April 12th, 2024 What’s Up?
We enjoyed a third straight great morning with the prairie chickens. Sunny and not too cold with about 60 birds on the lek. After two straight days of being in a pretty good spot by pure luck, both Kevin and Anita enjoyed the lion’s share of the action today, Friday 12 April 2023. Some bad weather is coming early next week. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have fun.
Anita North tried her new a9 iii (with all of my settings on it) and was quite impressed. She said, “It does great with backgrounds other than sky, it acquires focus faster, it grabs the eye faster than the a1 and sticks with it better than the a1, and the ergonomics are greatly improved. With more space to the front and left of the grip, it is easier to hold the camera without accidentally hitting any of your custom buttons with your thumb.” After looking briefly at her images, she added this “I can tell you right now that a9 iii image quality is nowhere near as good as it with a-1. We will not be able to crop with impunity as we have done with the a-1.”
Action Satisfaction
While Kevin has been giving us some great tips on photographing the chickens, there is nothing as satisfying as figuring out new bird behavior on your own. I thought that I would need to raise the tripod and work with my eye to the viewfinder in order to try for fights and flight. But I continued working off the rear monitor so that I could maintain the low perspective that I love. Once I figured out the that trick was to look for two males in close proximity, acquire focus, and get ready for action to begin, I found that I could capture the squabbles while working off the rear screen. As long as I had my reading glasses on. Image #1 was my first BINGO!
Seven Seconds Later
In addition, I learned to stay with the action once it begins. The two birds in Image #2 are the same as in Image #1. They flew up, squabbled, landed and, and then resumed midair hostilities almost immediately. Whatever you do, do not start chimping after a midair tussle to see if you got something good or great. You might miss even better stuff.
In Love With Pinnae
The prairie chickens are interesting. Their behaviors on the leks are beyond fascinating. A lek is an aggregation of male game birds that gather to engage in competitive displays and courtship rituals to entice visiting females that are looking for prospective mates. The long pinnated (symmetrical) feathers atop their heads can be twirled around, pointed fore or aft, and erected before, during, and after various courtship displays. The birds on the lek in Fort Pierre do not seem to notice us or the three blinds at all. Some walk within fifteen feet of the front of the blinds and yesterday, a squabbling duo crashed into the back of my blind. When the walk right by, I go head hunting.
a9 iii Image Quality
As I have stated from DAY 1, the 24MP a9 iii files cannot stand up as well to large crops as the 50MP a1 files. Wile this is true, Image #3 represents less than 38% of the original frame. It looks more than fine to me.
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Click on the card to view a larger, sharper high resolution version.
Sony a9 iii .DAT File and More e-Guide
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Sony a9 iii .DAT File and More e-Guide
Though I have had the a9 111 for only a month, I have created many amazing images with it. (I did get to play with one in Homer for a bit>) As it is a complex camera body and there are more than a few differences when compared to the a-1, it has taken me a while to get the setup close to perfection and I am still and will continue to learn more everyday. I am 100% convinced that a9 iii Bird Face/Eye AF/C is significantly better than it is on the vaunted a1.
Use one of my two affiliate links (B&H or Bedford) to earn a free copy of the guide. Overseas folks and this who purchased their 19 iii without using a BAA affiliate link may purchase the e-Guide for $209.93 by calling Jim weekdays until noon on Friday at 863-692-0906.
Why so expensive? Heck, it is free if you use one of my links. Get in the habit. It never costs you one one penny more and in many cases I gave save you some money if you get in touch with me before you purchase something great.
Your camera cost you about $6K USD. You might opt to struggle with the menu and with trying to figure out the proper settings for bird photography. Or, for just 3 1/2 percent of the price of an a9 iii, you can have my settings on your a9 iii in about five minutes. And ten minutes after that you will know as much as I do about this amazing new technological miracle.
What you will get:
My a9 iii .DAT file along with instructions on how to load it onto your a9 iii. In just minutes, your camera will be set up exactly as mine is. And you can begin making great images.
A Buttons and Dial guide.
An INFO sheet with my comments on all the important stuff.
Product support to the best of my ability. E-mail your questions and I will either answer them or get them answered.
Occasional e-mails with anything new that I discover.
Rejoinder — there may very well be stuff about the a9 iii that I am unaware of. And some of that might be beneficial for bird photography. Do not hesitate to let me know via e-mail if you figure out something great.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
April 11th, 2024 What’s Up?
Excitement on the Prairie
On Wednesday afternoon the wind picked up considerably so Kevin decided to take a ride to our shooting location to check on the blinds. He should have been back in about an hour. Two and a half hours later he walked into our AirBnB in his very wet underwear! “What happened?” we cried out. “Two of the blinds were pretty much wrecked. Anitas blind had disappeared. I secured the two damaged blinds, walked back to the truck, and drove downwind figuring that the third blind had to be somewhere. But it was not stuck on a fence line as I had hoped. It was in the middle of a fairly large farm pond. So I stripped down to my skivvies and got in the water — it was cold!, I dragged the blind to the shallow end of the pond. It weighed a ton! I wrestled it up onto the bank in the fierce wind and eventually got the blind into the truck.”
After Kevin showered and dressed, he and Anita set the blind up in the front yard. I finished cooking another great dinner. The blind was dry by morning. On Thursday morning we left 30 minutes earlier than we had on Wednesday and struggled the 1/2 mile in the dark carrying too much stuff including Anita’s now dry blind. Kevin had his repair kit — a roll of duct tape, and after 30 minutes of hard and skillful work, all three blinds were set up. We were all amply rewarded by a second consecutive great session with the prairie chickens. There was lots of fighting going on. We quit by 8:30am and were soon headed home for breakfast and rest. I have 5747 images to edit after I finish this blog post.
I wound up keeping 247 photos out of the 8923 that I made on Thursday morning. I share two of the better ones in today’s blog post.
Speaking of which, today is Thursday April 11 2024. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have half as much fun as I did this morning.
If you plan on purchasing a Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera (or anything else for that matter), please remember to use or write for either my Bedfords discount code or my B&H affiliate link. Folks who use one of my two affiliate links to purchase the a9 III will receive my .DAT settings (the complete camera set-up) along with a Buttons and Dials Guide.
Please remember to use the B&H 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!
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.
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Join me in Little Rock, Arkansas this May for a great weekend of learning and fun. You can check out any and all of the latest/greatest photo gear. If you know any good nearby spots for bird photography, and/or if you would like a free (5-image) portfolio review, shoot me an e-mail.
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Little Rock Photo EXPO
A Bedford Event: Inspire, Learn, Discover
HUGE TWO DAY INTERACTIVE TRADE-SHOW
May 17-18, 2024
State House Convention Center
101 E. Markham St., Little Rock, Arkansas
Don’t miss the Photo Expo in Little Rock! Regardless of your experience level, join hundreds of photographers, as we take over Little Rock on May 17-18, 2024. The Little Rock Photo Expo offers a remarkable experience packed with presentations, hands-on demonstrations, and a massive trade show featuring all the major photographic companies. Explore the latest gear, trade in your old camera equipment, and gain valuable insights from our experts. Get up close and personal with world-renowned keynote speakers and seize countless unique photo opportunities. Bring your camera and get ready for a weekend of fun, learning, and inspiration to elevate YOUR photography to new heights.
Click here to learn more and follow the links to see the schedule of events and/or register. Use this discount code at checkout to save $20.00: VIPEXPO24.
Save 15%!
If you’d like to try out a new lens or if you need a lens for a specific trip or project (or for an IPT), LensRentals.com is the only way to go. To save 15%, simply click on the logo link above, arrange for your rental, and type in BIRDSASART15. If you type the gear you are looking for in the search box, it will pop right up. LensRentals.com offers affordable insurance. You can decline it, opt for LensCap: Damage Only, or select LensCap: Damage & Theft. Then hit PROCEED TO CHECKOUT. After you enter all of your info but before completing your order, be sure to scroll down to Promo Code box and enter the BIRDSASART15 code to save 15%.
I checked on renting a Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens for a week. The cost is only $122.00. LensCap: Damage Only coverage can be added for a very low $18.00. Going with LensCap: Damage & Theft would be $27.00. The shipping charge varies. They offer an interesting program called Lensrentals HD. By signing up for this shipping discount program ($99.00/year), you’ll get free Standard Shipping on all the orders you place.
Renting a Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens for a week will cost you $536.00. The two coverage options come in at $76.00 or $114.00. Less your 15% discount when you enter the BIRDSASART15 code into the Promo Code box at checkout and enter the BIRDSASART15 code in the Promo Code box at checkout to save 15%.
Remember, to save the 15% on your rental you must start your search by clicking on the logo above, or on this link: LensRentals.com
B&H
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. B&H will reopen on Fri April 14. 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.
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.
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 be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.
Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy
Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
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 stave 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.
The Pinnate Feathers
The pinnated (symmetrical structure) feathers atop a grouse’s head are used as part of the male’s display. At time they might be erected to the front or to the rear. I love this image because it appears that the bird is using them for flight. That is, of course, both impossible and aerodynamically ridiculous.
a9 iii AF. Or Not?
On Wednesday morning, I used the a9 iii for about two hours and then switched to the a-1. It was painfully clear that the Bird Face/Eye recognition AF with the a9 iii was absolutely better than with the a1. On Thursday there were many squabbles. Anita North had her brand new a9 iii with her but opted to use one of her a1 bodies. With all the fighting, Anita created dozens of spectacular images that left Kevin and I gasping and envious.
Go figure …
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
April 10th, 2024 Jax
If you are interested in sharing an AirBnB with me near Huguenot Memorial Park east of Jacksonville, FL during the second week of July, or in doing an IPT that week, please stop what you are doing and shoot me an e-mail. Here’s wishing you great light and better photography.
Your Calls?
Which of today’s three featured Royal Tern images is your favorite? Why? In one of the images, the color seems a bit off. Which one?
What’s Up?
My flights from Orlando to Minneapolis and then with a tight connection to Bismarck, ND were a breeze. Kevin and Anita picked me up and we drove down to Pierre (be sure to say peer or pier), SD where we are staying in a lovely 4 bedroom AirBnB that was built in 1911. It is both a warm, comfortable home and a museum. I cooked up some great burgers and made a wicked salad. I napped and washed the dishes while my two friends went to check on the leks. We head out early tomorrow morning for our first try for the Prairie Chickens. Wish us luck!
Today is Wednesday 10 April 2024. We walked about 1/2 mile in the dark from Kevin’s truck to the three blinds that he and Anita had erected the night before. As it got lighter bit by bit and I could see the Greater Prairie Chickens, I was instantly enthralled. The amazingly colored males are gorgeous and the hens are understatedly beautiful. Working exclusively with the a9 iii, I created 8923 (as yet un-edited) images, most with the 1.4X TC in place. I glanced at the photos and was thrilled. I did not even attempt to photograph fights and interactions but that should come soon as the perfect weather is supposed to continue for at least a few days. Knock on wood. Photos soon.
Don’t look now, but this blog post makes eleven days in a row with a new educational post just for you. You know the drill; please use my affiliate links or patronize the BAA Online Store.
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Click on the card to view a larger, sharper high resolution version.
Sony a9 iii .DAT File and More e-Guide
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Sony a9 iii .DAT File and More e-Guide
Though I have had the a9 111 for only a month, I have created many amazing images with it. (I did get to play with one in Homer for a bit>) As it is a complex camera body and there are more than a few differences when compared to the a-1, it has taken me a while to get the setup close to perfection and I am still and will continue to learn more everyday. I am 100% convinced that a9 iii Bird Face/Eye AF/C is significantly better than it is on the vaunted a1.
Use one of my two affiliate links (B&H or Bedford) to earn a free copy of the guide. Overseas folks and this who purchased their 19 iii without using a BAA affiliate link may purchase the e-Guide for $209.93 by calling Jim weekdays until noon on Friday at 863-692-0906.
Why so expensive? Heck, it is free if you use one of my links. Get in the habit. It never costs you one one penny more and in many cases I gave save you some money if you get in touch with me before you purchase something great.
Your camera cost you about $6K USD. You might opt to struggle with the menu and with trying to figure out the proper settings for bird photography. Or, for just 3 1/2 percent of the price of an a9 iii, you can have my settings on your a9 iii in about five minutes. And ten minutes after that you will know as much as I do about this amazing new technological miracle.
What you will get:
My a9 iii .DAT file along with instructions on how to load it onto your a9 iii. In just minutes, your camera will be set up exactly as mine is. And you can begin making great images.
A Buttons and Dial guide.
An INFO sheet with my comments on all the important stuff.
Product support to the best of my ability. E-mail your questions and I will either answer them or get them answered.
Occasional e-mails with anything new that I discover.
Rejoinder — there may very well be stuff about the a9 iii that I am unaware of. And some of that might be beneficial for bird photography. Do not hesitate to let me know via e-mail if you figure out something great.
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Clockwise from upper left corner around to center: ink-stained Royal Tern with squid for chicks; fluffy white Royal Tern Chick about two weeks old; Royal Tern with shrimp for chicks; 3-4 week old Royal Tern chick; incoming adult Royal Tern with greenback; Royal Tern in flight with juvenile mahi-mahi; large Brown Pelican chick preening; field guide portrait of fresh juvenile Laughing Gull; Royal Tern chick begging for fish from incoming adult.
Join me at Huguenot Memorial Park this July
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Join Me
I have an AirBnB checking in on the late afternoon of Saturday 13 July and checking out on Thursday 19 July 2024. If you are looking to improve your bird photography by leaps and bounds while sharing the place with me, please shoot me an e-mail. ASAP. I will be announcing a 4 1/2-DAY Instructional Photo-Tour in that same time frame very soon. If you are interested in that, please do the same.
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This image was also created on 28 June at Huguenot Memorial Park east of Jacksonville, FL. Again, standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/1250 second at f/8 (stoped down 2 clicks or 2/3-stop) in Manual Mode. AWB at 10:25:03am on a then partly sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect.
Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Royal Tern large chick begging on face of dune
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Huguenot Memorial Park in Early Summer
Driving on the beach at Huguenot Memorial Park in early summer is a bird photographer’s delight. You park this side of the last rope on the beach and you are within 100 yards of the Royal Tern colony atop the dunes. There are also many thousand Laughing Gulls and a few Sandwich Terns breeding as well. In some years, there are some Brown Pelican nests on the ground! .
In early July, the tern chicks begin to make their way down to the flats to bathe and drink and get fed by the parents. On the way, they spend a lot of time on the face of the dune where they are easy to photograph at eye level. They may also gather in fairly large groups at the base of the dunes.
Flight photography both in the mornings and the afternoons can be quite excellent as the terns are carrying all manner of marine life to sustain the rapidly growing chicks: the adults are often seen flying around in search of their chicks with all sorts of small baitfish as well as immature fish, large shrimps, baby crabs, and even squid in their bills. The squid will squirt ink on the terns in protest. So if you see an adult Royal Tern flying around with a black necklace you can understand why.
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This image was created on 28 June at Huguenot Memorial Park east of Jacksonville, FL. Standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 239mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/1000 second at f/8
in Manual Mode. AWB at 10:27:47am on a still cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect.
Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Royal Tern coffee klatch
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Coffee Klatsch
Coffee klatsch (noun): an informal social gathering for coffee and conversation. The term comes from the German word, “kaffeeklatsch,” which translates to coffee (kaffee) + gossip (klatsch). While Royal Terns do not drink coffee, they sure like to gather in groups of from several to as many as two dozen to discuss fishing and whatever else it is that terns like to discuss. You can usually find and photograph such groups either atop the dunes, on the face of the dune, or at the base of the dune. The trick is to get as many good head angles as possible.
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This image was also created on 28 June at Huguenot Memorial Park east of Jacksonville, FL. Again, standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/3200 second at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 11:20:46am on a then partly sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect.
Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: Adult Royal Tern calling in tight flight
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Lenses for Flight Photography at Jax
While a handheld or tripod mounted 500 or 600mm f/4 lens can be quite useful for flight photography on the beach, handhold-able intermediate and zoom telephoto lenses like the Sony 200-600mm G lens, the Canon RF 100-500, and any one of the Nikon intermediate telephotos are often the ticket to success when flight shooting. I did quite well on my last visit handholding the Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lens usually with the 1.4X teleconverter.
Note that the Sony 200-600 was used to create all three of today’s featured images.
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