Long Island in Summer -- A Retrospective

Stuff

When I was about ten years old, my late mother often said, “This child does not know the meaning of moderation.” With the great success of my walking exercise program I decided to jog one hundred steps on Friday. Not smart. My left knee did not like that at all …

PHOTOEXPO 2018

If you missed the PHOTOEXPO 2018 announcement and live anywhere within driving or flying distance of Memphis, TN, click here for the info. I have rides to Beale Street for both nights. If you are attending, please stop by the BAA table for a handshake and a hug.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D and 7D Mark II and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. You can always see the current listings by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

Recent Sales

NANPA President Don Carter sold his Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens in excellent condition for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $525 the first day it was listed. Yours truly sold his like-new Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens for $699 in late June.
Ray Maynard sold his Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS lens (the original version) in near-mint condition for the BIRDS AS ART record-low price of $2349.000 and a Canon 2X III teleconverter in near-mint condition for $285.00 both in mid-July.
Bill Ketterer sold his Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in excellent condition for the lowest ever BAA price of $3399.00 in early June.
Jim Keener sold his Canon EOS-1DX Mark II in near-mint condition for $3,999.00 the first day it was listed.
Ray Maynard sold his Canon 1.4X III teleconverter in near-mint condition for the low price of $299.00 in late June, 2018.
Randall Ennis sold his Canon EOS-1D Mark IV in excellent condition for $849.00 in late June.
Joel Williams sold his Sony Vario-Tessar T FE 16-35 f/4 ZA OSS lens in like-new condition for $629 (was $749) in late June, 2018.
Joel Williams also sold his Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens in like-new condition for $749 (was $949) in April 2018.
Pierre Williot sold his Canon EOS 7D Mark II in like-new condition for a very fair $848.00 in late June, 2018.
Top BAA used gear seller Jim Keener sold his Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens in like-new condition for the BAA record low price of $1349.00 the first day it was listed in late June.
Jim Keener sold a Canon EOS 5D Mark III body in excellent condition for the BAA record-low price of $999.00 (was $1149.00) in mid-June.
Jim Keener sold a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for the BAA record low price of $1099.00 in early June.

Re-run

Canon EF Canon 100-400 L IS II USM Lens

I am offering a used Canon 100-400 L IS II in very good plus (almost excellent) condition and in perfect working order — I had to send it to Canon twice to restore smooth zooming — for $1399.00. The sale includes the original product box, the front and rear lens caps, the carrying case and strap, the manual, and insured ground shipping via UPS to US addresses. Your new lens will not ship until your check clears.

Please get in touch with artie via e-mail or on his cell phone at 863-221-2372 (Eastern time). Please leave a message if no answer.

Y’all know how much I loved and now miss this amazingly versatile lens. I expect it to sell very quickly. artie

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!

Via e-mail from Gary Meyer

Thanks for posting instructions on where to get the Nikon D850 quickly. Bedford shipped mine the same day. Wow, you sure got good connections!

Booking.Com

Several folks on the UK IPT used the Booking.Com link below for there Edinburgh hotels, got great rates, and saved a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

Long Island Small Group Instruction

I will be returning to my old haunts on Long Island from 15-27 August, prime time for bird photography. The schedules below may be expanded based on demand.

Skimmer Sessions

Join me at Nickerson Beach to photograph Black Skimmers and lots more. Gull predation of young skimmers is likely. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Skimmer Mornings: AUG 16 & 17, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4.

Skimmer Afternoons (usually best for flight): AUG 16 & 17, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4.

Please inquire e-mail for multiple session discounts.

Shorebird Sessions

Join me at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay WR on the ideal tides to photograph southbound migrant juvenile shorebirds. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Important note: The Shorebird Mornings are dependent on suitable water levels at the East Pond. If the pond is flooded, the sessions will be conducted at Nickerson Beach.

Shorebird Mornings: AUG 24 & 25, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4.

Please inquire via e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

This image was created on August 15, 2012 at Nickerson Beach, Long Island, NY. I used the tripod/Wimberley-mounted Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 50. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/15 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode in soft light on a cloudy early morning. Image #1: Black Skimmer flock blur

Long Island in Summer

There are two stellar locations for bird photography on Long Island in summer: Nickerson Beach Park in Lido Beach, and the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY. Yes, Brooklyn and Queens, two of the five boroughs of New York City, are actually on the island that is Long Island; most folks, however, think of Nassau and Suffolk counties as “the Island.” Nickerson Beach can be great for nesting American Oystercatcher and Piping Plover even before summer begins officially. By June Common (and sometimes Least) Terns will be nesting in most years. Most reliable for the past two decades have been the Black Skimmer colonies. For many years there were two fairly large colonies but more recently only the eastern colony has been successful. I love getting to Nickerson before dawn as there are often unique opportunities.

The East Pond at JBWR can — depending on the water levels (that are either managed or mis-managed by refuge personnel) — be good for southbound adult shorebirds beginning in early July, but my very favorite time there are the last two weeks in August when the young shorebirds visit the pond at high tide on their first southbound migration. They are far more handsome than the ratty looking adults and can be endearingly tame.

A Guide to Pleasing Blurs

Learn everything there is to know about creating pleasingly blurred images in A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Denise Ippolito and yours truly. This 20,585 word, 271 page PDF is illustrated with 144 different, exciting, and artistic images. The guide covers the basics of creating pleasingly blurred images, the factors that influence the degree of blurring, the use of filters in creating pleasing blurs, and a great variety of both in-the-field and Photoshop techniques that can be used to create pleasingly blurred images.

Artie and Denise teach you many different ways to move your lens during the exposure to create a variety of pleasingly blurred images of flowers and trees and water and landscapes. They will teach you to recognize situations where subject movement can be used to your advantage to create pan blurs, wind blurs, and moving water blurs. They will teach you to create zoom-blurs both in the field and during post-processing. Artie shares the techniques that he has used and developed for making blurred images of flocks of geese in flight at his beloved Bosque del Apache and Denise shares her flower blur magic as well as a variety of creative Photoshop techniques that she has developed.

With the advent of digital capture creating blurred images has become a great and inexpensive way to go out with your camera and have fun. And while many folks think that making successful blurred images is the result of being a sloppy photographer, nothing could be further from the truth. In “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” Artie and Denise will help you to unleash your creative self.

This image was created in 2016 at Nickerson Beach, Long Island, NY. I used the tripod/Mongoose-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS lens, the 2X III TC, and the EOS 5DS R. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. AWB in soft early morning light on a clear day . Image #2: Black Skimmer chick

Chicks!

Photograph tern and skimmer chicks at Nickerson is great fun.Those who live in the New York metropolitan area and visit regularly can photograph courting and copulations, nest building and eggs, small chicks, medium-sized chicks, large chicks, family groupings, feedings, and then fledged and flying young in the same season. Join me for a morning or an afternoon at Nickerson this August and I would be glad to teach you the basics.

This image was created on July 24, 2014 at Nickerson Beach, Long Island, NY. I used the tripod/Mongoose-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS lens and the EOS-1DX. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/800 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode. AWB very late on a cloudy-bright afternoon. Image #3: Black Skimmer aerial battle

Aerial Battles

On hot sunny summer afternoons midair skimmer squabbles and fights are a common occurrence. With southwest winds being prevalent, there can be lots of action.

This image was created on August 23, 2007 at Nickerson Beach, Long Island, NY. I used the hand held Canon 400mm f/4L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB very early on a clear morning. Image #4: Black Skimmer vertical banking flight shot

Vertical Banking Flight

How do you know when it’s time to turn your camera on end and try for vertical originals of birds banking in flight? When you are working horizontally and you start to consistently clip wings as the birds turn in flight then going vertical is your best bet. Choose an AF area mode in the center and use your cameras vertical grip if it is so equipped. One thing is for sure, it will take lots of practice to come up with a winner.

This image was created on August 29, 2007 at the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY. I use the tripod/Wimberley-mounted Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens, the 1.4 XII teleconverter, and the EOS 1D Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode in soft, early morning light. Image #5: Semipalmated Sandpiper, fresh juvenal plumage

Soul Place …

The East Pond at JBWR is one of my very few remaining soul places, #1 by far. I discovered shorebirds there, honed my skills there in the mud when I had no clue, and visited on occasion with my late wife Elaine. Since I moved to Florida 24 years ago, I have tried to get back every year in the latter half of August and usually do. Last year I was not able to get there until early October but still did well with juvenile white-rumps, pectorals, and Dunlin. In the morning there is only one spot where you can get the green reflections; I will share that with everyone who signs up for a shorebird morning. And tons more.

This image was created on August 23, 2014 at the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY. I used the tripod/Mongoose-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens, the 2X III teleconverter, and the EOS 1D Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode on a cloudy (very) bright morning. Image #6: Least Sandpiper, fresh juvenal plumage

Juvies

Notice that all juvenile shorebirds are evenly and crisply patterned. This makes is easy to separate them from the worn molting adults of the same species. Least Sandpiper is identified by its yellow legs, its relatively short, fine-tipped bill, and except in winter, its browner upperparts.

Shorebirds: Beautiful Beachcombers

If you are interested in learning to identify and age all of the common North American shorebirds and learn about their amazing migrations, their breeding biologies, their feeding habits, and everything else you might have wanted to learn on the way to the nearest mudflat or beach, get yourself a copy of my softcover book, Shorebirds: Beautiful Beachcombers.

This image was created on August 22, 2010 at the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY. I used the tripod/Mongoose-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lensnd the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode on a cloudy (very) bright morning. Image #7: Lesser Yellowlegs, fresh juvenal plumage

The Timing of Migration

Aside from structural and plumage differences, differences in the timing of migration can often be helpful when identifying shorebirds. Lesser Yellowlegs were always the earliest arriving juveniles at the East Pond, some showing up as during the first week of August. Though the lessers are well smaller than Greater Yellowlegs identifying solitary birds on size along is problematic. The key is the bill. With lessers, the bill is shorter and dead straight. With greaters, the bill is proportionately longer and a bit up-turned. And juvenile greaters often show

This image was created on August 22, 2010 at the East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY. I used the tripod/Mongoose-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/60 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode on a very cloudy morning. Image #8: Short-billed Dowitcher, fresh juvenal plumage

A Real Beauty!

Short-billed Dowitcher in fresh juvenal plumage is one of my vary favorite young shorebirds. As seen above, the orange tones predominate. The bill lengths of this species and Long-billed Dowitcher overlap with the bills of female short-bills pretty much matching the length of male long-bills. On average,the bills of male shorebirds are shorter than the bills of the females. The young short-bills show up at JBWR every year during the second week of September while the juvie long-bills do not arrive until five to six weeks later on average.

Your Favorite?

Which of today’s eight featured images do you think is the strongest? Please let us know why you made your choice.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie

If In Doubt …

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Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the New BAA Online Store 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).