorland.  Gatorland is a major tourist attraction who’s major draw is the American Alligator.  Yes, Gatorland host thousands of gators.  Some of the big ones live in the large natural (looking) ponds.

   In nature herons and egrets naturally nest above gator holes, as gators serve to protect the nesting birds from marauding coons, opossum and other predators.  The ponds at Gatorland provide the perfect nesting habitat for wading birds, and they come to nest by the hundreds.

   This American Egret, in its beautiful nuptial plumes stands over its nest and eggs to preen and adjust feathers before returning to incubation duties.  It was in a perfect location as the evening grew on.  The sun lighted the egret from behind rendering the delicate aigrette plumes in exquisite detail.  It was the delicate aigrette plumes that almost brought the American, and other egrets to near extinction a hundred years ago.  The fanciful plumes were in high demand at the turn of the twentieth century as a fashion accessory for women’s hats.  Fortunately the Audubon Society foresaw the consequences of the plume trade and dispatched wardens and legislation to halt the destruction of these elegant birds.

Nikon D3, Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8, Digital Capture @ ISO 200, 1/400sec. @ f5.6

For more information on Gatorland, log onto their website at:   http://www.gatorland.com

Pic of the Day

   Dancing Egret – Estero Lagoon; Fort Myers Beach, Florida:  Of all the birds feeding in Estero Lagoon it was the Snowy Egrets that put on the most flamboyant show.  Their only rival was a lone Reddish Egret as they dance wildly on the hunt.  As schools of fish moved through the lagoon the snowy’s were the first to pounce on the evasive prey.  As the fish zigzagged through the water, so did the snowy.  With out stretched wings for balance this snowy raced through the lagoon striking the water with precision as it plucked its breakfast from the shallows.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO 200, 1/1,250 @ f8

Pic of the Day

   Roseate Spoonbill – Estero Lagoon; Fort Myers Beach, Florida:  As the feeding frenzy at Estero Lagoon began to wane the spoonbills gathered along the shore of the lagoon to preen.  This adult, sporting fresh breeding plumage, took a few steps from the group and began sifting a feather or two through its bill.  Stepping away from the group a few fee  this spoonbill provided an opportunity for me to shoot a series of images of the bird by itself.  The image was captured as the spoonbill paused for a few seconds and looked into the camera, providing me with a classic spoonbill portrait.


Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm 2.8VR, Digital Capture ISO 200, 1/2,000 sec. @ f4.5

Pic of the Day

   Snow Geese – Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico:  Bosque is world renowned for its abundance of over wintering Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes.  More than 35,000 Snow Geese invade the refuge by early October and remain until March when they begin their journey back north.  These two geese were flying to one of the many water impoundments where they will join other members of the flock to roost overnight.   To make this image I used a 300mm lens mounted on a handmade gunstock.  An electronic cable release mounted as a trigger operated the camera’s auto focus and shutter release.  An auto focus lens and dynamic focus was essential to keep the birds in focus as I panned with them during their fly-by.  A rapid 8 frames per-second provide a frame with the wings in just the right position.

Nikon F5, Nikkor 300mm 2.8, on gunstock mount, Fujichrome 100

Pic of the Day

   Loggerhead Shrike – Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico:  I was at Bosque to photograph Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes, birds that winter at the refuge by the tens of thousands and make Bosque so famous. 

   While making an early morning run to photograph geese and cranes I came across this Loggerhead Shrike hunting along the roadside.   Shrikes, also known as “Butcher Birds,” catch insects and mice and often impale them on thorns and barbed wire before tearing them apart with their hooked bill.  

   I approached this bird using my van as a blind.   With my window down and camera on a window mount I turned the engine off, and coasted to the shrike.  It was lit from the side and facing into the sun, defiantly not flattering light. The side of the shrike facing the camera was in the shadows and virtually a silhouette.  However, the background was perfect.  It was clean and did not competing with the subject.    But good fortune turned in my favor.  Instead of leaping into flight, the bird turned its head and looked over its back.   The strong side lighting illuminated the front of the shrike and ignited a catch light in its eye, creating a strong dynamic image of this “Butcher bird.”


Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f4 with 1.4 teleconverter, Kodachrome 64

Pic of the Day

   Limpkin – Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands; Viera, Florida:  The Limpkin is an interesting bird.  It appears to be a large rail, but its skeletal structure is more crane like.  Taxonomist place the Limpkin in its own genus, Aramus and family, Aramidae; and is the only extant species of the genus and family.
   This limpkin was photographed at the western most impoundment of the wetlands as it searched for Apple Snails (Ampullariidae), which is a primary food source.  Limpkins at the Ritch Grissom Wetlands are very approachable and are very numerous.  The wetlands is open to both foot traffic and auto traffic making access to the various water impoundments very accessible.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO 200, 1/400 sec. @ f9

Pic of the Day

     Lesser Yellowlegs – Homer, Alaska: Lesser Yellowlegs are commonly seen on mudflats here in North Alabama during migration and have long been a target for my camera. They arrive in March for a few weeks then continue north, some wing all the way to Alaska to nest in wetlands that boarder lakes and ponds, as well as the open tundra. I found this bird and its mate at the north end of Beluga Lake in Homer, Alaska. Yellowlegs are extremely wary, and difficult to approach on foot when they are migrating. But, on their nesting grounds they are fierce, and guard their territory with an aggressive tenacity. As I walked into the wetlands of Beluga Lake I was immediately met with this yellowlegs. It flew directly to me and alighted on top of a small tree less than 20 feet away and began scolding me. I quickly position my self so that I would have spruce trees across the lake as my background and hurriedly shot a couple of rolls of film. After about 5 minutes of shooting I retreated........ surrendering to the threats of the Lesser Yellowlegs.

Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f4 with 1.4 teleconverter - Kodachrome 64