January 16th, 2025 What’s Up?
We finally struck gold with the pelicans on Wednesday morning with many dozens of them flying in and landing right below us. No matter, the Extended 2025 San Diego IPT is winding down. Multiple IPT veteran Judy Stepenaskie had to leave a day early so say goodbye to her beloved cat. New friend Adrian Whitchelo-Scott and the Irish Lass, Colleen O’Connor, were done after our Wednesday morning session. Colleen, somewhat overcome by how much she had learned and improved, was quite emotional as we said goodbye. Adrian is headed back up to the LA wildfires. We are all praying for his safely.
Today is Thursday 16 January 2025. Multiple IPT vets Warren Robb and Dietmar Haenchen are doing one last morning with Bob and me, a post-IPT session at La Jolla. Warren is flying back to Texas this afternoon and we are dropping Dietmar at the Rental Car Center as he is staying on a few days with friends. Whatever you choose to do, we hope that you too choose happiness.
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.
Should You Upgrade to or Purchase a Sony a-1 ii?
I will be purchasing a second a-1 ii quite soon.
Aside from the improved ergonomics as compared to the a-1, other nice features include the fact that the rear screen tilts both ways. Pre-capture will surely prove to be a plus while in my option, the Speed Boost feature is a total waste for bird photography. In addition, the resolution on the rear monitor has been improved dramatically. Not to mention that Bird Face-Eye tracking on the a-1 ii is significantly better than on the a-1 and that the 51MP file are to die for. And don’t forget the Pre-Capture feature!
So, the big question is, is the a-1 ii “worth” a gear upgrade. Remembering that I can never know whether or not something is worth it to you, I can say that I was not floored when using my a-1 ii. The differences between the a-1 ii and the original a-1, are neither huge nor eye-opening. The huge difference between the new camera body and the a9 iii is, of course, the 51MP a-1 raw files (as compared to the 24MP files rendered by the a9 iii).
With the price of a new a-1 having recently dropped $1500.00 to $4,998.00, the decision for new Sony buyers is a very tough one. The a-1 ii sells new for $6,498.00. And the price of used a-1 bodies will continue to drop (but surely not as much as I had thought before using the a-1 ii).
If you do purchase an a-1 ii, be sure to use one of my two affiliate links so that you will receive my a-1 ii settings (in the form of a CAMSEa1ii.DAT file), the Buttons and Dials Guide, and an Info Sheet. Folks who do not purchase their new a-i using my B&H link or from Bedfords here and entering the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout will be able to purchase the a-1 ii guide for $227.43. If you are at all confused and do not want to screw up your order, please get in touch via e-mail.
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This image was created on 15 January 2025 by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART while leading the 2025 San Diego IPT at La Jolla, CA. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 397mm) and the and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Multi Metering +1.0 stop. The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 400: 1/15 sec. at f/6.3. RawDigger showed the exposure be perfect: AWB at 6:49:47am in the shade two minutes before sunrise on yet another clear morning.
Zone AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #1: Brown Pelican Pacific race breeding plumage braking to land
Image by Yours Truly — Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
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Hard to Believe I
After noting the EXIF data for each image, it is hard to believe that each of today’s three featured images was created with the same versatile, hand hold-able for most rig, the Sony 200-600 G Lens & a-1 ii. As noted previously, the Bird Face-Eye Tracking with the a-1 ii is vastly improved as compared to both the a-1 and the a9 iii. Though not shown with any of today’s images, one area of huge AF improvement is the ability of the camera to track the eve of a pelican or other large bird that is flying away from you and turning. It is quite remarkable.
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This image was also created on 15 January 2025 by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART while leading the 2025 San Diego IPT at La Jolla, CA. Crouching a bit, I used the braced, hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 481mm) and the and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. Multi Metering +1.0 stop. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/8 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed the exposure to be dead solid perfect: AWB at 8:43:21 am on a sunny morning.
Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #2: Brown Pelican Pacific race breeding plumage on rock
Image by Yours Truly — Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
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Hard to Believe II
It is hard to believe that you can make a hand held image of a static bird at 1/8 second. Even with my arm securely supported and braced by the wooden railing above the cliff. Why such a slow shutter speed? When I saw the waves breaking behind the subject, I knew that they would look swirly-sweet at a ridiculously slow shutter speed (if and only if the subject was sharply rendered). I attribute the success of this image to the remarkable improvement in the Sony Optical Stabilization System (OSS) that had previously been somewhat lacking as compared to Canon and Nikon.
To prove that point, I was amazed when (after being inspired by my comments in the field), Dietmar showed me a sharp pelican photo that he had created at 1/8 second with his EOS R7 (also hand held and also securely braced).
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This image was also created on 15 January 2025 by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART while leading the 2025 San Diego IPT at La Jolla, CA. Standing at full height, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 404mm) and the and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/4000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure to be dead solid perfect: AWB at 9:22:02am on a sunny morning.
Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #3: Brown Pelican Pacific race breeding plumage dorsal view in gliding flight
Image by Yours Truly — Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
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Hard to Believe III
It is hard to believe the consistently accurate Bird Face-Eye tracking with the a-1 II. If you get and keep the bird in the middle of the frame as you half press the shutter button, it will grab and track the bird’ eye accurately 99% of the time. While picking your flight shot keepers, it is no longer necessary to enlarge the image and check the eye for critical sharpness. When I was using Canon dSLR (for 34 years, 19 of them as one of the 55 original Explorers of Light, and still a Canon Explorer of Light Emeritus — whatever that means),I would be shocked when a flight shot was sharp on the eye. Since switching to Sony, I am now even more shocked when a flight shot is not sharp on the eye.
Please understand that my comments above refer to dSLR gear. The current high end Canon and Nikon mirrorless camera bodies feature superb, vastly improved AF systems (though perhaps not quite as good as with the Sony bodies). Zebra technology for stills and the light weight of both the Sony bodies and lenses are the main reasons that I feel Sony is currently the best system for bird photography.
After enlarging Image #3 by clicking on it, most will find the color, clarity, sharpness, and fine feather detail also hard to believe considering the low cost of the Sony 200-600: $1998.00. Pair a new one with a used Sony a-1 and you are right there for less than $6K. With my settings on your Sony mirrorless camera body and five minutes of instruction, you will be able to begin creating superb images right out of the box. Please be sure to use one of my two affiliate links to reap the benefits of doing so.
Supporting My Efforts Here
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog 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 from the wrong shop.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
January 14th, 2025 What’s Up?
The San Diego IPT is turning into a love fest. Everyone is getting along great and everyone is learning a ton. On Monday, there were zero pelicans on the main cliff. We started off doing Western Gull pink/purple sky setting full moon-scapes. Then lots of California Sealions, Black Oystercatchers, and finally, some decent chances with the pelicans by the Bridge Club. We headed to Coronado for the afternoon and saw only two Heermann’s Gulls; in most years, there would be many dozens of that most handsome gulls at this location. We did well with Ring-billed and Western Gulls both on the beach and in flight, and ended with glorious sunset silhouettes of the gulls with colorful, streaked wet sand backgrounds. Then it was off to the AirBnB for dinner.
I was glad to learn that I sold my second Sony a-9 iii body and that Dane Johnson sold his Sony a-1 as well. He already has his a-1 ii. I will be selling at least one of my two remaining a-1 bodies. I will be purchasing a second a-1 ii today.
Speaking of today, it is Tuesday 14 January 2025. We will be headed out early in hopes of proper breeding plumage Pacfic race Brown Pelicans. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, we hope that you too choose to have a wondrously happy day.
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.
Should You Upgrade to or Purchase a Sony a-1 ii?
I will be purchasing my second a-1 ii today.
Aside from the improved ergonomics as compared to the a-1, other nice features include the fact that the rear screen tilts both ways. Pre-capture will surely prove to be a plus while in my option, the Speed Boost feature is a total waste for bird photography. In addition, the resolution on the rear monitor has been improved dramatically. Not to mention that Bird Face-Eye tracking on the a-1 ii is significantly better than on the a-1 and that the 51MP file are to die for. And don’t forget the Pre-Capture feature!
So, the big question is, is the a-1 ii “worth” a gear upgrade. Remembering that I can never know whether or not something is worth it to you, I can say that I was not floored when using my a-1 ii. The differences between the a-1 ii and the original a-1, are neither huge nor eye-opening. The huge difference between the new camera body and the a9 iii is, of course, the 51MP a-1 raw files (as compared to the 24MP files rendered by the a9 iii).
With the price of a new a-1 having recently dropped $1500.00 to $4,998.00, the decision for new Sony buyers is a very tough one. The a-1 ii sells new for $6,498.00. And the price of used a-1 bodies will continue to drop (but surely not as much as I had thought before using the a-1 ii).
If you do purchase an a-1 ii, be sure to use one of my two affiliate links so that you will receive my a-1 ii settings (in the form of a CAMSEa1ii.DAT file), the Buttons and Dials Guide, and an Info Sheet. Folks who do not purchase their new a-i using my B&H link or from Bedfords here and entering the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout will be able to purchase the a-1 ii guide for $227.43. If you are at all confused and do not want to screw up your order, please get in touch via e-mail.
Sony Alpha 1 (a-1) Mirrorless Camera Body (with Extras!)
Used Gear Page regular, IPT veteran, and BAA friend Dane Johnson is offering a rarely used Sony a-1 (ILCE-1) mirrorless camera body (Firmware v2.02) in like-new condition for a ridiculously low $3,798.00. The sale includes a like-new Really Right Stuff Modular L-plate set (a $215.00 value), a Sony 160GB CFexpress Type A TOUGH Memory Card (a $268.00 value), the original product boxes, the owner’s manual, the USA warranty card, the body cap, the camera strap, one battery and the charger, the cords, 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 Dane via e-mail or by phone at 559-593-0989 (Pacific time zone).
I have used Sony a-1 bodies as my workhorse cameras for three years. They produce stunning 51MP files with vivid natural colors. The AF system is science-fiction-like. They are rugged and dependable and 30 frames per second is nothing to sneeze at. If you are looking to get into bird photography with Sony, a used a-1 its the way to go! With a brand new a-1 ii going for $6498.00, you can save $2800.00 (plus the two great extras) by grabbing Dane’s pretty much as good as new copy ASAP Right now, B&H is offering a used a-1 in like-new condition for $4,397.00. That makes Dane’s body package an absolute steal. artie
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This image was created on 11 January on the 2025 San Diego IPT. Standing at full height I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/4000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect: AWB at 8:08:59am on a sunny morning.
Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #1: Western Gull jumping up to a higher perch
Image copyright 2025 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
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Sony a-1 ii/1.4X TC/300mm f/2.8 GM Rig
This lightweight combination is the deadliest setup I have ever had in my hands for photographing birds in flight and in action at fairly close range. Over the weeks, I have come to realize that the Bird Face-Eye tracking on the a-1 ii is vastly improved as compared with the a-1, especially with birds in flight. I love the larger body with more room on the grip for the fingers (of your gloved hand), I love the rear screen that tilts both ways, and the greatly improved in-camera body Optical Stabilization System (OSS).
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This image was created by Warren Robb on 13 January on the 2025 San Diego IPT. Standing at full height he used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1000. 1/4000 second at f/4 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 9:24:26am on a sunny morning. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be dead solid perfect.
Zone AF-C AF with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Brown Pelican sub-adult in flight
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Warren Robb
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Warren Robb
Warren Robb, retired US Navy fighter pilot, had us all on the edge of our seats at dinner in the AirBnB as he told the harrowing story of taking off and landing on his carrier in a driving rainstorm during the Vietnam War. The cockpit was drenched when he entered his aircraft (an A-7E) and got strapped in. Not surprisingly, he could not see the target for his load of ten 500 pound bombs. As you cannot land on a carrier with your bombs, he was told to jettison them over the jungle. None of several bomb release methods worked so he was ordered to fly 200 miles south, land at the airbase in Danang, and have the bombs off-loaded. He was surprised when they ordered him back to the USS Kitty Hawk as all the other planes had already been landed.
When he got to the ship, he couldn’t see a thing as the rain still poured down. During and instrument landing, the rule is that if you cannot see the carrier at 1/2 mile 200 feet, you must abort the landing. He told the landing officer that he could not see the ship. The guy told him to keep coming. So, on blind faith, he did after turning on his taxi light as instructed. The first things he saw were other planes on the deck as the plane’s hook caught the three wire!. Later, Warren thanked the guy and told him that having him turn on the taxi light was a great idea. The guy confessed that he had never seen the plane until it landed but that it sounded good!
Warren summed things up by saying that his scariest landing ever had been quite an e-ticket ride.
On Sunday, Warren borrowed my Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lens to do the Brandt’s Cormorants. He liked it a lot. On Monday, he borrowed my Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens and fell in love instantly. He will be ordering one when he sells his Canon EF 500mm f/4 L IS II lens here on the BAA blog (soon). “I can’t believe how light and easy it is to hand hold” he said after our morning session. If you might be interested in this lens, shoot me an e-mail.
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This image was also created by Warren Robb on 13 January on the 2025 San Diego IPT. Standing at full height he used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/4000 second at f/4 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 9:55:30am on a sunny morning. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be dead solid perfect.
Zone AF-C AF with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Brown Pelican non-breeding adult head throw
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Warren Robb
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Right Response, Right Place, and Right Lens
We were past the bridge club doing flight, sea lions, and Black Oystercatchers and working hard to get anything decent. I had called “15 minute warning” at 9:45 but I decided that we should head back to the big SUV a bit earlier. I, of course, was the last to leave. Just as I took the 600 off the tripod, a pelican landed on a nice rock. I caught Warren’s attention and signaled to him to come quickly and bring the rest of the group. Just as he got on the bird, it did a lovely head throw.
You can see that we were a bit off sun angle. I explained why to the group:
1- We were square to the plane of the subject’s body.
2- We avoided a very ugly rocks and sealion background and exchanged for a Pacific Ocean background.
As I was at 840mm, I managed only some tight head and bill pouch images.
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For those who did not use my link to purchase their Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens, you can order your a copy here for $209.93.
Click on the image to enlarge and to be able to read the fine print.
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The BAA Sony 300mm f/2.8 Lens Guide
Impressed by my (or Pat’s) Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) images? Use either my Bedfords or B&H affiliate link to purchase your Sony 300mm f/2.8 GM lens and shoot me your receipt via e-mail and request a copy of the first-ever BAA Lens Guide. I thought that it would take only minutes to create this guide, but I was dead wrong. In the process of creating it, I learned a ton about the lens. And even better, I discovered a simple yet potentially fatal flaw that was resulting in sporadically unsharp flight images. The set-up fix is simple. Just be sure to use one of my affiliate links and get the guide for free.
If not, you can purchase a copy here for $209.93. Yes, it never hurts to use my links and it never costs you one penny more. And if you contact me via e-mail before you make a major purchase, I can often save you some money.
Supporting My Efforts Here
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, are all set for gear, or live overseas, consider leaving a BAA Blog 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 from the wrong shop.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
January 12th, 2025 Your Call
Which of today’s featured images is your favorite? (It’s OK to mention several). Why did you make your choice(s)? Note: all but Bob’s images were optimized by yours truly using the techniques detailed in DB II and in the DB III Video Series, Volume I.
Please note: you will be seeing some of Colleen O’Connor’s images here soon. She is staying nearby with her husband.
What’s Up?
San Diego is fantastic. The photo opps have been fantastic. The group is fantastic. Six of us are staying in a large AirBnB place and everyone has been getting along fantastically. We have been having our fantastic brunches at Cafe Vahik where we are routinely teased and insulted by the fantastic owner and chef, Vahik himself — No bagel for you! Everyone in the group has been enjoyed the fantastic dinners prepared by Bob Eastman and me.
Yesterday, I created 8508 images that I have not looked at yet!!! Thank God that it was not a great day. Or was it?
Today is Sunday 12 January 2025. We are headed early back to Santee Lakes to try for some fire-in-the-mist and some Wood Ducks. And yes, we all hope that you too choose to have a fantastic day.
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.
Should You Upgrade to or Purchase a Sony a-1 ii?
I will be purchasing a second a-1 ii quite soon.
Aside from the improved ergonomics as compared to the a-1, other nice features include the fact that the rear screen tilts both ways. Pre-capture will surely prove to be a plus while in my option, the Speed Boost feature is a total waste for bird photography. In addition, the resolution on the rear monitor has been improved dramatically. Not to mention that Bird Face-Eye tracking on the a-1 ii is significantly better than on the a-1 and that the 51MP file are to die for. And don’t forget the Pre-Capture feature!
So, the big question is, is the a-1 ii “worth” a gear upgrade. Remembering that I can never know whether or not something is worth it to you, I can say that I was not floored when using my a-1 ii. The differences between the a-1 ii and the original a-1, are neither huge nor eye-opening. The huge difference between the new camera body and the a9 iii is, of course, the 51MP a-1 raw files (as compared to the 24MP files rendered by the a9 iii).
With the price of a new a-1 having recently dropped $1500.00 to $4,998.00, the decision for new Sony buyers is a very tough one. The a-1 ii sells new for $6,498.00. And the price of used a-1 bodies will continue to drop (but surely not as much as I had thought before using the a-1 ii).
If you do purchase an a-1 ii, be sure to use one of my two affiliate links so that you will receive my a-1 ii settings (in the form of a CAMSEa1ii.DAT file), the Buttons and Dials Guide, and an Info Sheet. Folks who do not purchase their new a-i using my B&H link or from Bedfords here and entering the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout will be able to purchase the a-1 ii guide for $227.43. If you are at all confused and do not want to screw up your order, please get in touch via e-mail.
Sony a-9 iii Mirrorless Camera Body
The First Buyer Changed Their Mind
Yours truly, Arthur Morris, AKA artie, is offering a Sony a9 iii Mirrorless camera body (Firmware v1.00), this one in excellent plus plus condition for a ridiculously low $3998.00. The sale includes the original product box, the body cap, the battery charger, one battery, the strap, 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.
Your purchase will also include my latest a9 iii Set-up e-mail, the new Buttons and Dials Guide, and the new INFO Sheet. This body already has my latest settings on it so you will be good to head out and start making great images as soon as you review the e-mailed materials.
Please contact artie via e-mail.
This camera’s incredible frame rate, an unheard of 120fps, gives you at least four times as many wing positions and flight poses as the other top-of-the-line mirrorless camera bodies. With the incredible AF system that is even better than the AF system of the a-1 with Firmware v2.02, most every single image will be sharp on the bird’s eye. And the raw files can stand up to decent crops. A new one sells at B&H for $5,998.00. B&H has two used a9 iii bodies list right now, one for $5,217.95 and another for $55217.95! And KEH is offering a used like-new a9iii for $5823.00! Used Gear Page regular Karen McCormick sold a used a9 iii for $4298.00 last month. If you have been thinking of an a9 iii, grab my lightly used a9 iii right now and save a sweet $2,000.00. artie
ps: You can see some of my a9 iii images in the blog post here.
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This image was created on 10 January 2025 by Bob Eastman on the 2025 Extended San Diego IPT at La Jolla, CA. Standing at full height, he used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 467mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:56:50am.
Tracking: Spot XS/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #1: Pacific race Brown Pelican head throw
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Bob Eastman
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Bob Eastman and His Trusty 200-600
Head throw images are challenging and difficult. After coming to La Jolla for more than 30 years, I have only a very few that I am proud of. So, what does Bob do? He makes a great one while I am standing next to him helping Judy Stepenaskie with her framing of the same bird. To make matters worse; I had called the head throw one minute before it happened. Man, you gotta love it.
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This image was created at La Jolla, CA on 10 January 2025 by multiple IPT veteran Warren Robb on the 2025 Extended San Diego IPT. Standing at full height, he used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: ISO 1250. 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:20:39am.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #2: Pacific race Brown Pelican adult preening
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Warren Robb
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Warren Robb, USN Retired Fighter Jet Pilot
One our pre-IPT morning I signaled Bob to bring Warren and Judy to me because I had a lovely sub adult pelican teed up and isolated. The first three images here are of that same bird. Though it was the BAS (best available shot), only one of the other 15 photographers made their way to our spot. You gotta love it. Warren nailed this over-the-back preening shot.
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This image was created by multiple IPT veteran Judy Stepenaskie at La Jolla, CA on the 2025 Extended San Diego IPT. Standing at full height, she used the hand held Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens (at 500mm) and the impressive Canon EOS R6 Mark II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined using the in-viewfinder histogram and confirmed after evaluation of blinkies on the JPEG. AWB at 11:52:22am on a sunny morning. ISO 1000: 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1.
Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Pacific race Brown Pelican sub-adult
Image Courtesy of and Copyright 2025: Judy Stepenaskie
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Judy’s Beauty!
Judy joined me at Nickerson Beach last summer and learned to use her Canon gear. You can read the whole story and see some of her fantastic images from that trip here. As she has not had many chances to practice bird photography since then, she needed a bit of extra help on our first morning. I am super-impressed by the clean, bright colors of the R6 ii images.
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This image was created on 10 January 2025 by (Yo) Adrian Whitchelo-Scott on the 2025 Extended San Diego IPT at Santee Lakes Preserve in Santee California. Seated on the bank, he used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 467mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. Shutter Priority -0.7 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 320: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 3:58:40pm.
Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #4: Ring-necked Duck drake swimming
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Adrian Whitchelo-Scott
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AWS
My first contact with Adrian was this past Wednesday when he left a question on a YouTube Video. That afternoon he purchased a new Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens from Bedfords using my discount code. I sent him the Firmware 2.02 settings for his a-1 and he loaded them right up. He got his new lens on Friday morning, got into his car, and drove down from LA for the entire San Diego IPT. He made it in time for a complimentary afternoon session at Santee Lakes. You will be hard put to find a nicer human being.
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This image was created by multiple IPT veteran Dietmar Haenchen on the 2025 San Diego IPT. Standing at full height he used the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 214mm) with the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R and the Canon EOS R7 Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined via the histogram and blinkies review. Aperture Priority +1.0 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 6400: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6. (wide open). AWB at 9:04:57am with the cliff in the shade on a sunny day.
Image #5: Brandt’s Cormorants on nesting wall.
Image courtesy of and copyright 2025: Dietmar Haenchen
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14 Years Ago!
Dietmar attended a San Diego IPT 14 years ago. He joined me on a Galapagos trip in 2017. I was thrilled when I learned that he would be joining me in San Diego. Dietmar is to be commended for the creativity he employed to come up with this delightful almost whimsical image. I am impressed with the raw files from his relatively inexpensive Canon body.
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This image was created ON 11 January 2025 by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART while leading the 2025 San Diego IPT at La Jolla, CA. Seated on the bank, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and the and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 800. The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the thumb RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect: AWB at 4:06:44pm on a sunny afternoon. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly.
Image #6: Cinnamon Teal drake braking to land surrounded by three perfectly placed, out-of-focus Ruddy Ducks
Image by Yours Truly — Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
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Your Truly
I was thrilled yesterday afternoon to have a chance on a drake Cinnamon Teal in flight. I was so excited that I did not look at the sequence on the back of the camera in the field. I wanted to first see them on the laptop. When I finally did, I was thrilled. We had some great flight photography chances as a result of thrilled scratch (duck food) throwing by yours truly. Everyone in the group helped by yelling on command as I tossed a load of grain and seeds into the pond. Feeding the ducks is encouraged at Santee where they are glad to sell you the scratch for $2 bucks a bag!
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Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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