There isn’t a wildlife photographer who doesn’t owe a debt of gratitude to the Great Blue Heron. They patiently put up with us in the beginning of our passionate pursuit of wildlife photography. This big bird makes us feel successful. Being a bigger bird, they have more confidence permitting us to get closer physically to them. At the same time, being bigger we don’t need to have as big lens or lots of skill to get a good images size in the viewfinder. We comeback with photographs that make us feel successful, so we move to other subjects that challenge our skills knowing we conjured them with the amiable GBH. But many don’t go back to the GBH, I often hear, “I’ve photographed them a lot already.” Which of course, we’ve all done but have we don’t it well? Have we made the common, uncommon?
Great Blue Heron captured by D6 / 180-400VR
The Great Blue Heron is the species, subject that taught me the all-important lesson of making the common, uncommon in my photograph. There is nothing more common to the wildlife photographer then the GBH. They are found in nearly every corner of North America, wild or urban. I have thousands of Great Blue Heron image, thousands and looking through them, you will see a gradual lever of improvement. I’m constantly photography them trying to improve on my last image and the story it told. I was very fortunate to add to this quest yesterday floating on Caddo Lake. I’m quite excited by the opportunities I had this week to move the ball forward with the Great Blue Heron. If I hadn’t started with them forty years ago, I wonder if I would have moved the ball forward without such a big measuring stick. I think we owe a lot, to the amiable GBH!
I’ve photographed every Jay in North America over the past forty years. One, the Blue Jay has eluded me and while I’ve seen them forever, I’ve had no luck getting glass on them. A very common bird who thousands have photographed, I wasn’t one of them until finally, today.
I love Jays! I had one in Santa Barbara at the house that would come down and take peanuts from me. In Mammoth, we had Squeaky, a Stellar Jay that would keep us company around the property. I photographed them a lot! When we moved to The Ranch, one of the first things we found was a pile of blue feathers, a Blue Jay that had been taken out by the resident Cooper’s. I figured they wouldn’t come around much after that. So a month later when we heard a Blue Jay, I thought there might be hope.
In the last month, we’ve had four pop in and out of the feeders but were incredibly shy. Finally this afternoon I made my mind up to at least get glass on one. There I sat in the 38 degrees photographing every bird species BUT the Blue Jay. Just when the sun had left the perches and I was about to wrap things up, I heard them call. Moments later one landed in the branch to give me an eye. It sat long enough for a couple of clicks, then it went to the feeder for a moment and then, gone. The good news is, I broke the jynx. The better news, I can only improve on this photo cause it finally happened.
The birds are heading south right now and in really great numbers. You can see for yourself for your area with BirdCast. One even set another record going from Alaska to Aukland, a Bar-tailed Godwit who made the 7500 miles journey in 11 days. Dang! It takes fuel to do this and that’s when we want to photograph them, refueling. We don’t want to cause them issues feeding, just photograph them doing such. And if you are there right now, you’ll photograph many in their breeding plumage like this Marbled Godwit.
Marbled Godwit captured by D5 / 800mm
The best way to get the photograph is actually real simple, just requires a little biology and technology combining. First, find their food source. Second, find the best background. Third, Position yourself so you’re at the distance you need for the image size you desire with the food source between you and that background. Fourth, place yourself in that spot and then wait for the birds to come to you. Do not chase them, they need to save those calories for migration. They will come to you cause they want that food and when they come on their own terms, you’re golden.
This applies to any bird species but when it comes to shorebirds, I would add into the mix, get down flat on the sand. You are not only less of a threat, the angle of view is great. And remember to have a sense of humor while shooting. When you’re all wet, it helps to tell their story as they are heading south.
One of the first species to be listed when the Endangered Species Act was signed by President Nixon, the San Joaquin Kit Fox still fights for a place on this earth. It has been a dear, long-term project of ours and we were thrilled to be a small part in telling its story in the new Saving Species Together program!
The CDFG Saving Species Together program is all about education through images and words and in keeping with how folks received their information today, it’s all video. Many don’t realize that video has been a big part of your visual storytelling with our footage here starting back in 2010.
Yep, as of 07:31 MDT today, it’s officially fall. Fall for many means spectacular color draping our forests. And while I relish that aspect of fall, it’s not all this day brings. There is the light as the sun rides the equator bringing a low angle and mellowness to its rays. And I love that but fall for me signals the change in our critters, especially birds. Now is when heading south hits the panic button and the skies become filled with our summer friends!
What science and technology bring to this seasonal magic blows my mind! Head to Live Bird Migration Maps and you will see how the wave of birds move south across North America. At times, you can tell what species of birds other, it’s simply sheer numbers which even with the disasters that have hit our wild heritage is still staggering. For us, this fall is especially exciting as it’s all new.
New, because we’ve moved up the globe and down slope. We knew pretty much to the day when we lived in the Sierra what birds would be in our feeders but here in the Bitterroots, it’s all new and very exciting (now up to 52 species). What has remained the same is we are still providing food, water, and shelter, the three things migrants depend on. The Snow Geese you see in the photo above is a prime example of this system. They nested in Canada and regions north then they head south with this population wintering in New Mexico where they have food, water, and shelter.
This is a great time to get into backyard bird photography. All you need is a camera, lens, food, water and shelter and you’ll quickly have friends. If you need more help, lots of resources here on the website and you can always email specific questions. Put out the welcome mat, you’ll soon have new friends because it’s the first day of fall!
When we first arrived at The Ranch, its trees were rather quiet. It concerned us as we are so used to and love hearing and seeing our birds. Then miraculously a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches took up residency in one of our newly hung nesting boxes and raised a brood. Ever since then, the funny, squeaky call of the family of Nuthatches can be heard all around The Ranch much to our delight.
They are a very busy species busily moving about the property feeding, socializing, and luckily for me, constantly visiting the water feature we installed on the property. Nuthatches’ unique place in the bird world is flying to the top of a tree and then working its way down looking in the bark for a tidbit. They like to hang under branches doing the same thing. And when they head for water, yep, they keep up the same habit. The perch you see it hanging from is itself in a light stand placed to be used by the birds. And the nuthatch is waiting its turn at the water. The two adults are around every so often. Three of the kids are here all the time. And it’s so much fun to enjoy them all grown up!
