rghurst99

When I started across the East-End Bridge just after sunrise, I saw our Barred Owl parents perched together ... taking time to help each other stay clean and well groomed ... something they probably haven't had much time for lately ... sort of like date night, except for owls it's more like date morning. 5-8-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 70-200GMII

I went to Texas City Dike looking for Black Skimmers and Diving Pelicans ( both birds ;-) ) but it was too windy for either of these Then, I ran into these guys. Serendipitous! Sony A1 + Sony 70-200GMII (Wish I had used the 200-600!)

Black-Chinned Hummingbird with Two Babies Colleyville Nature Center Colleyville, Texas 5-5-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM + Sony 1.4x TC 840mm, f/13, 1/250, ISO-6400 Shot at 4k/120p, 10-Bit Edited/Rendered at 4k/29.97p

Two Eastern Kingbirds White Rock Lake, Dallas, TX 5-1-2023 21-Shot Sequence Sony A1 + Sony 600GM 600mm, f/4, 1/3200, ISO-1000, Handheld

111-Shot Frame Animation Anglers' Pond Colleyville Nature Center 4-27-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM 600mm, f/4, 1/2500, ISO-1250, Handheld

103-Shot Frame Animation Shoveler Pond Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge 4-18-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM 600mm, f/4, 1/2000, ISO-1250, Handheld

111-Shot Frame Animation Shoveler Pond Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge 4-18-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM 600mm, f/4, 1/2500, ISO-1250, Handheld

This frame animation comprises several bursts totaling 336 stills taken over the course of about five minutes. We didn't see the gator actually catch the American Coot, so no telling how long the gator had been working on it, but every so often, he would rise up out of the tall weeds and chomp on it a few times. By the end of the five minutes, he was able to "tenderize" the bird just enough to get it most of the way down its gullet. Shoveler Pond Anahuac NWR, Texas 4-21-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM + Sony 1.4x TC 840mm, f/5.6, 1/3200, ISO-800, Handheld

FRAME ANIMATION 2.0 Because my camera, the Sony A1, is capable of taking still images at 30 frames-per-second, I often create frame animations (videos from stills) from shot sequences. That's nice, but there's no audio when you shoot stills. So, I have been experimenting with adding audio to my frame animations. For wildlife sequences, it's simple to add some generic nature/woodlands sounds. But for close-ups of singing birds, I also have to find recordings of the specific bird songs and try to synchronize the existing recordings to my frame animations. It has actually worked out better than I expected, and the synchronization is close enough that most people won't notice. AND, it makes the animations more interesting. This video shows animations of a White-Eyed Vireo, a Prairie Warbler, and a Yellow-Breasted Chat. Atlanta State Park Atlanta, Texas 4/12-13/2023

It was hard to see what the Great Horned Owlets were eating, but it looks suspiciously like "leg o' rabbit" to me. White Rock Lake 4-11-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 200-600G 600mm, 1/250, f/10, Auto ISO Shot at 4k/120p, 10-Bit Rendered at 4k/60p

I have never seen this couple together before, but the male (left) gradually worked his way up to the female. They seemed to spar for a moment, and then they shared this seemingly affectionate moment. The 81-shot frame animation plays twice in this video ... first wide (6010x3380), then tight (3840x21600. White Rock Lake 4-11-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM 600mm, f/4, 1/320, ISO-2000, Handheld

This video is pretty slow paced. Just a couple of Great Horned Owlets wobbling their way through their first few weeks of life. They will be graceful and majestic later! White Rock Lake Dallas, Texas 4-9-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM + Sony 1.4x TC 840mm, f/11, 1/250, ISO-1600

Coming toward me with a fish. Two passes of a 146-shot frame animation ... first wide, then tight. Sebatian Inlet State Park Melbourne, Florida 3-24-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM 600mm, f/4, 1/5000, ISO-800, Handheld

White-Eyed Vireos are just starting to arrive for the summer in our area, and this one had found a juicy moth for a morning snack. I created this frame animation from three bursts totaling 209 shots. The vireo makes short work of the moth, looks side-to-side, says goodbye, and exits stage left. Colleyville Nature Center Colleyville, Texas 4-1-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM + Sony 1.4x TC 840mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, ISO-400, Handheld

Do you even wonder if the birds you are photographing notice you are there? This frame animation makes it pretty clear that they do. The video goes through the 58-shot sequence twice ... wide and then tight. Blue Cypress Lake Vero Beach, Florida 3-23-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM 600mm, f/4, 1/2500, ISO-1600, Handheld

I have noticed that Osprey often move around to two or more different locations as they eat a fish. I don't know why, but I'm guessing its a privacy/security thing. Anyway ... this bird was bring home half a fish to share at the nest. This frame animation comprises two versions of a 22-shot sequence. First, with the 'virtual camera' stationary. Second, with the 'virtual camera' closer and following the bird. Blue Cypress Lake Vero Beach, Florida 3-23-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 70-200GMII 200mm, f/8, 1/2500, ISO-800, Handheld

This short video contains an 18-shot frame animation created in Photoshop followed by a video created from the same 18 stills in Premiere Pro. PP allows me to easily add transitions and zooms for a more sophisticated and pleasing (hopefully) look. Blue Cyrpess Lake Vero Beach, Florida 3-23-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 70-200GMII 200mm, f/9, 1/2500, ISO-1000, Handheld

Sebastian Inlet in Melbourne, Florida is a great place to photograph Osprey, but it's also a great place to relax ... to just watch and listen. Sony A1 + Sony 200-600 Shot at 4k 120p/10-bit Edited and Rendered at 4k 30p

This Osprey was fresh out of the water with a big Yellow Jack and was on its way to a private place to enjoy its meal. The best part of this sequence is toward the end when the bird shimmies like a wet dog to get some of the water off its body and wings. Sebastian Inlet State Park Melbourne, Florida 3-24-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM 600mm, f/4, 1/5000, ISO-640, Handheld

I animated this 19-shot sequence in two different ways. First with the background stationary and the Osprey moving across it. Second, with the virtual camera zoomed in and following the Osprey down to the water. Sebastian Inlet State Park Melbourne, Florida 3-24-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM 600mm, f/4, 1/5000, ISO-800, Handheld

Blue Cypress Lake Vero Beach, Florida 3-23-2023 76-Shot Frame Animation Sony A1 + Sony 70-200GMII 200mm, f/8, 1/2500, ISO-640, Handheld

LLELA (Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area) Lewisville, Texas 3-17-2023 Sony A1 + Sony 600GM + Sony 1.4x TC 840mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, ISO-1250, Handheld

Colleyville Nature Center Colleyville, Texas 3-17-2023 19-Shot Loop Sony A1 + Sony 600GM + Sony 1.4x TC 840mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-3200, Handheld

This Ring-Billed Gull showed excellent technique as it plucked a tiny fish from the rolling water with pelicans converging on its location from all directions. Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area 3-15-2023 21-Shot Frame Animation Sony A1 + Sony 600GM + Sony 1.4x TC 840mm, f/5.6, 1/5000, ISO-1000, Handheld