New nature pics... you asked for them!

[treefrog]

Ok... still not my "Best of" gallery but many of you asked for more pictures! Be careful what you wish for!

So... I just sold my old camera and got a new model. It came in on Friday and I charged the battery right away. Eager to see what it could do, I took it to a National Wildlife refuge near the Chesapeake Bay on Saturday. I left around 4:30 in the morning to make sure I''d get there by sunrise. It''s late and I''m tired so the narration won''t be as many of you have seen in the past. Hopefully, the pictures speak for themselves this time!

Sure enough... made it by sunrise:

 

[treefrog]

The sun started off bright but it was cloudy much of the remainder of the day.

 

[treefrog]

Turning a 25MB picture file into a tiny 100K file does not do them justice. The early morning sun was just glistening off these geese''s wings.

 

[treefrog]

Birds... Oh where there birds...

 

[treefrog]

I sure hope nobody ever turns that image into a puzzle! I''m not sure this one is any better. Birds for miles and miles and miles. They were on the water but it seemed like they got restless when eagles came around. All of the sudden, I could hear them get loud... there were so many birds on the water, it sounded like something between a train and a tornado when the birds left the water and took to the air.

 

[treefrog]

This guy thought he could walk on water. The ice was pretty thin though. Wish I had been ready when this goose was caught off guard and fell through.

 

[treefrog]

I think this is him (or her) getting back out of the water.

 

[treefrog]

For a change of pace, I drove around the corner to a field. Lots of geese practicing their takeoff''s and landings!

 

[treefrog]

... and again...

 

[treefrog]

Sure seemed like a good day for fishing... at least for this heron. I couldn''t believe how many fish it was eating. Not sure it would have been able to fly away on that full belly so I stayed and kept taking pictures. It finally walked out of the water and up the embankment.

 

[Blackpaw]

great pics, keep em coming

 

[treefrog]

Well, maybe one more... for dessert!

 

[treefrog]

Bald eagles... what a thrill to watch.

 

[treefrog]

This eagle came in for a landing. I never saw them do any fishing. Most of the eagles I saw were WAY out on the ice. Well beyond the reach of my camera. The ice really kept most birds at a distance.

 

[Luckyeshe]

Amazing photos, treefrog!!! Keep ''em coming!!!

 

[treefrog]

Three more pics. This gem is straight out of my camera. It flew right past me. Luckily the driver of an oncoming car saw me prep for the shot and they stopped so I could swing my camera and tripod around.

 

[treefrog]

Last two... taken fractions of a second apart.

 

[treefrog]

Dinner time for this gull.

 

[treefrog]

Date: 1/20/2010 11:39:00 PM
Author: Blackpaw
great pics, keep em coming

Blackpaw and luckyshe... thanks so much! That''s all I have ready for now. I edited nearly 800 pictures down to 250. These are most of the best ones I had. I''m definitely heading back to this place. I''ll give up a few hours of sleep for a day like this any time!

Dear Canon, I absolutely love my new camera! Please feel free to donate a bigger lens for next time!

Treefrog

 

[katamari]

Date: 1/20/2010 11:47:31 PM
Author: treefrog
Last two... taken fractions of a second apart.

These are all great, treefrog! I particularly like this one. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 1/20/2010 11:46:34 PM
Author: treefrog
Three more pics. This gem is straight out of my camera. It flew right past me. Luckily the driver of an oncoming car saw me prep for the shot and they stopped so I could swing my camera and tripod around.

Oh my goodness - all your pictures are amazing but this one is truly spectacular! Thanks for sharing!!

 

[yssie]

Amazing, treefrog!!

 

[rhbgirl24]

Wow! Thanks for sharing, they are amazing!

 

[elrohwen]

Amazing, as usual!

 

[dragonfly411]

beautiful!

 

[radiantquest]

Awesome. Those sunrise pictures are breathtaking. You mentioned that you had to shrink them so much to be able to upload them. You did such a great job that you should get those printed large and then frame them. Really beautiful.

I always am amazed at how beautiful nature is when you can take the time to actually see it. Most days all I see outside is someones rear bumper, ya know?

 

[Inanna]

Stunning pics, Treefrog! Thanks for sharing these.

 

[Gailey]

Stunning Treefrog. You are a very talented photographer (I''ll just add that to yourchecklist of qualities!).

Tell us about the new camera and lens you were using.

 

[Sundial]

Treefrog I enjoy your pictures so much! You really have a talent for photography and the new camera is obviously working out well for you. Which Canon did you get?

 

[treefrog]

Date: 1/21/2010 12:16:18 AM
Author: katamari

These are all great, treefrog! I particularly like this one. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks katamari! I like that one too. I like seeing the splash right behind the gull... and the water dripping off the fish. It helps show how these birds do it. I''d watch the birds circle above and could pretty much tell when it was going to come swooping down.

Date: 1/21/2010 12:23:57 AM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

Oh my goodness - all your pictures are amazing but this one is truly spectacular! Thanks for sharing!!

I agree. These things happen so fast, it''s hard to tell exactly what I''m actually going to get. I singled this out as a favorite as soon as I saw it. The wing position just makes it look so graceful, almost angel-like.

Date: 1/21/2010 1:59:19 AM
Author: yssie
Amazing, treefrog!!

Thank you yssie.

Date: 1/21/2010 9:00:05 AM
Author: rhbgirl24
Wow! Thanks for sharing, they are amazing!

So glad you liked them. You all liked my other series so much, I had to share these as well. I feel blessed to not only be able to capture images like these but to have my wonderful Pricescope friends enjoy them as well. You do realize, you''re all just inspiring me to go out and take more, don''t you?

My new bride jokingly sent me a text message while I was driving home... "Great, I''m a Canon widow. Well, it was a nice 6 weeks." Fortunately, she likes looking at my images too.

Date: 1/21/2010 10:00:46 AM
Author: elrohwen
Amazing, as usual!

Aaawl... you''re too kind. Thank you elrohwen!
4 amazings in a row!

Date: 1/21/2010 10:22:23 AM
Author: dragonfly411
beautiful!

Thank you dragonfly. When I get time to do my "Best of" post, I have a few jaw-dropping dragonfly pictures. A stab in the dark but I''m guessing you like them? Oh... what the heck... here''s a sneak preview: