Escapades with the new camera

My new camera (Canon SX40 HS) arrived yesterday evening.  It was around dusk, so I did not have enough light to play with it.  I sat out on the dock at sunrise this morning.  The windchill was 20 degrees. I managed a couple of hours, but I still feel like my fingers are frozen!

Bear with me here, this post is pretty much going to be photos that I took this morning while playing with my new toy.  All, save for maybe one or two, were taking on Auto mode, but I've big plans to learn how to use the camera properly.  Many are cropped, and I've applied MS Picture Manager's "Auto Correct" to several of them which brightens the color but sacrifices some of the detail.

If it's not obvious from my previous posts, let me illustrate one of the reasons I decided to finally get a new, decent camera.... In the middle of this photo, there is a little light-blue circle WAYYY off in the distance. There is nothing to be seen inside of that little circle, even if you abuse digital zoom.  But, back in the real world, there is a Great Blue Heron in it.

The new camera has a 35x optical zoom.  I don't know about the digital zoom, I've turned that off because I find that I can't resist crossing that threshold when I'm excited about something I'm trying to capture.  So, look at the wide shot above, and imagine this heron in that little circle:

Great Blue Heron with a fish in his mouth

This is cropped a little, but not much.  Now if you use the digital zoom (or if you have a halfway decent imagination), you can even see that this fella is holding his morning catch!

There were six Great Blues on the lake this morning.  They are pretty territorial.  When I see one flying I've come to expect that he is headed to where another is hanging out, will try to land, and in the end only one will claim that spot, or perhaps they will both fly off.  It creates a neat domino effect!  Here's a rare shot of two of them tolerating each other.  It's not the best photo, but I thought it was neat having both of them in the frame, and I like the Cormorant in the foreground.

Two Great Blue Herons and a Great Cormorant

Here are two chasing each other with the three Pie-Bill Grebes, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, in the background.

Two Great Blue Herons with three Pie-Bill Grebes in the background

Speaking of Huey, Dewey, and Louie, they are a reliable bunch.  They have been around for a while, and are always in my area of the lake.  They are still pretty cautious and will not venture very close if I'm out.

Pie-Bill Grebes: (from left to right) Huey, Dewey, and Louie

Okay, now a bunch of other Great Blue shots:

Great Blue Heron on the opposite bank.

Great Blue Heron on the opposite bank.

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron on a dock off the opposite bank

I froze my ass off for two hours.  The sun came up and I think it just got colder!  I went in to get a heavy blanket at some point, but eventually gave up.  I had hoped the Hooded Mergansers would make an appearance, but I was pretty well frozen solid.  I stepped out around 10:30 to take some photos of one of the grebes who had ventured close to the dock.  Of course, as soon as I walked out he saw me, dove under, and resurfaced 15 yards further out.  But, as I was taking shots I saw the Mergansers hanging out on the other side of the lake!  I still hope to catch them closer one morning, but at least I was able to test out the camera on these very photogenic birds.

Hooded Merganser drake and hen

Hooded Merganser drake (Background: Canada Goose)

Hooded Merganser hen

Hooded Merganser drake and hen

Hooded Merganser drake and hen

I keep trying to catch some good photos of birds, particularly herons, in flight, but I haven't figured that one out yet though.  Most of these a pretty blurry, but I still find them interesting.

Great Blue Heron in flight

Great Cormorant in flight

Great Blue Heron in flight

Great Blue Heron in hop.  (This pose reminds me of an origami swan.)

Finally, I love this "compilation picture" where I've captured four different birds: Great Blue Heron flying, two White Egrets, two Canada geese, and two Great Cormorants.  Plus, as a bonus, a squirrel in the upper left.  Makes me smile.  :-)

Left to right: Squirrel, Great White Egret, Great White Egret, Great Blue Heron in flight, Great Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Canada Goose, Canada Goose :-)

Hopefully the photos will continue to improve as better opportunities arise, and as I learn how to use the gazillion buttons and dials on the camera.  Until then!