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Shorebirds in October
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| Canon 50D, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x, 1/400 sec at f/5.6 (manual), push +1 1/3, ISO 640, tripod |
Independence Marsh in Beaver County is one of my favorite local spots for bird photography, and October is my favorite
time to be there with a camera. Aside from outstanding habitat and abundant birdlife, the place has a unique setup for photography
in October, especially for waterbirds. The marsh (actually a mitigation wetland, one of the few that is actually successful
at creating some semblance of a reasonable wetland, which was created in 1993 as a result of the expansion of the Pittsburgh
International Airport) sits down in a small valley, with towering hillsides to the south and tall trees on the west and north.
What makes the area special in fall is the combination of low water levels and the surrounding trees. The low water levels
often attract shorebirds and puddle ducks, and in fall, the picturesque hillsides, laden with the oranges and yellows of fall,
create massive reflections in the water. The upshot is that the patient photographer can photograph waterbirds against some
truly eye-popping backgrounds.
A group of at least 12 Greater Yellowlegs happened to stop for a few days at the marsh this year just as the height of
fall color was approaching. About 3 hours and some favorable sunlinght (all too uncommon this fall) resulted in these images.
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| Canon 50D, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x, 1/320 sec at f/5.6 (Av +0), ISO 640, tripod |
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| Canon 50D, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x, 1/400 sec at f/5.6 (manual), "push" +1, ISO 640, tripod |
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| Canon 50D, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x, 1/1000 sec at f/7.1 (manual), ISO 320, tripod |
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| Canon 50D, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x, 1/640 sec at f/9 (manual), ISO 320, tripod |
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| Canon 50D, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x, 1/640 sec at f/5.6 (manual), ISO 320, tripod |
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| Canon 50D, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x, 1/320 sec at f/5.6 (manual), ISO 320, tripod |
There were also two Dunlin present the day I was at the marsh, not a rare bird but unusual for Independence and always
a treat to see well in Beaver County. One of them eventually found its way into the best of the backgrounds...
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| Canon 50D, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x, 1/400 sec at f/5.6 (Av +1/3), ISO 500, tripod |
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| Canon 50D, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x, 1/1000 sec at f/7.1 (manual), ISO 320, tripod |
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| Canon 50D, 500mm f/4L + 1.4x, 1/640 sec at f/5.6 (Av +1/3), ISO 320, tripod |
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