A little bit of baby quail cuteness to lift your spirits as you head into the weekend.
#californiaquail #birdphotography #sonyalphafemale #birdwatching #protectnature
Forster’s terns dive into the water to nab small fish. They then rise out of the water and take off seamlessly. This is the moment as one tern lifted off after an unsuccessful hunt.
#terns #birdphotography #shorebirds #sonyalphafemale #protectnature
I love the color drama of this bellbird, a New Zealand endemic species also known as korimako, and the crimson tubes of the cardinal flower. Bellbirds are honeyeaters and have evolved with a brush/like tongue to reach the nectar deep within flowers. They also have a melodic timbre to their song that seems to ring like a bell.
#bellbird #birdphotography #newzealandbirds #sonyalphafemale #protectnature
So this happened: I got to spend some time alone with a male sea otter while he was hauled out on a beach to warm up and dry off. This hunky fellow knew I was there and still decided to curl up in a sleep donut. I was quiet on the outside, but inside I was jumping up and down and screaming with joy and disbelief.
#seaotter #marinemammal #sonyalphafemale #women_wildlife_photography #protecttheocean
Generations of acorn woodpeckers share communal granaries that can hold thousands of nuts (primarily acorns). As the nuts dry out, the woodpeckers move them to smaller holes in the tree, making the granary a continuous work in progress. The family group may include up to a dozen birds, all cooperating in gathering, storing and protecting this food source.
#acornwoodpecker #birdphotography #woodpeckers #sonyalphafemale #protectnature
This willet paid me quite the compliment by napping in front of me while I was prone on the sand. I had my long lens on my camera so I wasn’t that close, but I guess I was being still enough to blend into the scenery and not spook the bird. Pretty cool.
#willet #sonyalphafemale #birdphotography #shorebirds #protectnature
I was lying still on the beach while filming this, but the ebb and flow of the surf and bird’s actions (a marbled godwit) combined to make a dizzying illusion of movement.
Groovy.
#marbledgodwit #birdphotography #marbledgodwit #shorebirds #protectnature
I’m still combing through my New Zealand photos and realized I never shared this image of a kea. I love how the greens, browns and golds of the kea are mirrored in the background. You can really see the exposed nostrils, or nares, at the top of the beak. There are all sorts of theories as to why they’re so big and exposed, including that they are so high on the beak structure to facilitate breathing while the bird’s foraging in thick vegetation and dirt and another that states the nares are so large to help keas breathe in more air in their alpine habitat.
#kea #birdphotography #sonyalphafemale #newzealandbirds #protectnature
Red shouldered hawks have a distinctive slash of russet along the top of their shoulders. You can see it well in this picture. You can also appreciate how the patterning on their feathers helps them blend well into the dappled light of the coast live oak tree canopy. These mature trees are their preferred roosting and nesting sites.
#redshoulderedhawk #buteo #birdphotography #sonyalphafemale #protectnature
Have a look at this great blue heron trio. I love how the two “squat” birds are flanking the tall one. They look like they’re doing a synchronized dance, kind of like they’re singing, “Oompa Loompa”. 🤣
#greatblueheron #birdphotography #sonyalphafemale #women_wildlife_photography #vzepfpix
A little bit of experimentation on creating motion in a still image.
#bisonbison #women_wildlife_photography #sonyalphafemale #wildlifephotography #protectnature
