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<\/p>\nBlackbirds, grebes, eagles, assorted ducks and a photographic calamity – bits and pieces of recent shooting forays to Farmington Bay.<\/p>\n
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The Red-winged Blackbirds are starting to sing with enthusiasm again. They’re a little early even for them if you ask me. I enjoy the good light and detail on this difficult to expose bird but I’m not happy with the composition because I don’t have enough room up top. I’m posting the image largely because of the good look at the epaulet on the right wing which at this angle shows how far it is raised off of the wing. It looks like it’s a separate piece that has been attached there, just like epaulets are in military uniforms.<\/p>\n
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Over the years many readers from warmer climates have wondered how some of our resident birds survive our winters. Even during the colder winters there are usually small patches of open water where birds congregate, feed and usually, though not always, survive. This small patch stayed open a couple of days ago because it was near a bridge where water was flowing fairly fast. It was filled almost to the brim with birds, mostly Pied-billed Grebes, American Coots and at times a splattering of various ducks.<\/p>\n
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Here’s another view from the top of the bridge a while later after a few ducks joined the congregation.<\/p>\n
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At times there were a few Redheads, Canvasbacks and other ducks among the grebes and coots. Sharp eyes may have noticed the awkward posture of the headless grebe trying to stand on ice at the top of the frame. It’s rare for grebes of any species come out of the water but that one did.<\/p>\n
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Farmington is known for its winter Bald Eagles but in the last few years they’ve been few in number and those that are there have nearly always been far out on the refuge. But recently a few of them have been on the ice quite close to the road. And of course that makes photographers, birders and wildlife lovers congregate almost as thick as the grebes in the previous photos. That area sometimes becomes packed with photographers, standing tripods and maneuvering vehicles.<\/p>\n
I don’t join the crowd for two reasons. I’m usually there in the mornings when the eagles are backlit and I don’t want to mostly waste my time taking eagle photos that I’ll probably delete when I get home. I’d rather take my chances with other birds in better light. Sometimes I fail with them and sometimes I don’t. The other reason I don’t join in is I’m not particularly comfortable in crowds, be they photographers or anyone else. Some of those photographers are good friends of mine and I really enjoy them individually but just by my nature I’m not a social photographer. I don’t do fusterclucks well, no matter their composition.<\/p>\n
Ok, to my point. Yesterday as I was avoiding the crowds and doing my own thing along the road about 3\/4 of a mile away from the eagle congregation a subadult Bald Eagle, for the first time in a very, very long time, unexpectedly flew very close and at a perfect angle right over my pickup. I aimed my lens and fired off a very long burst as it approached and passed over my left shoulder. I just knew a bunch of those photos would be very good and many of them would be frame-filling.<\/p>\n
But…this isn’t that eagle. This is a shot from years ago at Farmington but it looks very similar to what I saw through my viewfinder – a subadult of about the same age and plumage as yesterday’s eagle against a blue sky. But yesterday the sky was bluer, the eagle was closer and the light angle was even better so I was excited to see what I got.<\/p>\n
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THIS monstrosity is what I got, pure unadulterated crap. A couple were slightly sharper than this but most were worse. Far worse.<\/p>\n
It turns out that AI Servo on my camera had somehow, inexplicably been turned off!. AI Servo is the feature on Canon cameras that allows autofocus to be maintained on a moving target. So I had a sharp shot the first time I focused and fired on the bird when it was 37 miles away and every shot after that got softer as the eagle approached. I didn’t notice the increasing softness through my viewfinder because of my rapidly flapping shutter.<\/p>\n
In over a decade of shooting with Canon cameras I don’t believe this has ever happened before and of course it occurred at the worst possible time. My old friend Murphy of Murphy’s Law can kiss my royal patootie.<\/p>\n
Ron<\/p>\n
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PS – Sorry about the bellyaching downer to end this post. Every serious photographer on the planet has had poorly timed equipment snafus so experiences like this are far from unique to me. But we do tend to take it personally when they happen to us. I have the advantage of a stress reliever called Feathered Photography where I can vent and relieve my frustration a little but most others don’t.<\/em><\/p>\n So if any photographers out there have a similar story feel free to tell us about it in a comment. Knowing that we’re not alone just might make some of us feel a little better, including me.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Blackbirds, grebes, eagles, assorted ducks and a photographic calamity – bits and pieces of recent shooting forays to Farmington Bay.<\/p>\n