• Avian,  Fujifilm X-T3,  Fujifilm XF70-300mm f4.0-5.6,  John O'Donohue,  quotes

    A Mode of Silence

    May 21, 2021
    Western Kingbird

    “The innocence and silence of the animal world has a huge subtlety to it that is anything but dumb, but rather notices everything and is present in everything. Animals carry a huge ministry of witness to the silence of time and to the depth of nature. They are like the landscape in a sense: they live too in a mode of silence.”

    John O’Donohue

    I believe this to be a Western Kingbird. I am not that familiar with them but they are a beautiful bird. I encountered this one along Weld County Road 15 in an open prairie area. This is a major crop and looks fairly decent.

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  • Avian,  Fujifilm X-T3,  Fujifilm XF70-300mm f4.0-5.6,  haiku,  meadowlark,  Photography,  writing/reading

    From the Heart

    May 20, 2021

    shared from the heart
    the joy of being alive
    meadowlarks song

    ms

    Sorry but you may be seeing more bird images as I play with this new lens. Already shot about 400 images with it. I thought I had a bad lens at first because I felt the motor was too loud and would continuously run. I have never experience this before with any lens using image stabilization. I talked to Pat at the store I purchased it from and and he was not aware of any such issues. And, of course I bought the only one he’s seen in the store. He pulled out the 80mm macro lens because it has quad linear motor for focusing, where there is a clunking noise when the lens is not powered up. Once the motor is powered up the noise goes away but the motor runs continuously. This is part of their floating focusing system in that lens and is being used more on mirrorless cameras. I have the same clunk with this lens when off the camera but it is very minimal compared to the 80mm macro. All information I have found says the 70-300mm lens has a linear autofocus motor, saying nothing about a floating focus system. What’s the difference? I’m still checking on this. Other than that, this lens seems to be a good addition to my camera bag but left a hole in my wallet.

    Image information: 300mm f8.0 1/450 second and ISO 160; handheld with 70 year old hands and shooting from my car. 😁 No sharpening or clarity on this image.

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  • Avian,  haiku,  writing/reading

    Stirring Up Mud

    May 17, 2021

    stirring up mud
    seeking aquatic insects
    evening dinner

    ms

    I see a lot of killdeer out here but I can’t remember ever seeing an American Avocet until last week. As I drove by a pond along Weld County Road 13 I noticed a very large killdeer so I stopped to check it out. That’s when I realized it was not a killdeer. This is a lovely bird with a lovely call. They use their long bills to stir up the mud, disturbing the aquatic insects and having a feast.

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  • Avian,  Fujifilm XF70-300mm f4.0-5.6,  Photography

    Majestic Beauty

    May 16, 2021

    standing tall
    ever present to the moment
    majestic beauty

    ms

    I was startled by this heron as I came around a curve. They were standing in water along side of the road and immediately lifted off landing on the other side of the water and posed for me. So, I shot this from my car, hand held, motor running. Only made tone and contrast adjustments, no sharpening or clarity. Pretty much right out of the camera. Shot at 300mm f8.0 1/450 second and ISO 200.

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  • Avian,  clouds

    Taking Off

    April 9, 2021

    Sitting on my porch yesterday afternoon with a friend when this Great BLue Heron landed in a cottonwood tree in front of us. I grabbed my camera and got off 6 images before they were gone. I have three images of them perched, which is the way we usually see them, but this action shot of them taking off was the one I decided to post. Shot with the Fujifilm X-T3 and the XF 16-80mm lens, at 80 mm at 1/1500 f6.4, ISO 160. I love the back lit feathers on their wings.

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