Birds at Bosque del Apache New Mexico

[pathfinder]

I just returned home this evening from travelling in Colorado and New Mexico. I spent a few days in the Bosque del Apache wildlife preserve and I saw a few Great Blue Herons...

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/16978068-L.jpg


It was cold and they were drying their feathers in the wind and the sun...

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/16978371-L.jpg

Suggestions/criticisms for improvement are always appreciated. :):

[Andy]

welcome back pf :D

the second shot, he looks like one of those dirty old men, flashing, y'know? hehehee

nice to see a heron that's not white, and not harry's :lol3

[Harryb]

I just returned home this evening from travelling in Colorado and New Mexico. I spent a few days in the Bosque del Apache wildlife preserve and I saw a few Great Blue Herons...


It was cold and they were drying their feathers in the wind and the sun...

Suggestions/criticisms for improvement are always appreciated. :):
Hey Pf,

I hear that Bosque del Apache isa fantastic place to shoot with incredible light. Nice shots. I've seen Anhingas spread their wings to increase their body heat but I've never seen GBHs do that before.

[Nir]

Beautiful!!

[pathfinder]

welcome back pf :D

the second shot, he looks like one of those dirty old men, flashing, y'know? hehehee

nice to see a heron that's not white, and not harry's :lol3

Flashing :D - That was kind of my impression also, but then I figured out that Harry was on the right track and that the poor bird was increasing his capture of solar radiation. Note the wind on his feathers though, I guess he was gaining more solar radiation than he was loosing through conduction through the wind.

[rutt]

Yeah, the "flasher" is really really great. Call it "Dirty Old Man Flashing" if you have the stomach for it.

[John Mueller]

#2 is mint.Thanks for sharing.
John

[pathfinder]

I have a couple more images to share as I begin processing the RAW files I brought home...

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/16976430-L.jpg

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17107495-L.jpg

[Steve Cavigliano]

welcome back pf :D

the second shot, he looks like one of those dirty old men, flashing, y'know? hehehee

nice to see a heron that's not white, and not harry's :lol3

OMG :rofl I was thinking the same thing on this second one. He's even got that "old man" leer on his face :lol4 What's that they say about deranged minds thinking alike? :lol

Nice shots PF and it's nice to see you made it back safe :clap


Steve

[pathfinder]

Bosque has lovely light in the early morning and nice muted orange and ochre colors....and geese and cranes in flight.

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17203281-L.jpg

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17203279-L.jpg



There were a few pelicans hanging around in the desert too....

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17203277-L.jpg

And a solitary GBH in the straw
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17167759-L.jpg

[pathfinder]

And of course there are eagles - Bald and Golden Eagles. But wary and hard to approach...

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17213322-L.jpg


http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17214207-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

I'll bet you felt like you had died and gone to heaven. That is the way I would have felt.

And it is too bad we saw The Flasher so soon, you have some really great photos in there.

The Poor Flasher, he hasn't got anything to brag about. I don't think I will ever forget that bird, so proud of nothing.

ginger

[pathfinder]

I'll bet you felt like you had died and gone to heaven. That is the way I would have felt.

And it is too bad we saw The Flasher so soon, you have some really great photos in there.

The Poor Flasher, he hasn't got anything to brag about. I don't think I will ever forget that bird, so proud of nothing.

ginger


Thank you for your kind comments Ginger. I do enjoy New Mexico. That is what has kept me returning for the last five years.

Just for you - a pair of pelicans

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17203276-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

Beautiful Pelicans, nicely positioned.

Did you bleach them?

You know when those birds are flashing, they not only have nothing, they look deformed. I think birds are beautiful, but only in the pictures am I close enough to see how deformed looking a bird's body really is. Don't you think?

ginger

[pathfinder]

Beautiful Pelicans, nicely positioned.

Did you bleach them?

You know when those birds are flashing, they not only have nothing, they look deformed. I think birds are beautiful, but only in the pictures am I close enough to see how deformed looking a bird's body really is. Don't you think?

ginger


No Ginger - no bleaching?! Just processed from RAW and watched the numbers so that the whites retained detail.
The GBH that looked like a flasher was doing that to absorb heat from the sun - it was sunbathing, in effect, to dry out its feathers.

The beauty of birds is easier to see and study in photos, I think, because they are more permanent to examine than a living bird which rarely holds still for critcal examination. You are right that a birds body retains beauty better in action rather than in a static state.

[Harryb]

And of course there are eagles - Bald and Golden Eagles. But wary and hard to approach...


Great shots PF. :thumb I know folks who went there for a Resnick workshop and they all raved about the light there at daybreak and sunset.

[pathfinder]

[QUOTE=Harryb]Great shots PF. :thumb I know folks who went there for a Resnick workshop and they all raved about the light there at daybreak and sunset.[/QUOTE
Thank You Harry for your kind comments. The light at sunrise and sunset can be magical there - That is kind of what I was trying to demonstrate with the birds in flight against the ochre and orange brush.

I thought I had posted this sunrise image, but then realized I had skipped it- I think it shows what you are referring to.....
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/16977802-L.jpg

[Shakey]

Great set pathfinder. As always you continue to impress.:thumb

Tim

[ian408]

Very nice! I've heard some very good things about Bosque del Apache.
I must visit...must.

ian

[pathfinder]

Very nice! I've heard some very good things about Bosque del Apache.
I must visit...must.

ian


Yes you must Ian. You'd have a great time. Harry said I needed flight shots and I could not find them when I got home - they were misplaced on one of the DVDs I wrote the RAW files too, but I found them tonight, SO..... All these flight shots were done with a 20D and a 100-400 lens too

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17271247-L.jpg

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17271253-L.jpg

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17271254-L.jpg

This was a planned shot - but it takes quite a while to convince a sand crane to fly at the correct height and into the light and in front of the mountain and the 20D to focus on the bird in the air rather than the mountain in the background........ :rofl
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17271256-L.jpg

http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17271257-L.jpg

And one getting ready to launch....
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17271258-L.jpg

That all ... Good night all!!

[Harryb]

[QUOTE=pathfinder]Yes you must Ian. You'd have a great time. Harry said I needed flight shots and I could not find them when I got home - they were misplaced on one of the DVDs I wrote the RAW files too, but I found them tonight, SO..... All these flight shots were done with a 20D and a 100-400 lens too


:clap :thumb :cheer :bow

outstanding

[pathfinder]

[QUOTE=pathfinder]Yes you must Ian. You'd have a great time. Harry said I needed flight shots and I could not find them when I got home - they were misplaced on one of the DVDs I wrote the RAW files too, but I found them tonight, SO..... All these flight shots were done with a 20D and a 100-400 lens too


:clap :thumb :cheer :bow

outstanding

Praise from the master, is praise indeed! Thanks Harry!! You are an inspiration to us aspiring bird shooters! :D

[ian408]

PF, these are really nice.

Time to surf the web for some more detail on the place.

Ian

[pathfinder]

PF, these are really nice.

Time to surf the web for some more detail on the place.

Ian
Bosque is just about 10 miles south of Socorro off of I-25. Just follow the signs - ya canna miss it, matey!:thumb The are only a few motels in Socorro, and the Holiday Inn is probably the best. The is an old historical hotel - The Val Verde - that looks interesting too, but I didn't want to park my truck on the street with the bed full of stuff while travelling. You can read about the Val Verde and other interesting stuff here:D:Dhttp://www.sgha.net/evidence.html

[GraphyFotoz]

I had to cover my eyes on that 2nd photo! :doh

Even nature has dirty ole men!! :rofl

[Angelo]

Hey PF these are all really nice shots and thanks for the chuckles with #2.

[pathfinder]

Hey PF these are all really nice shots and thanks for the chuckles with #2.
Thanks Angelo and thanks Karz. Everyone seemed to get a kick out of the poor little fella trying to gather some sunshine.:D

[Angelo]

Thanks Angelo and thanks Karz. Everyone seemed to get a kick out of the poor little fella trying to gather some sunshine.:D
That's what the old man in the raincoat said to the judge! Or was that Michael Jackson?

:dunno

[pathfinder]

:D:huh:huh:huh:rofl:rofl:roflThat's what the old man in the raincoat said to the judge! Or was that Michael Jackson?

:dunno

[ginger_55]

Angelo! So Funny!

g

[snapapple]

As I scrolled down to #2 I burst out laughing. :roflLooks like he's holding out his towel to dry his back, or "flashing" as the other guys said. More likely he's spreading his arms out, like we do, and saying, "Ahhhh nice warm sunshine!!!"

All of the shots are wonderful, I couldn't find anything I would change. :thumb

[pathfinder]

As I scrolled down to #2 I burst out laughing. :roflLooks like he's holding out his towel to dry his back, or "flashing" as the other guys said. More likely he's spreading his arms out, like we do, and saying, "Ahhhh nice warm sunshine!!!"

All of the shots are wonderful, I couldn't find anything I would change. :thumb


Thank you so much,Snapple, I am glad you enjoyed them. :):