Pictorial Antonyms of Solitary

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(an·to·nym /an(t)nim/ noun - a word opposite in meaning to another (e.g. bad and good).
(sɑː.lə.ter.i) - adjective - being the only one; single and isolated from others

American Avocets, North Jetty Bolivar Peninsula, TX - November, 2016
Nikon D500 with 50mm f1.8 lens, 1/1000 sec at f/13, ISO 1600

Panorama of Snow Geese, Bosque del Apache NWR, NM - January, 2018
A composite of several shots
Nikon D500 with 50mm f/1.8 lens, 1/800 sec, ISO 1250

Snow Geese, Bosque del Apache NWR, NM - January, 2018
Nikon D500 with 50mm f/1.8 lens, 1/1250 sec, ISO 2200

Snow Geese, Bosque del Apache NWR, NM - January, 2018
Nikon D500 with 50mm f/1.8 lens, 1/1250 sec, ISO 2200

Snow Geese, Bosque del Apache NWR, NM - January, 2018
Nikon D500 with 50mm f/1.8 lens, 1/1250 sec, ISO 1600

Snow Geese, Bosque del Apache NWR, NM - January, 2018
Nikon D500 with 50mm f/1.8 lens, 1/2500 sec, ISO 100

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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. 

Cattle Egrets - Jefferson Island, LA

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This is a subset of the photos in my Cattle Egret Lightroom folder that survived my recent culling and reworking efforts. The Nikon D500 camera was used to capture this group of images.

Nikon D500 with 500mm f/4 lens & 1.4x tc, 1/2000 sec at f/7.1, ISO 320
All the photos in this post were taken at Rip’s Rookery at Jefferson Island in Iberia Parish, Louisiana in May 2016.

Nikon D500 with 500mm f/4 lens & 1.4x tc, 1/2000 sec at f/7.1, ISO 720

Nikon D500 with 300mm f/4 lens & 1.4x tc, 1/3200 sec at f/6.3, ISO 1250

Nikon D500 with 300mm f/4 lens & 1.4x tc, 1/4000 sec at f/7.1, ISO 400

Nikon D500 with 300mm f/4 lens & 1.4x tc, 1/4000 sec at f/7.1, ISO 400

Nikon D500 with 300mm f/4 lens & 1.4x tc, 1/2500 sec at f/6.3, ISO 320

Nikon D500 with 300mm f/4 lens & 1.4x tc, 1/2500 sec at f/6.3, ISO 720
The bird is gathering nesting material by sitting on a branch and waiting for suitable material to float past the perch.

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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. 

Great-tailed Grackles

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Adult males have an iridescent bluish purple body, distinctive yellow eyes, a flat-headed profile and a broad bill. The long tapered tail can be folded into what some call a keel shape. Females are much smaller than the males. They are dark brown above but paler below. The stripe above the eye is buff-colored as is the throat.

Great-tailed Grackle, NABA International Butterfly Park, TX - November, 2009
Nikon D300, 300mm f/4 lens with 1.4x tc, 1/160 sec at f/6.3, ISO 800

Great-tailed Grackle, NABA International Butterfly Park, TX - November, 2009
Nikon D300, 300mm f/4 lens with 1.4x tc, 1/200 sec at f/6.3, ISO 800

Female Great-tailed Grackle - Bolivar Peninsula, TX - September 2013
Nikon D7100, 300mm f/4 lens with 1.7x tc, 1/1600 sec at f/9, ISO 800

Female Great-tailed Grackle - TX
Nikon D4, 500mm f/4 with 1.4x tc, 1/800 sec at f/8, ISO 1100

Great-tailed Grackle, North Jetty Bolivar Peninsula, TX - November, 2016
Nikon D500, 500mm f/4 lens with 1.4x tc, 1/2500 sec, f/7.1, ISO 720

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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. 

Ring-necked Pheasants

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Ring-necked Pheasant - Burwell, Nebraska - April 2014
Nikon D7100, 500mm f/4 @ 500mm, 1/1600 @ f/4.5, ISO 640

Ring-necked Pheasant - Somewhere in Kansas - May 2021
Olympus E-M1X, 150-400mm F4.5 TC @ 500mm, 1/1000 @ f/5.6, ISO 200

Ring-necked Pheasant - Somewhere in Kansas - May 2021
Olympus E-M1X, 150-400mm F4.5 TC @ 293mm, 1/1000 @ 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. 

Wood Storks in Flight

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I compulsively add the files from photo outings to my Lightroom catalog and religiously back them up on hard drives and in the cloud. Afterwards, the images are usually shamefully neglected. Three photos from a recent visit to the catalog. Click on the photo to see a slightly larger version.

Wood Stork, Merritt Island NWR, FL, January 2016

Nikon D4, 500mm f/4 lens, 1/3200 sec at f/4, ISO 400

Wood Stork, Wakodahatchee Wetlands, FL, March 2015

Nikon D4, 500mm f/4 lens + 1.4x teleconverter, 1/2500 sec at f/9, ISO 2000

Wood Stork, Merritt Island NWR, FL, January 2016

Nikon D4, 500mm f/4 lens, 1/3200 sec at f/5, ISO 1000

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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. 

2023 Colorado Fall Colors - Part 6

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More photos taken during the four days chasing the light in the San Juan Mountains in the Ouray/Telluride area as a participant in a workshop led by Joe Garza and Nick Selway
(Click on the image to see a larger version)

Three shots merged. Olympus OM-1 camera and 12-100mm f/4 lens at 13 mm
1/15 sec at f/14, ISO 400

San Juan Mountains near Telluride, Colorado

Olympus OM-1 camera and 12-100mm f/4 lens at 24 mm
1/10 sec at f/16, ISO 400

San Juan Mountains near Telluride, Colorado

Olympus OM-1 camera and 12-100mm f/4 lens at 47 mm
1/30 sec at f/16, ISO 800

San Juan Mountains near Telluride, Colorado

Olympus OM-1 camera and 150-400 mm f/4.5 lens at 150 mm
1/1600 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

San Juan Mountains near Telluride, Colorado

Olympus OM-1 camera and 12-100mm f/4 lens at 21 mm
1/125 sec at f/11, ISO 640

San Juan Mountains near Telluride, Colorado

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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. 

2023 Colorado Fall Colors - Part 5

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Assorted

Olympus OM-1 camera with 12-100 f/4 lens at 100mm
1/15 sec at f/14, ISO 400

Aspens, a bit of snow, and a touch of yellow

Olympus OM-1 camera with 12-100 f/4 lens at 12 mm
1/500 sec at f/16, ISO 640

The moon, a rainbow, and clouds viewed on a winding mountain road

Olympus OM-1 camera with 12-100 f/4 lens at 21 mm
1/10 sec at f/4.5, ISO 400

Molas Pass area in early morning light

Olympus OM-1 camera with 12-100 f/4 lens at 20mm
1/160 sec at f/8, ISO 400

A wider view of the Molas Pass area an hour later

Olympus OM-1 camera with 12-100 f/4 lens at 24 mm
1/1600 sec at f/14, ISO 1250

Panoramic view of Mount Wilson, the highest summit (14,252-ft) of the San Miguel Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains.

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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. 

2023 Colorado Fall Colors - Part 4

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More photos taken during the four days chasing the light in the San Juan Mountains in the Ouray/Telluride area as a participant in a workshop led by Joe Garza and Nick Selway

Olympus OM-1 camera with a 12-100mm f/4 lens at 23 mm
1/25 sec at f/13, ISO 400

Photos of a small patch of bent and curved Aspen trees in the Uncompahgre National Forest. It is speculated that an avalanche early in their growth cycle caused the trees to grow in a curve in order to find the sunlight necessary for survival.

Olympus OM-1 camera with a 12-100mm f/4 lens at 25 mm
1/25 sec at f/13, ISO 400

Olympus OM-1 camera with a 12-100mm f/4 lens at 29 mm
1/25 sec at f/13, ISO 400

Olympus OM-1 camera with a 12-100mm f/4 lens at 41 mm
1/125 sec at f/8, ISO 1250

Photo taken while standing a few feet from the entrance to my room on the second floor of the motel where I was staying in Ouray, CO.

Olympus OM-1 camera with a 12-100mm f/4 lens at 25 mm
1/1600 sec at f/4.5, ISO 1250

Somewhere in the vicinity of Red Mountain Pass, south of Ouray.

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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. 

Colorado Fall Colors - October 2023, part 3

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Images from the back roads near Ouray and Telluride.

Olympus OM-1 camera with the 12-100mm f/4 lens at 23mm
1/8 sec at f/16, ISO 200

Homestead cabins near Telluride. Dallas Divide and Mount Wilson are hidden behind the dense clouds.

Olympus OM-1 camera with the 150-400mm f/4.5 lens at 256mm
1/1000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

My finger activated the mirrorless when I saw this scene in the viewfinder.

Olympus OM-1 camera with the 150-400mm f/4.5 lens at 150 mm
1/1600 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

Another telephoto capture.

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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. 

Durango to Silverton train photos

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Photos of one of the steam locomotives and some of the cars taken close to Silverton on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. A scenic trip starting at the Durango Depot takes you up into the Rocky Mountains with views of the San Juan National Forest as you travel alongside the Animas River on your way to the historic mining town of Silverton.

Olympus OM-1 with the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 lens at 66mm
1/800 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

Olympus OM-1 with the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 lens at 70mm
1/640 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

The railway is a federally-designated National Historic Landmark.

Olympus OM-1 with the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 lens at 15mm
1/640 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

The 3 ft. narrow-gauge heritage railroad operates on 45.2 miles of track on the route originally opened in 1882 to transport silver and gold ore mined from the San Juan Mountains.

Olympus OM-1 with the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 lens at 17mm
1/1000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

The line from Durango to Silverton has run continuously since 1881. Now it is a tourist and heritage line hauling passengers, and is one of the few places in the U.S. which has seen continuous use of steam locomotives.

Olympus OM-1 with the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 lens at 17mm
1/1000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

 The information presented below the photos was obtained from Wikipedia.

Olympus OM-1 with the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 lens at 57mm
1/1000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640

For those desiring privacy

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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. 

Colorado Fall Colors - October 2023, part 2

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The first image is of Mount Sneffels in the San Juan Mountains. The remainder were taken in the Red Mountain Pass area, south of Ouray, CO.
Click on the image to see a larger view.

Mount Sneffels in the San Juan Mountains
Panorama formed by combining 3 files
Olympus OM-1 camera, Olympus 12-100mm f/4 lens at 18mm, 1/15 sec at f/14, ISO 250

Red Mountain Pass area, south of Ouray, CO
Olympus OM-1 camera, Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 lens at 82mm, 1/200 sec at f/4, ISO 400

Red Mountain Pass area, south of Ouray, CO
Olympus OM-1 camera, 40-150mm f/2.8 lens at 150mm, 1/320 sec at f/4, ISO 400

Red Mountain Pass area, south of Ouray, CO
Olympus OM-1 camera, 40-150mm f/2.8 lens at 150mm, 1/40 sec at f/3.5, 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. 

Colorado Fall Colors - October 2023

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I was a participant in a Fall Colors Photography Workshop led by Joe Garza and Nick Selway last week. We spent four days chasing the light in the San Juan Mountains in the Ouray/Telluride area. My next few blog posts will illustrate some of the scenes we encountered.
Click on the image to see a larger version.

Mount Wilson (14,252 feet) is the highest summit of the San Miguel Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains. This image is a panoramic composite of four exposures obtained with an Olympus OM-1 camera and the 12-100mm f/4 lens at 21 mm. Settings: 1/100 sec at f/14, ISO 400

Another view of Mount Wilson from a different location and in different light conditions. Olympus OM-1 camera, 12-100mm f/4 lens at 29 mm. A single exposure - 1/250 sec at f/11, 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. 

Great Egrets at the High Island Smith Oaks Rookery, TX

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Nikon D500, 300mm f/4 + 1.4x tc, April, 2017

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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. 

60 years ago

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Betty and I were married.

We met in a genetics class.

The event was the first meeting of the lab component of an upper level undergraduate course in genetics that I was taking as part of my graduate minor. As students arrived, they were told to pair up as lab partners. The even number of students in the room when I arrived had already formed pairs. For a brief period, I was the only student without a lab partner. A few minutes later, Betty Ellis arrived and we became lab partners. Coffee after class transitioned into study dates which evolved into a state in which we were considering marriage.

Betty obtained her B.S. degree before I received my Ph.D. She graduated in January 1963 and accepted a research assistant position at Southern Research Institute in Birmingham. After Betty began working in Birmingham, I learned that my application for a National Science Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Mississippi Medical School in Jackson, MS had been approved. We needed to reach a decision about whether or not we were staying together. The wedding was in Birmingham the last day of August 1963.

The day after the marriage, we drove to Jackson MS in the 1958 black Chevrolet Impala convertible I had won in a poker game. Cousins Barry & Brent attached the Just Married Sign and tied the tin cans to the bumper.

Betty’s sudden and unexpected death occurred in March 2019. Sudden perforations of her intestine sent her into septic shock and her body was not able to cope.

I am grateful that Betty did not have a long sustained illness with lots of pain and that her death was relatively quick allowing her to avoid her nightmare of spending years in a nursing home unable to attend to her own functions and with loss of cognitive functions.

I will spend today remembering the almost 56 years we spent together and working to complete a book containing images of the family gatherings that were so important to her and that added immense amounts of joy to her life.

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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 dining room in the Colorado Condo

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As you get older, your lifestyle changes and your need for various things changes too. In terms of living space, I now have very little need for a dining room and I have modified it to accommodate my current needs.

Until recently the table, chairs, and china cabinet shown in this photo (taken in a previous abode) were in the dining room in the condo.

This is a photo I took of the “dining room” today.

The view from a slightly different angle. This modification to the room meshes much better with my current lifestyle, and the dining room table and china cabinet fit the lifestyle of the current owners (family members who live in Colorado).

The photo of the puffin (on the back wall to the right of the monitor) does not have a frame. It will be replaced with a larger framed print soon.

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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. 

Tanzania - 2020 - Part 18 - Assorted images of mammals

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Zebras

Zebras

Zebras

East African Oryx

East African Oryx

Hippopotamus

Giraffe

Wildebeest

Wildebeest

Grant’s Gazelle

Topi antelope

Bat-eared Fox

African Wildcat

Hyenah

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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. 

Preen - The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day - August 8, 2023

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Preen

White morph Reddish Egret - Rollover Pass, Bolivar Peninsula, Texas - 09/24/2003
The full image is shown below.

Merriam-Webster Word of the Day

: August 8, 2023

preen

verb PREEN

What It Means

To preen is to make ones's appearance neat and tidy or to behave or speak with obvious pride or self-satisfaction. In ornithology, preen means "to groom with the bill."

// She stood preening herself in front of the mirror.

// The award-winners were preening backstage.

See the entry >

PREEN in Context

"One day, I crossed the Nakdong River on foot, over a bridge connecting the neighborhood of Hadan to Eulsuk Island. That area, where the river meets the ocean, had been the site of the Nakdong Bulge, part of a monthlong battle in 1950. It is now an estuary for migrating birds, and I thrilled at seeing a great egret preen on a glittering field of water." — E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2023

Did You Know?

Preen hatched in 14th-century Middle English, and early on it displayed various spelling forms, including prenen, prayne, prene, and preyne. The word traces to the Anglo-French puroindre, or proindre, linking pur-, meaning "thoroughly," with uindre, oindre, meaning "to anoint or rub." One of the first writers known to apply preen to the human act of primping was Geoffrey Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales: "He preens himself and prunes and combs his curls / To take the fancy of this queen of girls." Centuries later (sometime during the late 19th century), the prideful meaning of preen took flight, joining bird-related verbs plume, which was being used with the meaning "to pride or congratulate (oneself)," and peacock, a word still used today to mean "to show off."

This link contains more interesting information.

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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. 

Colorado Wildflowers - July 2023

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I spent 4 days in the Gunnison/Crested Butte area last week. The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival was ongoing. The trails and back roads were crowded and dusty. But the scenery was beautiful!
Click on each of the images to see a larger view.

A view of the East river from CO-317 north of Mt. Crested Butte.
Olympus OM-1 camera with 12-100mm f/4 lens at 24mm

I discovered that one need not be on one of the busy hiking trails to obtain outstanding views of the wildflowers in the Crested Butte area. This photo was taken from my car when I stopped momentarily in the driveway to one of the homes in Mt. Crested Butte.
Olympus OM-1 camera with 12-100mm f/4 lens at 34mm

A short hike preceded the acquisition of this image.
Olympus OM-1 camera with 12-100mm f/4 lens at 47mm

The view from the end of CO-727, an offshoot of CO-730 which follows Ohio Creek and can be used to travel from Gunnison through Ohio Pass and Kebler Pass to reach CO-12, a few miles from Crested Butte, but not in the winter.
Olympus OM-1 camera with 12-100mm f/4 lens at 34mm

Colorado Columbine (Aquilegia coerulea variety coerulea), the state flower of Colorado. The color of the petals, I learned, is variable and covers a wide range of whites blues, and purples. “Colorado columbine’s beautiful blooms tempt pollinators and people alike to take a closer look. In summer, its beautiful white sepals and violet, lavender, or blue petals add vivid color to the landscape, where plants can occur in the hundreds.” Source of the quote: https://www.flickr.com/photos/retroproxy/2739731086/in/photostream/
Olympus OM-1 camera with 12-100mm f/4 lens at 100mm

Colorado Columbine. The five petals have spurs that are usually longer than the petals.
Olympus OM-1 camera with 150-400mm f/4.5 lens at 213mm in focus bracketing mode

Colorado Columbine
Olympus OM-1 camera with 150-400mm f/4.5 lens at 220mm in focus bracketing mode

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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. 

Completion of a Recent Project

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Yesterday I picked up 6 prints from the shop where I had them framed. The frame size for 4 prints was 16” x 21”. The frames of the other 2 were 14” x 19”. The images on five of the six prints had been featured in previous blog entries. Because using segments of the text from the earlier entries simplified putting together a blog about the group, this blog post materialized.

Red-breasted Merganser
Nikon D300, 300mm f/4 lens + 1.7x tc
1/1250 sec at f/6.7, ISO 560

The image of the Red-breasted Merganser surfacing near the shrimp boats docked at Joe Patti's Seafood in Pensacola Florida was acquired in January 2009, before the BP oil spill while the boats were still actively working. The "spill" from unloading and cleaning the vessels generated a lot of bird activity. The mergansers were very cautious. They came into the docking area, fed for a short time, swam out into deeper water for a variable time, and then made another excursion into the docking area. As they swam out into deeper water the birds would "submarine", swimming for a long distance with the head and most of the body underwater but with part of the back still visible, and only periodically raise the head out of the water before submerging it again. I could not get the picture I wanted standing on the dock opposite the shrimp boats. I wanted a lower perspective. At low tide I was able to hide in reeds near the entrance to the docking area and photograph the birds as they entered and exited. The conjunction of low tide, sunrise, and cooperative birds occurred on the third morning I was trying to capture this shot. Reflections of the shrimp boats bottom paint produced the blue in the waves.

Elegant Trogon
Nikon D300, 500mm f/4 lens with 1.7x tc
1/1250 sec at f/7.1, ISO 400

In 2010 I received an email message from a friend who works at Stanford University asking if I would be interested in joining him and his son in an outing photographing California wildflowers. A banner year for wildflowers was predicted because of higher than usual rainfall levels. I accepted the invitation and decided to drive to California making stops along the way to explore birding hotspots that I had not yet visited.

When I arrived at the head of the Sonoita Creek Trail in Patagonia Lake State Park south of Tucson on April 6, one of the hotspots I had never visited, birders were talking about the Elegant Trogon they had seen. I asked for directions, but since this was my first visit, the cognitive map that emerged was, at best, very crude. Two other birders about to enter the trail were also listening to the directions and, since they had visited the park previously, I joined them in the search for the bird. We took a right turn, presumably as directed, but walked a long distance without seeing the small group of birders we were told would still be viewing the bird. The two other birders thought we had made a wrong turn and were about to turn back when I asked them to wait until I went over a small rise to make sure the group of birders we were expecting to see was not just ahead. As I reached the top of the rise in the trail, I flushed the Trogon. It flew back toward the other two birders and landed in a thicket. I found a small opening in the branches that allowed a partial photo of the bird. The bird caught and consumed a larva and then flew further back toward the main path. At the new location, I set up my tripod at ground level and, lying flat on the ground, had a full view of the Elegant Trogon on its perch through a small opening. What great luck – to see this rare and beautiful bird on my first birding trip to Arizona. The Elegant Trogon is a native of Mexico and Central America, but in the United States it breeds only in a few of Arizona’s southern canyons. In 2010, Audubon estimated that 50 pairs nested in Arizona.

Sandhill Cranes
Nikon D4 + 500mm f/4 lens +1.4x tc
1/1600 sec at f/10, ISO 1800

In March 2015 I spent a few days photographing birds at the Green Cay Nature Center & Wetlands, Wakodahatchee Wetlands, and Loxahatchee NWR in south Florida. While there, a local birder posted a note on eBird about an adult and chick Sandhill Crane feeding in a nearby residential area. I found the area and captured the image shown above.

Bald Eagle
Nikon D500 + 500mm f/4
1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 6400
Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines Alaska

A visit to the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines Alaska had been on my bucket list for several years when I signed up for Andy Long's photography WORKSHOP and spent 6 days there. I wish I had not waited so long to visit this spectacular place. We met in Juneau on Nov. 10 2017, took a short flight to Haines on the 11th (the scheduled ferry trip was cancelled), and the ferry back to Juneau in the late afternoon on the 17th. I arrived a day early to spend time exploring Juneau.

Bald Eagle
Nikon D500 + 500mm f/4
1/1250 sec at f/4, ISO 1600
Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines Alaska

The Chilkat Preserve is the site of largest concentration of Bald Eagles in the world. Thousands of Bald Eagles gather there to feed during the late run of chum salmon from November through January. The Takhinsha Mountains provide a stunning backdrop for photographing the eagles and other wildlife. The rivers that converge in the preserve have deposited gravel and sediment into the floor of the valley for thousands of years and gravel beds reach depths of 200-800 feet below the surface of the river. A huge reservoir of water is contained in the gravel. The water stored here stays above freezing, seeps into the Chilkat River throughout the winter, and keeps parts of the river ice-free. Salmon runs in these ice-free areas attract the eagles, bears when active, and other birds and wildlife.

Wood Duck
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera,
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens
1/2000 sec at f/4, ISO 1000

This photo was taken in October 2018 at Sterne Park in Littleton CO. The resident Wood Ducks were back in beautiful plumage. Usually, the birds are scattered in pairs or small groups in various parts of the small lake. On this visit they were congregated out of the water around the crabapple trees adjacent to the walkway from the parking lot. The ducks were eating the fruit that had fallen from the trees. When walkers or bikers appeared, the birds would fly back into the water but they returned to the trees to continue feeding after a brief delay.

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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. 

Another batch from Bolivar - April 24 - May 2, 2023

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Yellow Warbler

Prothonotary Warbler

Baltimore Oriole

Worm-eating Warbler

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Red-eyed Vireo

Yellow-breasted Vireo

Easter Wood-Pewee

Easter Wood-Pewee

Semipalmated Plover

Semipalmated Plover

Semipalmated Plover

Spotted Sandpiper

Whimbrel

Forster's Tern

Royal Tern

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Crested Caracara

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Clapper Rail

Least Bittern

Common Nighthawk

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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.