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. 

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.