Category: Photo of the Week

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Belted Kingfisher (Photo of the week)

A belted kingfisher perches on a chain-linked fence, ready to take flight
A belted kingfisher perches on a chain-linked fence, ready to take flight. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering 0: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6

This week’s photo features the ever elusive belted kingfisher. Its not that the bird is all that uncommon, but it can be quite difficult to get close enough to photograph. They tend to be very flighty, and don’t hang around the same area too often. Some bird photographers have done well using bait fish and photo setups to capture this bird, but this type of activity is best done on private land over the course of several days.

A belted kingfisher perches on a metal fencepost
A belted kingfisher perches on a metal fencepost. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering 0: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6

I had two brief opportunities with this kingfisher. I first saw him land and perch on one chain link fence (not the most aesthetic of perches). I took several safety photos and tried to get closer. As soon as I moved, he was off and out of sight. I managed to track him down to a nearby second chain link fence, where I took the two photos featured here. I stayed low and crept forward slowly. I had the opportunity for a half dozen shots before he took off once again, this time for good.

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Sleeping Green-winged Teal (Photo of the week)

A green-winged teal sleeps as it floats, its reflection cast in the still water
A green-winged teal sleeps as it floats, its reflection cast in the still water. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/5.6

This week’s photo is of a sleeping green-winged teal, as he floated around a local pond along the bay. The green-winged teal is one of the many duck species that winter here, extending the color palette from the ubiquitous mallard. I liked this photo because of its simplicity, and the vivid colors reflected in the water.

Many days I am up at dawn photographing, just for moments like this. Not only is the light warm and slanting in low across the horizon, but water tends to be still and glassy, offering many opportunities for great reflections.

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Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow (Photo of the week)

An immature white-crowned sparrow clings to a stalk
An immature white-crowned sparrow clings to a stalk

This week’s photo was taken recently at a local wetland area at the edge of the bay. White-crowned sparrows are among the more common sparrows in the area, along with song sparrows and house sparrows (though the latter are more likely to frequent the backyard bird feeder than flit around the bay trails). Juveniles are sometimes harder to spot because the crown of the head has yet to turn white, as seen in the photo above. Once this sparrow matures however, they are impossible to mistake.

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Ring-necked Pheasant Portrait (Photo of the week)

A ring-necked pheasant stands tall among dried grass
A ring-necked pheasant stands tall among dried grass

Last week, I went to Byxbee Park (part of Palo Alto Baylands) looking for some of the wintering water foul. I saw plenty, but also came across three ring-necked pheasants, all in different areas of the park. I had seen them several times here before, but never three in one day! Usually they hang to the thick bushes, but occasionally they come out into the open to forage. The beautiful colors make this a stunning bird to watch.

I have quite a few full body shots, but I liked the portrait the best. I’ve included a couple other shots below.

A ring-necked pheasant stalks close to the ground
A ring-necked pheasant stalks close to the ground
A ring-necked pheasant walks through short grasses, with a wary eye for predators
A ring-necked pheasant walks through short grasses, with a wary eye for predators

Copyright 2017 Hank Christensen