Baylands, Cliff Swallow Nests

Dee

I saw Steve's post and picture of the nesting birds and knew I just had to check it out. It was my first time at the interpretive center, which unfortunately was closed (indoor restrooms would have been neat! :

Isn't it great of Andy and Steve to scout these photo opps for me? :clap

I also heard a lot of pidgeons cooing and suspect they were nesting somewhere in the area also.

Walking around to the north side of the building I looked up and saw this track housing segment...

Dee

And a new development in the works
This must be a new section, maybe the exclusive part of town? :

Dee

A work of art...
I was using both flash and no flash and decided that I preferred no flash. The birds are in the shade and it's a pretty sharp upward angle I was shooting to get these. They are just overhead and easy to shoot, but the lighting is not the greatest. I did quite a bit in post to try to bring out the most details.

I found this one nest by itself.

Dee

Parents in the nest
And here are two birds together in the nest. Now I did see them flying in and out of the nests, but they were so quick the decisive moment was over before I even registered that it was a decisive moment

I guess if I had a nice stool to sit on, a tripod and a remote and set my Sony f828 to burst mode I might have a chance... but, well, that's just not my shooting style. While I can be extremely competitive and stubborn, I'm usually happy to let something catch my eye and just snap away. Sometimes it seems the more time I take with a subject I not only get bored, but the subject becomes less interesting to me.

I have lots of respect for the photographers whose shooting styles are the opposite of mine.

Steve Cavigliano

Very nice Dee

Yeah, I hate flashing these little guys too, but it's almost impossible to get a good exposure without using one. Plus, it's impossible to see into the nest entrance without some help from the flash.

I see you have 4, or more, threads going about your trip to the Baylands. You got lots of keepers Way ta go

Thanks for sharing,
Steve

Dee

Light was OK just not great

Steve Cavigliano wrote:

Very nice Dee

Yeah, I hate flashing these little guys too, but it's almost impossible to get a good exposure without using one. Plus, it's impossible to see into the nest entrance without some help from the flash.

I see you have 4, or more, threads going about your trip to the Baylands. You got lots of keepers Way ta go

Thanks for sharing,
Steve

I was able to see the birds quite well, and they contrast nicely against the nests too, all in all I preferred not using the flash but there was a lot of spill over light making my Sony work real hard... considering it was under the eaves I thought it did fairly well. I was wondering whether the lower angle of the sun would help or hinder the lighting but Ed wanted to beat the traffic on 101.

I just wish I could have gotten some of the birds flying into or out of the nest, but they were SO quick! Should have Ed spot the birds for me, right?

Thanks for commenting on the photos -- and thanks for scouting out neat things to shoot in the area!

Steve Cavigliano

Dee wrote:

I was able to see the birds quite well, and they contrast nicely against the nests too, all in all I preferred not using the flash but there was a lot of spill over light making my Sony work real hard... considering it was under the eaves I thought it did fairly well. I was wondering whether the lower angle of the sun would help or hinder the lighting but Ed wanted to beat the traffic on 101.

I just wish I could have gotten some of the birds flying into or out of the nest, but they were SO quick! Should have Ed spot the birds for me, right?

Thanks for commenting on the photos -- and thanks for scouting out neat things to shoot in the area!

Dee,
I don't blame Ed a bit. That "rush hour" traffic on 101 sux :uhoh I usually hit the Baylands at around 3pm and leave around five-ish. It takes me 20 minutes to go the 5 miles back to Hwy 85

You will be able to get some SIF's (swallows in flight) when the chicks hatch. They will take up most of the nest and the parents will be busy feeding the chicks by hovering outside the entrance. That's where and when you can catch them You probably need to shoot in burst mode, but the deep DOF of the 828 will help ya here.

Steve