Soon the Willets on Antelope Island will mostly leave the island proper (if they haven’t already) and move down to the shoreline of the lake where they’re less accessible so for the last several weeks I’ve been striking while the iron is hot and photographing them at every opportunity.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I found this one perched on sagebrush 9 days ago along the road to Garr Ranch. It was more concerned about another nearby Willet than it was about me so it landed here quite close to my pickup with me already in place. Instead of stalking the bird first all I had to do was aim and shoot.
I figured it would take off soon to interact with the other bird so I removed my teleconverter for potential takeoff and flight shots and convenient for me it took off almost immediately after I swapped out my gear. I appreciated not having to tensely wait for launch for a long time and hope my reflexes and “hair-trigger” were quick enough to catch the action – especially with the “no-see-ums” biting me the entire time. Those little bastards can make a few seconds seem like an eternity.
1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 400, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
I didn’t quite get the takeoff shot I hoped for but I still thought this “peekaboo” posture was interesting enough to post. We can see the entire length of the bill, the eye and face though it would have been nice if just a little more of the head had been visible. My shutter fired during the first wing stroke and the bird is pushing off with its left foot still deeply buried in the sage. I like the curve of the wings, the background bokeh and the sharpness of the Willet.
Maybe next time I’ll catch one taking off a little more in my direction. Or maybe I won’t…
Ron
Neat photos Ron, the last one, the “peekaboo” is great! Do you know if the blur on the wing tip in the background is field blur, or motion blur? At 1/3200 sec I would think that would freeze the wing tip, however I am always proven wrong w.r.t. just how fast wing tips can move.
Thanks, Ed. Looks to me like that softness is due to depth of field, especially considering the softness of some of the sagebrush back there.
Wings are a miracle. A miracle I see, marvel at and believe in. I wish I didn’t believe in the bitey beasts. Or they didn’t believe in me. Thank you for the blood, sweat and probably tears you expend.
And yes, I also have to re-enter everything each visit.
Mia has a little box to tick saying that you want your details retained. Which worked.
Thanks, EC. Mia and I now have different hosting so I’m not sure I have that option. Don’t know why anything changed in the first place…
Worth a look though. Despite your different hosts some things are the same between your blogs.
I absolutely love the second photo! It shows off all the beautiful feather patterns, including ones I’ve not ever noticed before.
Thank you, Susan.
It sounds like the gnats were almost unbearable. We are lucky that you endured these awful creatures for us to enjoy your shots. You are a real trooper and/or just a very determined person.
The first and second photos hardly look like the same bird. The wings are beautiful.
Thanks for your huge effort.
BTW, I’m able to see my name and email address, unlike several others so the problem doesn’t seem to be “across the board”.
“I’m able to see my name and email address, unlike several others so the problem doesn’t seem to be “across the board”
That’s potentially very useful, Alice. Thanks.
Besides being terrific photos, the second one provided a good lesson in feather anatomy for me. Thanks for braving the bug bites.
I’m not sure how brave I was with those gnats, Lyle. Did a lot of cussing…
Wonderful shots! Love the first…muted colors are so serene…then in second frame, SURPRISE!!! The wing colors and feather patterns are sl striking!!! Also live the peek a boo effect…wouldn’t change a thing….
I’m glad you like them both, Patty. Thanks.
Love it when you see a cute bird but then it spreads its wings… Wow, just beautiful ❗️
Have a great day 😃
Thanks, Diana.
My new fosters came with fleas and are too young for any treatment besides a flea comb, so I get it about giving blood, sweat, and tears for your passion. 😁
Those wings are exquisitely beautiful and I like seeing the push off. I think these qualities might have been missed in a more “traditional” takeoff pose.
Not sure if this info is helpful, but I’m on a Mac platform and I’m having to enter my info for each comment recently too, so it’s not just Microsoft.
Thanks, Marty. We’ll be trying to figure that little quirk out later today.
Ron, We will be coming through the Salt Lake City area from Eastern Oregon on our way to Denver the second week of July. Is there anything avian to see in what I suspect will be pretty warm weather? Thanks.
There should be, Linda – although birds are definitely slower in midsummer.
Until seeing your second shot this AM, I’d never seen a Willet’s wings outspread–they are truly beautiful ! I’ve had the same re-entry stuff as Judy has had for several days . When I click
on “post comment”, it asks for name and e-mail, again.
Their wings are transforming when the open them, Kris – on both their tops and bottoms. That trait is one of the reasons I love photographing them.
Wow Ron, that peekaboo shot with the wings is gorgeous. Definitely worth the bites. 🙂
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
“Definitely worth the bites”
I dunno, Everett. They were nothing short of nasty!
Beautiful!
Thanks, Sharon.
Great shots Ron of one of my favorite birds. Of course there are many birds that are my favorite.
We’ve been lucky, apart from being away for over a week to attend two granddaughter graduations, one from college, one from High School, we have had enough of a breeze when shooting to keep the biting Greenheads and voracious mosquitoes at bay. I’m convinced my time will come! VBG!
Always a pleasure to be home and have your blog awaiting, it is so very much appreciated.
Biting bugs are nasty, Dick – no matter the species. Once our temps reach the 90’s for a few days the gnats will disappear. I don’t like heat but at least it has an upside…
Absolutely beautiful! No other way to describe that second photo…course the first is great also! The wing feathers are a joy to see when they take off…always like to see those. Worth every bite you had to endure! 🙂 Over the weekend I had the luck to find several ‘Wilson’s Phalaropes’…first time…the mosquitoes took about a pint of my blood but I got many photos…well worth it.
“Worth every bite you had to endure!”
In hindsight I agree, Kathy but at the time I wasn’t so sure!
Beautiful shot, Ron even if not what you’d hoped for! 🙂 No-see-ums and having to remove the teleconverter certainly were major distractions! 🙁 The peekaboo is great as are the wings and feet kicking off……..:) One more time on name and e-mail – tried typing it all rather than autofill – we shall see!
Thanks, Judy.
Tell me exactly what happens when you try to post a comment that’s different from how it used to be for you and then we’ll try to figure it out on this end.
Just says I have to put name/e-mail again – if I don’t I get the message after hitting enter so have to back up and do it. Computer had been doing autofill so I tried just keying it all in today. Same thing for this reply – area for name and e-mail is blank and has to be filled in………. NOW had a windows update in the past week – perhaps it’s something on my end?
Ok, I’ll check with my computer guru.