Continuing Crane Family Blessings
Nine of this year’s ten young cranes continue to survive, flourish, and grow. The two 2-chick families on the South Peninsula continue to cooperate beyond all expectations. On Wednesday morning past, the two fairly large colts at the north end did the same. Even the very oldest largest colt at the south end is becoming easier to work with on some mornings.
Wanted to Buy
I have a friend looking to purchase a used Sony a9 iii. If you have one in excellent or better condition sitting on a shelf somewhere doing nothing and would like to get a fair price for it, please get in touch with me via e-mail. And if you are looking for a piece of used gear, do the same and LMK what gear you are seeking.
Sony Alpha 1 (a-1) Mirrorless Camera Body
Multiple IPT veterans and longtime BAA friend Pat Fishburne is offering a rarely used Sony a-1 (ILCE-1) mirrorless camera body in excellent plus condition for a BIRDS AS ART record low $3,298.00. This body has been updated to Firmware 3.00 that reportedly improves Bird Face-Eye tracking to levels attained by the a1-ii. The camera has my current a-1 set-up on it. The sale includes the current Buttons and Dials Guide and the Info Sheet, the original product box, one battery, the charger, the camera 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.
Please contact Pat via e-mail
I used Sony a-1 bodies as my workhorse cameras for more than three years. They produce stunning 51MP files with vivid natural colors. The AF system is superb. They are rugged and dependable and 30 frames per second is nothing to sneeze at. With a brand new A-1 ii going for $6498.00, you can save an even $3200.00 by grabbing Pat’s nearly as good as new a- copy ASAP. Right now, B&H is offering a used Sony a-1 in 9+ condition for $$4,507.95 (here). Prices of some used gear items are actually rising in anticipation of the tariff wars coming.
artie
What’s Up?
On Thursday morning, photography at ILE continued to be excellent. All of the record nine young cranes are doing fabulously well. After we did the chicks we had an Osprey on a branch near its natural nest devouring a huge crappie. Several bold and brazen Fish Crows were attempting to steal scraps of fish from the rather large by comparison raptor. Just as I took me eye from the viewfinder for a moment to scratch my ear, a crow swooped in from above; Anita created a wonderful series of images depicting the theft.
On Friday morning, older daughter Jennifer and her husband Erik and younger daughter Alissa along with her younger son Idris joined Anita North and I for a very early morning sail on Lake Blue Cypress. The weatherman lied again. The forecast called for an east wind at 5 mph. Instead, we had death on bird photography conditions: a NW wind at about 10mph that had all the Ospreys landing away from us. Being out on the lake early, however, was wonderfully peaceful as the lake is gorgeous. Despite the very tough conditions Anita and I made a very few good images. Amazingly, my son-in-law Erik, photographing birds for the first time in 30 years, hand held my Sony 200-600 with an a-1 ii and made three very excellent photos. Yes, with only a modicum of instruction.
After a BBQ chicken pool deck brunch with a big salad and Anita’s fabulous homemade cole slaw, Anita and I drove to the Brandon Mall to visit the Apple Store where we each had a genius bar appointment. Each of our MacBook Pros had a single sticking key. Both of our keyboards were cleaned and my”1″ key was replaced. With clear blue skies, bright sun, and a brisk east wind, we took the afternoon off rather than head to Tampa for an afternoon at the North Tampa Rookery.
Today is Saturday 19 April 2025. We will wake early and head to Fort DeSoto to see if things there have improved after the last two big hurricanes. Then it is on to Cape Coral for two days of In-the Field Instruction with longtime friend and student Pat Fishburne and the Burrowing Owls. Whatever you opt to do, I hope that you too choose to have a wonderful day. Do remember that happiness is a choice — Byron Katie, The Work.Com.
Yesterday, I did some more work on the BAA 400-800mm Lens Guide (free to all who use one of my two affiliate links to purchase their 4-8; otherwise, $101.43 via PayPal to e-mail.) Right now, it is very difficult to get your hands on either a 400-800 or an a-1 ii. Be sure to use one of my two affiliate links to earn your free lens or camera guide. The latter includes my settings in the form of a .DAT file, instructions on getting that onto your camera, a Button and Dials Guide, and a detailed INFO sheet.
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.
Don’t Just Shoot: Learn
If you are interested in changing your life and becoming a better photographer by joining me on an Extended IPT at Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys and more (SEPT 25 to NOV 24, 2025) or in San Diego for Pacific-race Brown Pelicans and more (JAN 6 to FEB 2, 2026), please e-mail for dates, rates, terms, and additional information. Or, shoot me a text to 863-221-2372. Both offerings include options for shared AirBnB lodging and ground transportation during your stay.
Your Call
Which of today’s six featured baby crane images do you think is the strongest? Warning: they are all pretty darned special. Please let us know why you made your choice.
Indian Lake Estates BAA Baby Crane In-the-Field Sessions
I am currently available for morning BAA Baby Crane In-the-Field sessions on the following dates: April 22-24, 29-30, and the first half of May. Please e-mail for costs and additional information. Or, shoot me a text to 863-221-2372.
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This image was created on 15 April 2025 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Seated on dry sand, I used the heel pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 1250. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/1250 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect: AWB at 7:39:34am early on a partly cloudy morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Image #1: Sandhill Crane chick foraging in heaven (no pier) |
The Pier Chicks
I am pretty sure that the chicks from the crane family that hangs out by the ILE pier were the last to hatch. They have been incredibly tame, even curious, since day one. In Image #1, I think that the chick is about three weeks old, perhaps less a very few days.
The big challenge with photographing the chicks and colts is controlling the background. A big consideration there is how low you position the lens. We strive to avoid any sort of sharp horizon line bisecting the subject or subjects.
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This image was created on 16 April 2025 on the North Field down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Seated on damp grass, I used the knee-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/2000 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect: AWB at 7:42:11am on a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Image #2: Sandhill Crane colt stretching near wing |
The North End Colts
There a two handsome colts at the north end of the North Field. As they spend a lot of time in the various backyards, it was a real pleasure to find them foraging in the open field last Wednesday morning early on when the light was gorgeous. I barely fit this bird in the frame when it stretched its wing. The chest and a foot of one of the parents was in the upper right corner of the frame. I eliminated the adult bird, expanded canvas all around, and spent 20 minutes trying to smooth the background in the upper right corner. Without success. Anita North saved the day by suggesting that I used the mask feature in Adobe Camera Raw to get the job done.
Is there any sound evidence in the optimized version above of the presence of the adult in the original frame? If yes, what are you seeing?
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This image was also created on 16 April 2025 on the North Field down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Seated on damp grass, I used the toe-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/2500 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect: AWB at 7:42:52am on a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Image #3: Sandhill Crane colt running with wings raised |
Sony 400mm f/2.8 Bokeh
The background here is 100% natural. I love the softness surrounding the bird below and above. As the bird was on a slight rise and the lens nearly on the ground, the foreground is beautifully blurred.
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This image was also created on 16 April 2025 on the North Field down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Seated on damp grass, I used the toe-pod technique with the hand held Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 800. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/2500 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect: AWB at 7:42:52am on a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Image #4: Sandhill Crane colt stretching far wing |
Speed Demon with Sky in the Background
It is hard to believe that Image #4 was created a mere three seconds after Image #3, but the EXIF never lies. In that time, I needed to re-frame, acquire focus, re-level the shot, and press the shutter button. I guess that you might say that I was quick on my toes. The speed of initial focusing acquisition with the a-1 ii was an important factor in pulling off the second image. Note that there is some sky in the background because the bird in Image #4 was closer to me than in the previous image and thus the lens was angled up a bit more.
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This image was created on 17 April 2025 on the South Peninsula down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing on the slope that leads down to the South Canal, I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 4000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/640 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect: AWB at 7:02:23 am early on what would become a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Image #5: Sandhill Crane chick biting sibling’s head |
Squabbling Chicks
When the crane chicks are small, they squabble often. Getting two halfway decent head angles is a huge challenge. Wide AF grabbed the head of the biting bird and since they were very close to being on the exact same plane, the faces of both birds are sharp. In the extreme low light conditions (ISO 4000 at f/2.8!), I was glad to create a sharp image at only 1/640 second.
Part of the key to the success of this image was lightening the iris of the parent bird using Tim Grey Dodge and Burn.
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This image was also created on 17 April 2025 on the South Peninsula down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing on the slope that leads down to the South Canal, I used the hand held Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a1 II Mirrorless Camera. ISO 4000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel; 1/2500 sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect: AWB at 7:12:01am early on what soon became a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Image #6: Sandhill Crane chick running toward adult |
f/2.8 and Be There
Note that each of today’s featured images was created with a super-fast telephoto lens wide open at f/2.8. For nearly the past 43 years I have been working at the wide open aperture and focusing on the bird’s eye with zero regard for the narrow depth of field. This tack has served me so well that I have no reason to consider changing now. When working at point blank range I will stop down a bit if I have sufficient light to do so.
a-1 ii AF
Image #6 was my slight favorite from a 40-frame burst that saw the tiny green eye-tracking box squarely on the chick’s left eye. That as verified in Viewer, part of Sony’s Imaging Edge Desktop application.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
Impossible to pick a favorite! You killed it!!
Tough to choose among these lovely images but my favorite is #3.