Photo By Shawn Weigelt
April 24, 2010
Vaughn, Washington
I’ve been going through some old photos lately and came across this decent shot of a Pine Siskin in our back yard…from last April! I have no idea why I hadn’t processed and posted this but here it is.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 300mm, 1/250sec, ISO 100, f/5.6, hand held
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
March 23, 2011
Theler Wetlands, Belfair, Washington
I usually end up throwing out most of the flight shots I take but this one came out pretty well.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 180mm, 1/800sec, ISO 125, f/5.3, hand held
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
March 20, 2011
Sequim, Washington
I’m not the biggest fan of European Starlings but I have to admit that they’re pretty in breeding plumage.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 180mm, 1/125sec, ISO 100, f/5.3, hand held
Photos By Shawn Weigelt
March 20, 2011
Sequim, Washington
Ravens are definitely one of my favorite birds. They are a large and powerful looking bird but have amazing intelligence to go with it. I photographed these two birds at Olympic Game Farm which is one of the best places that I know of to get a decent photo of one up close.
Nikon D80 70-300VR, ISO 100, f/5.6, hand held
1) at 300mm, 1/125sec
2) at 220mm, 1/500sec
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
March 20, 2011
Sequim, Washington
About the only thing I would change about this photo is the bird’s head position. I wish it had been looking directly at me but seemed to be totally unconcerned with my presence. I photographed this eagle from a vehicle at Olympic Game Farm so maybe that had something to do with it!
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 200mm, 1/800sec, ISO 200, f/5.3, hand held
Photos By Shawn Weigelt
March 19, 2011
Olympic National Park, Washington
I’ve wanted to see an American Dipper for years and finally I can check it off my list. We took one of our favorite hikes recently within Olympic National Park to see the picturesque Marymere Falls. We stopped for a rest along Barnes Creek and I said aloud, “I really want to see an American Dipper.” Not two seconds later my wife, Malia, excitedly says, “Shawn, what’s that?!?” I couldn’t believe that she was pointing to an American Dipper perched on a rock in the middle of the fast flowing creek! It was singing its heart out, a bubbly tune that matched the sounds of the water. I cautiously approached and took several photos. Lighting was bad and the bird did not let me get very close before flying to a log on the other side of the creek. These images are not good by any means but they’re proof of the lifer sighting for me and show the bird in it’s element.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 300mm, ISO 400, f/5.6, hand held
1) at 1/15sec
2) at 1/20sec
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
March 16, 2011
Vaughn, Washington
Black-capped Chickadee’s are one of my favorites. They are a little more trusting than their Chestnut-backed relatives.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 300mm, 1/100sec, ISO 200, f/5.6, hand held
Photo By Shawn Weigelt
March 8, 2011
Vaughn, Washington
I’m not posting anything super exciting lately, but I like the way my backyard birds have been turning out. Here’s one of our drab colored Song Sparrows.
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 220mm, 1/125sec, ISO 125, f/5.5, hand held
Photos By Shawn Weigelt
March 3, 2011
Vaughn, Washington
I love these little Chestnut-backed Chickadees, though I’ve found them to be a little less photogenic than the widespread Black-capped. These chickadees are a West Coast specialty, being found from Alaska south to California. I shot these images at ISO 400 which is about the maximum I’m comfortable with for bird photography with my setup. This lens/camera combination really starts to produce grainy images anywhere beyond ISO 400 which is unfortunate, but it’s what I have to work with. I think the noise is very noticeable on the bird in these photos but when I clean up the background with Noiseware it dramatically improves the overall image. The colors are warm and vibrant, at least!
Nikon D80 70-300VR at 300mm, ISO 400, f/5.6, hand held
1) at 1/320sec
2) at 1/250sec
Chestnut-backed is a perfect name for these tiny chickadees!