Tag: birds

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 20, 20239:50 pm

Hummingbird of Paradise

During a break from sporadic showers on Nov. 15, 2023, I stood at my office desk surveying the street while studying. A bird of paradise, situated just outside the window, attracted a hummingbird seeking nectar.

Over the course of an hour, I made numerous attempts to nab a good shot of the hummer, which repeatedly flew off. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra shutter is plenty fast enough for the task. But movement, like lifting the smartphone, scared off the little bird. So I don’t have a full-feather shot or fluttering about.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 15, 20239:22 pm

An Odd Encounter

I am reminded that life is tough and unforgiving in the urban landscape of wild animals. Today, while talking on the phone to my sister, I came upon a larger rodent stumbling along the alley separating Louisiana and Mississippi streets in my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights. Rat? Something else? Please, tell me.

The creature was nearby cross-street Meade, and I wondered if it had been struck by a turning car or perhaps even poisoned. The rodent fell over every few steps and once on its back after tripping over a leaf. I chatted with Nan using my Poly Voyager 5200 Wireless Headset purchased in late December last year. That freed up my hands and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra for several shots.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 8, 20238:48 pm

Weep Not, Mourning Dove

Along Louisiana, between Madison and Monroe, in San Diego neighborhood University Heights, my wife stopped our afternoon walk to point out Mourning Doves gathered in a tree—perhaps 10 or more fluttered about. How unexpected.

While I clumsily pulled out Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, all flew off because of the action. But one bird returned long enough for a 10x-zoom closeup that is the Featured Image. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 50, 1/800 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 3:54 p.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 27, 202310:07 pm

‘Feed Me! Please?’

The fine family that owns ginger cat Daniel Tiger also keeps three chickens. Typically, a jar of feed is placed in a caddy on the fence so that neighbors can greet and treat the birds. But, today, when my wife and I walked by, the glass wasn’t half full, so to speak, but empty. We had nothing to share, and, oh, did the hens want some.

When we slipped out of the apartment between loads of washed and drying laundry, I left behind Leica Q2. To capture the moment, I relied on Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, choosing the Portrait mode that creates bokeh—or the illusion of blurred background.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 17, 20239:10 pm

Parrot Love

I want you to click “Birds on a Wire” and compare to the Featured Image. See the differences between what a camera can produce versus that of a smartphone. The 2018 close crop comes from Leica M (Typ 262) and Summarit-M 1:2.4/50 lens. The newer shot, taken yesterday, is a product of Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra‘s 10x zoom. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 50, 1/1250 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 12:04 p.m. PDT; composed as captured.

If I had to choose, no brainer: 50mm cropped from the rangefinder versus 230mm from the mobile. The S23 Ultra’s tiny sensor, for all the software computational magic, can’t compete with the full-frame shooter—at least in a situation where I expected telephoto reach to be meaningful asset.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 15, 20239:44 pm

She Waits

One of the benefits of our old apartment was the frequent nesting of hummingbirds. They typically made their appearance about this time of year, which is why I chose the Featured Image taken on April […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 11, 20239:12 pm

The Sunbather

Two days ago, our cats Cali and Neko were beside themselves with excitement, as they sat transfixed—and chirping—looking at something outside in our apartment courtyard. I peeked through the window numerous times trying to see what, which typically would be a squirrel. I looked low when my eyes should have turned high.

A pigeon, or is it a dove, perched on the upper balcony railing directly across the way. My camera was in the office, so I used Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to capture the Featured Image. Vitals: f/4.9, ISO 64, 1/120 sec, 230mm (film equivalent); 4:53 p.m. PST; composed as shot. The bird basked in the last rays of the setting sun.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 23, 20239:20 pm

Don’t Be Humpty Dumpty

How rude is that? In the midst of a massive shortage, one of my neighbors flaunts that he has a source of eggs. Just kidding, of course. You could raise chickens, too. If someone can keep them in San Diego, where houses pack tightly together with limited outdoor space, you could do as much with a little ingenuity. Then when online and TV commentators rail about bird flu cracking the egg supply chain, you won’t be Humpty Dumpty all broken up because store shelves are empty.

Returning to the topic of my neighbor’s chickens, if they were mine, I would watch them carefully when pecking about the lawn. Because of the so-called egg apocalypse, some passerby might decide to pluck one of the birds. What’s worse than a porch pirate purloining your Amazon delivery? Someone stealing your birds. Don’t expect them to escape the chase or cluck for help. They are an emotional and financial investment that you don’t want to risk losing.

Photo by Joe WilcoxSep 30, 20229:48 pm

The Innovative Urban Garden

Around front of the property where I observed “Carport Lettuce” in July 2020, the hydroponic operation has grown to include chickens. In August 2021, a trailer took the setup on the road. Somebody is an ambitious and clever urban farmer.

The Featured Image is for the birds, while the companion shows off some of the growing apparatus. Vitals, aperture manually set for both: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/250 sec, 28mm; 3:20 p.m. PDT. The other is same but two minutes later.

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 22, 202210:44 pm

Lunch Break!

Before SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2)/COVID-19 lockdowns temporarily closed San Diego Zoo and precipitated price increases, my wife and I frequently walked about there. Those days are gone.

But remembering is good. On Aug. 15, 2019, when I captured the Featured Image, the economy was robust, inflation nominal, interest rates low, and Donald Trump the unbeatable candidate for the 2020 Presidential Election. Wow, three years ago feels like decades passed—measured by how much is upended. Global recession advances. Inflation roars. Interest rates rise. And the gaffe-prone Joe Biden is president (and the nation’s, ah, senile grandpa). Oh, yeah, who could forget the Russian-Ukraine war, U.S.-China tensions about Taiwan, or famine affecting millions of people.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 31, 20229:08 pm

Birds on a Wire

These loud squawkers occasionally fly around our block. We see, and hear, them every few months. They come and go, not staying long. I’d love to know where do they live and why they are irregular guests.

Without a good telephoto lens, I have failed at nearly every attempt to get a pleasing portrait of the birds. Typically, three or four group together. In the Featured Image, you see two—and this shot, from March 31, 2018, is the best to date. Sigh.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJun 16, 20229:23 pm

Dinosaur Descendants

We fly back to Aug. 3, 2004, joining seals and swimmers. I used Nikon D70 and 70mm-300mm lens to capture the Featured Image, which is composed as shot. Vitals: f/5.6, ISO 200, 1/1600 sec, 300mm; 3:17 p.m. PDT.

There is something oh-so prehistoric about pelicans, and by studying them you can perceive how they are descended from dinosaurs. Meaning: The extinct animals are more aviary and than reptile.