DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Photography Thread...

Mac, they hang out in this area throughout most of the year. You can see large numbers of them at the refuges along the Lake Erie shoreline.

If you ever get a chance, Magee Marsh and the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge are magical places during the spring bird migration. There are also more than a few active bald eagle nests in the area. It really is world class bird viewing. This area's where I get most of my bird pics

You mentioned that you studied ornithology in college.

We got a budgie (parakeet!!) three years ago - I don't know how we could spoil Charlie more than we do - and since then, I've thought that if I could do it again, I would apply myself to the sciences in high school and study ornithology in university. I find them fascinating to observe.

They're actually much smarter than given credit for; crows are tough; I see them putting the run to gulls and they're relentless.

Sorry I went off-topic, there are great photos in this thread, and I check in occasionally to look at them.

Crows are definitely smart. I won't post videos here, as that would/could take away from the thread. Just go to youtube and check out smart crows, or some variation on that

I've been experimenting with different types of self-portraits as of late.

I liked how this silhouette came out.

Thanks Mac, I'll check it out.

I used to be a volunteer eagle nest monitor for the division of wildlife. Back in the late 70's, we were down to 3 active nests in the state, all of which were on the Erie shoreline. None were producing viable eggs due to DDT pollution. Eggs were brought in from Tennessee and transplanted into those active nests, and the program took off due to the DDT ban and habitat restoration. We were up to over 100 active nests by 2002 when I quit the program. Eagles around here have been venturing far from the lakeshore seeking new areas for nests, and there are now nests in most counties in the state. You seriously can't drive down route 2 between Toledo and Port Clinton without seeing quite a few eagles.

We keep getting "blessed" with this awful weather pattern that keeps my camera indoors

A little bit of zen from yesterday:

Full Size Panorama

I love the story this photo tells.

Fullsize

Have you tried a circular polarizing filter up there? I'd bet that the colors and glare reduction with the sky, snow and water would be awesome. I have one but never really played around with it.

I tried a few times, but either I didn’t use it right or it didn’t make too much of a difference.

I’ve been working more at single point focus on my panos, and trying to avoid F22 on all my landscapes.

A lot of it has also been learning the fine tuning elements of a full frame rig, too.

I have tuned in to watch this Eagle and her nest. Tonight I noticed a mouse run from the bottom of the screen up to a few inches of the nesting mother then disappears into the branches of the nest...wow, talk about home delivery! What type of illumination are they using for the livecam?

Another sunny day!


Link

Larger

Nice job! Craters in daylight is really a challenge.

It’s amazing how far down I can crop now!

A few pics from our trip to Thailand:

Beautiful!

Hope you had an amazing time. Where’d you go?
My Thailand vacation was an epic epic trip. Spent time in Bangkok and Railay Beach. Beautiful country. Warm friendly people. Warm sunny skies. Amazing.

As soon as we got there wife's brother picked us up and drove straight to Chamni, it's in the Buri Ram province, maybe an hour north of Korat. Stayed with her family for 7 days, then back to Bangkok for 3 days.

We are going to try to make it an every year thing. We hadnt been in almost 13 years. 3 tickets were $3100. Wife got the AMEX card and she got 60,000 frequent flyer miles giving her 110,000, I've got 60,000. Next year I'm getting the card and the bonus miles. So in two years we will both have free tickets.

We only spent about $1300 the entire time we were there.

Next year we are going to stay with her brother a little in Pattaya City. We are going to look at houses while we are there. We are really thinking about moving there when I retire in 11 years. We could buy a really nice house now for $300/month and it would be paid off when moved there. Kinda hard squeezing that right now, but thinking really hard about, lol.

We did the frequent flyer thing too. Tickets were $1100 each. We got $980 off one using miles. We only spent another couple grand over the rest of our trip. Spent two weeks in decent hotels in Bangkok and Railay, Thailand. Also Siem Reap, Cambodia. Flights between cities. Food. Transportation. Temples and attractions fees. Etc.

I really fell for the feel of SE Asia. I loved Thailand. It was great having an expat friend there to show us Bangkok.
I’m considering SE Asia as a retirement plan too. Just not sure we’re yet. Our next SE Asia destination is Vietnam. In 2020, unless my art takes me to Australia that year instead. (Fingers crossed)

I love SE Asia, been to Thailand over 30 times, 15 times to Vietnam, 5 times to Laos, and 1 time to Cambodia.

I loved Vietnam, Danang was the best. Biggest and best fried shrimp I've ever had, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen was in Danang. Hanoi was fun, maybe it's changed but after 6:00pm the entire city is dead.

I hope either your wife is from Danang, or that she doesn't read the board.

LOL, she doesn't read the board. She knows though, I've told her before.

I've been paying close attention to this event since you first posted the link, Mac. I want to thank you for allowing me and a few of my friends to witness this spectacular occurrence.

A photo I took yesterday at Forest Hills Park, thanks for looking!

Was just looking into some of the beaches around Danang. It’s in the running for places to see. I really would love to see the Golden Bridge. Some cool cave Temples in the area too.
Been trying to decide if I want to hit two cities in Vietnam or one city in Vietnam, and then Luang Prabang in Loas. It’s just that the northern coast of Vietnam, Halong Bay, looks breath taking. But Loas is still fairly untouched by heavy tourism. Which is alluring. Especially when you see some of the waterfalls and pools in the area.
I often think about what it would be like to be free to travel and see all the places I want to see. This planet and it’s people offer limitless opportunities to have your heart captured and breath taken. I’ve got 30ish years of travel left in me. My hope is I can check off a few more boxes before my time has come.

We are going back to Thailand in November. Tickets were $900, great price. Wife is very happy to see her family again. Daughter is staying home with my parents. I can retire in 9 years 3months, we are really thinking hard about retiring there. Already have a house we built, other than some minor stuff over the next 9 years it is ready for us. Just gotta finish these next years which is harder and harder every day.

Ive hit some sort of midlife crisis where I dont to even want to go to work, been in corrections for almost 27 years, Im done, but gotta do 9 more years Uuugggghhhh!

That's some phenomenal framing with the blossoms! Part of me wants to say "zoom out more to get all the branches in the frame", but then you'd also miss out on the framing of the reflection.

Either way, great pic!

thanks so much!

Sundog.


Larger