What’s Up?
I lucked out on Saturday morning by finding a flock of about 200 Red Knots feeding on a west-facing Gulf shore at Fort DeSoto. About 30% of the birds were molting in their spectacular alternate (breeding) plumage, and some were almost there. I ignored a large flock of Black Skimmers but when the knot flock flew off to the east, I worked some Royal Terns. Many pairs were copulating right down sun angle but I was not able to isolate any of them.
On Saturday afternoon, I met up with Pat Fishburne. We worked on tripod handling skills and then headed out to find a decent Burrowing Owl nest or two. We found one decent nest with several chicks and worked them for more than an hour. After an early start, Sunday morning started off slowly. We returned to a nest we had found earlier, got into position, and got lucky with the family in Image #2. As Pat was having some trouble getting consistent exposures when working in Manual mode, I got her set up in Shutter Priority mode with AUTO ISO and Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial. She worked at +0.7 before the sun came up and +0.3 with sun on the birds. With the relatively light-toned birds and the consistently light-toned subject, her exposures were quite consistent.
Sincere thanks to Pat for inviting Anita North and me for a great salmon dinner on Sunday afternoon at her home at Shell Point in Fort Myers. Shell Point is a CCRC, one of the top continuing care retirement communities in the US.
Today is Monday 21 April 2025. We are meeting Pat early again for our last session and then heading back to ILE. 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 five featured Burrowing Owl images do you think is the strongest? Warning: they are all pretty darned good. 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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Fresh caught Alaskan seafood caught sustainably. Save $20 on your first order by clicking here. |
Wild Alaska Salmon and Seafood Company
Ever since my two daughters sent me a big box of salmon filets and sea scallops from Wild Alaska Salmon and Seafood Company for my birthday a few years ago, I have been ordering salmon and scallops from them. Now that Junior’s Fish Market in Lake Wales is closing, I will be depending on Wild Alaska every month. I always order Sockeye filets and the Sea Scallops. The stuff comes frozen solid, is easy to prepare, and tastes pretty much as good as the fresh stuff would.
You can save $20 on your first order by clicking here. Eating wild caught seafood is about as healthy as you can go. The scallops are a real treat. When you sear them, be sure to cook them in the liquid that comes in the bag and be sure not to overcook them. I bake or broil the lightly seasoned salmon filets skin side down in olive or coconut oil.
Buy Direct from the Fisherman
Captain Tony has been fishing in Alaska since 1990. Wild Alaska is famous for their wild caught Sockeye and King Salmon! All of our other fish, including Ahi Tuna, Shrimp, Scallops, Cod, etc., are responsibly sourced, caught the right way and closely inspected by Capt. Tony to meet our high standards of quality and freshness. They catch and process all 5 species of wild pacific salmon, and source our other seafood products from high quality sustainable fisheries.
The stuff tastes great and is good for you. Internet orders to the continental United States are shipped from their fulfillment center in the Midwest allowing their seafood products to reach US customers in perfect condition. The flavor and texture of their salmon and other products remain fresher than fresh is because the stuff is frozen the same day it is caught.
Note
Nutritionally, if you are eating farm-raised salmon, you might as well be eating pop tarts. Sockeye salmon has the highest amount of Omega 3 of any fish with approximately 2.7 grams per 100-gram portion. Therefore, just one serving of Alaska salmon per week can help to lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Scallops are widely considered one of the healthiest seafoods. Made up of 80% protein and sporting a low fat content, they can help you feel fuller longer and are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are also a great source of antioxidants. Dr. Morris 🙂
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This image was created on 20 April 2025 at Cape Coral, FL. Crouching a bit behind my partially lowered tripod, I used the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter, and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 1250: 1/250 second at f/9 (stopped down 1/3 stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 7:25:13pm on a on sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: Burrowing Owl adult yawning |
Sleepy 1200mm Success
Though the Sony 600mm f/4 with the 2X TC is incredibly sharp and AF performance (especially with the a9 ii) is superb, very few folks who own the 600 opt to work with the 2X TC. I use this combination quite often in quest of clean, tight, and graphic. I got lower than standing to move the background farther from the subject; that approach worked quite well. I created dozens of head portraits but when the bird yawned, I was quite happy. The bird held the yawn for several seconds so I was confident that my shutter speed of 1/250 second had been fast enough.
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This image was also created on 20 April 2025 at Cape Coral, FL. Seated on dry grass behind my lowered tripod, I used the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel — ISO 800. 1/800 second at f/9 (stopped down 2 1/3 stops) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:19:45am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Spot XS/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Be sure to click on the image to view a larger high res version. Image #2: Burrowing Owl family pano |
Rare for Me: Stopping Down 2 1/3 Stops
We got low and advanced slowly on our butts into position for the family portrait so as not to have any of the chicks dive into the burrow. Seeing that I would be doing a group shot I had already removed the 2X TC to work at 600mm. The owls changed position frequently and blessed us with many nice arrangements. On rare occasion, they all opened their eye at the same time. I stopped down 2 1/3 stops (seven clicks) to have enough depth of field to cover all four birds. It worked! And by being low, we still got to enjoy smooth, defocused backgrounds. As I have written here often, When you are trying to create smooth, distraction-free backgrounds, the distance from the subject to the background is a more important factor than the aperture.
A Note On Photographing Burrowing Owls
Cape Coral, Florida is home to an estimated 1,000 nesting pairs of Burrowing Owls, making it the largest population of this species in the state. A 2024 census counted more than 5,000 owls!
It is easy to drive around Cape Coral and find dozens of Burrowing Owl nest complexes without much effort. Nearly all of the burrows are marked and surrounded by white PVC posts and wooden crosses. The trick is to recognize the superb situations and visit them at the best times: early sun, late sun, or cloudy. We were very lucky during our first two sessions to find one great afternoon nest on Saturday and one great morning nest on Sunday. If you will be visiting Cape Coral soon and would like directions to the two great locations we have found, please send a PayPal for $20 to birdsasart@verizon.net with the words APRIL 2025 CAPE CORAL BURROWING OWL INFO.
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This image was created on 20 April 2025 at Cape Coral, FL by 87-year old Pat Fishburne, longtime friend and multiple IPT veteran (with beloved late husband Stokes). Seated on dry grass behind her lowered tripod topped by a Mongoose M3.6.1, she used her Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens (Sony E) with the Sony FE 2x teleconverter and the ridiculously amazing Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera. Multi-metering +0.7 stops in Shutter Priority mode with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 400: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 6:01:40am early on a very hazy morning. Tracking: Expand Spot AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Two large Burrowing Owl chicks |
One of Pat’s Best
We called the bird on the left “Perky.” It was active, very curious, and almost always wide-eyed. For obvious reasons, we named the bird on our right “Sleepyhead.” With the light-toned birds and backgrounds, Pat did much better exposure-wise working in Shutter Priority with AUTO ISO and EC on the Thumb Dial that she did working in Manual mode with ISO on the Thumb Dial.
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This image was also created on 20 April 2025 at Cape Coral, FL. Seated on dry grass behind my lowered tripod, I used the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter, and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 800: 1/800 second at f/9 (stopped down 1/3 stop) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the exposure was dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:29:15pm on a on sunny morning. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #4: Burrowing Owl wide-eyed juvenile |
Woof Woof!
A blonde lady was walking a huge mastiff on the road by the nest we were working. The dog was pulling her down the street while barking at us; the owls reacted. One parent bird flew off and two of the three youngsters dove into one of the nest holes; the brave bird pictured in Image #3 stood its ground but was very obviously distressed. Isolating a single large chick, however, was no longer a problem.
Within a few minutes, the gang was back together. Above ground.
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This image was created on the afternoon of 20 April 2025 at Cape Coral, FL. Seated on a milk crate topped by a pillow, I used the Robus RC-5570 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter, and The Latest Greatest Sony Flagship Body, the a-1 II Mirrorless Camera. Multi-metering +0.7 stops in Shutter Priority mode with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial. AUTO ISO set ISO 2500: 1/250 sec. at f8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:27:06pm in the shadow of the earth. Wide/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #5: Burrowing Owl large chick stretching one wing |
Sunday Afternoon
After our wonderful dinner on Sunday at Pat’s wonderful home, I reviewed a few of Pat’s images from our morning session, picked one of my favorites, and created a Camtasia video of the image optimization. Then we drove back to the best Saturday afternoon nest. The birds were not nearly as active as they had been the day before. And the young ones sat in front of a fairly large, rather unattractive rock that sat right being their favorite nest hole.
As the light was fading fast, I saw the possibility of a 1200mm vertical of the one chick that had moved ever-so-slightly to out right of the rock. I decided to switch to Shutter Priority with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial and AUTO ISO so that I did not have to keep raising the ISO every two minutes. And with little light, I went down to 1/250 second to save on ISO.
Then, I got lucky. I had placed the subject on the left side of the frame in order to include the stalk to our right of the young bird in the image. When the plump little bird stretched its right wing, I quickly decided not to recompose and made a series of images with the young owl looking out of the frame on my left. When the bit held the pose and turned its head to look to my right, I was a very happy man.
Should You Upgrade to or Purchase a Sony a-1 ii?
I received my second a-1 ii two weeks ago. I continue to be amazed by speed and accuracy of the Bird Face-Eye tracking in AF-C and the overall performance of the camera.
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 has proven to be a huge plus; in my opinion, the Speed Boost feature is a total waste for bird photography. In addition, the resolution on the rear monitor has been improved dramatically (not that I would notice). Bird Face-Eye tracking on the a-1 ii is vastly improved as compared to both the a-1 and the a9 iii and the 51MP files are to die for.
So, the big question is, is the a-1 ii “worth” a gear upgrade. Remember that I can never know whether or not something is worth it to for someone else. I can say that I was not floored when first using my a-1 ii. The differences between the a-1 ii and the original a-1, seemed to be neither huge nor eye-opening. But over time, I came to realize that I was 100% wrong.
The huge difference between the new camera body and the older a9 iii is, of course, the 51MP a-1 raw files (as compared to the 24MP files rendered by the a9 iii). That said, Pat’s image above stood up quite well to a rather substantial crop from below and from our left.
With the price of a brand new a-1 having recently dropped $1500.00 to $4,998.00, the decision for new Sony buyers is a 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). But for me, the a-1 ii is clearly far superior to the original a-1 for bird photography.
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 ii 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.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
I’m going to agree with you that all six images of burrowing owls–not baby cranes as you wrote–are pretty darned special. I don’t think I can pick one or two favorites. I am envious; I would love to have such an opportunity. Also, here in New Mexico it’s Monday April 21.
Good catches and fixed. But there are five image not six 🙂
with love, artie
The images are so good that I thought there were six of them. 🙂
“We got low” Beautiful!
Just a word on the a1 II, speed boost can also work in reverse mode. Make the button a toggle at any speed you want. Always work at 30fps, but when not necessary, just tap the button for slower speeds. Helps with editing when you just can’t decide on the 300 perfect images you have to delete.
Yes, but it is no big deal. You can just move the dial on the top left of the camera body to L or Single frame. The latter, for example, when doing macro.
with love, artie
Yeah, that’s true, but it’s a locking dial. Gotta manipulate and finesse that dial, in the right direction, without looking.
Image 4 for me, great portrait of the alarmed juvenile, good contrast with the background and just the right amount of blur in the foreground. Image 3 is a great shot by Pat of the two juveniles, but for me, too much blurred foreground foliage. Image 1, the yawning adult, slightly put off by the differing sized pupils… I know it’s ’as was’ and there’s probably a good reason….. Image 2, great capture and amazing family shot with all eyes open, but I would prefer a tad more contrast against the very similar coloured background. Image 5, doesn’t do a lot for me, sorry.