JBWR Sucks but Nickerson Beach is Rocking!

Your Call?

Which two of today’s five featured 2023 Nickerson Beach images are the strongest? Which is the weakest? Please let us know why you made your choices.

Which two images required the use of Topaz Sharpen AI to reduce motion blur on the face?

My Call

In the last blog post, the worst image for me, by far, was #2, the bathing Lesser Yellowlegs. For some reason, if I cannot see a shorebird’s white belly, it turns me off. And in general, I do not like overall dark images. My very favorite photo was #3, the beautifully designed skimmer family image. I was quite surprised that several folks chose that one as the worst.

What’s Up?

Shame on the folks who run Gateway National Park. For about the 8th time in the last ten years, the East Pond at Jamaica Bay WR is too flooded for either birding or bird photography. It was also strange to me that nobody mentioned the fact hat it looked pretty good for ISO 4000!

Nickerson Beach, on the other hand, has been fantastic. On Saturday evening, I went light with just the 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II lens and both TCS and came up with some neat images.

Today is Sunday 13 August 2023. I headed to the beach early after a vicious overnight thunder and lightning storm with lots of wind and rain. Today is a great day to consider joining me on Long Island. I will be here through Thursday morning and fly home this coming Friday.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon 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!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) 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 who, like me, 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.

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.

The Fact$ of Life

The market for editorial sales of natural history images has virtually disappeared. The incomes of the world’s top stock photographers are down by at least 90%. Like me, many depend on income from photo trips, the sale of educational materials, and income from this or that affiliate program.

In 2001, BAA sold the publication rights to images for nearly one-quarter million US dollars. That amount dropped to about $20,000 by 2011, and in 2017, to slightly more than $2,000.00. We’ve stopped counting. IPTs used to fill within days. Now I am happy to go with one or two folks, but I’d much rather have you along. And so it goes. In 2009, I turned to creating educational blog posts, now to the tune of 4063! Yes, 4063 educational blog posts. Please, therefore, remember to use either my B&H or Bedfords affiliate links for your major purposes. It will not cost you one cent to do either.

B&H

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.

B&H Simplified

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. 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.

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 automatically be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your order ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex 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 check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists 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 a 1, 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.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

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 save 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.

JBWR/Nickerson Beach Sessions

Nickerson will is rife with Black Skimmer chicks and fledglings and lots offeegins and flight photography. If you would like to explore the possibility of joining me for an inexpensive In-the-Field Session or two at either or both locations, please get in touch ASAP via e-mail or call or text me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Monday morning at Nickerson is sold out.

This image was created on 11 August 2023. Seated on damp sand behind my flattened tripod, I used the Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod topped by the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, (at 1200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial. ISO 800. 1/2500 sec. at f/8 (wide open). AWB at 6:13:42am, right after the sun rose on a clear morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face-Eye detection enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #1: Black Skimmer at dawn in the Red Light District

More Red Light District Images

On clear mornings with winds from the west, conditions are poor for traditional (front lit) bird photography and especially for flight photography. Why? Because all the birds will be flying, landing, and taking off away from you when the sun is at your back. Such conditions, however, are perfect for creating Red Light District-type images of backlit birds on the beach, bathed in red, orange, or yellow light. I make sure to be at the beach a full thirty minutes before sunrise. Join me soon at Nickerson to learn how to create dramatic images like this one.

This image was also created on 11 August 2023. Seated on dry sand behind my flattened tripod, I used the Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod topped by the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, (at 1200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial. ISO 800. 1/1600 sec. at f/8 (wide open). AWB at 7:45:43am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face-Eye detection enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #2: Black Skimmer fledgling begging

Bird Face-Eye Detection AF-C at 1200mm

The performance of Bird Face-Eye Detection AF-C at 1200mm is stunning. It will find and track the eye almost instantly. If you are using Tracking: Zone with the brackets in the center, the system will see the eye if it is outside the brackets! And as we have seen before many times, a1 images made at 1200mm are mind-bogglingly sharp as long as you have enough shutter. Check out the shutter speed used to create Image #1.

This image was also created on 11 August 2023. Seated on damp sand I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial. ISO 800. 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 6:47:56pm on a sunny afternoon. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face-Eye detection enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #3: Juvenile Skimmer after getting smashed by a big wave

Oblivious to Humans and Waves!

This little guy was bravely walking along the edge of the surf, stopping every so often for a sip or water. I was with my friend Roger — he comes in the afternoons and always has his little white dog peeking out of his backpack. Anyhoo, we’d get on sun angle and the bird would walk right at us. We’d get up and move well to the west and let the bird come to us. And come he would. At one point the juvie skimmer got within two feet of the end of Roger’s Nikkor 500mm PF lens. At one point, as I was moving back, the bird got slammed by a big wave and dragged out to sea. I created image #3 as he made his way back to shore and to safety.

This image was created on 12 August 2023. Seated on dry sand behind my flattened tripod, I used the Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod topped by the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, (at 1200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial. ISO 800. 1/1600 sec. at f/8 (wide open). AWB at 8:03:58am on a then mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face-Eye detection enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #4: Common Tern with Atlantic Silversides for chick

Think Fast!

I was working at 1200mm off the flatten tripod. That puts the lens about ten inches off the ground. This bird, holding a big Spearing in its bill landed at pint blank range right in front of me and right down sun angle. We used speaking as bait to catch snappers — baby Bluefish about six to eight inches long. My Dad’s mom, Grandma Selma, would cut off the heads, pull out the guts, bread them, and fry them up for me. Anyhoo, I wanted to go vertical but the a1 screen only tilts horizontally, so I did my best to fit the bird into the frame. When it turned to the side, I took more time with the framing and deliberately included only the front 3/4 of the bird, and made a series of about six images before it took flight. One was pretty close to perfect.

I knew that because the bird was so close to me that it would only stay on the ground for a few seconds. If you even think of removing the teleconverter in such instances, you will almost always wind up with nothing.

This image was created on 12 August 2023. Seated on dry sand behind my flattened tripod, I used the Robus RC-5558-3 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod topped by the Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, (at 1200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial. ISO 1600. 1/1000 sec. at f/8 (wide open). AWB at 9:25:21am on a then mostly cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face-Eye detection enabled was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #5: Black Skimmer chick about 2-weeks old

Skimmer Chicks of Varying Sizes

One of the best things about Nickerson in August is that there are about half fledged and flying young. A bit less than half are large, handsome unfledged chicks and there are a smattering of small chicks like the bird in Image #5. This season has been a banner one for skimmer productivity as there are many hundreds of young birds. Yesterday I saw the first large skimmer chick predation by Great Black-backed Gull.