The elusive was found

Today was the first day of Bruce di Labio's Spring Birding Course. It certainly didn't feel like spring out there with -10 C temperatures and a brisk wind. Brrr!

We started at Deschenes Rapids (Ring Billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Black Duck, Common Golden Eye, Canada Geese) then moved to Remic Rapids at Bate Island (Common Golden Eye, Buffle Head). From there we went down to Jack Pine Trail (Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Downy & Hairy Woodpeckers, Mourning Dove). A quick stop at the Trail Road Landfill (Ring Billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, American Crows, Starlings) was followed by some back roads driving (Horned Lark, Snow Bunting) to Kanata. We stopped near the Bell Sensplex to find the elusive Gray Partridge!!! Here are a few shots as it darted off.

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6G
ISO 400, 1/800, f/13, 300 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, ~60% crop

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6G
ISO 400, 1/800, f/13, 300 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, ~60% crop

I'm looking forward to next weekend at Presqu'ile!

-Frances

Larks & Waxwings

It was finally sunny in Ottawa today. I went out to try to find the Horned Larks that had been reported near town. I managed to get just one decent shot (they seemed to like the gravel shoulders of the road), but even this is a huge crop.

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6G
ISO 200, 1/400, f/7.1, 300 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, Full frame

I also went to Mud Lake. The regulars (mallards and chickadees) were hanging about. There were also a couple of Canada Geese on the Ottawa River. The wind was crisp, the skies were clear. As I was leaving I found a small flock (20 birds) of waxwings. They were not very cooperative (as you can see from the photo), so it was hard to see if there were any Cedar Waxwings in amongst the Bohemian Waxwings. Mix flocks were reported here a few weeks ago.

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6G
ISO 400, 1/1000, f/9, 70 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, Full frame

While searching, I also found a field with about 15 wild turkeys. They were very skittish, and by the time I got out of the car and over the snowbank, they were well hidden in the woods.

All in all it was a good day.
- Frances

Chutes de Plaisance

Today, I went out to my very first Cabane à Sucre in Papineauville, Québec. We were a week early...the sap hasn't quite started running (but the breakfast was still delicious). I guess that means that I have to go back!!

We then wandered along the backroads before heading back to Ottawa. We discovered the Chutes de Plaisance somwhere out there and stopped to take a few photos. It was an awkward climb over the snowbanks to see the falls and the light wasn't so great, but it was still a neat spot.

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f3.5-5.6G
ISO 400, 1/500, f/6.3, 70 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, Full frame

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f3.5-5.6G
ISO 400, 1/500, f/6.3, 18 mm
Manual Mode, Handheld, Full frame

Some of the piles of snow we saw were pretty incredibly high - in many places it came down to being able to see nothing but the piles of snow on the side of the road. Spring is around the corner...or so they tell me.

- Frances

You'll never guess what I saw!!

Winter in Ottawa and you'll never guess what I saw today. Never! Not one, not two, not three, but a few dozen (wait for it)....................chickadees! Yessiree, Bob. Chickadees. It was astounding. Okay - all kidding aside, there were slim pickings out there today.

Mallards and Common Goldeneyes on the Ottawa River and Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches and a Downy Woodpecker around Mud Lake. And that's about it. No Bohemian Waxwings, no Cardinals, no nothin'.

I also went out to the Bell Sensplex to see if I could find the Gray Partridge Bruce Di Labbio has posted about on Ont-Birds. Checked around the parking lot and in the woods across the street...saw lots of signs of the bird (either that or weird squirrel tracks!) but no luck. And the light was perfect...ah well. C'est la vie. It's been a good weekend no less.

Here's the only decent shot I got today (I only pressed the trigger a dozen times or so):

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
Nikon D80, 70-300 mm f4.5-5.6
ISO 400, 1/500, f/11, 300 mm
Handheld, Full frame

I suppose I shouldn't be fussy and should be happy that spring is around the corner. I am. I really am! :)

- Frances

Hoar Frost, Birds & Sunshine

Today was a beautiful day for shooting. I was everywhere - Jack Pine Trail for sunrise, along Kerwin (River) Road, out in Dunrobin and back to Mud Lake.

I wasn't very lucky when it came to birds, but did find the flock of Bohemian Waxwings at Mud Lake this afternoon. Unfortunately, a skier came along and scared them off just as they were starting to get comfortable with me standing close to their berry tree.

The hoar frost today was unbelievable! And the sunshine...woohoo!

Here are a few pics:

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
ISO 400, 1/500, f/11, 135 mm
Handheld, Full Frame

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
ISO 400, 1/400, f/18, 85 mm
Handheld, Full frame

Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus)
Nikon D80, 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
ISO 400, 1/250, f/5.6, 250 mm
Handheld, Full frame

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
Nikon D80, 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
ISO 400, 1/500, f/10, 300 mm
Handheld, Cropped by ~10%

I hope you got out into the sunshine!

-Frances

A few old ones

I've finally dug into the archives and started to get those photos processed. Here are a few from a day last May out at Stoney Swamp. This would have been days after I got my camera, so there was a little bit of excitement in the air.

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
ISO 400, 1/160, f/10, 300 mm

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
ISO 400, 1/200, f/5.6, 240 mm

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
ISO 400, 1/200, f/10, 300 mm, On-camera flash Auto

I think this is one of my favourites for the moment, though:

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
ISO 400, 1/800, f/5.6, 300 mm

There are a few more in my gallery as well. Enjoy.

-Frances

Next time...2010!!

Tonight there was a beautiful clear sky and a total lunar eclipse visible from Ottawa. And, of course, with clear skies in February comes cold temperatures (just -16C ... -23C with the windchill).

This was my first time playing with night sky photography but I managed to capture a couple of shots. I cropped them quite a bit otherwise they are pretty bland....but here they are.

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm, f4.5-5.6
ISO 400, 1.0 s @ f/5.6, 260 mm

Nikon D80, 70-300 mm, f4.5-5.6
4.0 s @ f/20.0, ISO 320, 300 mm

Now back to thawing out.

F.

Numero Uno

Although I'm relatively new to the world of photography with a digital SLR, I'm keen to grow my skills to improve my photographs (and we've all got to start somewhere, right?). One of the best opportunities I've had was last weekend when I had the chance to tag along with Ethan to shoot snowy owls. Thanks to Chris, Marc and Rick, too, for a great couple of days.

Nikon D80, Nikkor AF-S 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
Handheld, full frame, baited


Nikon D80, Nikkor AF-S 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
Handheld, cropped top & bottom for composition, baited


Nikon D80, Nikkor AF-S 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
Handheld, cropped slightly for composition, baited


Nikon D80, Nikkor AF-S 70-300 mm, f/4.5-5.6
Handheld, full frame, baited

What did I learn on this outing? All about manual. My confidence shooting manual increased enormously. I love my histograms!! And I'm now in love with RAW (perhaps I was afraid before...why!?!?) It's basic, but a few great steps.

-Frances