Dieter Schaefer

This is the additional weekly image thread for the Nature Forum. While images posted to this thread should still be nature in theme, it may contain a small amount of human-made objects and therefore less restricted than the Monday in Nature threads. Please see this discussion for more details: Alternative weekly thread in Nature forum Each participant please post no more than just one image per weekly thread. Many members will appreciate any information you are willing or able to provide regarding location, shooting process, exposure settings, equipment, and information on the subject(s), including scientific and/or common names. Osprey Stare

D500. 500PF with TC-14EIII The youngest nestling is trying out its wings The middle one I believe - with mom watching The oldest performs for the entire family

Basic Guidelines: In the strictest sense, nature photography should not include "hand of man elements". Please refrain from images with buildings or human made structures like roads, fences, walls. Pets are not permitted. Captive subjects in zoos, arboretums, or aquariums are permitted, but must be declared, and must focus on the subject, not the captivity. Images with obvious human made elements will likely be deleted from the thread, with an explanation to the photographer. Guidelines are based on PSA rules governing Nature photography which also cover the Nature Forum. Keep your image at/under 1000 pixels on the long axis for in-line viewing. Note that this includes photos hosted off-site at Flicker, Photobucket, your own site, etc. Each member please post no more than just one image to this weekly thread per week. If the information is available, many members appreciate information on your approach to making the image and the names, both common and scientific, of the subject(s). However, while encouraged, these are not required as a component of your contributions. ------------------------------------------------------------ July is going by quickly. The female osprey has spotted an intruding osprey in the distance and is compelled to leave the nest to confront and drive the intruder away. D500, 500PF/TC-14EIII - a case of "too much focal length" - the osprey was getting very close and I certainly didn't have time to take the TC off. Dusted off my "old trusty" D500 and mounted the neglected 500PF with the TC-14EIII to as closely as possible get to the same FOV as with the Z9/800PF combo. Stopped down from f/8 to f/9 to somewhat overcome the sharpness loss due to the TC (that's one stop loss from the f/6.3 I use on the Z9/800PF). Hard to fathom that the D500 is an 8-year old camera model by now! The 500PF was released in Aug 2018 - some six years ago!

This is the additional weekly image thread for the Nature Forum. While images posted to this thread should still be nature in theme, it may contain a small amount of human-made objects and therefore less restricted than the Monday in Nature threads. Please see this discussion for more details: Alternative weekly thread in Nature forum Each participant please post no more than just one image per weekly thread. Many members will appreciate any information you are willing or able to provide regarding location, shooting process, exposure settings, equipment, and information on the subject(s), including scientific and/or common names. Mother Osprey and her three nestlings

Z9, 800PF Black-crowned Night Heron Common Tern. I called it "wrong-turn tern" because it choose to turn a different direction than hoped for almost every single time Osprey, looking back. Doesn't belong to the nest I am observing but made several passes over the nest, upsetting the female parent to no end.

Basic Guidelines: In the strictest sense, nature photography should not include "hand of man elements". Please refrain from images with buildings or human made structures like roads, fences, walls. Pets are not permitted. Captive subjects in zoos, arboretums, or aquariums are permitted, but must be declared, and must focus on the subject, not the captivity. Images with obvious human made elements will likely be deleted from the thread, with an explanation to the photographer. Guidelines are based on PSA rules governing Nature photography which also cover the Nature Forum. Keep your image at/under 1000 pixels on the long axis for in-line viewing. Note that this includes photos hosted off-site at Flicker, Photobucket, your own site, etc. Each member please post no more than just one image to this weekly thread per week. If the information is available, many members appreciate information on your approach to making the image and the names, both common and scientific, of the subject(s). However, while encouraged, these are not required as a component of your contributions. ------------------------------------------------------------ Osprey dragging its talons in the water to clean them off.

This is the additional weekly image thread for the Nature Forum. While images posted to this thread should still be nature in theme, it may contain a small amount of human-made objects and therefore less restricted than the Monday in Nature threads. Please see this discussion for more details: Alternative weekly thread in Nature forum Each participant please post no more than just one image per weekly thread. Many members will appreciate any information you are willing or able to provide regarding location, shooting process, exposure settings, equipment, and information on the subject(s), including scientific and/or common names. One drawback of "Nature" photography in an urban environment: the background often leaves a lot to be desired.

No image of the actual event of a night heron flying into the SB Zoo otter display and taking a bath in the pool; just an image of the aftermath: a very wet night heron: Long-billed curlew taking a bath: Osprey bathing: Pacific Brown Pelican splishing and splashing Willet having some bathing fun

Z9, 800PF Breakfast is ready, service will commence any minute now. Tough lesson to learn for the youngest one - it's last in the pecking order. And its sibling let it be known. Mom appears a bit concerned about the violence of the pecking.

Seen it with red-winged blackbirds too - even to the point that they ride atop the RTH. Usually it's only one or two crows that harass an RTH - but it can also be an entire "murder of crows" Witness a crow spotting a young Harris Hawk that a falconer brought along to our HOA to see if it could be used to scare off our local pigeon population. Within about a minute, a murder of crows had assembled and viciously attacked the Harris Hawk, who took one really bad hit. The falconer wasn't happy - but also remarked that he was glad he didn't bring a more trained Harris Hawk or his Peregrine Falcons - it would have literally turned into a "murder of crows".

Another day, same scenario

That is a bargain indeed. Goes to show how prices have come down with the "demise of the F-mount". Bought mine used in 2001 for $700, spent another $80 on the 5T/6T diopters and sold it all in 2013 for $1600 (when people were paying a premium for the 5T and 6T as well as the lens); IIRC, the lens cost $1500 new at introduction in 1997.

Basic Guidelines: In the strictest sense, nature photography should not include "hand of man elements". Please refrain from images with buildings or human made structures like roads, fences, walls. Pets are not permitted. Captive subjects in zoos, arboretums, or aquariums are permitted, but must be declared, and must focus on the subject, not the captivity. Images with obvious human made elements will likely be deleted from the thread, with an explanation to the photographer. Guidelines are based on PSA rules governing Nature photography which also cover the Nature Forum. Keep your image at/under 1000 pixels on the long axis for in-line viewing. Note that this includes photos hosted off-site at Flicker, Photobucket, your own site, etc. Each member please post no more than just one image to this weekly thread per week. If the information is available, many members appreciate information on your approach to making the image and the names, both common and scientific, of the subject(s). However, while encouraged, these are not required as a component of your contributions. ------------------------------------------------------------ Feed me right now! One of three hungry beaks to stuff with fish a few times a day. Today both parents went fishing and brought back a big fish each.

Z9, 800PF