Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/12/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]First the important stuff, new pictures. Last weekend I visited Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge about an hour and a half north of Sacramento. The refuge is winter home to about a bazillion ducks and geese (old picture, for illustration purposes) http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/sngo01.jpg Along with the waterfowl several species of predators winter here including a few Bald Eagles. Individual birds' behavior is often as habitual as humans' is: favorite ponds, favorite perches, favorite hunting tactics. A Trumpeter Swan, the first ever seen in Placer County, visited the same unlikely suburban pond two years in a row during its spring migration. http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/trsw01.html A Falcated Duck, a siberian species rarely seen in California, returned this winter to the same Colusa County pond where it was first discovered last winter. http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/faduck00.html A Laysan Albatross, very rare in Northern California, has called Point Arena its winter home for nearly 20 years (no picture). So it is with eagles too. I can't tell for certain if this is the same bird I've seen for the last several winters but it's using the same perches and returns to the refuge the same time of year every year, and it's as tolerant of cars on the refuge as previous years' eagles have been. http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/accipitridae/baeagl05.html A nearby Red-tailed Hawk didn't take kindly to the idea of having a competitor in his turf and harassed the eagle, and the eagle responded by telling the hawk where to go. http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/accipitridae/baeagl03.html Now comes the FS part. As some of you know I had a freak accident with my primary camera and it went to Allendale, then to Solms. Yesterday I heard the news: R8 not economically repairable, DMR not repairable at all. While photographing the eagles the backup camera's spot meter died. This is also a 'not economically repairable' problem. I now have no backup and a flakey primary camera. In the grand scheme of things this isn't a big deal. It's not life or death, not home or homeless, not fed or hungry. I don't depend on my camera for my income. It's just pictures, but I did the math and no camera = no new pictures and I'm very close to no camera. I've been offered a suitable replacement at a favorable cost but I rattled the piggy bank and it sounds quite hollow. So IMHO this would be a REALY GOOD TIME for those who would like a gorgeous print of one of my wildlife photos to speak up. Print sizes range from 7"x10" to 14"x18", cost from $50 to $275 (USD) plus shipping. Ready-to-hang archival framing with hand-made hardwood frames and acid-free mats is also available and can be shipped UPS to continental USA locations (extra shipping cost). Off list please to wildlightphoto (at) earthlink (dot) net. Doug Herr Birdman of Sacramento http://www.wildlightphoto.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web LIVE ? Free email based on Microsoft? Exchange technology - http://link.mail2web.com/LIVE