Pic of the Day

 Snowy Egret, Egretta thula:  Saint Augustine Alligator Farm; Saint Augustine, Florida

    This is the same Snowy Egret from the previous post.  The photo was taken in the same location as the sun began to illuminate the background.  Having my beginning in black and white photography I saw the perfect opportunity to convert the color image in to this black and white.  I usually prefer color images of birds, but the white egrets and herons, in my opinion, look perfect in black and white.  To place emphasis on the egret I darkened  the edges of the photo.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/2000 second @ f/9

Pic of the Day

Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus:  Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/1250 second @ f/6.3

Pic of the Day

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Dendrocygna autumnalis: 

Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida

    I have seen Black-bellied Whistling Ducks numerous times in the past, but never had a good opportunity to get a decent photo.  This past July, I was driving through the Viera Wetlands when I found this pair perched atop a palm snag.   I was very excited to see the birds and very excited when they allowed me to park my van about 25 feet away without flying away.  I used the van as a blind to get these close-up images.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/1000 @ f/11

Pic of the Day

Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias:  Viera Wetlands; Viera, Florida

     The Great Blue Heron is a common and wide spread heron across the North America.  I photographed this bird at the Viera Wetlands as it stalked it prey in one of the wetlands many water impoundments.  Here the bird leans and stretches as it searches for fish and amphibians in the deep water.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1000 second @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

Warbling Verio, Vireo gilvus:  Magee Marsh, Ohio

     It seems that this Warbling Verio was just as curious about me, as I was about him.  This was shot on the west end of the Magee Marsh boardwalk.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/500 sec. @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

Red-eyed Vireo, Vireo olivaceus:  Magee Marsh, Ohio

     This Red-eyed Vireo was shot at the west end of the boardwalk at Magee Marsh.  It is common to see verios and other migrants within easy shooting distance.  

Both Images:  Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f8, 1/125 second @ f8

Black-throated Green Warbler (female), Dendroica virens; Magee Marsh, Ohio

Another of the many warbler species to be seen at Magee Marsh.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/640 sec. @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

Brown-headed Nuthatch, Sitta pusilla:  Guntersville Dam, Alabama

 Brown-headed Nuthatch, Sitta pusilla:  Guntersville Dam, Alabama

 Brown-headed Nuthatch, Sitta pusilla:  Guntersville Dam, Alabama

         A number of years ago tornados ripped through the Guntersville State Park uprooting all the old pines in the campground area.  The campground was the best place in the park to photograph Brown-headed Nuthatches.  Since those tornados swept through I had not found a population of nuthatches to photograph until this afternoon.

     Today was absolutely beautiful, so my wife and I took a drive to Guntersville Dam, about twenty minutes from the house.  When we arrived we drove through the picnic area along side the Tennessee River.  As I slowly drove through the tall pines I mentioned to my wife that this should be perfect habitat for Brown-headed Nuthatches.  I parked the van, rolled down the window and listened for their calls.  It was not long after we parked that I heard the nuthatches.  I quickly setup the camera and lens, and before long I was shooting Brown-headed Nuthatches.  I am very excited about finding a photographable population, and look forward to going back, and hopefully getting better photos.

Top:  Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/640 second @ f7.1, shot in DX format

Middle:  Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/400 second @ f8, shot in DX format

Bottom:  Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/250 second @ f7.1, shot in DX format

Pic of the Day

Sol:  Mass 332,830 times that of Earth.  Equatorial radius, 695,000 kilometres.  

Surface Tempreature, 6000 degrees celsius.  It is really cool, regardless of how hot it is!

     I arose to a beautiful fall morning with clear, blue skies.  It was the perfect day for the partial solar eclipse that is to begin at 16:45 CDT today.  However, while at lunch the sky changed drastically!  Clouds have moved-in, and now I am not sure that the eclipse will be visible at all.

     I shot this image at 11:30 CDT to test exposure and image quality for this afternoons shoot.  The sunspots in the lower right quadrant of the sun are solar storms. This gigantic storm has spewed a massive amount of solar particles toward earth, which in turn has interacted with our planet’s magnetic field and upper atmosphere.  This storm is the reason our northern neighbors are enjoying an incredible northern lights display.  Now, if the clouds will part for a couple of hours, all will be fine.

 UpDate:  Unfortunately the weather did not improve and clouds blocked the viewing of the eclipse.  Sure hope for better luck for the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse.

 

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1000 second @ f8, Orion Solar Filter (over lens), ISO 800

Pic of the Day

Black-throated Green Warbler, Dendroica virens:  Magee Marsh, Ohio

     Watching the fall warblers pass through has me reminiscing about the spring migration.  I shot this this bird from the boardwalk at Magee Marsh where the birds are, at times, at arms lengths.  This Black-throated Green was a little further away, but still willing to pose for his close-up.  Fall isn’t even over and I’m already dreaming of spring migration.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/500sec @ f7.1