Arthur Morris
01-02-2017, 11:29 AM
Marvelous Spatuletail male
This image was created at Pomacochas, Peru with the Induro (https://www.outdoorphotogear.com/search.php?search_query=indurogrand&rfsn=132487.5cf37.9906) GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6 (http://birdsasart-shop.com/mongoose-action-head/)-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/754507-USA/Canon_5124B002_500mm_f_4L_EF_IS.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CA5004LISEF2/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCA5004LISEF2), the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/732113-USA/Canon_4409B002_Extender_EF_1_4X_III.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CA14XEF3/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCA14XEF3), and the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1221604-REG/canon_0931c016_eos_1d_x_mark_ii.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CAE1DX2K/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCAE1DX2K) ISO 3200. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/100 sec. at f/7.1. Three rows up from the center AF point (Manual selection)/AI Servo Expand/Shutter Button AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was squarely on the bird’s eye. Fill flash (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/flash/Ntt/flash/N/0/kw/search/BI/6633/KBID/7226/DFF/d10-v1-t12) at -2 stops with the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/847537-REG/Canon_5296B002_Speedlite_600EX.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CA600EX/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCA600EX) with a Better Beamer (http://birdsasart-shop.com/better-beamer-flash-extender/) on the Mongoose Integrated Flash Arm (http://birdsasart-shop.com/mongoose-integrated-flash-arm/) via the Canon OC-E3 Off Camera Shoe Cord (2′) (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/498744-REG/Canon_1950B001_OC_E3_Off_Camera_Shoe.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CAOCE3/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCAOCE3). FocusTune/LensAlign micro-adjustment: -1.
“It eez here,” said my guide Alex in a whisper. I looked at the perch that he said the bird would land on, but did not see any bird. I did see what looked to be two large bumblebees fighting just below the perch. I swung my lens to view the bees and was stunned. The two “bees” were actually the rackets on the bird’s two very long modified feathers. As the bird moved them about as if by magic they looked just like two fighting bumblebees. The male hummingbird’s body was impossibly tiny. When the bird flashed the feathers of its purple crown and aqua gorget it revealed its improbable beauty.
Marvelous Spatuletail, a Peruvian endemic, is a very rare bird indeed. It can be found only in a single valley in Pomacochas, Peru. Other than the fact that this species is ICUN endangered, there is not much definitive information on this species on the web. It does however, seem that there are less than 1,000 individuals. Conservation efforts include protecting habitat and planting vegetation that supply the tiny hummers with their preferred nectar.
To read the rest of the story and learn about my creating 838 images in just 17 minutes and 26 seconds, see the blog post here. (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2016/12/27/the-marvelous-tale-of-the-surreal-fighting-bees/)
a
ps: sorry to have been absent so long. I was in South America for 10 1/2 weeks. My trip began on 12 OCT just six days after I had my gall bladder out :)
This image was created at Pomacochas, Peru with the Induro (https://www.outdoorphotogear.com/search.php?search_query=indurogrand&rfsn=132487.5cf37.9906) GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6 (http://birdsasart-shop.com/mongoose-action-head/)-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/754507-USA/Canon_5124B002_500mm_f_4L_EF_IS.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CA5004LISEF2/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCA5004LISEF2), the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/732113-USA/Canon_4409B002_Extender_EF_1_4X_III.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CA14XEF3/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCA14XEF3), and the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1221604-REG/canon_0931c016_eos_1d_x_mark_ii.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CAE1DX2K/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCAE1DX2K) ISO 3200. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/100 sec. at f/7.1. Three rows up from the center AF point (Manual selection)/AI Servo Expand/Shutter Button AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was squarely on the bird’s eye. Fill flash (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/flash/Ntt/flash/N/0/kw/search/BI/6633/KBID/7226/DFF/d10-v1-t12) at -2 stops with the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/847537-REG/Canon_5296B002_Speedlite_600EX.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CA600EX/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCA600EX) with a Better Beamer (http://birdsasart-shop.com/better-beamer-flash-extender/) on the Mongoose Integrated Flash Arm (http://birdsasart-shop.com/mongoose-integrated-flash-arm/) via the Canon OC-E3 Off Camera Shoe Cord (2′) (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/498744-REG/Canon_1950B001_OC_E3_Off_Camera_Shoe.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CAOCE3/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCAOCE3). FocusTune/LensAlign micro-adjustment: -1.
“It eez here,” said my guide Alex in a whisper. I looked at the perch that he said the bird would land on, but did not see any bird. I did see what looked to be two large bumblebees fighting just below the perch. I swung my lens to view the bees and was stunned. The two “bees” were actually the rackets on the bird’s two very long modified feathers. As the bird moved them about as if by magic they looked just like two fighting bumblebees. The male hummingbird’s body was impossibly tiny. When the bird flashed the feathers of its purple crown and aqua gorget it revealed its improbable beauty.
Marvelous Spatuletail, a Peruvian endemic, is a very rare bird indeed. It can be found only in a single valley in Pomacochas, Peru. Other than the fact that this species is ICUN endangered, there is not much definitive information on this species on the web. It does however, seem that there are less than 1,000 individuals. Conservation efforts include protecting habitat and planting vegetation that supply the tiny hummers with their preferred nectar.
To read the rest of the story and learn about my creating 838 images in just 17 minutes and 26 seconds, see the blog post here. (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2016/12/27/the-marvelous-tale-of-the-surreal-fighting-bees/)
a
ps: sorry to have been absent so long. I was in South America for 10 1/2 weeks. My trip began on 12 OCT just six days after I had my gall bladder out :)