p.34 #1 · Nature and Wildlife image thread - a Sequel
Unlike the Eastern Gray Squirrel, the much larger Western Gray Squirrel is having a hard time with it being listed as threatened and vulnerable in the Pacific Northwest. "Charlie" visits every day for chatter and a peanut. Don't get your fingers near that mouth (it looks a lot like a peanut), and they have a strong bite. He usually holds on to my hand so that he doesn't mistake my finger for the peanut.
ILCE-1FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II lens153mmf/4.01/1000s1250 ISO0.0 EV
p.34 #3 · Nature and Wildlife image thread - a Sequel
Shots from the past week...
I don't think Osprey will eat crab so he either mistook it for a flatfish or snagged it by accident and missed the fish. He dropped the crab a few seconds later.
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/5.01/5000s640 ISO0.0 EV
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/5.01/5000s640 ISO0.0 EV
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/5.01/5000s640 ISO0.0 EV
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/5.01/5000s800 ISO0.0 EV
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/5.01/5000s800 ISO0.0 EV
p.34 #5 · Nature and Wildlife image thread - a Sequel
arbitrage wrote:
Shots from the past week...
I don't think Osprey will eat crab so he either mistook it for a flatfish or snagged it by accident and missed the fish. He dropped the crab a few seconds later.
Great series, though I suspect thistle you must be especially satisfied with the swallow image
p.34 #9 · Nature and Wildlife image thread - a Sequel
Australia Sampler 1: Rainbow Lorikeets
Just returned from Australia on a semi-birding trip. As we unexpectedly had a full house sitter for the month of August, we hurriedly took the opportunity to visit sister/brother-in-laws in Australia (Sydney suburbs) for 3 weeks. My wife’s 3rd visit but my first. In spite of still being winter, was able to squeeze in some considerable photo birding time. Visited 20+ locations around Sydney and similar ones in Cairns (all sunny in 3 days stay) with the generous help of upcoming birders (brother/sister-in-laws) and locally hired day tour guides ( https://www.zestforbirds.com/ in Sydney and Tropical Birding Australia and Doug Herrington in Cairns).
Brought only the A1 + FE200-600 + 1.4XTC with A6700 as body back-up (with the FE100-400 staying) although knowing the challenges of low light conditions of woodlands and rainforest from past adventures. I value more the reach rather than low light capability (actually I only have a heavy old/vintage 300mm f2.8 A-mount with LA-EA5) and let current software processing help in the noise/sharpness improvements. About 80% usable results with wintry rainy/overcast conditions mixing in with the challenges.
Missed some birds, got “rubbish” shots too but also got some bonus ones and had too many on some as one pass with few minutes stay won’t guarantee a sighting even if those birds are frequent visitors. Sometimes more than one hour walk resulted in just some distant chirpings. Some birds sometimes were on big prohibitive “roundabouts” but one street corner proven to host 3 types of Lorikeets.
Here’s one iconic Australian bird limitedly observed with widespread distribution around Sydney and in Cairns – the Rainbow Lorikeets: lingering on top of the trees, halfway the trees, at eye level for low flowering plants and on the grounds.
p.34 #13 · Nature and Wildlife image thread - a Sequel
Peregrine and grebe
Unusual to pick one of these out the water so while I saw him coming I didn't expect him pick the grebe up as he was passing Usually they hunt the waders on the beach nearby.
p.34 #17 · Nature and Wildlife image thread - a Sequel
Australia Sampler 2: Noisy Miner (ignore list member)
We landed early morning in Sydney and in-laws took us directly to Coogee beach and Centennial park. At Coogee beach while munching sort of a brunch, saw my first Rainbow Lorikeets but too far. Then a bird flew nearer with predictable flight and easy AF against the sky. Brother-in-law identified it as the Noisy Miner (member of the honey eater family). One burst easily resulted in 19 usable frames.
After three days, it was placed on my ignore list as it was all over the place - in most parks we visited up to Cairns, along streets, yards, shopping area, etc. Also easily appears uninvited to park picnics/munching. On the positive side, easily available and good practice birds for BIF/different wings configurations. Sample shots below.
Usually they hunt the waders on the beach nearby.
