The Cold is Stirring Things Up.

SELF | Jan 16,2009 | swampsniper

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I've been waiting for some action around here, looks like the cold weather is doing the trick. It's 33f right now, 11 PM, Friday. I haven't seen the American Kestrels since last winter, the female was hunting over the hay fields today. They are around normally, but the weather changes their hunting preferences, and they come out where they are easier to watch. This isn't a high quality shot, I was running my Ebay special equipment as hard as it will go, over 900mm equivalent. One of these days I'm gonna be sitting somewhere and one of these critters is just going to fly up and strike a pose! Yeah, sure, LOL, I'll buy some Lotto tickets too! The Ducks are easy, they'll fall asleep right in front of you!

[Islander7]

That’s a heck of a setup. I love the kestrel shot. I poked around your flickr. you have some amazing images there.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

It sure beats watching television, got to be better for your brain and butt too, LOL

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

Well, shoot. (no pun intended)

Thanks. I'm not great at manually focusing as it is -

Please put me on your ping list.

[MHGinTN]

Thanks for the link!

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Don’t know what I’m doing most of the time, I just do it a lot! Sometimes I get lucky and it makes my day, LOL.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

You’re on!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From that Forum....

Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 SLR Digital Camera

and I have the Sony 18-70mm & 75-300mm Zoom Lens,

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

Thanks!

[maine-iac7]

33, huh? It was 30 at my house this morning. MINUS 30.

You’re having a heat wave.

That said: Show stopping photos...thanks for sharing.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Go take pictures, LOL!

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Below zero is one thing.....

Below zero and a crisp wind...

I was in a wedding in Wichita in April, many years ago. 90 degrees in an old Catholic church with no AC, or moving air, as best that I could figure....bridesmaids dropping like flies....

[blueplum]

incredible lighting on the ducks - they look like a painting, only better. just beautiful :)

[Islander7]

This camera got great reviews on DPR. Did you know Sony made all of the sensors for Nikon until the D3X, D300 and D700 were released? ;-)

I have a Nikon D200 and D70s. I love them. Maybe we can have a FReeper Photo Meet one day this summer. Too damn cold now.

[maine-iac7]

Oh, and...as an artist, I looks at such work and think: PAINTING = and with your ducks, I think "Duck Stamp" -

Look at all those reflections - and clarity - you can all but see the water moving

[OCCASparky]

33 is cold? Bwaaaahahahahaha!!!! Come on up to New Hampshire, where we only have six weeks of crappy skiing weather per year.

Just so you know, I didn't feel so bad when it was -16 this morning, knowing that Berlin and Whitefield were -40.

[mysterio]

It got down to below -10 here last night. That’s scary cold.

[Islander7]

I know what you mean. Photography keeps me almost sane. Give me a camera and a nice swamp and I am happy for hours.



Do the ducks talk to you too? They can rude.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

The pond has high, steep banks, the wind doesn’t ruffle it unless it blows really hard. I get some nice reflection effects there.

[blackbart.223]

"The pond has high, steep banks, the wind doesn’t ruffle it unless it blows really hard. I get some nice reflection effects there."

Film or digital? I have to know as I am a purist.

[maine-iac7]

I'll swap ya.

It's 1 degree here - may end up by morning where it was this morning at minus 30.

Had my wood stove blasting all day - didn't trust the furnace not to blow up trying to keep up. The stove is having all it can do to keep the chill at bay, churning through the wood like butter.

But it is the first half of January. ‘tis it's nature. I can wait it out in the hopes we'll get the January Thaw starting next week - but NOT until after ‘the big day in DC’ on the 20th. Deep freeze, wind and drizzle would actually make me smile that day and/or night.