Good Morning, Human!

Good morning, human! One of the flock of migrating swallows momentarily distracted from thoughts of the day’s flight schedule either by me or the long lens pointing at him.

Canon 90D with Sigma 150-600 at 531mm ISO 1600 1/2000 at f8

More Aerial Ballet

More swallowbatics as members of the migratory flock twist and turn as they jostle for a prime spot on the upper branches of a cypress tree by our house.

Canon 90D with Sigma 15-600mm lens at 600mm ISO6400 1/5000 at f11

Aerial Ballet

Aerial ballet. Over the last couple of days our plot in the Tuscan countryside has been a stopping off point for hundreds of migrating swallows. They particularly enjoyed feeding at the top of a cypress and a cedar, and much of the swooping and acrobatic flying was about jostling for space. More images to follow.

Canon 90D with Sigma 150-600mm C at 275mm ISO6400 1/3200 at f11

Lift Off!

Lift off! This paper wasp (Polistes dominula) has filled up with a refreshing drink of water from the pond and is about to head off back to work.

Canon 90D with Canon EF-S 55-250mm lens at 250mm ISO 2000 1/5000 at f7.1

Final Approach!

Final approach. A paper wasp landing on the pond to take a drink of water, rear legs out ready to settle on the water surface and let the surface tension take the load.

Canon 90D with Canon EF-S 55-250mm lens at 250mm. ISO2000 1/5000 at f7.1

Wasp drinking

Paper wasp (Polistes dominula) floating on the garden pond while drinking. Its legs push down on the water surface enough to form a depression but the surface isn’t broken. The result is six large buoyancy paddles that support the wasp that you can see as shadows on the bottom of the pond a few inches below. While I had seen these industrious little guys many times taking a drink, this was the first time I’d seen the ‘paddle effect’ on the water.

Canon 90D with CAnon EF-S 55-250mm lens at 250. ISO 2000 1/4000 at f7.1

Sunrise

A couple of mornings ago I was hoping to catch the final sliver of the old moon before it became new again. But it was cloudy and instead I was greeted by this wonderful sunrise over hills across the valley. Shot on my iPhone.