Tag: birding

Gulls in Flight

Gulls in Flight

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Gulls in Flight – Gulls are a very unique bird, some may say they are pest and some may say they are extremely smart.

They are definitely good at finding food or stealing food. But, if you are new at photography and want to learn how to photography birds in flight. Gulls are the perfect subject.

I learned so many better techniques by photographing gulls, because they glide and hover which makes it easier to track them with your camera.

Gulls in Flight

It is fun to get a photo with their maximum wingspan and tail feathers spread out.

Plus they sit still for long periods of time so you can practice your still shots as well.

You may not know this, but they do dive head first into the water to catch a fish now and then.

diving gull

Gulls in Flight

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Finally Photographed a Bird

Finally Photographed a Bird

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Finally Photographed a Bird – This is the first bird photo I have taken in quite awhile. I have not seen many on our travels this fall.

This is a mockingbird that sat very patiently in this holly tree. I love that shot with the red berries and blue sky with the bird.

Hopefully I will be seeing more birds again soon

Finally Photographed a Bird

Finally Photographed a Bird

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Swan Dive

Swan Dive

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Swan Dive – Look at the size of those flippers. I took these photos in Iowa a couple of years ago. I just had to bring them back up being I have been posting about swans.

We were walking along the edge of a small lake surrounded by tall vegetation and we could here this loud noise and the sound of water splashing. We walked over to a clearing and looked across the water and found the source of all this commotion.

Swan Dive

Seeing a swan taking a bath is quite something. They have a wing span of 6 to 10 feet long. The longest wingspan recorded is 10 feet 2 inches.

Swan Dive

The trumpeter swan is the largest extant species of waterfowl, and both the heaviest and longest native bird of North America. They come in at 15 to 30 lbs.

swan taking a bath

These swans need at least a 100 meter-long “runway” of open water: running hard across the surface, they almost sound like galloping horses as they generate speed for take off. About as long as a soccer field.

swan splashing in water

Hopefully I will photograph that one day, landing and taking off.

Swan Dive
Swan Dive

Swan Dive

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Photo Manipulation

Photo Manipulation

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Photo Manipulation also called composites. which means two or more photos put together as one. I occasionally make composites, when my imagination seems to be sparking an idea.

Take for instance these two swans. When I look at a photo, I always crop in 100% to check the quality of the photo and check to see if there are any defects that need attention.

Photo Manipulation

When I crop in on a photo, my mind will wonder off as I picture the subject in a different light

Photo Manipulation

I cropped in even further on this photo so I can actually see how clear the face is and the eyes. I always want to see if the eyes are crisp sharp, in this case they are just to dark, but the feathers around the face look pretty sharp.

Then I crop in one more time and the water in the background makes my imagination start to turn, it looks as though the swan is sticking its head up out of the water as if its body is underwater.

So then I just have to see if I can make it look like it is peaking out of the water at me and because it appears that the swan is looking right at me, the words Navy Seal runs through my mind.

Photo Manipulation

Well, all I could do is add some goggles that I found on the internet, just for a fun photo. Now I know why it takes me forever to edit photos, I can’t help but to try and create what my imagination is throwing at me. Then I just turn the computer off and go outside for awhile, laughing of course. 🙂

Have a great weekend.

Oh, on Monday I will show you the other swan I photographed when we were out west, a swan that is only suppose to be found in Australia.

Photo Manipulation

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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The Trumpeter Swan

The Trumpeter Swan

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The Trumpeter Swan – There are 6 swans species and I have photographed two of them. This one here being the trumpeter swan.

I went for years never seeing a swan anywhere, but now do to conservation efforts these swans have been taken off of the endangered species list and are found in many states including Iowa. Where I photographed these here.

The Trumpeter Swan

I added the snow effect on this bottom photo.

The Trumpeter Swan

This photo below has a soft white vignette.

This photo below has some sparkling water effects around the swans. I do like this one below.

The Trumpeter Swan

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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23 Woodpecker Species

23 Woodpecker Species

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23 Woodpecker Species native to the United States and I have photographed 9 of them so far.

Starting with the Pileated Woodpecker

23 Woodpecker Species

Yellow Bellied Sapsucker photographed in Washington

23 Woodpecker Species

Northern Flicker photographed in Michigan

Red Headed Woodpecker photographed in Illinois

23 Woodpecker Species

Gila Woodpecker photographed in Arizona

Golden Fronted Woodpecker photographed in Texas

23 Woodpecker Species

Red Bellied Woodpecker photographed in Iowa

red bellied woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker photographed in Iowa

23 Woodpecker Species

Downy Woodpecker photographed in the woods somewhere. I can’t remember where I found this one. 🙂

downy woodpecker

Have a great weekend, September is almost over. Autumn is here, I hope you all get to go outdoors and enjoy the fall weather.

23 Woodpecker Species

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Pileated Woodpecker Speed

Pileated Woodpecker Speed

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Pileated Woodpecker Speed – Pileated Woodpeckers are known for their speed, agility, and power. They are able to fly up to 30 miles per hour and sustain speeds of over 60 miles per hour when diving.

Additionally, Pileated Woodpeckers have been known to use their strong bills to chip away at tree trunks at a rate of up to 20 times per second. This combination of speed and strength makes Pileated Woodpeckers one of the most impressive birds in the Pileated woodpecker family.

Pileated Woodpecker Speed

I took a lot of photos to get these 4 good ones of this bird in flight. I am using a 600 mm lens and the weight of this camera is about 6 lbs. and moving it back and forth tilted up at the bird is a challenge by itself.

But I always like a good challenge. 🙂

Pileated Woodpecker Speed

Pileated Woodpecker Speed

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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The Pileated Woodpecker

The Pileated Woodpecker

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The Pileated Woodpecker is one of the biggest, most striking forest birds on the continent. It’s nearly the size of a crow, black with bold white stripes down the neck and a flaming-red crest.

Look (and listen) for Pileated Woodpeckers whacking at dead trees and fallen logs in search of their main prey, carpenter ants, leaving unique rectangular holes in the wood. The nest holes these birds make offer crucial shelter to many species including swifts, owls, ducks, bats, and pine martens.

The Pileated Woodpecker

I normally see 4 of these gorgeous birds around my place all summer long. They are easy to find because of their size and they are actually very fast birds in flight. I actually got a couple photos of them flying I will share on tomorrows post.

The Pileated Woodpecker

I photographed this one below in Montana.

pileated woodpecker

The Pileated Woodpecker

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Such a Cool Looking Bird

Such a Cool Looking Bird

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Such a Cool Looking Bird – Many people consider the loon a symbol of wilderness; its rich yodeling and moaning calls, heard by day or night, are characteristic sounds of early summer in the north woods. In winter, silent and more subtly marked.

Common Loons inhabit coastal waters and large southern lakes. In such places they are solitary while feeding, but may gather in loose flocks at night.

Such a Cool Looking Bird

The Common Loon video;

Sounds of the Common Loon Bird, Striking Colors, Young Loons Preparing to Fly from Water, Sparkles

Loons are water birds, only going ashore to mate and incubate eggs. Their legs are placed far back on their bodies, allowing efficient swimming but only awkward movement on land.

Such a Cool Looking Bird

Loons are like airplanes in that they need a runway for takeoff. In the case of loons, they need from 30 yards up to a quarter-mile (depending on the wind) for flapping their wings and running across the top of the water in order to gain enough speed for lift-off.

Such a Cool Looking Bird

Like many young birds, juvenile loons are really on their own after mom and dad leave at about 12 weeks. The parents head off on migration in the fall, leaving juveniles to gather into flocks on northern lakes and make their own journey south a few weeks later. Once the juveniles reach coastal waters on the ocean, they stay there for the next two years. In the third year, young loons return north.

Such a Cool Looking Bird

Such a Cool Looking Bird

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Hummingbirds and Flowers

Hummingbirds and Flowers

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Hummingbirds and Flowers -This was the best summer I have had with my flower gardens and seeing the hummingbirds, bees and butterflies using them was such a treat. I will be doing this again next year for sure. The hummingbirds are gone now for this year.

We have had a couple of frost already up here and some of the flowers did not do so well. Except these below and my sunflowers, the frost did not bother them.

Hummingbirds and Flowers
Hummingbirds and Flowers

I am not sure what to make of this photo below. Does it not look like the hummingbird on top is sticking its tongue out at the hummingbird below.

Crazy kids. 🙂

Hmmm Hummingbirds :)

Until next year hummingbirds, can’t wait to see you in the spring again.

Hummingbirds and Flowers

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Daran the Heron

Daran the Heron

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Daron the Heron – I have just a couple of photos left of this beautiful bird that I took down south last winter. I actually took enough photos of them to be able to share with you all summer off and on. I never get tired of looking at their amazing colors and long flowing feathers.

Daran the Heron

One thing I noticed when I look at the videos I take of these birds is that they have a lot of patience and they can go along time without blinking. Yes they blink, they actually have 3 eyelids.

This video below is an example of one not blinking for 30 seconds. Click here, Heron Staring Contest

Staring Contest with a Blue Heron, Can You Go 30 sec Without Blinking, #shorts Stare into his eyes
Daran the Heron

Daran the Heron

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Wings Touching Water

Wings Touching Water

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Wings Touching Water – Awhile back I had mentioned how I wanted to take more photo of birds in flight with their wings just grazing the water. Well, pelicans are a good one for doing this because they ride the updrafts along the water, so they can glide for long periods of time and then flap their wings and stay close to the water.

So when we went back north this past spring, we had to stop at the Mississippi river, where you will always find some white pelicans and I was able to add a couple more photos to the list.

Wings Touching Water
Wings Touching Water

Wings Touching Water

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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The Hummingbird

The Hummingbird

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The Hummingbird – they travel over 2,000 miles twice a year. They winter in Central America or Mexico and migrate north to their breeding grounds in the U.S. during late winter and early spring.

When you see what amazing things this tiny little bird can do. It makes me realize there isn’t anything that I can not accomplish. Natures Little Wonders

Have a great weekend.

The Hummingbird
sunset and hummingbird
The Hummingbird
rufous hummingbird

Have a Great Weekend

The Hummingbird

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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ruby throated hummingbird in flight
My Favorite Hummingbird Photos

My Favorite Hummingbird Photos

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My Favorite Hummingbird Photos – normally I always have 4 hummingbirds visiting my place. This year I have only see 2. I did not get a chance to photograph them this year and they are gone already. So, here are a few of last years photos.

My Favorite Hummingbird Photos
ruby throated hummingbird
Male Ruby Throated Hummingbird in a Dream World, abstract art work. Digital art.
rufous hummingbird

My Favorite Hummingbird Photos

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Two New Birds

Two New Birds

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Two New Birds – First the Great Crested Flycatcher. I love all the yellow on its belly, it blends so well with the brown wings. Such a pretty bird.

Great Crested Flycatchers are large flycatchers with fairly long and lean proportions. Like many flycatchers they have a powerful build with broad shoulders and a large head. Despite its name, this bird’s crest is not especially prominent. The bill is fairly wide at the base and straight; the tail is fairly long.

Two New Birds

I have finally seen the Red Headed Woodpecker. I had seen one in a movie I think and figured they must be rare and that I probably would never see one.

Guess what, this one I spotted in Illinois. I was so surprised. It was very far away and did not let me get to close to take a good photo. Such striking bold colors, add this to the life list.

Two New Birds

Two New Birds

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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No Jumping From Pier

No Jumping From Pier

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No Jumping From Pier – Pelicans Talking

“George, are you going to jump? It says no jumping”

No Jumping From Pier

“But look at all those fish down there, I’m jumping”

No Jumping From Pier

Woo Hoo

No Jumping From Pier

“Look at George go, I’m going next”

No Jumping From Pier

Lunch is served

No Jumping From Pier

Short video below of Pelicans on the pier. There isn’t a link for this one, so you have to click visit to go to the web page to see it. Have a great weekend.

Have a great weekend.

No Jumping From Pier

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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The Double Crested Cormorant

The Double Crested Cormorant

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The Double Crested Cormorant – The double-crested cormorant gets its name because during breeding season adults sport two tufts of feathers, one above each eye; the rest of the year, these tufts do not appear.

But what I find so fascinating about this bird is its teal colored eyes. This is not a clear photo but look at the ring of teal color at the bottom of the eye. It almost looks like it is lit up. I will be trying to get a better photo of this next year.

During the high of the breeding season, a cormorant’s teal-blue eyes, bright yellow throat pouch, and tufts of feathers just above the eyes (for which the bird is named) cause this bird to stand out among the rest

The Double Crested Cormorant

The Double Crested Cormorant

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Swallow Tailed Kites

Swallow Tailed Kites

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Swallow Tailed Kites, I finally got to see some of these flying high. Some folks told me about this bird when I was down south. They said they only pass through the area and stay for just a few days. They actually look like kites gliding up above.

Swallow-tailed Kites spend most of their time in the air, capturing and swallowing their food in flight. Rarely flapping their wings, they soar and make tight turns, rotating their tail to steer.

Swallow Tailed Kites

Swallow Tailed Kites

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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He Needs a Bigger Condo

He Needs a Bigger Condo

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He Needs a Bigger Condo, a heron likes to perch up high just like a cat. This one was watching us fish down below. It is a purple martin house and that isn’t a real one laying at the feet of the heron. It is a fake purple martin to attract the real ones. Short video of the heron below or click this link; Heron on a Bird House

I have a fake one on my purple martin house, but I have never seen a purple martin up there yet. It is the end of June and here is wishing everyone a wonderful month of July.

The warm summer days are ahead of us, they remind of being a youngster, enjoying the fresh green grass between your toes, the warm breezes brushing up against your skin. Just love it.

Have a great weekend.

He Needs a Bigger Condo
How to Be Brave on top of the World. #shorts
He Needs a Bigger Condo
He Needs a Bigger Condo

Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂

He Needs a Bigger Condo

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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I Took a Lot of Photos

I Took a Lot of Photos

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I Took a Lot of Photos of this bird, the Indigo Bunting, I was under the impression that being in the far south was the only place you would see this bird. But come to find out I saw it all the way up into Illinois. Now I know they don’t come to Michigan, that is a little to far north for them. 🙂

I Took a Lot of Photos
I Took a Lot of Photos

We were out for a walk one day and looked over to the right and here sat this large unusual looking bird. I had to look it up when I got back. Plus I had the bridge camera on this walk and it just does not do very well when you max out the zoom lens on it.

Anything over 400 mm with this bridge camera the photos will not be clear. But I still was able to get a photo of it to write down in my bird book.

It is called a Bobolink, I have never heard of it but it is quite a fascinating bird.

  • The Bobolink is one of the world’s most impressive songbird migrants, traveling some 12,500 miles (20,000 kilometers) to and from southern South America every year. Throughout its lifetime, it may travel the equivalent of 4 or 5 times around the circumference of the earth.
  • The species name of the Bobolink, oryzivorus means “rice eating” and refers to this bird’s appetite for rice and other grains, especially during migration and in winter.
  • A migrating Bobolink can orient itself with the earth’s magnetic field, thanks to iron oxide in bristles of its nasal cavity and in tissues around the olfactory bulb and nerve. Bobolinks also use the starry night sky to guide their travels.

This picture below is from the internet, I did not take it, it is just to show you what it looks like.

I Took a Lot of Photos

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Really Fast Birds

Really Fast Birds

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Really Fast Birds the Foster Terns. Smaller than all the gulls, with thinner and more pointed bill. Distinguished from other terns by pale whitish wings and orange-based bill in summer, and isolated black ear patch in winter. Forages by circling and hovering over bays, ponds, and lakes, then dropping to snatch fish. 

It was very difficult to follow these guys as they were diving. My camera was going all over the place.

Really Fast Birds

They capture their food by plunge-diving from heights as low as a few feet to as high as 50 feet or more.

Really Fast Birds
Really Fast Birds

Really Fast Birds

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Hanging Out at the Beach Kind of Day

Hanging Out at the Beach Kind of Day

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Hanging Out at the Beach Kind of Day, I still have a few photos from down south, so I will be going back and forth with post as I get a chance to edit my backlog of shots.

The first two photos are birds you almost always see at the beach. I don’t know the exact species name but they run in the family of plovers I believe.

Video of Beach Birds below or here; Beach Birds

Hanging Out at the Beach Kind of Day

With a couple of Oyster catchers hanging out, the birds with the orange bills.

Hanging Out at the Beach Kind of Day
Beach Birds - Wildlife on Beach, Panasonic Lumix Bridge Camera, Slo Mo, Video, Still Shots, Art Work

Hanging Out at the Beach Kind of Day

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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The Palm Warbler

The Palm Warbler

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The Palm Warbler – Warblers are a group of birds in the family Parulidae. There are 100species of warbler in North America. 

Identifying warblers, indeed any bird comes down to knowing some basic facts about the species and then observing it closely. With about 111 species in the family, this can be a challenge. A few species don’t look very ‘warblerish’, like the Ovenbird, Waterthrush, and Yellow-breasted Chat, but for the others, you’ll need some additional help.

The Palm Warbler

Color and plumage patterns, voice, behavior, and habitat are the most important characteristics. Armed with the additional knowledge of a species’ geographic range, you will likely be successful. A good field guide is also invaluable.

This one below I believe is a fly catcher of some sort. But it is also in the group of just another Brown bird for me.

Can you see what is in this tree?

The Palm Warbler

I was surprised to see a dragon fly land in a tree. I was looking at birds and here came this guy with its big green eyes looking for his little bit of fame here on WordPress. 🙂

The Palm Warbler

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

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Sandra J

Sandra J

I am a traveling photographer, I like to travel rural America, the roads less traveled when I can. I love the great outdoors, my Photo Galleries contain Landscapes, wild life and a few just for fun photos. Thank you and have a great day.

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