Blues Series

 Several months ago I embarked on a series of photographs called ,The Blues Series. It involves photographing Steller's Jays in my backyard. Here are some samples

Parking Lot Perch and a Black Cat

I'm always on the lookout for interesting perches to use in my bird photography. While walking across the shopping center parking lot at the end of last week I spotted a small downed branch covered in lichen. I noted where it was located and reminded myself to pick it up on the return trip to my pick up. Sure enough I forgot to grab it. Monday afternoon I was back shopping at the same shopping center when it hit me. Where was that cool perch? I turned from where I was headed and walked back to where I was parked previously. After a bit of looking I was surprised to find it. I tossed it into the bed of the pick up did my shopping and headed home. This morning I clamped the branch beside the bird feeder. Then I put up a new neutral background behind it. I gathered up my photography gear and climbed into the photography blind to wait. Being winter there only a few species that come into the bird feeder. I photographed Chestnut Backed Chickadees, Steller's Jays and Red-Breasted Nuthatches. I was interrupted by the yowling of a cat after about twenty minutes. All of the birds left and a stray black cat that has been hanging around for about a week approached the blind. I called to it and it cautiously came closer. I held out my hand and it sniffed it. Then big shock to me it came into the blind and climbed up into my lap! I petted it for awhile and then walked with it to the house where I gave it a bowl of cat food. It ate all the food and then wandered back into the forest. What a wonderful morning. Merry Christmas to one and all, chris all images were created with a Canon EOS 7D MKII camera and a Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens. Fill flash was provided by a Canon 550 EX speedlight set to minus one and one third stops.Camera settings used were AV mode, ISO 400, Exposures varied. #teamcanon, #withmytamron

Jays and a Nuthatch From Yesterday Morning

As I stated in yesterday's photoblog the birds coming into the bird feeder were non stop. After that most of my morning was spent editing images from an hour of photography which ended up being just under four hundred images which were fairly quickly edited down to about thirty images to go through with a little more intensity. They were mostly Chestnut Backed Chickadees, Steller's Jays and a couple of Red Breasted Nuthatches. Here are some of the Steller's Jays and one Nuthatch.All images were created with a Canon 7D MkII camera and a Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens on a Manfrotto 055 XPROB tripod. #TeamCanon, #WithMyTamron

One Little Chickadee

I started off my day slowly with a leisurely breakfast. Then I went out into the backyard and created a new bird photography set up. I used a lichen covered broken off oak branch I picked up from a fallen tree when Lenore and I were out shopping. After finishing the set up I climbed into my photoblind and waited. There was the thrum of the hummingbirds going back and forth to the nectar feeders and the occasional thunk of an acorn hitting the forest floor. At first there was very little activity. Then the birds found the spot of where the bird feeder had been moved to. After that the action was non stop with one bird after another coming into feed. I photographed birds for about n hour before the light started to get too bright. Here is my favorite Chestnut Backed Chickadee image from the morning. God's precious love to all, chris This image was created with a Canon 7D MkII camera and a Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens at 500mm. The camera was supported with a Manfrotto 055 XPROB Pro tripod with a Bogen 3055 heavy duty ballhead. The camera settings used were AV mode, ISO 800, F8.0 at 1/100th of a sec.#TeamCanon, #WithMyTamron, Secrets of Backyard Bird Photography

Surprise Visit

Yesterday morning I pulled out my photo blind from next to the house. I wanted to get it ready for some bird photography later this week. When I popped the blind open there were two Pacific Chorus Frogs and one good sized Northern Alligator Lizard inside. Because it was still a little chilly out it wasn't too hard to capture them. I photographed the lizard on a piece of mossy lichen lying on top of a piece of whit tagboard before letting them go out in the forest. I really like the end resulting image. God's precious love to all, chris This image was created with a hand held Canon 7D MkII and a Canon EF-S17-85mm lens at 41mm. The camera settings used were, manual mode, ISO 100 F13.0 at 1/160th of a sec. Lighting was provided by two Alien Bee studio lights. both were fitted with 2' x 4' soft boxes.#teamcanon

Remains of the Rain

Yesterday morning I went out to restock the bird feeder in the back yard. A flock of Band-tailed Pigeons took off from a fir tree into the grey cloudy skies as I turned the corner into the backyard. They were a beautiful sight to see. After restocking the feeder I turned and went back to the house. Whle I was stepping in the door I looked down to see a single Madrone leaf with one drop of water sitting on it from last nights rain. That looks pretty cool I thought to myself. I went inside and grabbed my camera and a macro lens. I dragged a nearby bench and used it to brace myself as I focused and photographed the leaf. I tried a variety of compositions but this is the one that I liked the best. May you have a blessed week, chris This image was created with a Canon 7D and a 100mm macro lens. Handheld and braced on a bench. AV mode, ISO 400, F 11.0 at 1/13th of a sec.

Sunrise and a Resident Band-tailed Pigeon

It was a beautiful sunrise over the Mendocino Range and the fog filled Little Lake Vally this morning. After breakfast I set about photographing birds and squirrels coming to a new feeder that I put up yesterday to replace the old one that was destroyed by the squirrels. It's amazing what the squirrels can chew through! While photographing I heard the very distinctive sound of the wings of a Band-tailed Pigeon coming down from the trees. It landed on the ground below the bird feeder and began eating the loose seed that had been knocked off the feeder by the Steller's Jays. I froze then waited and waited. I knew that there couldn't be too much seed on the ground and it would come up to the mossy branch next to the feeder. After what seemed like forever it flew up to the branch. Very, very slowly I composed the camera. At the first click of the shutter it froze and looked around. Band-tailed Pigeons are quite nervous and can be fairly hard to photograph as they are quite alert to danger. This Band-tail is part of a small group of resident pigeons that spend the winter here rather than migrating southward. I often hear them in the trees but rarely manage to capture them at the bird feeder. This morning was one of those rare times. I carefully took as many images as I could before it got too nervous and took off back up to the trees over head. After editing the images this one was my favorite. God's love and blessings upon your day, chris Both images were created with a Canon 7D and a Canon 100-400 IS lens. For the pigeon the camera settings were AV mode, ISO 400, F 8.0 at 1/125th of a sec. The camera was supported by a ground pod and a Bogen 3055 heavy duty ballhead on our bedroom window sill.

Another Rainy Day

This morning when I woke up I could hear the patter of rain on the roof top. A steady rain that lasted most of the morning. I did some bird photography out the bedroom window to a constant stream of birds that were coming to the bird feeder. I only got a few usable images due to the slow shutter speeds that I was getting from the really low light. Afterwards I worked on editing images from photographing birds yesterday afternoon in the rain as well. Here is my favorite of a Dark Eyed Junco. God's love and blessings to all, chrisImage created with a canon 7D and a Tamron 150-600mm lens supported with a Bogen 3055 ballhead and a ground pod on our bedroom window sill. Camera settings used were, ISO 1600, F 8.0 at 1/80th of a sec.

Old, Old Perch

Yesterday morning I worked on creating a new bird photography set up. For a perch I used an old broken off section of a Redwood snag that used to be on our property. When they were doing a controlled burn for fire protection the snag was accidentally knocked over and destroyed. Just counting the rings on the small broken section shows that little piece to be over seventy-five years old. I can't imagine how old that snag must have been! The birds started using the new perch this afternoon. I spent a little bit of time photographing them from my photoblind. This Dark Eyed Junco was the best of the image I created. The composition is good using the rule of thirds with the eye being right on one of the so called power points. The head angle of the bird is great with the bird looking back making eye contact with the viewer with a highlight in the eye. The background is out of focus and non distracting and it is of a complimentary color to the perch which by itself is interesting with the moss. Image created with a Canon 7D and a Tamron 150-600mm lens at 500mm. Camera settings used were AV mode, ISO 800, F 8.0 at 1/160th of a sec. Camera was supported with a Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod with a Bogen ballhead.

Great Birds at the Feeder

Off and on over the past couple of days I have been photographing birds feeding at my new knothole bird feeder in the backyard. The birds have been coming in virtually non stop. There have been Dark Eyed Juncos, Red Breasted Nuthatches and Chestnut Backed Chickadees with a few stray Steller's Jays, squirrels and chipmunks. I have been photographing out of our back bedroom window which faces the backyard. This has made photographing the birds very convenient as I don't even have to go out to the backyard. Here are a few of my favorite images. It's Friday so may you have a blessed weekend, chris All images were created with a Canon 7D and a Tamron 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD,The camera was supported on a ground pod with a Bogen ballhead placed on our bedroom window. Camera was settings used were AV mode, ISO 1600 for the dark conditions, F stops and shutter speeds varied.

New Knothole Feeder

This morning after grocery shopping and running errands I photographed the birds in my backyard with my new knothole bird feeder. The birds absolutely love it and the squirrels aren't small enough to fit into it. Give them some time though and they will eventually chew their way in. After sitting down and editing the images this one of a Chestnut Backed Chickadee stood out as my favorite. May you have a blessed day, chris Image created with a Canon 7D and a Tamron 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD at 483mm,The camera was supported on a ground pod with a Bogen ballhead placed on our bedroom window. Camera settings used were AV mode, ISO 1600, F 11.0 at 1/80th of a sec.