Winter Eagle Trips

Photograph taken with canon 55 - 250 mm lens

During the wintertime, I did not get out as much as I would have liked.  However, I did take several trips to my favorite bald eagle areas.  In the beginning of February, I took off some days from work for my birthday, which gave me some opportunities to get out and take some photographs.  During my trips in February, the eagle counts were amazing.  I was seeing at least over twenty a day.  Several days there were at least ten or more eagles in view of my camera.   It was remarkable to see.  I had not seen numbers like that in at least two years.

Photograph taken with bower 650 - 1300 mm lens

  

Even with the high numbers, I did not manage many good photos.  At that point, in the winter I was still only using my Bower 650-1300 mm manual focus lens. So, photographing birds in flight was difficult, unless they were close enough where I could use my shorter lenses.  I did manage a shot through a hole in thick brush, of a pair of full mature eagles together on a branch.  The immature eagle photograph atop the post was an old photograph that I found on my memory card when I started the camera up for the first time in a year.

Photograph taken with sigma 150 - 600 mm contemporary lens

Towards the end of March, I purchased my new Sigma 150-600 contemporary lens. I had a few days off from work, and I took a couple of more trips out for eagles. The numbers were drastically lower than the prior month.  I was lucky if I was seeing more than five eagles in a trip.  The one day, I spent almost eight hours out and did not see anything within range.  I did take one photograph of an eagle sitting in a tree with the new lens, but that was about it.  (The photo is above)

Photograph taken with sigma 150 - 600 mm contemporary lens

I did not really get to test the auto focus lens on eagles this year. During the down times when I was not seeing eagles I did try to take some photographs of the smaller birds that were coming to feed at the feeders that are set up.  I did manage some shots of black cap chickadees and nuthatches.  I have included two of those photographs.  I am really looking forward to next winter's eagle season.  Hopefully, I will be able to pull off more action shots, now that I have a long range auto focus lens.

Photograph taken with sigma 150 - 600 mm contemporary lens  

Since my winter outings, I have taken several trips out to the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area, hoping to photograph waterfowl that are migrating through our region this time of year.  It has allowed me to get somewhat used to the new lens, and how it functions.  In the next posts, I will cover those trips, and then I will be caught up thus far.  Until next time.

Winter Weather

I didn't have many chances to get out this week, due to job interviews and the weather.  However I did go through some of my older pictures and found two that I liked.  So I will post them.  One was a black capped chickadee in my backyard.  The other was a black duck from last week.  

I am looking forward to getting out again soon.  Hopefully the weather is better this week, because Winter Storm Thor seemed to last forever here and ruined the start of the week.  This week’s weather looks more promising so hopefully nothing changes.  Enjoy the images.  Until Next Time.

Rainy Day

I took a couple more trips out since the last post.  The bald eagle count has been low, but the weather has been very cold.  Even though the eagle count is down the trips were not uneventful.  I have been seeing a pair of cardinals, blue jays, nuthatches, dark eyed juncos, black capped chickadees, sparrows, a downy woodpecker, and a red bellied woodpecker.  The male cardinal has cooperated, but the female has not been where I could get a shot of her.  

Also I did get a shot of the red bellied woodpecker that I was happy with.  Today has been a rain out but I’m hoping to get out again soon.  The rain did give me a chance to go through my photographs from the last few trips at least.  I was very satisfied with the way some of them came out.  I am really hoping I start to see more bald eagles soon, but if they don’t decide to show up at least ill have fun photographing the smaller birds. 

The weather report for the coming week does not seem promising but hopefully I will get a few good days.  Hope everyone enjoys the photographs. Until next time.  

Small Bird Extravaganza

I know it has been a long time since my last post.  But I have now graduated from college and have more opportunities to go out and photograph wildlife.  On my trip yesterday I was looking for Bald Eagles but I didn't see many.  The numbers have been low so far this year, and I'm hoping they get better soon.  The few eagles I did see were not in range to get a shot.
 

However while I was out I did see an abundance of small birds.  I saw a downy woodpecker and a red bellied woodpecker.  Also there was a pair of cardinals and probably a dozen or more blue jays.  There was also many other small bird species including dark eyed juncos, sparrows, and black capped chickadees.  I was surprised that I did not see any nuthatches.

Overall it turned out to be a fun day, and I am looking forward to seeing more Bald Eagles this year.  From my trip I did get some nice photographs of small birds.  Included in the post our my favorites.  Hoping to get out a few more times this week and get some more photographs.  Hope everyone enjoys the photographs.  Until next time.

Great Break for Photography

This break has been my favorite in a while.  Not only did I get to see my family but I also got to try out my new hunting blind.  It worked better than I thought it would and it allowed me to be closer to the wildlife than I had ever been.  I photographed Cardinals, Blue Jays, Black Cap Chickadee’s, Tufted Titmouse, Squirrels, and a Red Bellied Woodpecker.  Over the period of a few days I’ve taken hundreds of photographs and I have been working on going though them to see what I really got.  I was quite pleased with them overall.  I’m looking forward to my Christmas break because I know I will get some better shots of the birds with the snow in the photographs.  Also the Bald Eagles will be coming back for the winter and I can’t wait. 

I will hopefully be able to upload more images over the next few days.  But I will be really busy with work, because there is only two weeks left of school before the semester ends.  Hope you enjoy the photographs.