Sipping ...

What’s Up?

As detailed in the opening of yesterday’s blog post, Friday morning was challenging at best. I kept very few images from a very short session. Today’s featured image was my favorite. Today is Saturday 28 August 2021; we may be headed to Plumb Beach to look for the reported Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks like me, who spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

This blog post took less than an hour to prepare (including the time spent on the image optimization) and makes 240 consecutive days with a new one. Please remember that 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 save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Leg Cramps?

I suffered with nighttime leg cramps for several decades. I often woke tangled in the bedding in crushing pain from a leg cramp, unable to stand or find relief. About two years ago Dr. Cliff Oliver suggested that I try QuintEssential 3.3 – Seawater Electrolyte Liquid Minerals Supplement for Hydration, Muscle Recovery + Energy Support – Liquid Trace Minerals Electrolyte Drink (30 Sachets). The results were amazing. I’ve gone from having several cramps a night to perhaps having one cramp every three of four months. This item is brought to you as a public service.

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now close to zero, please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard to get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a9 ii, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

This image was created on 27 August 2021 at Nickerson Beach Lido Beach, NY. While seated behind a lowered <Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/ topped with a Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only). ISO 2500. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/200 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:34am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed to perfection. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, hi-res version. Image #1: Common Tern in fresh juvenal plumage sipping

Sipping

While 98% of the skimming skimmers were skimming away from me into the west wind, I noticed that in addition to the dozens of bathing and drinking Black Skimmers, some young terns were coming to the storm surge/rain pool to bathe and to drink the fresh water. The bathing birds flapped facing west away from the light but some of the drinking terns were not at all concerned with the wind direction.

The AF accuracy and the sharpness of SONY a1 images at 1200mm (on the 600 GM with the 2X TC) continues to astound me.

Color Balance Question

This image was created in warm early morning light. Did I make it too blue?

Typos

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