I took a break from the din of the multiple commercial fans drying out the water damage in our townhouse, and headed down to Elgin Heritage Park. It’s one of my favourite places to photograph birds.
Images
First Shots with New 150-600mm Tamron Zoom
I took a bunch of photos today with the new Tamron 150-600mm zoom (225-900mm equivalent on my DX-sensor Nikons).
Here are a few from the Byrne Creek habitat in SE Burnaby:
Butterfly on leaf
A slightly different view
Grasshopper in Byrne Creek habitat in SE Burnaby
And several from Piper Spit at Burnaby Lake in Burnaby:
Goslings at Piper Spit, Burnaby Lake
Female wood ducks, Burnaby Lake
I think female wood ducks are so cute!
While male wood ducks are quite spectacular
Duck playing hide and seek among the lillypads
A common whitetail dragonfly?
All of the above shots were with the Tamron 150-600 on a Nikon D5200 camera. ISOs ranged from 400 in bright sunlight to 1,600 in shade to keep shutter speeds high. The lens was mounted on a Manfrotto 679B monopod with a Vanguard SBH-100 ball head.
While heavy, this rig is not unmanageable. I think I would have soon tired if the rig had not been on a monopod. It was useful not only for stabilization while shooting, but also to simply stand and rest!
Tamron 150-600mm Zoom Arrives
I ordered a Tamron 150-600 zoom lens several months ago, knowing that the new lens had gained instant popularity and was near impossible to find in stock anywhere. It finally arrived today. I have yet to take it out for a shoot, but zounds, it is big.
Here it is next to an 18-200mm Nikkor
For best results, I’m sure a tripod is recommended : -).
On my DX format Nikon DSLRs, this baby will have an effective focal length of 225-900mm. I can’t wait to get out somewhere like the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary to try it out.
Forest Photos from Alice Lake, BC
It’s hot and sunny today, so the beaches were crowded at Alice Lake Provincial Park just north of Squamish, BC, and the campground was full. I was there for the easy ramble around the lake, and found the trail cool and nearly deserted.
You can find my Flickr album here.
Cleaning the Closet, Taking Photos for the Memories
I’ve got amazing junk hanging around. Today I am tossing several Ts and sweats into the rag basket, but I’m shooting them for the memories.
First up, my sweatshirt from the Carleton University Bachelor of Journalism program from 1984-85.
A Goodtimers T-shirt dating to the late 1980s in Tokyo, Japan. The Goodtimers were an English-speaking jogging club. I met my wife, Yumi, through this group.
Closeup of the logo.
And the back.
Goodtimers sweatshirt
A special event Goodtimers T, date June 26, 1994. We were aiming for a cumulative 750km in one day around the Imperial Palace moat in Tokyo.
1987 Honolulu Marathon T. My one and only full marathon. As I recall, I finished in around 4:50, with a muscle tear in my thigh. Shoulda stopped, but. . . didn’t see myself doing more marathons so I really wanted to get this one done. Was limping for weeks.
A five-miler done in Portland in 1990.
Yevshan Ukrainian Dancers T circa late 1970s? I wasn’t a dancer, but I played bass guitar in their Sweden tour orchestra.
Canadian Ukrainian Youth Association, circa 1970s. I was president of the Saskatoon chapter, and the Saskatchewan Provincial Council way back when…
No, I never attended Columbia, but my Mom did from around 1969-71. My sister and I attended elementary classes at a “free school” associated with Teacher’s College. We ended up mostly home-schooling with textbooks sent from Canada.
I really need to get rid of stuff like this. Stuff that’s been sitting untouched for decades, but I’m a sentimental softy. So now it’s preserved, somewhat, digitally, and yet my wife can be happy that I’m tossing it : -).
Used Book Steal of a Deal
My steal of a deal of the week. Used books from a seniors’ society thrift store on Whidbey Island, WA, a few days ago. Try around $5 for the stack.
I don’t buy many new “paper” books any more, just used ones. New books tend to go to either my Kindle or my Kobo these days.
Civilized Campfires and Creative Thoughts
A civilized campfire last night, with champagne at hand .
BTW, that tendril of light escaping from my forehead is a really good thought leaking out of my brain. Such thoughts only happen around campfires with champagne, and are otherwise not visible. : – )
Photo by my lovely wife, Yumi
Birds’ Breakfast Buffet at Birch Bay State Park
Here’s a set of photos I took this morning at Birch Bay State Park in WA. It was a veritable breakfast buffet on the beach for various birds. Herons were chowing down on several kinds of fish, and what appeared to be lamprey. Gulls were rooting out clams, carrying them up and then dropping them to break them open. An eagle sat overlooking the breakfast scene while being harassed by a crow. Stimulating morning on the beach!
Cute Deer at Fort Ebey State Park, WA
There are lots of deer in state parks on Whidbey Island that are fairly accustomed to people. The ones we’ve seen have been wary, and not overly tame, but confident enough to get good photos.
I think we’ve seen the following one twice in about as many weeks at Fort Ebey State Park. Same area, same size, same behavior.
Out in the open above, and nearly concealed between the tree at bottom right below.
A Fave Hawk Photo from 2009
I “shot” this hawk couple on their nest on a rural road in southern Alberta back in 2009.
I
I’ve been asked several times over the years if this is a photo of a diorama in some museum. It’s definitely a live shot.
I saw the nest as I was slowly cruising down a rural road. It was likely the Red Coat Trail, or a parallel road nearby.
I spotted the nest, drove past it in an attempt to allay suspicions, and slowly wandered back toward it, hiding any equipment, as hawks are very shy of anything that looks like a “projection” or rifle.
I slowly angled into the ditch and eventually snapped several shots, but the parents were getting agitated, so I backed off.
Just in time. The male swooped me seconds later as I was backing away, but seeing that I was already retreating, he stayed 5-10 meters above me.
An exhilarating experience, but one that also respected the birds. As soon as I knew I was intruding, I backed off.
If you try this, please give them their space, too. Thanks!