Category Archives: Bird Photography

Eastern Towhee at Oros Wildlife Preserve in Woodbridge NJ

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Eastern Towhee

Oros Wildlife Preserve, Woodbridge NJ

I was fortunate that this bird sprung up in a mostly unobstructed area to call. It was quite unfortunate that an airplane flew directly overhead but I was able to clean up the audio a little after trying a “bandpass filter” around 3100hz to isolate the bird vocalization.

Canon EOS M50 + Tamron SP 150-600mm VC G2

More info on the Eastern Towhee – https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Towhee/overview

Visit Oros Preserve – https://www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us/606/3935/Ernie-Oros-Wildlife-Preserve?activeLiveTab=widgets

Tree Swallow in Sussex County NJ

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IMG_1060 copy.jpg

Tree Swallow
 
Hyper Humus Marsh, Lafayette NJ
 
My first assumption was that the Tree Swallow was preparing its nest in this cavity. However when a Bluebird burst out of the opening and chased off the Swallow it was clear I was witnessing a different scenario.

Chestnut-sided Warbler

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Chestnut-sided Warbler

May 2009 at the Elizabeth D Kay Environmental Center in Chester NJ

Visit the environmental center – https://www.morrisparks.net/index.php/parks/elizabeth-d-kay-environmental-center/

Migration Cometh…

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Palm Warbler, April 2009, New Jersey

New Jersey warbler picture

First day out with the Tamron SP 150-600mm VC G2 lens

by in 2018, Bird Photography, Nature, Tamron and tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Yesterday was my first spin out with Tamron USA’s updated G2 version of the acclaimed 150-600mm super telephoto lens.  Though I purchased the optional Tap-in Console for lens updating and fine tuning, I did not have time to initialize the device yet.  Hence, I unboxed the new birding lens, mounted it on my compact yet powerful Canon SL2 digital rebel, and took a drive to a nearby nature area, Great Swamp NWR.

Interestingly, I do not recall photographing a Gull of any sort before at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in the past.  I have been doing bird photography there for years… go figure.  Anyhow this handsome Ring-billed Gull was photographed from my car yesterday.  I shut off the engine to take the shot (too many vibrations and who needs the extra CO2 emissions anyhow).  In the caption for the photograph I have included specific camera settings.

Tamron SP 150-600mm VC G2 Birding Photography

Ring-billed Gull photographed with the Tamron SP 150-600mm VC G2 super telephoto lens + Canon SL2. 600mm, 1/640 f/6.3 ISO 200. Great Swamp NWR in New Jersey.

Below is a 100% crop from the above image.

Tamron 150-600 G2 sample image detail

100% crop of Ring-billed Gull Photograph. Tamron SP 150-600mm VC G2 + Canon SL2

Here is a Flickr link to view the full sized original 24 megapixel image of the Ring-billed Gull.

I find the results to be very good for keeping the aperture wide-open at F/6.3.  I find that most lenses get sharper when stopped down a couple of stops.  We might even see a bit more fine detail if I had taken this Gull image at F/8.0 versus F/6.3.  Below is a look at the G2 lens, I shot this in my home studio.

Bird Photography DSLR Lens

Tamron SP 150-600mm VC G2 Super Telephoto Lens which replaces my trusty G1 version which I have happily toted around for a few years.

 

Any questions or comments on the article?  Leave them on WordPress or email me at dave@daveblinder.com

 

 

 

Interested in spoiling yourself with this new lens?

Purchasing any of the equipment below through my Amazon Affiliate Links will help support my blog.

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Canon EOS Rebel SL2 Digital SLR Camera Body – WiFi Enabled

Tamron 18-400mm Di II VC HLD does birds in flight

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An unexpected recent handheld shot that worked out well for me.  I was outdoors photographing scenery and was fortunate to have the versatile Tamron 18-400mm Di II VC lens mounted to capture this Great Egret in flight.  The fine detail looks very good to me.

DaveBlinder GreatEgret Tamron 18400mm IMG_1601crop

Exposure details:

Tamron 18-400mm VC + Canon SL2 handheld

1/3200 F/8.0 IS 400

-1/3 in Aperture Priority exposure mode

AI Servo autofocus

Raw image quality

For a closer look at this image, please download the uncropped full-resolution image from my Google Drive account.

New Jersey Wildlife Videography

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I recently filmed and edited 3 new short wildlife DSLR videos… in high definition of course.  The opportunities for getting high quality and up close footage of wild animals are few and far between.  More often then not, the view of a wild bird or mammal is obscured by a foreground element like a branch or shrub.  Also, even with a long lens like a 600mm zoom getting good proximity on the subject can be a challenge.  Anyways, on to my newest videos… all of the video editing was performed in Adobe Premiere Pro and I laid down the audio tracks in Audacity.  Filming performed via Canon 60D DSLR and Tamron lenses.

Harbor Seal:

Harbor Seal filmed with Tamron 16-300mm VC PZD lens + Canon 60D

Northern Cardinal

Cardinal filmed with Tamron SP 150-600mm VC lens + Canon 60D

Brant (geese)

Brant filmed with Tamron SP 150-600mm VC lens + Canon 60D

For video licensing info, freelance video editing, or for further info on my techniques just ask.

New Jersey Bird Photography: Eastern Bluebird

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Eastern Bluebird, New Jersey wildlife photography.

This female Bluebird did not tolerate close photos, but luckily I paused upon approach to grab what I call “safety shots”.  In the world of birdwatchers, we become familiar with the terms “flushing” and “flush range”.  It infers a wildlife species’ or individual’s quantifiable tolerance for close human approach.

My “safety shot” shown here has both an uncluttered foreground and background while possessing a viable illumination.  Hence, a keeper for me.

NJ birding

A female Eastern Bluebird sits aloft a horizontal branch on the periphery of the forest. #NewJersey bird photography taken with #Tamron SP 150-600mm VC lens and #Canon EOS 60D.

Tamron Lenses​ SP 150-600mm VC + Canon 60D

https://facebook.com/daveblinderphotography

Florida Nature Travel Photography: Roseate Spoonbill

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My recent trip to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida yielded my first views of the radiant Roseate Spoonbill.  Spoonbills are fairly large wading birds (similar in habit to Herons) with varying degrees of pink on their plumage.  Their easily recognizable color and shape make them a favorite for bird photography.  For this creative flight blur capture I set my exposure in manual mode to have complete control over the outcome of the photo.

Exposure settings: 1/25s F/16 ISO 100, 483mm handheld.

BIF photography

A creative motion capture of Roseate Spoonbill at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Bird #photo taken with the #Tamron SP 150-600mm VC lens and the #Canon EOS 60D DSLR.

New Jersey Bird Photography: American Robin

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When we think of wildlife photography, and especially bird photography, we imagine filling the frame as tightly as possible with the subject and getting maximum detail on the subject.  There is certainly great challenge and also visual rewards in such an image.  Conversely, we may have pigeon-holed ourselves as artists by not giving the bird “space to breathe” within the frame, and also neglected to think of the greater commercial value of a more subdued composition.

NJ Nature Photo

A maze of barren tree branches and a featureless sky reveal an American Robin surveying its surroundings. Photographed with the Tamron SP 150-600mm VC lens and the Canon EOS 60D DSLR.

The above composition relies on the negative space of the sky, as well as several of points alignments to the rule of thirds.  Exposure settings: 1/320 F/10 ISO 200.  Taken with the tripod-mounted Tamron SP 150-600mm VC Lens and the Canon EOS 60D DSLR.