Orcas

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Orcas (Orcinus area) are toothed whales of the suborder Odontoceti which includes dolphins and porpoises and other species of whales with a single blowhole on the top of the head and, in adults, teeth. The orca, also known as a killer whale, is the largest member of the dolphin family. Orcas have a large black body, large dorsal fins, a white underside, and a white patch above and behind the eye.

Adult orcas are about 27-33 feet long and weigh 8,000 to 12,000 pounds. The male orca is larger than the female. Orcas, highly social animals, travel in groups (pods) usually consisting of 5 - 30 individuals led by females. They hunt together using echolocation (reflection of sound to find the location of fish).

Several innovative, cooperative hunting techniques have been described including attacks on even very large prey.

On August 12,201O a pod of orcas killed and ate a minke whale near Witless Bay, Newfoundland. This was a rare event and articles about the sighting appeared in several local papers. I was partici­pating in a photography workshop hosted by Ray Barlow with two other photographers. We had arranged to rent one of Eco-tours 22' Zodiacs (with captain) to visit an island with Atlantic Puffins and other seabirds. Instead we photographed action associated with the orca/minke interaction.

Quotes from August 19, 201 newspaper (Globe and Mail)

"Orcas are being sighted in increasing numbers off the coast of Newfoundland this month, and experienced whale watchers have been shocked on three occasions to see the carnivorous predators killing the local minke whales."

"Bob Bartlett, of Trinity Eco-Tours in Trinity Bay, has been observing the local waters for more than two decades as a recreational and commercial diver and tour operator. On Tuesday, he and a boatful of whale watchers filmed a pod of six orcas surrounding and devouring a minke, a much more common species. It's rare for them to be here, its rare to catch an attack on film or even see one ... everything is just so rare, it's unbelievable, Mr. Bartlett said. In 25 years, he's never seen orcas before."

Orca, near Witless Bay, Newfoundland - August 2010

Orca, near Witless Bay, Newfoundland - August 2010

Orca, near Witless Bay, Newfoundland - August 2010. Male orcas are larger than females and have a tall dorsal fin - up to six feet in height.

Orca and minke (center) whales near Witless Bay (Newfoundland, August 2010). The minke is out of focus. I did not know the minke was in the frame until viewing the photos later. I was trying to focus on the male on the right.

Orcas passing between our Zodiac and fishermen leaving Witless Bay, Newfoundland - August 2010.

Orca, near Witless Bay, Newfoundland - August 2010

Orca, near Witless Bay, Newfoundland - August 2010

Orca, near Witless Bay, Newfoundland - August 2010

Orca, near Witless Bay, Newfoundland - August 2010

Eight to twelve thousand pound Orca swimming toward the boat Molly Bawn. Witless Bay, Newfoundland - August 2010. Does the captain look concerned?

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Northern Gannets

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In 2010 I spent August 10-17 in Newfoundland on a photo tour organized by Raymond Barlow. A few photos taken on that trip have appeared in Facebook but during a recent review of the topics covered in my blog, I was surprised to discover that there are no entries devoted to the trip. This entry is the first part of an effort to correct this omission by presenting several photos of Northern Gannets taken at the Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve. I found notes indicating Cape St. Mary's has 11,000+ nesting pairs of Northern Gannets, 10,000+ nesting pairs of Common Murre, 10,000+ nesting pairs of Black-legged Kittiwakes, 150+ nesting pairs of Razorbills, 60+ nesting pairs of Black Guillemot, and 1,000+ nesting pairs of Thick-billed Murre.

Nikon D300 with 500mm f/4 lens
1/3200 sec at f/4, ISO 250

The Northern Gannet, the largest member of the gannet family, usually spots prey when they are 20-30 meters above sea level. The wings are used as rudders during their high speed dive to control dive direction. The wings are closed just before they hit the water and their velocity carries them deep into the water and they can then swim even deeper to catch fish at depths not accessible to most other birds.

Nikon D300 with 500mm f/4 lens
1/3200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

Northern Gannets are mostly white, but have a yellow head, a long, pointed bill, and brown or black wingtips,

Juvenile Northern Gannet

Nikon D300 with 500mm f/4 lens and 1.7x teleconverter
1/2000 sec at f/5, ISO 200

Nikon D300 with 300mm f/4 lens and 1.4 x teleconverter
1/1000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 200

Nikon D300 with 300mm f/4 lens and 1.4 x teleconverter
1/1000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 200

Nikon D300 with 300mm f/4 lens
1/1250 sec at f/5.0, ISO 200

Nikon D300 with 500mm f/4 lens
1/5000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

Nikon D300 with 500mm f/4 lens
1/500 sec at f/5.0, ISO 200

The white specs are birds. Use this photo to interpret the next two.
Nikon D300 with 300mm f/4 lens
1/400 sec at f/11, ISO 200

Nikon D300 with 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 lens @ 18mm
1/160 sec at f/11, ISO 200

Nikon D300 with 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 lens @ 65 mm
1/320 sec at f/11, ISO 200

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Two more photos of Sandhill Cranes - Monte Vista NWR, CO - March 11-12, 2024

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Click on each image to see a slightly larger view.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Sandhill Cranes - Monte Vista NWR, CO - March 11-12, 2024

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Click on each image to see a slightly larger version.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Jumping Sandhill Cranes: Monte Vista NWR, CO - March 2024

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Ten photos of courting Sandhill Cranes. Click on the link below to learn more about the courtship dance and to listen to the calls of the cranes.

https://www.birdnote.org/.../shows/leaping-sandhill-cranes

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

March 24, 2024 - A Good Day

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One of my daughter-in-laws and I had an early lunch in downtown Denver before attending a lecture about Mozart's Requiem and the concert featuring the Requiem.

Boettcher Concert Hall at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Photo taken during the lecture (click on the image for a larger view). Mozart's Requiem was performed by the Colorado Symphony with Principal Conductor Peter Oundjian, the Colorado Symphony Chorus directed by Duain Wolfe, and featured artists Yulia Van Doren (soprano), Diana Moore (alto), Isaiah Bell (tenor), and Andrew Garland (baritone).

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks - Flying Right

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Recently, I have been culling and reworking some of the many photos I have taken of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks. This is the second batch of photos I have posted. I may generate a third post with photos of these ducks before moving on to another topic.
Click on the photo to see a slightly larger version.

Photo taken at Audubon Park in New Orleans in March of 2012
Nikon D300S with 300mm f/2.8 & 1.4x tc
1/1250 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1000

Photo taken at Audubon Park in New Orleans in March of 2012
Nikon D300S with 300mm f/2.8 & 1.4x tc
1/1250 sec at f/7.1, ISO 320

Photo taken at Audubon Park in New Orleans in November of 2012
Nikon D700 with 300mm f/2.8 & 1.7x tc
1/640 sec at f/5.0, ISO 1600

Photo taken at Lacassine NWR in Lousiana in November of 2021
Olympus E-M1X with 150-400mm f/4.5 TC
500mm 1/3200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 3200

Photo taken at Lacassine NWR in Lousiana in November of 2021
Olympus E-M1X with 150-400mm f/4.5 TC
500mm 1/3200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1600

Photo taken at Lacassine NWR in Lousiana in November of 2021
Olympus E-M1X with 150-400mm f/4.5 TC
500mm 1/3200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1600

Photo taken at Lacassine NWR in Lousiana in November of 2021
Olympus E-M1X with 150-400mm f/4.5 TC
500mm 1/3200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1600

Photo taken at Lacassine NWR in Lousiana in November of 2021
Olympus E-M1X with 150-400mm f/4.5 TC
500mm 1/5000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1250

Photo taken at Orlando Wetlands in Florida in December of 2022
Olympus OM-1 with 150-400mm f/4.5 TC
340mm 1/2500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

Photo taken at Orlando Wetlands in Florida in December of 2022
Olympus OM-1 with 150-400mm f/4.5 TC
340mm 1/2500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks - Flying left

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Recently, I have been culling and reworking some of the many photos I have taken of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks. This post contains a batch of photos resulting from that work. Two more blog posts may contain photos of these birds.
Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Photo taken at Audubon Park in New Orleans in November of 2011
Nikon D300 with 300mm f/2.8 lens and 1.7x teleconverter
1/1000 sec at f/8, ISO 400

Photo taken at the Orlando Wetlands in Florida in December of 2022
Olympus OM-1 camera with 150-400mm f/4.5 tc lens @ 473mm
1/1600 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

Photo taken at the Bolivar Peninsula in Texas in April of 2023
Olympus OM-1 camera with 150-400mm f/4.5 tc lens @ 500 mm
1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

Photo taken at the Bolivar Peninsula in Texas in April of 2023
Olympus OM-1 camera with 150-400mm f/4.5 tc lens @ 500mm
1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

Photo taken at the Orlando Wetlands in Florida in December of 2022
Olympus OM-1 camera with 150-400mm f/4.5 tc lens @ 500mm
1/1600 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

Photo taken at the Orlando Wetlands in Florida in December of 2022
Olympus OM-1 camera with 150-400mm f/4.5 tc lens @ 500mm
1/1600 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

Photo taken at the Orlando Wetlands in Florida in December of 2022
Olympus OM-1 camera with 150-400mm f/4.5 tc lens @ 360mm
1/2500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

Photo taken at the Orlando Wetlands in Florida in December of 2022
Olympus OM-1 camera with 150-400mm f/4.5 tc lens @ 445mm
1/2500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

Photo taken at the Orlando Wetlands in Florida in December of 2022
Olympus OM-1 camera with 150-400mm f/4.5 tc lens @ 500mm
1/2500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

Photo taken at the Orlando Wetlands in Florida in December of 2022
Olympus OM-1 camera with 150-400mm f/4.5 tc lens @ 500mm
1/2500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Specialty birds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX - Part 9 - Audubon's, Altamira, & Altamira-Audubon's hybrid Orioles

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This is another report on my efforts to capture images of birds that, in the United States, are seen primarily in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The Audubon’s, Altamira, & Altamiri-Audubons’s hybrid Orioles are featured in this post.

The combination of the Olympus OM-1 camera and the 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC lens was used to capture the images of the orioles.

Audubon’s Oriole, NABA International Butterfly Park, Texas
Focal length: 360 mm, 1/500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 1250

Audubon's Orioles are bright yellow and black birds. The head and breast (hood) are entirely black. The remainder of the body is bright yellow except for the black tail, dark legs, and black and white feathers of the wings.

Audubon’s Orioles are not migratory. They are permanent residents of the areas they inhabit which, in the U.S., includes only part of the southern tip of Texas

Altamira Oriole, NABA International Butterfly Park, Texas
Focal length: 241 mm, 1/800 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 1600

The Altamira Oriole, the largest oriole in North America, has a yellow-orange head, a black throat, yellow belly, black wings with white wing bars, a dark tail and orange shoulder patches.

Altamira Orioles are common in Mexico and Central America, but found only in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the U.S.

Altamira-Audubons’s hybrid Oriole, NABA International Butterfly Park, Texas
Focal length: 360 mm, 1/640 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 640

Hybrids exhibiting characteristics of both Altamira and Audubon's Orioles have been observed in several locations in south Texas. Three features of the hybrids are "smudged face", "streaked mantle", and bill shape and color.  1) In hybrids the black area between the eye and the base of the bill is extended (smudged) and not nearly as restricted as it is in the Altamira. The black on the throat and breast is more extensive than that of the Altamira as well. 2) In hybrids the yellow and black feathers of the mantle (the area of the back closest to the neck) form streaks. This is not observed in either Audubon's or Altamira Orioles. 3) The bill of the hybrids is more like Audubon's than Altamira in terms of width, curvature and color.

The map is taken from eBird. The purple areas indicate places in the U.S. where the hybrids have been reported.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Specialty birds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX - Part 8 - Green Parakeet & Green Kingfisher

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This blog entry continues the reports on my efforts to capture images of birds that, in the United States, are seen primarily in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The Green Parakeet & Green Kingfisher are featured in this post.

The combination of the Olympus OM-1 camera and the 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC lens was used to capture the images of the parakeets and the last photo of the kingfisher. The first two photos of the kingfisher were taken on my first visit to the Rio Grande Valley in 2017 with a Nikon D500 and a 500mm f/4 lens with 1.4x teleconverter attached.

Green Parakeets, McAllen, Texas
Focal length: 500 mm, 1/1000 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 800

The Green Parakeet has a long pointed tail, a yellow beak, and an orange-red iris. The green of the upper parts is darker than the green of the underparts.

Green Parakeets, McAllen, Texas
Focal length: 500 mm, 1/1250 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 800

Green Parakeets, McAllen, Texas
Focal length: 500 mm, 1/640 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 1600

The natural range of the Green Parakeet is in Mexico and northern Central America, an area that extends almost to the Texas border. The species is established in the United States in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas (see the small purple dot). It is not known if that sub-population was derived from introduced individuals or by natural dispersion.

Green Kingfisher at Estero Llano Grande State Park, TX
Focal length: 700 mm, 1/1000 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 4000

The Green Kingfisher has a large beak, a short tail, and a white collar. The upperparts are green with white spots. Two green chest bands interrupt the white underparts of the female whereas the breast of the male is covered by a broad, rusty-colored band.

Green Kingfisher at Estero Llano Grande State Park, TX
Focal length: 700 mm, 1/1000 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 4000

Green Kingfisher at Estero Llano Grande State Park, TX
Focal length: 500 mm, 1/3200 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 4000

The range of the Green Kingfisher extends from south Texas and Arizona through central America and much of South America.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Specialty birds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX - Part 7 - Curve-billed and Long-Billed Thrashers

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This blog entry contains more photos resulting from my efforts to capture images of birds that, in the United States, are seen primarily in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The Curve-billed and Long-billed Thrashers are featured in this post.

The combination of the Olympus OM-1 camera and the 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC lens was used to capture all the images in this post.

Curve-billed Thrasher, Estero Llano Grande State Park, TX
Focal length: 500 mm, 1/3200 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 2500, Handheld

The curve-billed thrasher is grayish brown overall. It has a long tail, a curved bill, spots on the whitish upper chest, and a orange/yellow iris.

Curve-billed Thrashers, NABA International Butterfly Park, TX
Focal length: 250 mm, /1600 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, Handheld

The range of the Curve-billed Thrasher in the U.S. includes the western two thirds of Texas, Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, the southern half of New Mexico, northwest Oklahoma, southeastern Colorado and southwestern Kansas. The range extends southward to southern Mexico.

Long-billed Thrasher, NABA International Butterfly Park, TX
Focal length: 272 mm, 1/640 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 4000, Handheld

The Long-billed Thrasher has a long tail, curved beak, reddish-brown upperparts, heavy black streaking on the white underparts, and an orange iris.

Long-billed Thrasher, NABA International Butterfly Park, TX
Focal length: 335 mm, 1/2000 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 6400 , Handheld

Long-billed Thrashers are residents of southeast Texas and northeast Mexico.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Forster's Tern successful dive

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Photos taken at the Bolivar Peninsula, TX in January, 2024

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

The Bay Mudflats on South Pedro Island - Part 2 - Roseate Spoonbill & Great Egret

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The first part of this series presented photos of a Roseate Spoonbill and a Tricolored Heron feeding in close proximity at low tide in a small pool of water on the mudflats on the bay side of South Padre Island. Part 2, this entry, continues with two photos having only a single bird feeding in the frame (the same spoonbill featured in part 1) and 10 additional photos of the bird feeding next to a Great Egret.

Roseate Spoonbill - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024
All of the photos in this series were taken with an Olympus OM-1 camera and a 150 - 400 F/4.5 tc lens.
Focal length varied from 340 - 500 mm, shutter speed from 1/800 sec to 1/1600 sec, and ISO was set to either 800 or 1600.

Roseate Spoonbill (with minnow) - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024
Small minnow, large bird.

Juxtaposition of Roseate Spoonbill and Great Egret - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024

Merriam-Webster defines juxtaposition as the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side often to compare or contrast or to create an interesting effect. Juxtaposition is often used in photography by placing two or more objects close together to contrast them in an interesting or thought-provoking manner. Photos contrasting new vs old, young vs elderly, straight vs curved, or a bright, sunny landscape with a dark, stormy background are examples.

At low tide a variety of species are often seen feeding in the same small residual pools of water on the mudflats at South Pedro Island. Because of the proximity of the birds in the small pools, I was sometimes able to capture, in the same photo, images of birds of different species, sizes, shapes, and colors. Some photos also illustrate differences in methods of searching for, capturing, and consuming prey. Photos in which the physical features and instances of the behaviors of the Roseate Spoonbill and Great Egret are juxtaposed are shown below.

Roseate Spoonbill and Great Egret (with minnow) - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024

Roseate Spoonbill and Great Egret (with minnow) - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024

Roseate Spoonbill and Great Egret - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024

Roseate Spoonbill and Great Egret - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024

Roseate Spoonbill and Great Egret - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024

Roseate Spoonbill and Great Egret (with minnow) - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024

Roseate Spoonbill and Great Egret (with minnow) - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024

Roseate Spoonbill and Great Egret (with minnow) - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024

Roseate Spoonbill and Great Egret (with minnow) - South Padre Island, TX - January 13, 2024

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

The Bay Mudflats on South Pedro Island - Part 1 - Roseate Spoonbill & Tricolored Heron

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During the two months I spent avoiding the snow and ice in Colorado by birding in the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas, I especially enjoyed birding the mudflats on the bay side of South Pedro Island. Padre Island extends along the Gulf of Mexico in Texas from Corpus Christi south to Port Isabel, a distance of about 130 miles. The Laguna Madre separates the barrier island from the mainland. South Padre Island became separate from North Padre Island (Padre Island National Seashore) when a navigable waterway into the Gulf of Mexico (the Port Mansfield Channel) was built in the 1950s.

The bay mudflats on South Padre Island are a short distance north of the South Padre Island Convention Center. A sand trail (marked Drivable Trail) can be used to reach areas (represented by the camera) suitable for photographing the areas (symbolized by the rectangle) where the pelicans, gulls, terns, skimmers, raptors, and shorebirds may have gathered at the edge of the changing tide. The upward directing arrow points to images of birds photographed at such a location. Also, at low tide, a vehicle can be driven on the mudflats and used as a moveable blind to photograph birds feeding in the smaller residual pools of water in the area.

A panorama illustrating one such gathering observed on December 15, 2023.

The out-of-focus pelicans and other birds at the top of the image are at the edge of the tide. The Great Blue Heron is strolling behind several pools of water where wading birds, shorebirds, raptors, gulls, and terns are often found actively feeding.

A variety of species are often seen feeding in the same small pool of water. In this photo taken on January 13, 2024, a Snowy Egret, white morph Reddish Egret, Yellowlegs, and Common Merganser are sharing the same small pool.

Because of the proximity of the birds in the small pools, I was sometimes able to capture, in the same image, dramatic differences in the physical features of the birds, as well as the methods used to search for, capture, and consume prey.

Click on the arrows to view 8 images of a Roseate Spoonbill and a Tricolored Heron feeding in one of the pools on January 13, 2024. This series focuses on the differences in methods of feeding and the unusual positions of the birds relative to each other. Subsequent blog entries will highlight other differences that were observed in this type of setting.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Specialty birds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX - Part 5 - White-tipped Dove & White-winged Dove

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INTRODUCTION

A continuation of a visual checklist of my efforts to capture images of birds that in the United States are seen primarily in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The descriptions of the birds are terse.

The White-tipped Dove and White-winged Dove are featured in this post.

The combination of the Olympus OM-1 camera and the 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC lens was used to capture all the images displayed in this series.

White-tipped Dove, Bentsen Rio Grande State Park
Focal length: 445mm
1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 4000
Handheld

Note the pale grey forehead and whitish throat of the White-tipped Dove. The tip of the tail is white, but this may not be visible unless the bird is in flight. The bill is black, the legs are red and the iris is yellow. Click on either of the two photos of the bird to see a larger view and the color of the iris in more detail.

White-tipped Dove, Bentsen Rio Grande State Park
Focal length: 400mm
1/320 sec at f/5.6, ISO 4000
Handheld

The White-tipped Dove is a permanent resident throughout its range which includes southernmost Texas in the United States and extends through Mexico and Central America south to western Peru and central Argentina as well as the offshore islands of northern South America.

White-winged Dove, Estero Llano Grande State Park
Focal length: 500mm
1/225 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800
Handheld

White-winged Dove has a black mark on the neck and a prominent white stripe in the wing. Click on the image of the bird to see a larger view that will make the blue eye ring and red eyes more visible.

White-winged Dove, Estero Llano Grande State Park
Focal length: 500mm
1/200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1250
Handheld

The early range of the White-winged Dove overlapped the range of the saguaro, their favorite food, and extended from the Southwestern United States through Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. The North America range has been greatly expanded as agriculture in North America began providing alternative reliable sources of food for this species.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Specialty birds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX - Part 6 - Inca Dove and Golden-fronted Woodpecker

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INTRODUCTION

A continuation of a visual checklist of my efforts to capture images of birds that in the United States are seen primarily in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The descriptions of the birds are terse.

The Inca Dove and Golden-fronted Woodpecker are featured in this post.

The combination of the Olympus OM-1 camera and the 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC lens was used to capture all the images displayed in this series.

Inca Dove - Quinta Mazatlan, TX
Focal length: 150 mm
1/320 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 2500
Handheld

Small, gray pigeon-like birds with long tails, Inca doves have a distinctive fish scale pattern on their breast, head and back feathers.

Inca Dove - NABA International Butterfly Park, TX
Focal length: 400 mm
1/1600 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800
Handheld

Inca Dove - NABA International Butterfly Park, TX
Focal length: 158 mm
1/1600 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800
Handheld

The chestnut wing patches become visible when they fly.

Inca doves are found from south-central Texas, Arizona and New Mexico south to Mexico and Costa Rica.

Golden-fronted Woodpecker - Estero Llano Grande State Park, TX
Focal length: 500 mm
1/1250 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 1600
Handheld

The Golden-fronted Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker, plain buffy-brown overall with black-and-white barring on the back. It is a close relative of Red-bellied Woodpecker. Golden-fronted are distinguished in appearance by the golden color on their nape and above the bill.

Golden-fronted Woodpecker - Quinta Mazatlan, TX
Focal length: 500 mm
1/2500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 2500
Handheld

Golden-fronted Woodpecker - NABA International Butterfly Park, TX
Focal length: 406 mm
1/5000 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 3200
Handheld

Golden-fronted Woodpecker - NABA International Butterfly Park, TX
Focal length: 395 mm
1/6400 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 3200
Handheld

The Golden-fronted Woodpecker occurs from southwestern Oklahoma through Texas and Mexico as far south as northern Nicaragua.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Specialty birds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX - Part 4 - Common Pauraque & Plain Chachalaca

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INTRODUCTION

A continuation of a visual checklist of my efforts to capture images of birds that in the United States are seen primarily in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The descriptions of the birds are terse.

The Common Pauraque & Plain Chachalaca are featured in this post.

The combination of the Olympus OM-1 camera and the 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC lens was used to capture all the images displayed in this series.

Common Pauraque - Estero Llano Grande State Park, TX
Focal length: 150 mm
1/320 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 2500
Handheld

Common Pauraque - A pictorial definition of camouflage.

Common Pauraque - Estero Llano Grande State Park, TX
Focal length: 234 mm
1/500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 2500
Handheld

Common Pauraque - Estero Llano Grande State Park, TX
Focal length: 150 mm
1/500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 2500
Handheld

Resident, not migratory. Resident in South Texas, Mexico (both coasts), Central and South America.

Plain Chachalaca - NABA International Butterfly Park, TX
Focal length: 150 mm
1/12800, 320 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 3200
(Accidental setting)
Handheld

Large brown chicken-like bird with a long tail and neck.

Plain Chachalaca - NABA International Butterfly Park, TX
Focal length: 183 mm
1/800 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 2000
Handheld

Plain Chachalaca - NABA International Butterfly Park, TX
Focal length: 183 mm
1/1600 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 2000
Handheld

In the U.S. the range of the Plain Chachalaca is restricted to the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas. They are year round residents in their range.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Specialty birds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX - Part 3 - Clay-colored Thrush and Black-crested Titmouse

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INTRODUCTION

This is a continuation of a visual checklist of my efforts to capture images of birds that in the United States are seen primarily in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The series is merely a visual checklist. The descriptions of the birds are terse.

The Clay-colored Thrush and the Black-crested Titmouse are featured in this post.

The combination of the Olympus OM-1 camera and the 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC lens was used to capture all the images displayed in this series.

Clay-colored Thrush, Quinta Mazatlan, TX
Focal length: 500 mm
1/1000 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 8000
Handheld

The Clay-colored Thrush is brownish overall. The belly is lighter. The throat has dark streaks.

The range of the Clay-colored Thrush includes eastern Mexico and extends to northern Colombia. A northern extension that includes the most southern regions of Texas has occurred in recent years.

Black-crested Titmouse, South LLano River State Park, TX
Focal length: 320 mm
1/2500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 6400
Handheld

The Black-crested Titmice is gray above, whitish below, has peach-colored flanks, a white forehead and a black crest.

Black-crested Titmouse, Valley Nature Center in Weslaco, TX
Focal length: 400 mm
1/400 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 6400
Handheld

The range of Black-crested Titmice includes northeast Mexico, Texas and extreme southwest Oklahoma.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Specialty birds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX - Part 2 - Tropical Kingbird and Great Kiskadee

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INTRODUCTION

This is a continuation of the visual checklist of my efforts to capture images of birds that in the United States are seen primarily in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The series is merely a visual checklist. The descriptions of the birds are terse.

The Tropical Kingbird and Great Kiskadee are featured in this post.

The combination of the Olympus OM-1 camera and the 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC lens was used to capture all the images displayed in this series.

Tropical Kingbird, Santa Ana NWR
Focal length: 500 mm
1/2000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 2500
Handheld

The tropical kingbird is a large yellow-bellied flycatcher. It has a gray head, whitish throat and dark gray-brown wings and tail.

Tropical Kingbird, Santa Ana NWR
Focal length: 500 mm
1/1250 sec at f/6.3, ISO 400
Handheld

Tropical Kingbird, Santa Ana NWR
Focal length: 500 mm
1/800 sec at f/6.3, ISO 400
Handheld

Tropical Kingbird, Santa Ana NWR
Focal length: 500 mm
1/1250 sec at f/6.3, ISO 400
Handheld

In the U.S., the tropical kingbird breeds in southern Arizona and is a resident in some parts of the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

Great Kiskadee, NABA International Butterfly Park
Focal Length: 500 mm
1/1000 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 3200
Handheld

The black-and-white head and bright yellow belly are conspicuous on the Great Kiskadee. The bright rufous wings and tail are apparent in the following flight shots.

Great Kiskadee, Estero Llano Grande State Park
Focal Length: 473 mm
1/3200 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 8000
Handheld

Great Kiskadee, Estero Llano Grande State Park
Focal Length: 473 mm
1/3200 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 8000
Handheld

Great Kiskadee, Estero Llano Grande State Park
Focal Length: 473 mm
1/3200 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 8000
Handheld

Great Kiskadee, Estero Llano Grande State Park
Focal Length: 473 mm
1/2000 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 2500
Handheld

The range of the Great Kiskadee covers most of South and Central America except for Chile, parts of Mexico and the Lower Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit. 

Specialty birds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley , TX - Part 1 - Least Grebe and Green Jay

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INTRODUCTION

The next few posts will provide updates on my efforts to capture images of birds, that in the United States, are seen primarily in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The series is merely a visual checklist. The descriptions of the birds are terse.

The Least Grebe and Green Jay are featured in this post. The photos shown were captured during my current visit to the area.

The combination of the Olympus OM-1 camera and the 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC lens was used to capture all the images displayed in this series.

Least Grebe, Santa Ana NWR
Focal length: 438 mm
1/800 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1250
Handheld

The Least Grebe is a small bird with conspicuous golden yellow eyes. The body is mostly gray. But, as The Cornell Lab, All About Birds states, it has a “tuft of white at the stern”.

Least Grebe, Santa Ana NWR
500 mm focal length
1/1250 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800
Handheld

The Least Grebes in the Lower Ro Grande Valley are year-round residents.

Green Jay, Estero Llano Grande State Park
Focal length: 500 mm
1/250 sec at f/5.6, ISO 2000
Handheld

The striking green, yellow and blue colors of the Green Jay make it easy to identify.

Green Jay, Bentsen Rio Grande State Park
Focal length: 188 mm
1/1000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 6400
Handheld

Green Jay, Bentsen Rio Grande State Park
Focal length: 244 mm
1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 6400
Handheld

Green Jay, Estero Llano Grande State Park
Focal length: 438 mm
1/250 sec at f/5.6, ISO 2000
Handheld

In the Lower Rio Grande Valley area the Green Jay is listed as "All Seasons - common".

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit.