07-15-12 Male Cardinal

I finally got a shot of a male cardinal.  The perch is in the shade and the background is in the sun making it yellow.  I've been trying to stay away from flash but I may have to try it because the lighting is a bit dull in my opinion.  

07-07-12 Sandhill Cranes!

I drove all the way up to the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge near Green Island, Iowa which is across the River from the Savanna Army Depot.  I saw lots of Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons but didn't have any great photo opportunities.  On the way home I decided to swing into Lock and Dam 13 for the third night in a row and what do I see but two Sandhill Cranes walking along the roadside.

This Great Blue Heron was too far away to shoot with my 400mm so once again I attached the 2x converter and manual focused the now 800mm f11.

07-06-12 Egret and RWBB at 800mm

I saw this Great Egret near the intersection of Holly Road and Rt 84.  The light isn't very good but I was pleased with how this came out considering I'm handholding my 400mm with the 2x converter attached, using the open car window for support. (and manual focusing)

Stopped back in at Lock and Dam 13 to try the red-winged blackbirds again.  This is also at 800mm but on a tripod this time.  This one doesn't have the out of focus foreground and all the bugs that yesterday's did but I wish this was a male rather than a female.

07-05-12 Princeton 2

I made it to the Princeton Wildlife Refuge after an earlier failed attempt.  I saw several Blue Herons and Egrets but couldn't get any good photos.  Here is a cell phone shot of the area.

Not seeing any opportunities, I decided to head north to Lock and Dam 13 where I was able to get my best red-winged black bird shot to date. I love the light and the colors in the background but I don't like all the out of focus bits blocking the main perch.  I'm not sure how I feel about all the bugs.  I think I wish they weren't there.

06-26-12 Florida

We took a family vacation to Florida and I left the SLR and telephoto lens at home.  That didn't stop me from getting some point and shoot shots of birds along the way.  Below is a Brown Pelican at Clearwater Beach, FL.  The pelicans out on this fishing pier are pretty accustomed to people.  We even saw one chase a guy who had just caught a fish.  Trying to steal lunch.

Here is the same pelican showing off for Nicole and Madison.

Earlier in the week I got this shot of a Great Blue Heron in the ocean at Cocoa Beach.