American Goldfinch

Hanging Bird Nest Built by Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius montezuma)

f/6.3 1/640 ISO640; D800E, 300mm f/2.8, 2x (600mm); 300 ppi, 14.6x22 inches

Photographed at Monkey River, Belize on February 14, 2013.

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

f/8, 1/500 ISO200; D600, 24-85mm f/4 at 85mm; 300ppi, 12x18 inches

f/8, 1/320 ISO160; D600, 70-200mm f/4 at 100mm; 300ppi, 8.5x13 inches

f/8, 1/320 ISO160; D600, 70-200mm f/4 at 100mm; 300ppi, 10x15 inches

Photographed at Jaguar Reef Lodge, Belize on February 11, 2013.

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

f/5.6 1/100 ISO400; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 1.4x (420mm)

f/7 1/40 ISO800; V2, 70-200mm f4 at 200mm f/2.8 (540mm)

Photographed at Sittee River, Belize on February 12, 2013.

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

f/5 1/500 ISO160; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 1.4x (420mm)

f/5 1/500 ISO160; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 1.4x (420mm)

f/5 1/500 ISO160; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 1.4x (420mm)

Photographed at Sittee River, Belize on February 12, 2013

Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea), American Night Heron, Squawk

f/8 1/1250 ISO900; D800E, 300mm f/2.8, 2x (600mm); 300 ppi, 13x14 inches

f/8 1/500 ISO1600; D800E, 300mm f/2.8, 2x (600mm); 300 ppi, 16x24 inches

Photographed at Monkey River, Belize on February 14, 2013.

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) of Belize

f/8, 1/640 ISO140; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 2x (600mm); 300ppi,  11.4x17.1 inches

f/8, 1/640 ISO160; V2, 18.5mm f/4 (49mm); 300 ppi, 8.5x12.8 inches

Photographed at Monkey River, Belize on February 14, 2013.

Grace took the photo of me in a speed boat on the Monkey River in Southern Belize trying to take the photo with a 600mm lens (300mm x 2) of a pair of Double-crested Cormorants in flight. What a lifetime dream came true!

Juvenile Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) of Belize

f/6.3 1/640 ISO400; D800E, 300mm f/2.8, 2x (600mm); 300 ppi, 15x21 inches

f/6.3 1/640 ISO125; D800E, 300mm f/2.8, 2x (600mm); 300 ppi, 15.5x23.3 inches

Photographed at Monkey River, Belize on February 14, 2013.

My hand was not as study in the first shot, the Bokeh in the second image is just simply amazing.  The young bird is identified by its yellow legs.

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) of Belize

f/6.3, 1/125 ISO450; V2, 70-200mm f/4 at 190mm (513mm); 300 ppi, 6.6x9 inches

f/4, 1/500 ISO140; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 1.4x (420mm); 300ppi,   8.4x12.6 inches

Photographed at Sittee River, Belize on February 12, 2013.

Bare-throated Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum) of Belize

f/7.1, 1/320 ISO640; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 1.4x (420mm); 300 ppi, 9.5x14.5 inches

f/6.3, 1/200 ISO400; V2, 70-200mm f/4 at 200mm (540mm); 300 ppi 8.5x13 inches

Photographed at Sittee River, Belize on February 12, 2013.

Female American Darter, Snakebird (Anhinga anhinga) of Belize

f/8 1/640 ISO450; D800E, 300mm f/2.8, 2x (600mm); 300 ppi, 16x24 inches

f/8 1/640 ISO500; D800E, 300mm f/2.8, 2x (600mm); 300 ppi, 13.7x20.6 inches

Photographed at Monkey River, Belize on February 14, 2013.

This is D800E at its best.

Male American Darter, Snakebird (Anhinga anhinga) of Belize

f/4 1/500 ISO125; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 1.4x (420mm)

f/4 1/500 ISO110; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 1.4x (420mm)

Photographed at Sittee River, Belize on February 12, 2013

The long telephoto image gave the picture a two-dimensional feeling and the white over exposed sky in the background further make the images feel like a 19th-century antique bird prints by artist such as John Gould.

Roadside Hawk (Buteo magnirostris) of Belize

f/4, 1/500 ISO140; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 1.4x (420mm)

f/8, 1/250 ISO220; V2, 70-200mm f/4 at 200mm (540mm)

Photographed at Sittee River, Belize on February 12, 2013.

Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) of Belize

f/4, 1/500 ISO140; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 1.4x (420mm)

f/4, 1/500 ISO160; D4, 300mm f/2.8, 1.4x (420mm)

f/5.6, 1/250 ISO320; V2, 70-200mm f/4 at 200mm (540mm)

Photographed at Sittee River, Belize on February 12, 2013.

ABC Wednesday: P is for Photography

Last saturday, I was with a small group to see migratory birds at Yilan county east of Taipei.  The tour was organized by Natural Kingdom, a local ecotourism company.  I was the only photographer.  Although, I did do some preparation on Friday night.  But still, I forgot my tripod and took the wrong camera (my old D300 instead of Grace's newer D7000).

Rather than taking the highway, we drove on the country road, following a stream to cross a mountain range to get to Yilan.  It was such a nice and comfortable Fall day.  Can you see the heron on the rock waiting for its pray?

We now live in Taiwan most of the time.  It still amazes us how beautiful Taiwan is.

Even we do not have the color change of tree leaves in the subtropical forest at lower attitude of the mountain, we have no shortage of color.

 We can see different color pop up everywhere.

Half way up the mountain we arrived at the mountain lake that provides drinking water for Taipei.  You can see why our water is so sweet!

Over on the other side of the mountain range is the Pacific ocean.

Along the way, I have photographed birds by the mountain stream, in the subtropical forest, by the ocean and at abandoned fish/shrimp farm.  Come see them at my other blog, The Amazing Birds.

To see more entries of ABC Wednesday click here.

Bronzed Drongo and Black-crowned Night Heron

Taiwan had a draught for most of the Spring and the situation has been getting serious.  Even a typhoon in early May did not bring much relieve.  The temperature reached over 30 degree C.  Finally, since last week, the raining season started. We had a nice rain and the temperature finally cool down.

I have not seen Paulownia Flower Blossom this year.  I took Taipei metro to a local town then car pooled a taxi up the mountain to the Paulownia Flower Garden.  Most of the flower have gone due to the rain, I can only see some flowering tree in the distance.

I walk down the mountain through a well organized path by the mountain stream.  The temperature was cool that made the walk a very pleasant one.

Here is my first surprise, a Bronzed Drongo (小捲尾) Dicrurus aeneus.

Then I saw this very young Black-crowned Night Heron (夜鷺) Nyticorax nyticorax.   The light down in the valley by the mountain stream created this natural concentration of light on the young bird.

I had my 28-300 VR lens with Nikon D700.  Imanaged to lean on the railing and shot at 300mm, f5.6, 1/20.  The picture came out very nice and sharp.

To see more Camera-Critters from around the world click here.

Camera-Critters #161: Little Egret (小白鷺), Egretta garzetta

This is my favorite

After photographing Eagret so many times now, it is not the detail of the bird but its pose and its surroundings that matter more.


To see more Camera-Critters from around the world click here.

Camera-Critters #160: White-breasted Waterhen (白胸苦惡鳥), Amaurornis phoenicurus

When I was at Taipei botanical Garden two weeks ago, I saw something moving in the distance by the water way.  I have the inking of what it is and confirmed my intuition when I observed it with my telephoto lens.  I have only a glimpse of this creature once before and had a not very clear photo of it. It is the White-breasted Waterhen.  It was moving quickly away from me.  I stalked it by circulating to a bridge upstream.  There it was just right under the bridge.  The sky was getting dark and amid the excitement, I did manage to get some clear shots of it.  The pictures were taken in ISO over 1000.  But with the D700, they are at least good enough for the web.  If I had to shoot them with a tripod and at speed slower than 1/100, I doubt that I would get any of these pictures.

To see more Camera-Critters from around the world click here.

ABC Wednesday & Camera-Critters #159: N is for Narcissus Flycather

Yehliu (野柳) is a small peninsula at the northern end of Taiwan.  According to my bird photography guide book that it is one of the premium spot to watch migratory birds.  They will congregate at the peninsula before making a dash across the ocean toward north in the Spring.

When I arrived at the place, I was not quite sure about the guide book's description.  The peninsula is also the premium tourist attraction of Northern Taiwan.  There were 10s of tour buses in the parking lot and hundreds if not thousands of tourists.  The guide books said, watched for the bird activities in the wooded park near the entrance.  Sure, except the noise from the a tourist operator's speaker, I heard no bird sound.  Not to be discouraged, I continued my hike with the tourists.  Occasionally some encouraging signs appeared.  A few serious looking photographers dressing in camouflage outfit carrying huge tripod and camera lens the size of an elephant walking passed me.

 At the end of the hiking path where the tourists stopped, there it is: "Bird Watching Trail".  I climbed the stairs into the woods and saw a group of photographers apparently from a club gathered excitingly.  Finally, I saw what they were gathering for.  One tiny colorful bird was flying and jumping in the woods.  I took out my camera and squeezed in between the photographers.  I got my first shot.  Leaving them, I continued hiking into the woods and saw the same bird in two more occasions.

I love this last shot I got for this bird.  The out-focused tree branches, leaves and light gave the image an almost painting-like feeling.  I found out later the name of the bird is Nacrissus Flycather (黃眉姬鶲), Ficedula narcissina. It is a rare bird in Taiwan.  Its normal summer habitat is northeastern China and Japan.  I wish it luck on its way back home.

In case you are wondering what the mass of tourists came to see at Yehliu? Certainly not the tiny colorful migratory bird!  They came to see this amazing rock formation at the ocean front of the peninsula, a real nature wonder! 

To see more entries of ABC Wednesday click here.

To see more Camera-Critters from around the world click here.