I recently upgraded my equipment with a new zoom lens to get better photos of birds, lizards, and even some cityscape. It’s a great feeling to know if I do everything right on my end the wildlife might cooperate long enough to get some pretty cool photos.
Heck even when I am off on my settings some good things still happen. Like these images of a Ash Throated Fly Catcher. The first one is motion blur from when it took off from it’s perch and the following is when I believe the same one put on a little display of it’s prowess as an agile bug catcher. It was a cool experience at the end of a long hike along the Salt River. This little guy was hanging out in a field of plants frequented by butterflies. I tried to get a photo of it in a bush and as it flew away and I turned to walk back to my car, it perched along the fence rail. I got a few photos and again as I was about to walk away it swooped down for what looks like the biggest horsefly I have ever seen. The photos turned out pretty cool with the Canon RP’s internal stability adjusting for my camera shake and bokeh from the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C
One of the main reasons I got a big zoom lens was to get better bird pictures. I found a nesting area of Northern Phainopepla, which look similar to Cardinals with their spikey crest. Cardinals are in the area too, but it seems a brush clearing project may have scared some of them off. The Phainopepla are fun to take pictures of as they respond to a whistle. I heard one and gave a short whistle to the best of my ability to mimic theirs and the whole tree line started sounding off.
Of course one of the main attractions along the Salt River are the Wild Horses that roam the desert valley. Most of them don’t care for us humans, although they are quite tolerant. I do my best to respect their space, but sometimes it’s tough to avoid crossing paths. As I was walking the trail a small herd and I were surprised to meet rounding a corner. I wasn’t sure how they would react, but it was a mutual decision to make room for each other. As I tried moving behind a large tree, so they could get by they didn’t budge. They could still see my shadow I figured and moved out in the open. The lead horse took a path on the other side of the tree and the heard followed with the white horse taking the rear.
To end my hike was the Ash Throated Fly Catcher swinging by for one more picture. What a ham! I’m not sure, but this might be the same one that caught the bug and ate it on the fence railing.
