Incoming Snowy Egret
What did the Snowy Egret tell the Cattle Egret? Get the heck out of my way dude!!
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens on tripod with Sidekick gimbal mount.
Cattle Egrets in Breeding Plumage from High Island
Cattle Egrets tend to be overlooked by birders and bird photographers, including myself. However, with breeding plumage on display and some decent early morning light, they can be quite beautiful. These shots were taken at the High Island, TX rookery on Friday. There are more cattle egrets at the rookery this year than I’ve ever seen. Since the Great Egret’s weren’t doing much, I focused on these little guys. The early morning light gave me some good back-lit photography opportunities.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens on tripod with Sidekick gimbal mount.
1/5000 sec @ F5.6, ISO 250, spot metering with +1 exposure compensation
1/800 sec @ F5.6, ISO 250, spot metering with +2/3 exposure compensation
1/800 sec @ F5.6, ISO 250, spot metering with +2/3 exposure compensation
1/1000 sec @ F5.6, ISO 250, spot metering with +1/3 exposure compensation
High Island in a Blur
One of my favorite things to do at the High Island rookery is to get there early before the sun comes up and shoot blurred flight shots in silhouette. If you can handle the pre-dawn mosquitos, the flight shot opportunities with awesome colors are almost endless. It’s too early at that point to get sharp photos so I’ve learned to embrace the blur. About 1/2 hr before the sun comes up, the skies are filled with birds launching from far and wide. I typically use aperture priority, wide open, ISO 400 and +1 exposure compensation and let the camera set the shutter speed. I love the randomness of the shutter speeds that I get and the affect on the flight shots.
Here are a few Roseate Spoonbill’s in a blur from the rookery.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens on tripod with Sidekick gimbal mount.
1/40 sec @ F5.6, ISO 400, evaluative metering, +1 exposure compensation
1/13 sec @ F5.6, ISO 500, evaluative metering, +1 exposure compensation
1/20 sec @ F5.6, ISO 400, evaluative metering
Little Blue Heron Catching Crawfish
Made a trip to Brazos Bend State Park this weekend. The best area to shoot at was the spillway bridge where there were a couple of Little Blue Herons feeding. They would fly off when someone walked across the bridge but they always came back. Patience pays in wildlife photography. The reflections from the trees helped to make a pleasing background. My rule of thumb is to start shooting when their heads start to go down towards the water, which can lead to some interesting splash shots. Every once in a while they would come up with a crawfish. It was a good time while hanging out with David and Fred.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens mounted on tripod with Sidekick gimbal mount. No flash.
Roseate Spoonbill
Here is an early morning shot of a Roseate Spoonbill from the High Island, TX rookery. There appears to be more of them around this year. Most of the nesting is being done by the Great Egrets but the Spoonbills are always fun to watch and shoot. This guy was taking off and I was able to catch some wing blur and decent light in his eye.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens on tripod with Sidekick gimbal mount.
Aperture priority, 1/160 sec @ F5.6, ISO 400, spot metering + 2/3 exposure compensation, no flash
Won “Best in Show” at Migration Celebration Photo Contest
Got some good news from the Migration Celebration photo contest this weekend. My Wilson’s Phalarope won the “Best in Show” as well as first place in the “Birds of Texas Mid-Coast” category. I knew about the first place but had not heard about winning the grand prize until I went there on Sat. so it was a very pleasant surprise. I’ve been on a roll lately and hope that it continues.
Successful Classes at Galveston FeatherFest
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that attended my photography classes at Galveston’s FeatherFest this year. I had fun doing it and hope that you picked up some good info along the way. Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions about any of the topics that we covered.
Although it was my first year teaching classes at this event, I received very positive feedback from the participants with some comments blowing me away. I had a blast and really appreciate the opportunity. Thanks to Barbara Rabek, Kathy Adams Clark, Scott Buckel and the rest of the team for their support and letting me participate this year. Looking forward to next year already. Thanks again everyone.
Great Egret Breeding Plumage
This great egret was showing off its breeding plumage at the High Island, TX rookery last weekend. While preening, the plumage was is full display for everyone to see. I’m thinking that she was showing off, just a little. Worked for me.
Taken about an hour after sunrise with the light getting a little harsh but still usable. Used spot metering on the bright backlit area of the plumage to properly expose the bright areas and darken the background.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens mounted on tripod with Sidekick gimbal mount.
1/1250 sec @ F7.1, ISO 250, spot metering
Published in Texas Explorer Magazine
I’ve been published in Texas Explorer magazine. Thanks to George Hosek for the invitation and the great job with the publishing. I really like how it came out. Got a chance to show off some of my favorite photos and do a little writing along the way. I definitely need to try this more often.
http://www.texasexplorer.com/Tim-Timmis-Bird-Photography.htm
Great Egret Mating Dance from High Island
Made another road trip yesterday to the High Island rookery. Just can’t get enough except for the mosquitos. They are very intense before the sun comes up. Hosed myself down 5 times with bug spray and still got several bites. Not for the faint of heart but worth the reward of seeing the morning light shine through the breeding plumage.
Tried shooting from the upper level on the last platform this time and liked it better than the lower platform. On the upper platform you can get the distant trees in the background which allows for a dark background with the white birds. Had better luck this day with some mating dance action. This Great Egret spent about an hour strutting her stuff but didn’t have any takers except for a few photographers. She flew away rejected and dissatisfied. I left with a smile on my face and craving a cigarette for some odd reason…
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens on tripod with Sidekick gimbal mount.
1/640 sec @ F5.6, – 1/3 exposure compensation, ISO 400
1/1000 sec @ F5.6, spot metering, – 1/3 exposure compensation, ISO 400
Backlit Great Egret from High Island
It felt fantastic this morning to get the chance again to take photos at High Island’s rookery. It was like going home again. It’s a long drive but well worth it. Got there about 45 minutes before the sun came up and had to use a flash light to walk down the trail. Used to fumble my way in the dark but stopped doing that after finding a gator on the trail a few years ago. Got set up and had a blast taking blurred flight shots in the pre-dawn hour. At sunrise, the sun comes up in your face which I love as you can get a chance to play in the light and get great opportunities for some unique backlit photos. Below is one of my favorites from today.
Stats for the day: 3 hours of driving, 2 hours of shooting, too many mosquitos to count, 3316 photos taken, 900 photos saved, photos processed = 1 (so far)
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 on tripod with Sidekick gimbal mount
1/800 sec @ F5.6, partial metering, -2/3 exposure compensation, ISO 250, no flash
Great Blue Landing in Silhouette
Spent about 1.5 hrs lying around at Bolivar Flats yesterday taking shorebird photos. Go figure. As I was concentrating on a group of Willets, this Great Blue Heron started squawking above me as he circled twice and then finally landed fairly close to me. I tracked him as he was coming in for a landing, which was a challenge while laying down with a ground pod. Got my sweatshirt all twisted up while spinning myself around on my stomach. Luckily for me, he landing into the sun which produced a nice series of silhouette shots. This one came out the best with his wings outstreatched and feet just starting to enter the water.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens on Skimmer ground pod.
1/2000 sec @ F6.3, evaluative metering, + 2/3 exposure compensation, ISO 250
Northern Harrier Fly-by
Caught this Northern Harrier in flight while taking shore bird photos at Bolivar Flats in Dec. I was laying in the muck with my ground pod at sunrise when this Harrier came up over the grass at the shoreline. He didn’t see me at first which gave me a chance to focus and track him for several shots. It’s always a challenge to get close to these raptors so I was pleased to get this shot.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens mounted on Skimmer ground pod with Sidekick gimbal mount.
1/500 sec @ F5.6, + 1 exposure compensation, ISO 500, spot metering, no flash.
Three in a Row
Was doing a little wading in the Gulf of Mexico to get this shot at Bolivar, TX. These Avocets flew between me and the shoreline and I was able to capture them in flight as they were lined up. Hand held shot while carrying the ground pod.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens
1/1250 sec @ F5.6, partial metering, + 2/3 exposure compensation, ISO 400
The Stretch
This Common Moorhen was doing some stretching before beginning his morning aerobics routine. Taken at Brazos Bend state park in Texas.
Canon 7D with 100-400 lens
1/1000 sec @ F5.6, spot metering, ISO 400, no flash
Backlit Snowy Egret
Here is a Snowy Egret coming in for a landing at Brazos Bend State Park in TX. Taken early in the morning with some good ‘ol back lighting. I tracked this Snowy as he flew across the water and saw that he was going to be back-lit and fired away as he spread his wings for the landing.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens, handheld
Aperture priority, 1/4000 sec @ F5.6, ISO 400, partial metering, +2/3 exposure compensation
Blurred Wing Lift Off
Caught this Marbled Godwit talking off while laying down with my ground pod. He was a couple of feet off of the ground at this point. Was using aperture priority but the shutter speed was low enough to blur the wings. Glad to see that his head was relatively sharper than his wings which is always the challenge with these type of shots.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens on Skimmer ground pod.
1/320 sec @ F7.1, ISO 200, spot metering + 2/3 exposure compensation, no flash
On the Run at Brazos Bend
Made a trip out to Brazos Bend State park a couple of weeks ago. It was a little chilly at 39 deg and very windy which attributed to my frozen head/face. Had a hat in the car but being the intelligent person that I am, didn’t put it on. Was going to walk back to the car to get it but the sun was about to come out and I didn’t want to miss the good light. Caught several Coots running around, as usual, and had a fly over from a bald eagle, which was a first for me at Brazos Bend. Of course the Coot shots came out better so I’ll post these. Got some decent light on this one. The challenge with these guys is to catch them in mid stride and to keep their heads in relative focus while their wings are blurred to give a sense of motion.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens, hand held, no flash
1/400 sec @ F5.6, ISO 400, spot metering, +2/3 exposure compensation
1/320 sec @ F5.6, ISO 400, spot metering, +2/3 exposure compensation
Galveston’s FeatherFest Photo Contest
Below is the press release for Galveston’s FeatherFest photo contest. It’s a four week contest and lots of fun. I’d highly encourage everyone with good photos from the local area to enter.
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Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council P. O. Box 1468 Galveston, TX 77553 |
Feb. 8, 2012 Contact: Sue Reed 281-686-8514
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Photography Plays Big Part in FeatherFest
Nature Photo Contest Runs through March 25
GALVESTON ISLAND, Texas (Feb. 8, 2012) – Photographers and birders alike flock to Galveston Island to participate in field trips and workshops led by professional photography instructors during FeatherFest, April 12 – 15.
FeatherFest is one of the largest birding festivals in Texas, and the only one with a dedicated nature photography track. Due to high demand, the 2012 festival offers twice as many photography programs as it has in the past.
Leading up to the festival, the FeatherFest Photo Contest draws hundreds of spectacular bird images from photographers around the state. Individuals are invited to submit images of birds taken in Galveston, Brazoria, Harris, Fort Bend, Jefferson or Chambers counties. Entries for Week 1 of the contest are due Sunday, March 4. The contest runs through March 24. Details are at http://galvestonfeatherfest.com/photo_contest.php.
Kathy Adams Clark, Larry Ditto, Debbie Ferrell and Sean Fitgerald, who are among the state’s most recognized photographers, are returning for a third year to lead festival photography activities. Scott Buckel and Tim Timmis are new members of the photography leadership team. They all target a specific skill level in their events, from beginner to intermediate to advanced.
Houston Camera Exchange, official sponsor of the 2012 FeatherFest photography track, will have its latest cameras, lens and accessories at Birders’ Bazaar, the free public trade show open throughout the festival. Representatives from Canon, Nikon, Sony and other manufacturers will be on hand to demonstrate their products. The trade show will be in Old Galveston Square, 2212 The Strand in downtown Galveston.
“Photography has become an important part of FeatherFest. Birding is magnificent in Galveston during spring migration, so the timing is perfect for nature photographers,” said Barbara Rabek, co-leader with Scott Buckel of both the competition and photography track.
FeatherFest is a project of the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council, which supports eco-tourism and education, and promotes the value of area natural habitats. Visit www.GalvestonFeatherFest.com or call 832-459-5533 for more information.
Avocet Silhouette
Here is another Avocet silhouette from Bolivar Flats. This one has some water droplets coming off its beak which helps to make the shot more interesting. Very close to a full frame shot.
Taken with Canon 100-400 lens on Skimmer ground pod.
1/640 sec @ F 5.6, evaluative metering, ISO 200, + 2/3 exposure compensation
Snowy Egret Landing
Saw this Snowy Egret flying in my direction from a distance. Didn’t have time to lay down but was able to keep him in focus while I dropped to my knees in an attempt to not spook him while standing there. It must have worked as he landed right in front of me with wings outstretched. I did lay down after he landed but was only able to get one shot before he took off.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens, handheld
1/4000 sec @ F5.6, ISO 400, spot metering, +2/3 exposure compensation, no flash
Peregrine Falcon Take-Off
Another Trip to Bolivar found the tide going out, calm water, no wind and 39 deg before sunrise. I ended up over dressing and got a little toasty except for when my boot started leaking while wading through the water. It was a beautiful morning at the gulf but very few birds were within shooting distance except for a large flock of white pelicans. All of the Avocets were along the jetty. Spent most of my time during the pre-dawn and golden hour time frame shooting flight shots.
While walking along the beach on my way back to the car, two Peregrine Falcons flew by and landed near me. Made my way over near them and laid down to shoot. The smaller one didn’t stick around very long and flew off. The other one was much more cooperative. My initial shots weren’t any good as I was too low compared to his position and the bottom of his tail was cut off in my shots with the sand on the beach. Raised up on my elbows to try that perspective and it still wasn’t high enough. Decided to move my position to get a better shot. Ended up walking back along the beach a few yards and then up to his level in front of him. Luckily he didn’t spook and he let me lay down again. After preening, they typically stretch out their wings out for a few seconds before taking off. This time he took off without warning in my direction. Luckily I was focused on him and ready to shoot. Got off several shots before the buffer filled up and he was going past me. Good times again at Bolivar.
Taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens on Skimmer ground pod.
1/1000 sec @ F6.3, Iso 400, spot metering with +1 exposure compensation, no flash
1/1000 sec @ F6.3, Iso 400, spot metering with +1 exposure compensation, no flash
1/1600 sec @ F6.3, Iso 400, spot metering with +1 exposure compensation, no flash
1/1250 sec @ F6.3, Iso 400, spot metering with +1 exposure compensation, no flash
1/1250 sec @ F6.3, Iso 400, spot metering with +1 exposure compensation, no flash
2012 Start from Bolivar
Made my first trip to Bolivar in 2012 last weekend and the new year is looking good so far.
Got there before the sun came up and it was partly cloudy with very little wind and very calm water. I really wanted to wade out into the Gulf with the calm water but heard something that would be blocking my way. Got out of the car and immediately could tell that there were lots of Avocets near by as I could hear them but couldn’t seen them. Once it started to lighted up, found several hundred of them right in front of me along a sand bar just beyond the barricade posts. Walked along the posts to try to hide my approach and then slowly walked to the shore line and laid down. That is where I got the first shot of the Great Blue Heron in silhouette. Didn’t stay in that location very long as all I was going to get was a line of Avocets. My goal was to somehow work my way around them to get some non-silhouette shots.
Moved to the west and then slowly walked out into the water to the first sandbar to get closer to them and get a better angle. Stayed there for a while and then got up and moved further out to the next sandbar between two groups of Avocets while trying not to spook them. Made it and was able to lay down again and wait for them to come to me, which they eventually did. Patience pays in bird photography. Got some of the last almost full frame shots from that position. Haven’t got my dream Avocet shot yet but the year has just started…
All taken with Canon 7D and 100-400 lens with Skimmer ground pod
Abstract Avocets
Got bored on Christmas morning waiting for everyone to get up (yes I wake up at 4:00 a.m. even on holidays) and started playing around on Photoshop with some recent Avocet pictures. Took these in cloudy conditions at Bolivar recently and didn’t like the lighting and colors. I’m a little spoiled with golden light at sunrise. First tried converting to B&W, which I liked better. Then used the “glowing edge” filter in PS5 for the final version.
Happy New Year everyone!
Original color version
Converted to B&W
Converted using “glowing edge” filter
Tim Timmis Photography 