Life and Death on the Beach

My Calls

Below are my answers to the Common Tern Would You? Questions in the blog post here.

1- I would remove the small green smudge below the primaries of the terns near wing because it merges with the feather and is distracting to me.

2- I would not have tried to remove the o-o-f tern in the upper left corner of the image because it is so o-o-f as not to be distracting. In addition, it lets folks know that tern colonies are crowded places.

3- I am up in the air about removing the thin blade of grass to our right of the tern chick. On one hand, the shape is very cool. On the other hand, being so close to the subject is is somewhat distracting. It would not be too difficult to move it halfway into the open space on the right side of the frame, our right.

What’s Up?

I told you in the last blog post that the weather forecast for Monday morning was perfect. It turned out to be a great outing with some exciting and unexpected stuff going on. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too are gonna have a great day.

And yes, please use the affiliate links especially for your major purchases and please consider joining me on an IPT. Please scroll down to note the new dates for the 3 1/2 DAY Summer 2023 Nickerson Beach Terns (with chicks!), Skimmers, & Oystercatchers Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT)

Nickerson Beach June 2023 Common Tern/American Oystercatcher/Black Skimmer In-the-Field Sessions

I am offering both morning and afternoon sessions from now through the end of this month. If you would like to become a better bird photographer, shoot me an e-mail to learn the details. Scheduling for these sessions can be arranged on short notice by checking the weather. A better option is to join me on the IPT. As I have nobody signed up, I can tailor the dates for the first one who does.

IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together are invited to e-mail for discount information.

The Robus RC-5558 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripods

For reasons that I do not understand, the prices of both the 3-leg section Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber tripod and the 4-leg section Robus RC-5558 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber tripod have been drastically reduced. They are available only from B&H and are currently priced at a ridiculously low $399.95, about 1/3 the price of a comparable Really Wrong Stuff (RWS) tripod. Right now, the 3-leg section version is my go-to tripod.

This image was created on 19 June 2023 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. Seated on damp sand, working behind the lowered Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod topped by the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro, I used the 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.. Exposure was determined using Zebra technology: ISO 1600: 1/2500 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be perfect. AWB at 6:21:18am a clear sunny morning. Tracking: Zone with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger, sharper, high-res version. Image #1: Piping Plover chick about ten days old

Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad. So Far.

On Saturday there were three chicks. On Monday it seemed that one had expired. That any survive on a busy beach is remarkable. They are so small and fast that photographing them is extremely difficult. Once you get to know their habits the best strategy is to simply pick a spot, sit down and get low, say a prayer, and hope that the bird approaches toward you. On Sunday morning, my prayer was answered, at least for a few seconds. Image #1 was cropped from a horizontal original.

This image was also created on 19 June 2023 at Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. Seated on dry sand, working behind the lowered Robus RC-5558-3 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 500. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/5000 sec. at f/4 (wide open). AWB at 7:23:29am on a clear sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger, sharper, high-res version. Image #2: Common Tern adult killing tiny chick

Murder on the Beach

First the attacker dropped out of the sky and whacked the small chick, no more than several days old. A parent bird intervened and drove off the attacker. The chick however, continued wandering away from the nest and its two siblings. In short order, the attack resumed. The adult tern stabbed it in the head with its bill, and picked up the struggling chick and repeatedly slammed it into the ground. It survived for a while, but finally succumbed.

Killing chicks from neighboring nests makes evolutionary sense — the few chicks around, the more food there will be for my offspring.

You Call?

Which is the stronger image? Please let us know why you made your choice.

Common Terns are among the stars of the Nickerson show in June

Summer 2023 Nickerson Beach Terns, Skimmers, & Oystercatchers Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT): 3 1/2 DAYS. Sunday afternoon, June 25, thru the full day on Wednesday June 28, 2023. 3 1/2 Days: $1899.00 includes three working brunches. Limit six photographers

The Summer 2023 Nickerson Beach Terns, Skimmers, & Oystercatchers IPT

I am offering two options for this IPT. Locals might prefer the 3 1/2 day IPT. Folks traveling from out of town will almost surely want to maximize their travel dollars by staying the extra day. The stars of the show will likely be the nesting Common Terns. As many have been on eggs for a week or more, we should get to photograph some small chicks and lots of birds in flight with fish. We should have lots of American Oystercatcher families with chicks of varying sizes. Photographing them at dawn along as they forage along the edge of the surf is an exciting experience. We will get to photograph early morning skimmer flock blast offs, lots of afternoon midair battles, and will likely have some skimmers on eggs. Flight photography for all three species will abound.

Many folks head home feeling that while our time in the field was fabulous and productive, that the working brunch sessions were even more valuable. During image review you will learn to select the best images from several thousand made with your 20- and 30 fps camera bodies. And we will process a few images and distribute the screen capture videos for you to learn from after the trip. And all IPTs offer follow-up image critiques.

Change your life: sign up for this IPT today. Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to explore the possibility of renting some Sony gear (including an a1) from me.

Some of What You Will Learn on a Nickerson Beach IPT

• 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before if you are using SONY gear).
• 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
• 3- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
• 4- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
• 6- To spot the good and great situations and to choose the best perspective.
• 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
• 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
• 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. You will learn where and when to be (and why).
• 10- More than you could ever imagine.

The Details

We will be on the beach very early to enjoy sunrise. The morning sessions will run at least 3 1/2 hours. Afternoon sessions will begin at 5:30pm and run till sunset. There is never a set schedule on an IPT — we adapt to the conditions. On cloudy mornings with the right wind, we may opt to photograph till 11:30am or so and skip the afternoon session. That especially when the afternoon weather is looking iffy or lousy.

There will be a Photoshop/Image Review session before and after brunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. Each of these IPTs will run with only a single registrant as I do not like disappointing anyone. The best airports are JFK or Islip (if you have lots of Southwest points). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodging information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area (rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away).

Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field ridiculously early and stay out late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:00am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We may be getting our feet wet on occasion, especially in the mornings, but those who wish to keep their feet 100% dry can do so.

Your $599 deposit is due now. Credit cards are OK for that. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. Once you leave a deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check ASAP for this short-notice IPT. Those who wish to pay for the trip in one fell swoop via check may do so by making the check out to BIRDS AS ART and then mailing it to BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, and clothing and gear advice right after you register. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.

IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together may e-mail for discount information.

Typos

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