Jeannine, our Choco Lab Diesel, our Leonberger Kaja, and me hit the road on December 5th with the Tucson area being our destination. One of my favorite photos from the trip was this Painted Redstart. I headed to Madera Canyon about an hour before sunrise. I heard a bird calling and I didn’t recognize the song. I hunted down the sound and was rewarded with this beautiful life bird. It was early and the guy was in the shade so I had to lower the shutter speed to 1/640s and I used the wide open f/4 and hit my upper limit ISO2000. The D850 does a great job in low light resulting in a very pleasing image.
Featured Photo: Painted Redstart (Myioborus pictus) at Madera Canyon, PIM (AZ)
EQ: D850, 500mm f/4 Taken: 12-10-2019 at 7:51
Settings: 500mm (35mm eqv), 1/640s, f/4, ISO2000, 1/3EV Conditions: shady
Our first stop was Henderson, which is a few miles east of Las Vegas. The trip to the Vegas area was cold and damp with the fog being so thick at times that it slowed our progress. Luckily, Henderson was warm and our first stop was Sunset Park where I found these posturing Great-tailed Grackles.
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus), Sunset Park, CLA (NV)
Taken: 12-6-2019 at 6:57, Settings: 500mm, 1/800s, f/4, ISO1250, 1/3EV Conditions: shady
Costa's Hummingbird (Calypte costae), Henderson Bird Preserve, CLA (NV)
Taken: 12-6-2019 at 11:36, Settings: 500mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO250, 1/3EV Conditions: partly shady
After 2 nights in Henderson the gang was off to Oro Valley where we had rented a house for the week. Our first stop was Honey Bee Canyon where I captured this house finch perched on a cactus with a beautiful blue bokeh.
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus), Honey Bee Canyon, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-8-2019 at 9:20, Settings: 500mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO560, 1/3EV Conditions: overcast
At Sweetwater Wetlands I found a Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Gadwall, Gnatcatchers, Gila Woodpeckers, and Mexican Ducks with a total of 35 species for this stop.
Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis), Madera Canyon, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-10-2019 at 7:49, Settings: 500mm, 1/640s, f/4, ISO1250, 1/3EV Conditions: shady
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris), Sweetwater Wetlands, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-8-2019 at 10:27, Settings: 500mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO200, 1/3EV Conditions: shady
Gadwall (Mareca strepera), Sweetwater Wetlands, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-8-2019 at 10:36, Settings: 500mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO1600, 1/3EV Conditions: overcast
We made a stop at Catalina State Park where I found this male Northern Cardinal. I also found Rufous-winged Sparrows, Black-throated Sparrow, and Phainopepla to name a few.
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), Catalina SP, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-9-2019 at 8:46, Settings: 500mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO1000, 1/3EV Conditions: overcast
Rufous-winged Sparrow (Peucaea carpalis), Catalina SP, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-9-2019 at 8:48, Settings: 500mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO720, 1/3EV Conditions: overcast
Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata), Catalina SP, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-9-2019 at 9:12, Settings: 500mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO1100, 1/3EV Conditions: overcast
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens), Catalina SP, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-9-2019 at 9:17, Settings: 500mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO110, 1/3EV Conditions: overcast
One of my all day trips was to Madera Canyon. I came across these Coues Whitetail Deer and they gave me a second look before running off. I also found a life bird the Yellow-eyed Junco, as well as Gray-headed and Pink-sided Dark-eyed Juncos, Bridled Titmouse, and Red-naped Sapsucker. More about the Canyon in Part2.
Coues Whitetail Deer (Odocoileus virginianus couesi), Madera Canyon, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-10-2019 at 6:29, Settings: 500mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO2000, 1/3EV Conditions: overcast
Yellow-eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus), Madera Canyon, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-10-2019 at 7:46, Settings: 500mm, 1/640s, f/4, ISO2000, 1/3EV Conditions: shady
Dark-eyed Junco, Gray-headed (Junco hyemalis caniceps), Madera Canyon, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-10-2019 at 8:30, Settings: 500mm, 1/640s, f/5.6, ISO2000, 1/3EV Conditions: shady
Bridled Titmouse (Baeolophus wollweberi), Madera Canyon, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-10-2019 at 8:32, Settings: 500mm, 1/640s, f/5.6, ISO250, 1/3EV Conditions: sun/shady
Painted Redstart (Myioborus pictus), Madera Canyon, PIM (AZ)
Taken: 12-10-2019 at 7:52, Settings: 500mm, 1/640s, f/4, ISO2000, 1/3EV Conditions: shady
Your comments are welcomed and if you have any questions about these photos or any other leave me a message.