Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Your Call?

Which of today’s two featured images is the strongest? Please be so kind as to leave a comment and let us know why you liked the one you like best.

Need a New Laptop?

Need a new laptop for photography? Consider the Apple 16″ MacBook Pro (M3 Max, Space Black).

Key Features

Apple M3 Max 16-Core Chip
128GB Unified RAM | 8TB SSD
16″ 3456 x 2234 Liquid Retina XDR Screen
40-Core GPU | 16-Core Neural Engine
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) | Bluetooth 5.3
Thunderbolt 4 | HDMI | MagSafe 3
SDXC Slot | FaceTime HD 1080p Camera
Backlit Magic Keyboard
Force Touch Trackpad | Touch ID Sensor
macOS

In other words, the bomb. Looking to spend a bit less? Click here and search for Apple MacBook Pro M3. Feel free to e-mail or call (863-221-23720 for laptop advice.

Why Not Buy Your MacBook Pro From Apple?

If you purchase a laptop from Apple and have a problem right off the bat they will fix it for you in a few days or a week after you send it to them. They will not replace it. If you purchase a laptop from B&H and have a problem right out of the box, they will send you a new one no questions asked.

What’s Up?

My trip home was blessedly uneventful. I managed a bit of sleep on the southbound Auto Train and got lots of work done. By doing three second edits, I cleared .19 TB of space on my laptop. I like to have at least 5TB of space on the solid state drive in the laptop so that I will not have any problems when backing up to my 4TB SSDs. The work I did on the train got me here: 5.02 TB available of 8 TB.

I was glad to hear that Greg Clarkson sold his Sony 90mm Macro lens for the asking price the first day it was listed. If you are interested in his pretty much new Sony 200-600 G Lens, check out his listing on the Used Gear page here.

Today is Friday 6 September and it feels good to be home. Bird photography at Indian Lake Estates on muggy August days is usually not very good so I will be staying in this morning. I have lots to do in the next few weeks, most importantly, is finishing my 2023 tax return. I have been working on a mega-YouTube video: Shutter Speeds for Bird Photography. Stay tuned. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have fun and to enjoy life.

Please remember to use the B&H links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a Thank You gift here.

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear.

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II DSLR Camera Body

Used Gear page veteran Ralph Fletcher is offering a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II dSLR Camera in near-excellent condition (would be excellent plus but for some chipped paint on the bottom of the camera body) for $999.00. The sale includes the original box, the front lens cap, the battery and the charger, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Ralph via at e-mail or by phone at 1-603-969-5776 (eastern time zone).

The 1DX Mark II is a rugged, fast Canon professional digital camera body. It features an excellent AF system and high quality image files with great dynamic range. When he used Canon, it was the first choice of Arash Hazeghi, the world’s premier photographer of birds in flight. Two 1DX II served as my workhorse bodies for several years. And I loved them. artie

Save 15%!

If you’d like to try out a new lens or if you need a lens for a specific trip or project (or for an IPT), LensRentals.com is the only way to go. To save 15%, simply click on the logo link above, arrange for your rental, and type in BIRDSASART15. If you type the gear you are looking for in the search box, it will pop right up. LensRentals.com offers affordable insurance. You can decline it, opt for LensCap: Damage Only, or select LensCap: Damage & Theft. Then hit PROCEED TO CHECKOUT. After you enter all of your info but before completing your order, be sure to scroll down to Promo Code box and enter the BIRDSASART15 code to save 15%.

I checked on renting a Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens for a week. The cost is only $122.00. LensCap: Damage Only coverage can be added for a very low $18.00. Going with LensCap: Damage & Theft would be $27.00. The shipping charge varies. They offer an interesting program called Lensrentals HD. By signing up for this shipping discount program ($99.00/year), you’ll get free Standard Shipping on all the orders you place.

Renting a Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens for a week will cost you $536.00. The two coverage options come in at $76.00 or $114.00. Less your 15% discount when you enter the BIRDSASART15 code into the Promo Code box at checkout and enter the BIRDSASART15 code in the Promo Code box at checkout to save 15%.

Remember, to save the 15% on your rental you must start your search by clicking on the logo above, or on this link: LensRentals.com

B&H

To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. B&H will reopen on Fri April 14. Thanking me for the past 4000 educational blog posts could not be any easier and will not cost you one penny. Please shoot me your B&H receipt for major purchases.

Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. When I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.

Bedfords Simplified

Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.

Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.

Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often stave you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

This image was created on 17 August 2024 on a Nickerson Beach (extended) IPT. Seated on damp sand I used the lowered Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the rear wheel. Multi metering +1.7 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 500: 1/30 second at f/4 (wide open) in Shutter Priority Mode. AWB at 6:18:07am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: American Oystercatcher juvenile flapping after bath

Two Wins for Shutter Priority Mode

In the recent Two Sony a-1 Black-bellied Action Images here, I wrote, in part:

There are times, however, when working in situations where the tonality of the background is relatively consistent that working in Shutter Priority mode offers some huge advantages. At the beach, before the sun comes up, the sky, the water, and the beach are all of about the same tonality, each much lighter than a middle tone. As the possibility of creating some nice pleasing blurs exists, I will set up the camera as follows: AUTO ISO, Exposure Compensation (EC) on the thumb dial, and Shutter Priority. Then I’ll usually set the EC to +2 1/3 stops and the shutter speed to 1/15 sec., the classic blur speed.

The camera sets the ISO and the well-to-the-right exposures are excellent. And, I can quickly and easily change the shutter speed during a blastoff to try for a different effect. If a nice bird lands right in front of me, I can quickly dial the shutter speed up to 1/60 or 1/125 sec. and begin making sharp images almost instantly (without having to change both the shutter speed and the ISO as I would have had to do if I had been working in Manual mode). Note: By using Zebra technology, I can always tweak the EC as needed.

Win #1

With a single bird fairly close, a shutter speed of 1/30 sec., and the bird flapping after a bath, I created an image with precisely the degree of wing blur that I was looking for, the angelic look. And I judged the eye just sharp enough so that I did not have to mess with it.

This image was created on 17 August 2024 on a Nickerson Beach (extended) IPT. Seated on damp sand I used the lowered Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the rear wheel. Multi metering +1.7 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 1000: 1/30 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Shutter Priority Mode. AWB at 6:19:39am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: American Oystercatcher juvenile pausing for an instant mid-bath

Win #2

As noted in the previous blog post quoted above, you can often create something sharp by increasing the shutter speed to 1/60 or 1/125 sec. Image #2 was one of a fairly long series of images, all at 1/30 sec. At that shutter speed, I absolutely got lucky by creating a single sharp-on-the-eye photo. Click on the image and you can see the sharp eye and lots of motion blur elsewhere on the bird. At the instant I hit the shutter button, the bird’s head, by chance, was perfectly still while the wings and the waves were moving.

Why Did I Add the 1.4X TC?

I wanted to get closer, but as I was shooting with two other photographers and did not want to risk disturbing the un-banded family of four, I opted to add the 1.4X TC. Because I was working in Shutter Priority mode, I did not have to change a single setting. If I had been in manual mode, I would have had to change the ISO.

Note that with practice, you can add a TC to a tripod mounted telephoto lens in less than 30 seconds.

Water Color Question

Do you like the grayish-blue water in both images? Or would you have preferred the water either darker and bluer or lighter and whiter?

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Working a Subject

Photographing a species and then checking it off your list is not something that I strive to do. The idea is to create interesting images. Though each of today’s photos is of the same subject, juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs, each is distinctly different. There are a variety of behaviors, poses, habitats, and image formats and designs.

Your Call?

Which of today’s seven featured images is the strongest? Please be so kind as to leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice.

Please note that there are several additional questions below; each is designed to make you think and hopefully, to help you become a better bird photographer.

What’s Up?

With high tide at 7:20am and cloudy skies and a southeast wind forecast for Friday past, I set my alarm for 5:15am and arrived at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge just after 6:15am. I had planned on visiting the East Pond on the Combo IPT on the previous set of morning high tides but things were so good at Nickerson Beach that Geri and I never made it.

As I walked out onto the pond, I was delighted to note the low water level. Kudos to the refuge management for getting the gate valve at the north end of the pond repaired and keeping the water down despite lots of recent rain. What struck me the most, were the huge stands of blossoming saltmarsh fleabane (Pluchea odorata) that covered acres and acres of shoreline. On 46 years of previous visits, you might see a few plants blossoming at the end of August.

I was feeling quite nostalgic as I traversed the pond. Forty-eight years ago, on my first visit to the East Pond, I saw a Marbled Godwit that wound up changing the remainder of my adult life. I thought of the late Thomas H. Davis Jr, all 145 pounds, 6′ 9″ of him. He taught me to identify and age the shorebirds that visit the pond every season. I thought of my late wife Elaine picking up a dying Forster’s Tern and comforting it. Memories of rare birds and two Jewish high holiday screw-ups flooded my mind and left me feeling quite emotional at times.

I was glad to see lots of shorebirds on the pond. I began on the South Flats and made my way up to the Raunt stopping several times to photograph. I left quite satisfied at about 11:00am. I hit the sack early on Saturday night and woke completely refreshed at 4:45am. I had not planned on returning to the pond but figured what the heck. After making some raspberry tea, I headed back to the East pond leaving at 5:45am.

With the wind having switched to the southwest, I was not feeling stoked. The morning began slowly but then things got better and better. I had lots of birds posing on the weathered boards at the Raunt and right before I headed home at 11:30am, I got my best ever, heck, probably my first ever, images of a Sora, a small usually secretive rail.

Today is Monday September 2, 2024. With a cold northwest wind in the forecast, I opted to stay home and begin packing up for my trip home. I see Dr. Pop tomorrow to have the seven stitches removed from the back of my right thumb. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you choose to have fun.

Please remember to use the B&H links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Supporting My Efforts Here

If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.

In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear.

This image was created on 31 August 2024 at the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY. Seated on damp grass and mud behind my flattened Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 1600. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:12:30am on a very cloudy morning. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: Lesser Yellowlegs — worn juvenal plumage lying flat in the water

Behavior Question

Why is this bird lying flat in the water?

This image was created on 31 August 2024 at the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY. Seated on damp grass I used the heel-pod technique to get as low as possible with the Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 2000. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/640 second at f/5.6 (stopped down one full stop for depth of field) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:15:27am on a very cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #2: Lesser Yellowlegs — worn juvenal plumage standing

Image Optimization Question

Images #1 and #2 are of the same bird photographed in the same light just minutes apart. For the first image, I desaturated it completely but for the yellow on the bill that was then juiced up. The color in the second image is much more accurate. Which version do you prefer?

Because of the answer to the behavior question above, this bird posed quite close to me long enough for me to remove the 1.4X TC, take the right off the tripod, and make several images. I will share my choice in the next blog post.

This image was created on 31 August 2024 at the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY. Seated on damp grass and mud behind my flattened Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 1600. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be dead solid perfect. AWB at 9:05:57am on a then cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #3: Lesser Yellowlegs — worn juvenal plumage on weathered timber with sedge

The Raunt

About 1/4 of the way up the eastern shore of the East Pond (heading north, toward the city), you will come across the remains of a circa 1950s baymen’s community.

Many lengths of weathered timber can be found in the area. Most are covered with algae and some have a variety of wetlands vegetation growing on them. These old rotting beams and planks make ideal perches for the visiting shorebirds because you get to see their feet (usually unseen in an inch or two of brackish water).

This image was created on 31 August 2024 at the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY. Seated on damp grass and mud behind my flattened Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 800. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 second at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect. AWB at 10:03:17am on a very cloudy morning. Focus was acquired via Tracking: Expand Spot AF/C. Then I turned the AF switch to M (Manual Focus) and made sure not to touch the focusing ring. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #4: Lesser Yellowlegs — worn juvenal plumage resting in front of a stand of saltmarsh fleabane

High Level Focusing Technique Question

Why did I focus first and then move the autofocus switch to OFF? Clue: I would not have had to do this if I had been using the a9 iii rather than the a-1.

This image was created on 1 September 2024 at the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY. Seated on damp grass and mud behind my flattened Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 1600. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1250 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect. AWB at 10:04:13am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #5: Lesser Yellowlegs — worn juvenal plumage swimming

Swimming Shorebirds

Only a few species of shorebirds swim. Among those are all of the Tringas (including both our yellowlegs), Stilt Sandpiper, all of the avocets including our American Avocet, and somewhat surprisingly, Red Knot and Dunlin.

This image was created on 1 September 2024 at the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY. Seated on damp grass and mud behind my lowered Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 1600. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1250 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be perfect. AWB at 10:08:02am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image 6: Lesser Yellowlegs — worn juvenal plumage on weathered timber

Sometimes Praying Helps

The yellowlegs in Image #6 was fishing well within range of my 840mm rig. I talked softly to it, “Up on the log, please.” I prayed a bit. Then my prayers were answered.

This image was created on 1 September 2024 at the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY. Seated on damp grass and mud behind my lowered Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 4000. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1000 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be dead solid perfect. AWB at 11:09:21am on then very cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #7: Lesser Yellowlegs — juvenal plumage preening in front of saltmarsh fleabane

Sora Distraction

For two days, folk had been telling me about a Sora in a small pond on the South Flats. I had looked for it several times without success. I checked the location one last time before heading home on Sunday but did not see the bird. Thanks to the Asian woman who pointed it out to me. Typically, the Sora was playing hide and seek in the reeds that fringed the pond. When it hid, I photographed the preening Lesser Yellowlegs.

Note that this individual is in the freshest juvenal plumage of the lot with the upperparts’ feathers looking more black and white than brownish and white.

Image Question

Would you delete this image because the bird’s face is hidden? Why or why not?

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.