Photo By Shawn Weigelt
December 21, 2011
Theler Wetlands, Belfair, Washington
I certainly have no shortage of Song Sparrow photos but they are often so cooperative and this one gave me a perfect opportunity for a nice shot.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 240mm, 1/80sec, ISO 160, f/5.6, hand held
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
December 5, 2011
Bradley Lake Park, Puyallup, Washington
This little Cackling Goose was among giants compared to the flock of Common Canada Geese it was with. The round head, short neck, and blunt little bill are distinctive for this mini Canada Goose.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 122mm, 1/400sec, ISO 125, f/5.0, hand held
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
December 5, 2011
Bradley Lake Park, Puyallup, Washington
I’m pretty sure this is a young Greater White-fronted Goose that I found amongst a flock of Canada’s. The lack of, “white-fronted,” feathering at the base of the bill and absence of a speckled belly threw me off at first but seem to be consistent with juveniles of the species.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 180mm, 1/800sec, ISO 200, f/5.3, hand held
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
November 10, 2011
Sequim, Washington
Let’s face it…most people aren’t all that interested in gulls. To them it’s, “just a seagull.” If one actually takes the time to look at them, however, they’ll find that there’s a lot of different species of gulls and a myriad of sizes and color patterns. Properly identifying gulls is a real challenge for even very experienced birders and I am certainly no exception. Throw in frequent hybridization from species to species and now you have a REAL problem. So…whenever I get an opportunity to get good identification photos of gulls you will see them on this blog.
This profile photo is a good study of an adult Western Gull. Important field marks to take note of include: the pink colored gape (at the corner of the mouth), very light head markings for an adult bird in non-breeding plumage, and the orange-yellow colored orbital ring and dark colored iris (iris color indicative of the Northern form of the species. Southern birds have a lighter colored iris).
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 300mm, 1/60sec, ISO 200, f/5.6, hand held
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
November 13, 2011
Sequim, Washington
This isn’t a fabulously sharp or exciting photo, but I don’t often get any usable shots of this species so you’ll have to live with it! This young female harrier was perched near the side of the road only a few tenths of a mile from our home in Sequim. I couldn’t resist stopping for a few shots and this one was the best I could come up with.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 300mm, 1/320sec, ISO 200, f/5.6, hand held
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
November 10, 2011
Theler Wetlands, Belfair, Washington
I thought this one came out halfway decent though the fiber or hair on the bill is a bit distracting. The afternoon lighting was great and the background produced some nice warm colors.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 300mm, 1/160sec, ISO 125, f/5.6, hand held
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
October 29, 2011
Sequim, Washington
This is not the sharpest image in the world, but I liked the, “wing-on,” perspective of this pretty Red-tail as it flew by.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 300mm, 1/1250sec, ISO 200, f/5.3, hand held.
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
October 28, 2011
Ediz Hook, Port Angeles, Washington
The Northwest has a TON of hybrid gulls and as a consequence, knowing exactly what you are looking at can be a bit of a challenge. This bird, however, is a pure, non-breeding plumage Glaucous-winged Gull. The heavy streaking on the head and nape, pink orbital ring with a dusky colored iris, and wingtips that closely match the gray mantle coloring are all good field marks for this species.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 195mm, 1/640sec, ISO 200, f/5.3, hand held
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
June 8, 2011
Olympia, Washington
I usually end up throwing out about 99% of my flight shots. I think the problem is a combination of inexperience on my part and a slower focusing lens. Once in a while I get lucky (it isn’t skill, trust me) and I get a decent one like this.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 260mm, 1/200sec, ISO 125, f/5.6, hand held
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
June 22, 2011
Vaughn, Washington
Well, it has been a while since my last post but I haven’t had much luck with the birds lately. We’ve had a sudden interest in the syrup though, from the local Anna’s and Rufous Hummingbirds and I’ve been enjoying watching their aerial, “dogfights.” This little Rufous held still just long enough for a quick shot.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at, 240mm, 1/160, ISO 125, f/5.5, hand held