Birds – Page 4 – Jennifer Sawicky Photography

June 17, 2018

2018-06-17: Monthly Photo Projects – Birds

I had planned on creating a post about hummingbirds this week, but it’s just not going to happen. I have been out taking photos of them as much as possible, but I haven’t had a chance to edit them yet. As it’s Father’s Day today, I want to spend time with Pops rather than at my computer editing images.

Below is a selection of bird images from my travels that I haven’t had a chance to share yet.

Hummingbirds next week – I promise.

20170502-DSC_1707 — A huge gathering of marabou storks and white backed vultures on the banks of the Boteti River in Botswana. May, 2017.

20170510-DSC_3934 — Groups of darters and cormorants in the early morning fog at one of the dams on Phinda Game Reserve. A few hippos in there for good measure 🙂

20170516-DSC_6568 — A pair of tawny eagles spotted in the Okavango Delta. May 2017.

DSC_6849-Edit — My best guess at identification is a banded snake eagle. This bird was up and away very quickly; spotted on a game drive through Amboseli National Park. September, 2016.

DSC_9620-Edit — A Coqui Francolin spotted in the Masai Mara. September, 2016.

June 10, 2018

2018-06-10: Birds Projects – Sparrows and Swallows

It has been a challenging week for photographing the birds, with dull, cold, rainy days, and flat, lifeless skies. But, regardless of the weather, the show must go on, and if I were on holiday I wouldn’t give up on taking pictures just because the weather wasn’t perfect.

I took a trip early in the week to a nearby farm where there are nest boxes for swallows and bluebirds. While I saw a couple of brief glimpses of the bluebirds, I didn’t capture any images, so I will have to go back and try again for those. I did get some good images of the swallows and bluebirds in the same area a couple of years ago, you can find that old post here.

It looks like the sun may make a brief appearance today, so it’s time to sign off and get outside and get shooting. I hope you enjoy this week’s images, I am hoping to have some hummingbird images to share next week.

DSCF0750 — I find it difficult naming the wide variety of small, brown and beige coloured birds we have in the area, but I am almost certain this is a Clay-Coloured Sparrow. While it looks like the bird is singing a beautiful song, it actually sounded like some type of buzzing insect, which is the exact description of the song for this sparrow in my bird book.

To find out more about the Clay-Coloured Sparrow (and here the insect buzz call), check out the link below.

All About Birds – Clay Coloured Sparrow

DSCF0763 — A tree sparrow peeks out from the nesting box.

DSCF0772 — A tree sparrow couple during one of the brief moments of sunlight while I was out.

June 3, 2018

2018-06-03: Monthly Project – Bird Photography

Part of the reason that I chose bird photography this month was to get out and enjoy the nice weather, as well as get familiar with a new lens I have purchased. So at first glance it may not make any sense that today I’m posting images from my last trip. I have gotten out a bit over the past couple of days and taken some bird images, and I have been really impressed with the lens so far. But I’m already half way through Sunday and I haven’t had a chance to start editing, so rather than miss posting altogether or rushing my editing process, I decided to go for some bird images from my catalogue that I haven’t posted before.

I hope you enjoy my selections for this week, and next week I will be sharing some of our local birds.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead.

20170428-DSC_1217 copy — We came across a very large sociable weavers nest while on a game drive through Etosha National Park. There was a lot of activity in and out of the large communal nest, here one of the birds pauses in a more open spot where it is easier to see them.

20170428-DSC_1220 copy — Up against the nest, the weaver is very camouflaged.

20170428-DSC_1215 copy — The nest itself was so large it brought down one of the large branches of the acacia tree.

This crimson breasted shrike played hard to get for a photo; this was the best that I could do while driving through the Makgadikgadi Pans.

A beautiful glossy starling in early morning light.

My personal favourite, the lilac breasted roller.

September 4, 2016

2016-09-04: Cee's Photo Challenge Feathers

I noticed this challenge before taking off on holidays, and thought it would be a great chance to showcase a series of photos I had edited and saved in a folder titled water birds.

I hope you enjoy!

_DSC9777-Edit — An African darter drying its wings.

_DSC9698-Edit — An egret stalking in the shallows.

_DSC9668-Edit — A mixed group perched in a dead tree, including African spoonbills and sacred ibis.

_DSC7662-Edit — A grey heron standing very close to a nile crocodile.

_DSC7010-Edit — A brown hooded kingfisher.

_DSC6354-Edit — A pair of malachite kingfishers.

_DSC1470 — A pair of pied kingfishers in the Okavango Delta.

Please note, I’m away for several weeks, so I have scheduled some posts in advance. I will moderate and respond to any comments just as soon as I am able.

I am hoping to be taking loads of photos, so if you would like to follow along, please feel free to give my page a like on Facebook @jennifersawickyphotography and a follow over on Instagram at jensawicky.

Cee’s Photo Challenge: Feathers

November 22, 2015

2015-11-22: What I’ve seen this week

This will be a brief one, as I haven’t taken many photos this week. I’ve seen a few interesting things that didn’t translate into photographs though; like the tracks of a moose passing through my yard (and from what I can see of the hoof print and the stride, a large one as well).

My Tamron lens is back from sick bay, and I am hoping I will get a chance or two this week to take it out on my walks and see if it is working properly again. The extra reach will be nice as the grosbeaks seem to be just a little too far away a lot of the time to get any photos.

Have a wonderful evening – hopefully I will have more to share next week!

20151122_What I've seen this week-2 — Spencer has been having a lot of fun zipping around the yard after our walks, playing in the small amount of snow we currently have.

20151122_What I've seen this week-3 — Sunset is happening really early these days – this was just after 4pm! Some beautiful colours peeking through from behind the evergreens.

20151122_What I've seen this week — A female pine grosbeak hopping between branches, working on the pinecones. I’m hoping one day I’ll see one of the brightly coloured males in light like this; it was such a beautifully sunny day! 1/500sec, f6.3, ISO220

November 8, 2015

2015-11-08: What I’ve seen this week

I’ve been on my computer far too much today, so I will keep this brief. Unfortunately the most interesting thing I saw this week, two large flocks of bohemian waxwings, was when I didn’t have my camera with me… however, it was awesome to see and hopefully the next time they are passing through town, I will be ready! I also saw a smaller group of pine grosbeaks, but they were at such a distance and it was so foggy, that the photos aren’t even worth editing. On a more positive note, my D610 has returned from the journey to the service centre, seemingly good as new, so I am a happy Jen.

With that, the few photos I’ve selected to share this week. Enjoy, and have a great evening.

Even with a house in the background and the fog, this is still the best photo I have managed so far of a ruffled grouse!

I finally decided to get some food out for the birds, now that the daily highs are in the low single digits (celsius). The first visitor I had was totally new to me, a grey jay.

The grey jay kindly tidying up some dropped seeds. There was actually a pair of them, but only one fed at a time.