Wrong Again. And Strange But True! And Why.

Your Call?

Which is your favorite image in the video? Why did you make your choice?

Old Like Me?

#HeadOverFoot #EveryStepStronger

If you are getting up there — like me, and your balance is not as good as it used to be — like me, you might want to check out David Weck’s Instagram page here. There is a ton of simple stuff there that can help you today. Heck, I am still exploring. In the short video here, Weck teaches his 81-year old Dad what Dr. Oliver calls “steering wheel walking.” I’ve been doing 1 1/2 miles of that most days for the past two weeks and my balance has already improved noticeably.

What’s Up?

I lucked out yesterday morning when I glanced out the window and spotted a Common Snipe in the grass not 15 feet from me. As it changed position and the sun came in and out briefly, it allowed me to circle around it in my SUV photographing it with the 600mm f/4 on the BLUBB with and without the 1.4X TC. Photos soon.

I was thrilled to learn recently that both Homer Bald Eagle IPTs are now sold out. I will be announcing the 2025 trips here soon. In addition, there are only two spots left on the Morro Bay IPT with another photographer interested.

Today is Friday 5 January 2024.I will be heading down to the lake soon. Wherever you are and whatever you choose to do, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

If an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Save 15%!

If you’d like to try out a new lens, or if you need a lens for a specific trip or project (or for an IPT), LensRentals.com is the only way to go. To save 15%, simply click on the logo link above, arrange for your rental, and type in BIRDSASART15. If you type the gear you are looking for in the search box, it will pop right up. LensRentals.com offers affordable insurance. You can decline it, opt for LensCap: Damage Only, or select LensCap: Damage & Theft. Then hit PROCEED TO CHECKOUT. After you enter all of your info but before completing your order, be sure to scroll down to Promo Code box and enter the BIRDSASART15 code to save 15%.

I checked on renting a Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens for a week. The cost is only $122.00. LensCap: Damage Only coverage can be added for a very low $18.00. Going with LensCap: Damage & Theft would be $27.00. The shipping charge varies. They offer an interesting program called Lensrentals HD. By signing up for this shipping discount program ($99.00/year), you’ll get free Standard Shipping on all the orders you place.

Renting a Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens for a week will cost you $536.00. The two coverage options come in at $76.00 or $114.00. Less your 15% discount when you enter the BIRDSASART15 code into the Promo Code box at checkout and enter the BIRDSASART15 codeine the Promo Code box at checkout to save 15%.

Remember, to save the 15% on your rental you must start your search by clicking on the logo above, or on this link: LensRentals.com

This image was created on 8 December 2023. Seated in my SUV, I used the BLUBB-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 1000: 1/800 second at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:56:16am on a partly cloudy morning. Tracking Expand Spot/AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger, sharper, high-res version. Image #6: Cooper’s Hawk, worn juvenile on The Perch

Wrong Again!

When I posted the image above in the Striving for Different. And Blessed at Indian Lake Estates blog post here, the photo was labeled as a Sharp-shinned Hawk. Oops.

Ryan Sanderson: December 12, 2023 at 10:32pm

What made you decide the hawk was a Sharp-shinned as opposed to a Cooper’s Hawk? It looks like an immature Cooper’s Hawk to me, the biggest point for that to my eye is the rather bulbous head in contrast to what is usually a pretty petite head on a Sharp-shinned Hawk. Also, the outer tail feathers appear to be notably shorter than the more central tail feathers, and those are usually roughly the same length on Sharp-shinned Hawks.

Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART: December 13, 2023 at 9:32am

Thanks, Ryan. You may be correct. When I saw the long tail, I first assumed Cooper’s. In the other images that I kept, the bird does not show the typical Cooper’s square-headed look and appears quite slim (and relatively small on the distant perch). I will consult others more knowledgeable than me and let you know.

with love, artie

David Sibley via e-mail

David kindly answered my Sharpie or Cooper’s e-mail by stating emphatically that the bird was indeed a Cooper’s hawk. Unfortunately, Apple Mail ate his e-mail.

If you live in North America and own one field guide, it should be The Sibley Guide to Birds, 2nd Edition. There is a copy of the first edition on my desk at all times.

From Jim Zipp via e-mail

Good to hear from you. I’d say Coop. Graduated tail feathers, small eyes especially when it’s facing you while sharpies usually look more bug-eyed. If you had one from the front it would be easy with breast markings fairly different between them but I’m pretty sure on Cooper’s.

From Julian Hough via e-mail

My first reaction was Cooper’s hawk. Could be wrong, but looks long-tailed and head shape looks OK for a coop.

Strange But True

In the recent blog post here, I shared 24 of my favorite images from 2023. I was shocked to note that none had been created with one of my favorite lenses, the Sony 200-600mm. The truth is that the 400mm f/2.8 and the 200-600 actually overlap to some degree with the 400mm f/2.8 landing smack dab in the middle of the zoom range of the 2-6. Of course, the 400 is far heavier (6.4 pounds versus 4.65 pounds, the latter much heavier than I thought when I did the video), far more expensive, $11,998.00 as compared to $1,998.00, and 2 1/3 stops faster than the 200-600 at the long end. The 200-600 is of course a lot easier to handle and a lot more versatile than the 400 f/2.8.

It is important to remember that last year the 400mm f/2.8 was a brand new toy so I went out of my way to play with it as much as possible.

Anyhoo, in the new video above I share 50 of my pretty darn good photos made last year with the 200-600. Plus two student images. Thanks to Mike Lavigne, new BAA friend from near Seattle, Washington for inspiring this video.

This image was created on Tuesday 10 January 2023, the fourth morning of the second San Diego IPT by IPT veteran Steve Murdock. He used the tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera. ISO 400. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/320 sec. at f/9 (wide open). When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be 1/2 stop too dark. AWB at 8:47:55am on a partly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone with Bird Face/ye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1: Peregrine Falcon stretching Image courtesy of and copyright Steve Murdock 2023 Image Optimization by BIRDS AS ART

Student’s Work

In the video I shared two images created by IPT participants using the 200-600. The cormorant on the beach photo was created by Paul Marbourg (no “h”) and the Dunlin image by Andrew Schonbek. Apologies to Steve Murdock for failing to include his fine Peregrine image created with the 200-600/1.4X TC/a-1 rig on a tripod. Learn more in the Science Fiction-Like AF with the Sony a1/200-600/1.4X TC! blog post here.

The Digital Basics III Video Series

The Digital Basics III Video Series

I realized about a year ago that my digital workflow had changed significantly and was toying with the idea of writing a Digital Basics III. More recently, I have learned and begun working with two great new Photoshop Tools, the Remove Tool and the Luminance Targeted Adjustment Tool. The former is like a smarter Spot Healing Brush Tool on steroids and the latter is a huge step up from the fabulous Color Mixer Tool. During that same time frame, I came up with a new and improved 2-step noise reduction technique. I still use Divide and Conquer, Quick Masks, Layer Masks, an expanded array of personalized keyboard shortcuts, and tons of other stuff from both versions of Digital Basics.

As soon as I realized that I did not want to take on another large writing project, I realized that by creating a series of videos I could much more easily share all the details of my current digital workflow and much more easily incorporate additional new tips, techniques, and tools as I went. And so, The Digital Basics III Video Series was born. You can check out Volume I/#1 here.

You might opt to purchase single videos or to subscribe to Volume I and save $26 by ordering the first five videos in one fell swoop. You can purchase the five videos in Volume I by clicking here. The videos will be most valuable for folks using the latest version of Photoshop (2024) or Lightroom along with Topaz DeNoise AI and Topaz Sharpen AI.

Retroactive Discount Savings

If you have previously purchased a single video and learned a lot, you can upgrade to the complete DB III Volume I series and save $26.00 by calling Jim at 863-692-0906 weekdays, Monday through Friday at noon.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.