Recent Publication – Bird Watcher’s Digest

A townsend's warbler sits atop a cherry blossom, Pacific Grove, CA.
A townsend's warbler sits atop a cherry blossom, Pacific Grove, CA.
A townsend’s warbler sits atop a cherry blossom, Pacific Grove, CA.

The current issue (May/June 2016) of Bird Watcher’s Digest has my photo above published with an article about a group of birders who sought out all 51 wood warbler species in a single year. I got this photo of the Townsend’s Warbler several years ago in Pacific Grove, California, while on the hunt for monarch butterflies. While the butterflies were scarce that day, I was thrilled to get wonderful views of this striking bird, with a color bonus of pink cherry blossoms.

Rufous-backed Robin

A rufous-backed robin clings to a hanging dried leaf, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

I photographed this rufous-backed robin in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Although it is not one of the more “exotic” looking species I was hoping to see, as a bird photographer, I was elated to get a new species. We’re just weird that way. The only robins I had photographed before are the extremely common American robin, found throughout North America.

I was shooting up into a thick canopy, so I was happy to get the few clear shots I could. Before long, the robin flew to the upper reaches of the trees and out of sight.

A rufous-backed robin perches on the branch of a green tree, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
A rufous-backed robin perches on the branch of a green tree, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

The rufous-backed robin (or rufous-backed thrush) is endemic to the Pacific side of Mexico, so this was definitely the spot to see this bird. It is shyer than the American robin, and slightly smaller. In retrospect, I was very lucky to see this bird, and even more lucky to have captured these photographs.

Great Kiskadee

A great kiskadee perches on a narrow branch high above the ground, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
A great kiskadee perches on a narrow branch high above the ground, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

I photographed several great kiskadee when I was in Mexico at the beginning of the year. These are large flycatchers, prevalent throughout Latin America. Most of the time I saw them high in the treetops, but after a bit of patience, I was able to photograph several in the lower branches.

A great kiskadee perches in a tree high above the ground, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
A great kiskadee perches in a tree high above the ground, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Regardless of the pose, the best photos are captured with a catch-light in the bird’s eye. This brings a sense of life to the bird, and creates a more pleasing photo.

Both photos were shot with the great Canon EF 100-400mm lens. It is not the fastest out there (f/5.6), but when used correctly, it can produce fantastic results.

Fun With Palm Trees

Interwoven palm fronds create various designs when viewed from above, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Interwoven palm fronds create various designs when viewed from above, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

One thing that struck me on a visit to Mexico this year was the variety of palm trees in the vicinity. I watched the way palm leaves of different sizes interacted with each other, and decided to create some abstract photos showing some of the patterns the leaves create.

I played with a variety of angles, shooting up into the trees. However, this didn’t really give me what I was after. In most shots, the sun created a harsh back light and I couldn’t see enough of the palm details. I then realized that I could try shooting down into the trees instead.

Interwoven palm fronds create various designs when viewed from above, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Interwoven palm fronds create various designs when viewed from above, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Using a telephoto zoom, I climbed to the fifth floor of a hotel and got out onto a balcony. By shooting directly down over the edge, I was able to get a great vantage point of the tops of the palms. Using different focal lengths of the zoom gave me a variety of compositions. My favorite is the shot below, zoomed out a bit and showing more of the trees.

Interwoven palm fronds create various designs when viewed from above, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Interwoven palm fronds create various designs when viewed from above, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

As always, playing with the edges of the frame (what are you going to cut off) and with the negative space within the image are all critical to the success of the image. Through experimentation I found several compositions that I liked, balancing the palms throughout the frame.

Copyright 2017 Hank Christensen