Tag Archives: Lake Nasworthy

Cattle and Snowy Egrets

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I am still editing old images that were taken a couple of years ago.  They may have been seen in a previous blog post.  But with new software I think I am improving the images for sharpness and definition.  This first one is a Cattle Egret.  The photo was taken at Big Bend National Park.  We were just entering the park, and there were several of the egrets perched in some Ocotillo bushes a few yard off of the road.

Cattle Egret

  • Canon EOS 40D
  • Canon 100-400mm zoom lens
  • 1/400 sec. @ f22 – minus 1/3 EV adjustment
  • ISO  500
  • Lens focal distance 400mm
  • Metering – center weighted
  • Aperture priority

This image of a Snowy Egret was taken below the Lake Nasworthy dam in San Angelo, Texas.  He was intent on his fishing and was oblivious of me.  I was able to get within 50 feet to get the photograph.

Snow Egret

  • Canon EOS 40D
  • Canon 500mm IS lens with 1.4 tele-converter
  • 1/3200 sec. @ f6.3
  • ISO 400
  • Lens focal distance  700mm
  • Metering – partial
  • Aperture priority

I hope you again enjoy the images.  Click on either of them for enlargements.

Whistling visitors to San Angelo

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On Friday, Ann, I, and Jodie Wolslager decided we were going to ignore the 100 degree-plus  heat and spend the day doing some birding and photography.  Jodie had just purchased a new Manfrotto tripod and a Wimberley gimbal head, and was anxious to give botha trial run.

We headed for Spring Creek  Park first, spent a little time there, then after that we went to Middle Concho Park.  Both parks are adjacent to Lake Nasworthy.  The Chamber of Commerce personnel were at the lake, getting ready for the annual drag boat races, so it was difficult to reach some of our favorite areas.

However, we did come across these Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.  Though not a rarity, they are not here in great numbers, preferring the eastern part of the state.  Unfortunately, at the location of the ducks, there was also a proliferation of trash.  The first photo shows the original image.  The second is my edited version, more tightly cropped and missing the garbage.

un-edited original

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks - edited

Here are the pertinent photographic particulars.  You will notice that I reduced the EV exposure by a minus 1/3.  That was to tone down the sun-drenched rocks behind the ducks.  I cloned out the trash items in Photoshop CS5.

  • Canon EOS 7D
  • Canon 500mm IS lens with 1.4 tele-converter
  • 1/400 sec @ f16 – minus 1/3 EV adjustment
  • ISO 400
  • Lens focal distance  700mm
  • Partial metering
  • Aperture priority
  • Camera mounted on Manfrotto tripod with Wimberley II gimbal head.

I hope you enjoyed the photos.  Click on either one to see an enlargement.

Love those Hawks

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I have this love of hawks and other raptors, regardless of the species.  I was riding around yesterday and spotted the top two birds.  The first is an American Kestrel. They are a cute but ferocious little bird.   He was perched in the top of a tree.  I hand-held my Canon 7D with a 500mm lens and 1.4 teleconverter attached.  Exposure information,1/1600 sec at f7.1, ISO 100.

American Kestrel

Later, out by O. C. Fisher Lake we saw this Red-Tailed Hawk sitting atop a sign.  I am especially fond of this image, as he was posed so naturally and I was relatively close to him.  Canon 7D with Canon 100-400mm lens, 1/1600 sec. at f6.3, ISO 150, -1/3 EV.

Red-tailed Hawk - jevenile

This Osprey was photographed two years ago near Lake Nasworthy, here in San Angelo.  There will be a story about this photograph this coming Thursday, as the Osprey will be the subject of my Bird of The Week series.  Watch for it. 

Osprey with catch

The all photos were edited in Photoshop Elements, but with the first two I also used Focus Magic, and Topaz DeNoise, and OnOne PhotoTune.  Three very good plug-ins.  Click on any image to see an enlargment.  Enjoy.

Happy Birding!!