If you would like to join me for my Feathers on Friday meme, please put the link to your blog post in the comments and I’ll add the link to my post.
A pair of Blue-winged Teals near the house,
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/500, ISO 100, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
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If you would like to join me for my Feathers on Friday meme, please put the link to your blog post in the comments and I’ll add the link to my post.
I photographed this female Wilson’s Phalorope the other day as I was trying to photograph the Cinnamon Teal, but the phalaropes were more accommodating!
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/800, ISO 100, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
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I went for a drive one evening at the end of April with the intent of photographing the nearby one-room school house in the beautiful evening light, but I saw some good birds as well.
There were lots of Snow Geese, Canada Geese, and Northern Pintails feeding in our field and in the neighbours’; Northern Shovelers, Buffleheads, American Avocets, Lesser Yellowlegs, Tree Swallows, Snow Buntings, and a Red-tailed Hawk were also around.
A pair of Buffleheads,
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/500, ISO 160, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Northern Shovelers,
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 160, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Driving down one of the back roads, there was a big raptor sitting on a fence post, and it was a Peregrine Falcon! I took a few photos before it flew off. This is the second Peregrine I’ve seen in the area. The last and first one I saw was in September last year.
The Peregrine Falcon — such a stately bird,
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 160, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 160, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
A view of the school from distance,
Nikon D610, handheld, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 100, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
I switched my 200-500 mm lens to the 50mm lens to better photograph the school. A Great Horned Owl was sitting in the back window of the school, and because of the lens switch, I didn’t get very good photos.
The departing Great Horned Owl,
Nikon D610, handheld, f1.4D, 1/400, ISO 160, Nikkor 50mm, natural light
The quaint Chatsworth School,
Nikon D610, handheld, f1.4D, 1/500, ISO 125, Nikkor 50mm, natural light
Two Rock Pigeons then flew out the windows, and that pretty much concluded the birding for the evening.
Nikon D610, handheld, f1.4D, 1/1,000, ISO 320, Nikkor 50mm, natural light
The other week it was time for our Naturalist Society’s annual field trip to Camp Wainwright, Alberta, to view the Sharp-tailed Grouse dance.
It was my sixth time waking up before sunrise to watch the birds on their lek. Until this year, I had been using point and shoot cameras to photograph the grouse, but this year I was eager to use my new DSLR! Luckily the morning was nice and sunny, through we had to leave just as the light was getting really good. All the photographs I took were with the Nikkor 200-500mm lens. I so enjoyed taking photos with my D610 and I can’t wait to use it more throughout the spring and summer.
The grouse seemed to be very active behind the blinds, and I was hoping to photograph the males sparring, but I guess they weren’t in much of a fighting mood that morning. Our group counted eight displaying males this year, and two females.
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/250, ISO 6400, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/250, ISO 5000, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/250, ISO 3200, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/250, ISO 3200, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/320, ISO 3200, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/320, ISO 3200, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
A female looking at the males,
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 2000, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 2000, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 2000, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 2000, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 1600, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 1600, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 1600, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 1600, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/500, ISO 1600, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/500, ISO 1600, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/640, ISO 1600, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/800, ISO 1600, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 1600, Nikkor 200-500mm, natural light
The Sharp-tailed Grouse tours are hosted every year by the Wainwright Wildlife Society. This year they’re holding the tours until May 7th, so if you’re interested in watching this amazing spectacle, bookings are still available. Contact ljhoover AT hotmail DOT com or phone 780-842-2399 to register. The cost for the tour is $10 for students and $15 for adults.
You can find the Wainwright Wildlife Society’s website here and you can “Like” them on their Facebook page here.
If you would like to join me for my Feathers on Friday meme, please put the link to your blog post in the comments and I’ll add the link to my post.
Up until yesterday, my photos of Western Meadowlarks weren’t very good. The species have nested in our yard for years, but I was never able to get any decent photos.
I came back to the house for lunch this afternoon and this male Western Meadowlark was singing on a fence post. I got my camera and took a few photos, and though they’re good, I’d like to work on taking some even better ones.
A Western Meadowlark,
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 100, Nikkor 50mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 100, Nikkor 50mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f5.6, 1/400, ISO 100, Nikkor 50mm, natural light
More Feathers on Friday Posts:
If you would like to join me for my Feathers on Friday meme, please put the link to your blog post in the comments and I’ll add the link to my post.
I was photographing prairie crocuses the other day when my first of season Turkey Vulture flew right over my head. Because of the flowers, I had just my small 50mm lens on my camera (not the best lens for far-off bird photography), but I was surprised at how well the photos turned out. A nice surprise on a spring afternoon!
A Turkey Vulture,
Nikon D610, handheld, f9, 1/400, ISO 100, Nikkor 50mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f9, 1/400, ISO 100, Nikkor 50mm, natural light
My intended photography subjects, prairie crocuses,
Nikon D610, handheld, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 100, Nikkor 50mm, natural light
Nikon D610, handheld, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 100, Nikkor 50mm, natural light
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Prairie Birder 