Wild Dogs

I recently had a request for some more wild dog photos, so I spent some time this evening going through the photos I took back in April 2013 when I was lucky enough to see them in Botswana.  I had dismissed many of the photos when I originally took them, as the light was rather difficult, but what a difference a year makes.  I have more skills in editing now, and am able to correct things that I wasn’t able to just a short time ago.    I didn’t have time to go through all the photos I flagged this evening, so if you are a betting person, you can put money on the fact that you’ll see more of this group later in the week 🙂

Torn ears and a face full of flies. 1/400sec, f5.3, ISO1600
Torn ears and a face full of flies.
1/400sec, f5.3, ISO1600
A group of wild dogs rests in the shade from the mid afternoon heat, at Chobe Game Reserve in Botswana. 1/500sec, f5.3, ISO1600
A group of wild dogs rests in the shade, away from the mid afternoon heat, at Chobe Game Reserve in Botswana.
1/500sec, f5.3, ISO1600
I have no idea what they might have saw, heard, or smelled, but it certainly captivated the attention of the group. 1/640sec, f4.8, ISO800
I have no idea what they might have saw, heard, or smelled, but it certainly captivated the attention of the group.
1/640sec, f4.8, ISO800
A wild dog heads away from the group. 1/1000sec, f4.5, ISO800
A wild dog heads away from the pack.
1/1000sec, f4.5, ISO800

Tug Boat

A tug boat drags a barge filled with supplies up the Pitt River, heading towards the logging camp at the end of Pitt Lake. 1/800sec, f7.1, ISO720
A tug boat drags a barge filled with supplies up the Pitt River, heading towards the logging camp at the end of Pitt Lake.
1/800sec, f7.1, ISO720

Great Blue Heron – Tree Pose

For some reason, seeing this heron perched on one leg reminded me of tree pose in yoga class.

A great blue heron perches on one leg atop a submerged log in the Pitt River. 1/800sec, f5.6, ISO900
A great blue heron perches on one leg atop a submerged log in the Pitt River.
1/800sec, f5.6, ISO900

Robin Chicks

Just now while doing some work on the computer, I heard quite a bit of peeping from my open window.  I’m used to having a robin in my little yard quite often, but today, she was here with her two chicks.  I didn’t want to scare them away, so I wasn’t able to get Mom in the shot with the two youngsters; I was just glad I was able to get outside to take a few shots as through the window screen was not yielding great results!

All photos at 1/800sec, f5.6, ISO6400

Robin Chicks Robin Chicks-2 Robin Chicks-3

Recreating a shot

A few weeks ago, I came across a heron perched on a water level post along the dikes, and while I was able to create an interesting silhouette from the photograph I took, it wasn’t at all how I had envisioned what the final image would look like.  Since I had never seen a heron on that post before, I didn’t think it likely I would get the chance to try again for the shot I wanted, but it came only a week later.  This time, I was able to approach slowly enough to shoot from a few different angles, and get some crisp shots of the heron.

Heron on a post Heron on a post-3 Heron on a post-2

Ospreys

Here are a few osprey photos from the past two weeks that I liked, but have only just had the chance to work on.  They don’t really go together as a grouping, but I wanted to get them posted, as I am hoping to have some good sightings on the upcoming weekend 🙂

An osprey coming into land atop an electrical pole. 1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO140
An osprey coming into land atop an electrical pole.
1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO140
An osprey perches atop an electrical pole.  The first rays of sunlight were hitting the osprey directly, and I was shooting into the sun, making the colours washed out, and a black and white conversion a good choice. 1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO110
An osprey perches atop an electrical pole. The first rays of sunlight were hitting the osprey directly, and I was shooting into the sun, making the colours washed out, and a black and white conversion a good choice.
1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO110
An osprey heads out over the Pitt River on a hazy summer morning. 1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO100
An osprey heads out over the Pitt River on a hazy summer morning.
1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO100
A mother osprey with two (very large) chicks on a post in the Pitt River.  The chicks called out constantly whenever the mother flew away.  The small stretch of river I walk along regularly has been quite an osprey nursery, with several active nests. 1/1000sec, f10, ISO4500
A mother osprey with two (very large) chicks on a post in the Pitt River. The chicks called out constantly whenever the mother flew away. The small stretch of river I walk along regularly has been quite an osprey nursery, with several active nests.
1/1000sec, f10, ISO4500

Northern flicker

A northern flicker looks off to the distance, from high on top of an electrical pole. 1/100sec, f5.6, ISO400
A northern flicker looks off to the distance, from high on top of an electrical pole.
1/100sec, f5.6, ISO400

 

 

 

 

 

Bald Eagles

I was surprised that the pair of eagles that I saw involved in the osprey chick stealing were still hanging around at the end of my walk, after all the trouble the mother osprey had been giving the pair.

A pair of bald eagles perch along the Pitt River while a group of barn swallows flies past. 1/640sec, f5.6 ISO 1250
A pair of bald eagles perch along the Pitt River while a group of barn swallows flies past.
1/640sec, f5.6 ISO 1250
I call this one the double shoulder check. 1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO2000
I call this one the double shoulder check.
1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO2000
A bald eagle works on loosening some twigs and debris from a post while her partner looks on. 1/640, f5.6, ISO1400
A bald eagle works on loosening some twigs and debris from a post while her partner looks on.
1/640, f5.6, ISO1400

 

Heron in flight

Believe it or not, the heron landed in the somewhat flimsy looking tree at the far left of the photo! 1/640sec, f5.6, ISO400
Believe it or not, the heron landed in the somewhat flimsy looking tree at the far left of the photo!
1/640sec, f5.6, ISO400
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