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Forum: Lens Clubs
03-30-2024, 11:15 AM
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It's not so bad - often I don't get any worthwhile pics at all. But I do get some exercise, a mental health tonic and see the seasons turning. My first Eastern Phoebe of the year was at the furthest point of the walk and there were Song Sparrows everywhere. My only disappointment is that I got home to see there were five reports of Fox Sparrows in that area and I didn't see one.
Eastern Phoebe
 Eastern Phoebe by Steven, on Flickr
Song Sparrow
 Song Sparrow by Steven, on Flickr
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Forum: Lens Clubs
03-29-2024, 05:55 AM
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Yesterday I walked about 8km with my camera but the best shot was right next to the car in the parking lot. This Mockingbird has staked out its territory and is singing most of the time - one here taken yesterday and one a couple of weeks ago.
 Northern Mockingbird by Steven, on Flickr
 Northern Mockingbird by Steven, on Flickr
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Forum: Lens Clubs
03-25-2024, 07:58 AM
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Thanks RobG - a few of these Teal have been around for a while but yesterday the ice forced this one a bit closer to the shoreline.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
03-24-2024, 02:12 PM
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Thank you Mbaez and Orchid Julie
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Forum: Lens Clubs
03-24-2024, 12:24 PM
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Green-winged Teal are nice to see, especially with the sun behind you to catch the iridescence - like the Eurasian Teal I grew up with but with a vertical white stripe on the side and no thin yellow line between the green and chestnut on the head.
 Green-winged Teal by Steven, on Flickr
 Water off a duck's back by Steven, on Flickr
Pentax K-3iii, DA*300mm, 1.4x DA TC.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
03-17-2024, 11:44 AM
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Still nice imagesI
The Northern Mockingbird's song is so loud it's not hard to track them down.
 Northern Mockingbird by Steven, on Flickr
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Forum: Lens Clubs
03-17-2024, 11:15 AM
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If that was taken in the wild I'm very impressed - they must be very shy.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
03-13-2024, 06:47 AM
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We usually have two or three White-winged Scoters at the park during the winter but most of the time they are too far out to get a good shot. This first-year male isn't in full plumage yet but I think it still qualifies for the alternative name I heard once - the "Darth Vader Duck".
 White-winged Scoter (first year male) by Steven, on Flickr
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Forum: Lens Clubs
02-28-2024, 12:42 PM
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Forum: Lens Clubs
02-25-2024, 02:02 PM
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Forum: Lens Clubs
02-12-2024, 06:27 PM
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The photographer and the equipment are both exceptional, but here's an example of how the light can really lift it over the top.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
02-10-2024, 12:03 PM
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Forum: Lens Clubs
02-04-2024, 07:07 AM
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Great shot in the circumstances - I have been reducing the shutter speed even further with the low light we have been having. This doesn't seem to be a big snowy owl year - either there are lots of voles up north or there are none down here, though our winter owls seem to be going after roosting duck on the lake as well.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-30-2024, 10:03 AM
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Much better light for a bit more duck photography yesterday - this one is a Common Goldeneye. Plus, another songbird in addition to the Lincoln's Sparrow I posted earlier that is way out of season - an American Pipit. In eastern North America they nest in the far north and should be in the southern US or Central America right now.
 Common Goldeneye (m) by Steven, on Flickr
 American Pipit by Steven, on Flickr
Pentax K-3iii, DA*300mm, DA 1.4xTC
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-28-2024, 06:44 AM
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-22-2024, 08:57 AM
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Thanks Gary - colder for you in Ottawa than for us in Toronto!
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-20-2024, 11:38 AM
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This Lincoln's Sparrow should be way south of Toronto at this time of year. At -8 degrees, no wonder its feathers are puffed up!
 Lincoln's Sparrow by Steven, on Flickr
K-3iii, DA*300mm, DA 1.4x TC
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-15-2024, 11:29 AM
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I've had to deal with several weeks of mostly overcast skies. Low - light photography is a lot easier if the bird sits still and you can reduce the shutter speed! Finally some sun for this shot yesterday at my favourite Long-tailed Duck spot.
 Long-tailed Duck by Steven, on Flickr
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-10-2024, 12:08 PM
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One more shot of the Harlequins that continue to hang around - just three of them this time, plus a female King Eider that's also attracting attention here. All these birds are rare here and should rightly be on the east or west coasts at this time of year. Somebody got a shot of the Eider with a huge crayfish in its bill the other day - wish I had been there! They have powerful gullets that can crush just about anything.
 Three Harlequins by Steven, on Flickr
 King Eider (f) by Steven, on Flickr
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-05-2024, 06:59 PM
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I really appreciate when people take a close look at the images I and others submit. I thought they were all females when I first saw them but I had closer views (and better photos) today. There has been some local debate on this, The two "males" and maybe the two females appear to be first year birds so just in transition. The Sibley Field Guide shows a vertical white line on the neck of the adult (breeding) male so that seems to be what we are seeing in the "males", one better defined than the other. At the same time, we are not seeing the other plumage characteristics of the adult male like the vertical white stripe on the side or the white lines on the wings. The striking colours on the adult male are subdued in the winter but more obvious on breeding adult males. I think we have two males and two females here.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-05-2024, 01:45 PM
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-26-2023, 02:32 PM
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We saw the Horned Grebe out on the Lake but it was further away. Some further reach might have been useful, but the low light level would have pushed me towards very high ISO with that combination. Being closer to the bird and being able to see it properly for myself (with or without binoculars) is part of the enjoyment for me.
Interesting to see the subtle differences - darker neck, yellow/orange eye colour and no white tip on the Eared Grebe's bill.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-26-2023, 11:31 AM
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I haven't had the 450 in my hand but I think I'm at my weight limit with the 300 and I get enough rewarding shots to keep going with it - though my mind sometimes does wander while I'm waiting for it to focus!
This Eared Grebe has been hanging out at our favourite spot for the past while. Much less common than the Horned Grebe. Poor light and a major crop - I used Topaz to get the best out of it.
 Eared Grebe by Steven, on Flickr
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-24-2023, 10:30 AM
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I'm noticing how many of us are still shooting with the DA*300mm and TC (like me) and it occurs to me that Pentax may not be updating the DA* 300 lens because that would eat too much into the market for the 150-450mm.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-24-2023, 06:50 AM
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