Birds Eyes And Butterflies

Aerial Yellowjacket

Laura Meyers — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:11:31 +0000

The picture of this Common Aerial Yellowjacket was taken at the New York Botanical Gardens. This picture was taken with the CANONEOS20D with the CANON 100mm Macro lens.

I especially love taking macro pictures when I discover these awesome patterns on the various insects.

Flesh Flies mating

Laura Meyers — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:47:46 +0000

The picture of these Flesh Flies mating was taken at Stuyvesant Cove Park on the East River in New York City. The picture was taken with the CANON EOS20D and the CANON 100 Macro lens.

Osprey in flight

Laura Meyers — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:25:37 +0000

The picture of this Osprey in flight was taken at the Rye Marsh Conservancy in Westchester, New York. All but southernmost populations of Ospreys are migratory, vacating their breeding grounds in late summer for rain-forest rivers and fish-rich seacoasts and lakes of Central and South America, returning north each spring as waters warm and fish become accessible.
This picture was taken with the Canon EOS7D with the Canon 100-400 mm lens.
It was wonderful to visit the Rye Marshlands Convervancy. It is wonderfully maintained and very quiet. The path through the marsh got me very close to the birds for photography and I loved the feeling of being surrounded by the marsh. The walk through the fields was great for macro photography. I saw more dragonflies here than any other place I have been.

Semipalmated Plovers

Laura Meyers — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:56:05 +0000

The picture of these Semipalmated Plovers was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. This species is socially and most often genetically monogamous, and both sexes actively care for eggs and their chicks. I took this picture with the CANON EOS7D with the CANON 100-400mm lens at the south end of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

Greater Yellowlegs with shadow

Laura Meyers — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:32:16 +0000

The picture of this Greater Yellowlegs was taken at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. One of the most ubiquitous shorebirds in North America, the Greater Yellowlegs restricts itself as a breeder to swampy muskeg habitats of central Canada and southern Alaska. During the nonbreeding season, it inhabits fresh and saline wetlands across the Americas.
The picture was taken with a CANON EOS7D with a 100-400mm lens at the “Raunch” on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlfie Refuge.

Yellow-crowned Night-heron (juvenile)

Laura Meyers — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:38:39 +0000

The picture of this Yellow-crowned Night-heron (juvenile) was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.The juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-heron gradually acquires adult plumage over 2 years, losing spotting and streaking and gradually acquiring face and body plumage of adult.
This picture was taken with the CANON EOS7D with the CANON 100-400mm lens at the south side of the East Pond. I really enjoy the effect of having a white background that really silhouettes the bird. The interesting shadow was an added bonus,

American White Pelican

Laura Meyers — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:48:50 +0000

The picture of this vagrant American White Pelican was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.The American White Pelican occurs mainly in western and southern portions of North America, breeding inland in colonies on remote islands and wintering along warm southern coasts. Since this one American White Pelican has been spending the last few weeks at the East Pond of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, he has obviously lost his way which is called a vagrant bird in the birding vernacular. This is a male breeding American Pelican as indicated by the notch on the center of the beak.
This picture was taken with the CANON EOS7D and the CANON 100-400mm lens. I finally was able to get close enough to the American White Pelican to get a decent shot. I had been seeing it from the south side of the East Pond but I finally walked up to the “Raunch” through the fragmites in order to get as close as I could to this beautiful bird.

Greater Yellowlegs in flght

Laura Meyers — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:06:27 +0000

The picture of these Greater Yellowlegs in flight was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. I took this picture with the CANON EOS7D with a CANON 100-400mm lens.

This was taken at the north side of the East Pond at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in the evening light. The East Pond water was lowered for the Shorebird Migration making it easier to enter though the north part of the pond. It is a beautiful vantage point to see the pond and taken advantage of the setting sun.

White-faced Meadowhawk Dragonfly Close Up

Laura Meyers — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:18:40 +0000

The picture of this White-faced Meadowhawk Dragonfly (female) was taken in Shrewsbury Vermont. I took this picture with my CANON EOS 20D with the CANON 100mm Macro Lens. I used a CANON 580EXII fill flash.

I can only get a picture like this from a very cooperative dragonfly model. I am always grateful when a dragonfly such as this allows me to come close and spend time with her. I gradually move in closer and closer until I am actually a few inches from her face in order to get a capture like this. I found this White-faced Meadowhawk Dragonfly on an incredibly beautiful Vermont pond near the Maple Crest Farm Bed and Breakfast that we love to stay at in Shrewsbury Vermont.

Semipalmated Plover

Laura Meyers — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:36:54 +0000

The picture of this Semipalmated Plover was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge during the Fall Shorebird migration. This picture was taken with the CANON EOS7D with the CANON 100-400 lens.

Wilson’s Phalaropes

Laura Meyers — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:11:05 +0000

The picture of these Wilson’s Phalaropes was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge during Fall Shorebird Migration. The Wilson’s Phalarope is a pretty shorebird with distinctive features–both physical and behavioral. Female phalaropes court males, display colorful plumage, and fight off rivals. A semi-colonial nester, this aquatic shorebird breeds in northern prairie wetlands, and winters on South American salt lakes. With fringes on their toes, they swim well, often whirling in circles as they feed.
I took the picture with the CANON EOS7D and the CANON 100-400mm lens. The 5th Annual Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Shorebird Festival attracted over 100 people. There were wonderful leaders who generously shared their knowledge about shorebird ID and behavior. To top off the day Kevin Karlson gave a talk and slide presentation of his wonderful photographs of shorebirds and his “impression” technique for id’ing birds

Weevil Wasp on flower

Laura Meyers — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:56:53 +0000

The picture of this Weevil Wasp (cerceris fumipennis) was taken at the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx, NY. This picture was taken with the CANON EOS 20D with the CANON 100mm Macro lens. and the CANON EX580II flash.

A little about my work process. I shoot only in RAW and bring my pictures onto my computer with Adobe Lightroom and then finish the picture in Adobe Photoshop.

Herring Gull in flight

Laura Meyers — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:20:35 +0000

The picture of this Immature Herring Gull in flight was taken at Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Herring Gulls in flight adjust their wing beat and orientation to the wind to their regulate speed. The Herring Gull spends considerable portion of flight time gliding or soaring with outstretched wings.

This picture was taken with the CANON EOS 7D and the CANON 100-400mm lens at the Northend of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Common Aerial Yellowjacket

Laura Meyers — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:54:21 +0000

The picture of this Aerial Yellowjacket was taken at the Shakespeare Garden in Central Park, New York City. I took this picture with my CANON EOS20D with the CANON 100mm Macro lens.Yellowjackets have sometimes been mistakenly called bees but they are actually in the wasp family. Although they lack the pollen-carrying structures of bees, yellowjackets can be minor pollinators when visiting flowers.

The Shakespeare Garden in Central Park is a very beautiful well maintained garden. It was a delight for me to photograph insects with these beautiful unusual flowers giving me many options for composition.

Least Sandpiper

Laura Meyers — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:40:09 +0000

The picture of this Least Sandpiper was taken at Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge during Fall migration. I used the CANON EOS 7D with the CANON 100-400mm lens. It was taken at the south end of the East Pond at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge where there were hundreds of Least Sandpipers among other shorebirds resting and feeding for the next leg of their long journey to Northeastern South America.

Bumblebee on Sneezeweed Flower

Laura Meyers — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:17:02 +0000

The picture of ths Bumblebee on Sneezeweed Flower was taken at Stuyvesant Cove Park in New York City. This picture was taken with a Canon 100mm Macro lens on a Canon EOS 20D. I use the Canon 580EXII flash on the hotshoe of the camera as a fill flash.

I am finding the combination of the Canon EOS20D with the Canon 100mm Macro lens a winning combination for Macro shots. I can hand hold it and get in really close to the subject. Auto focusing is fast and accurate as long as the subject is not moving.

Forster’s Tern Juvenile

Laura Meyers — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:02:12 +0000

The picture of this juvenile Forster’s Tern was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The Shore Bird migration is in full swing at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. I am looking forward to the annual Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Shorebird Festival August 14, 2010

The picture of this Forster’s Tern (juvenile) was taken with the CANON EOS7D with the CANON 100-400mm lens.
At the time, this appeared to be the only juvenile Forster’s Tern on the south side of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay. It looked very lost to me espeically among the flocks of sandpipers that were abundant that day.

Sandpipers in flight

Laura Meyers — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:41:24 +0000

The picture of these Sandpipers in flight was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. This picture was taken with the CANON EOS7D and CANON 200-400mm lens.

The Shore Bird Migration is in process at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. There were hundreds of Sandpipers at the East Pond getting sustenance for their flights south.

Common Loon

Laura Meyers — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:49:50 +0000

The picture of this Common Loon was taken in Shrewsbury, Vermont on beautiful Spring Lake. I was very grateful that this Common Loon finally came close enough to get this picture after being on the Lake for a couple of days.

The picture was taken with the CANON EOS7D camera with a CANON 100-400mm lens.

Blue Dasher Dragonfly

Laura Meyers — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:44:17 +0000

The picture of this Blue Dasher Dragonfly (male) was taken at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Westchester, NY. This wonderful dragonfly was a very cooperative subject. I spent about fifteen minutes with him while he “posed” in various positions on different perches.
I used the CANON EOS 20D with the CANON 100 f2.8mm Macro lens.