[Leica] IMG: Pond turtles and what stalks them

[photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman)]

The heron with his beak open?my favourite!


Cheers,
Nathan

Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu <http://www.frozenlight.eu/>
http:// <http://www.greatpix.eu/>www.greatpix.eu
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws 
<http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws>Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/ 
<http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/>
Cycling: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator 
<http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator>
YNWA













> On 29 Aug 2018, at 02:17, Adam Bridge via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> 
> wrote:
> 
> August has turned mild here in the Central Valley and I?ve finally found 
> wild creatures I can successfully stalk: pond turtles.
> 
> More specifically: the pond turtles that reside in ?Putah Creek? at the UC 
> Davis arboretum.
> 
> Here are are pair of western pond turtles at rest on a log. They are 
> actually a bit skittish. After a few minutes of observation they?ll begin 
> to resent the too-close observation and slide into the murky green water.
> 
> <https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Home/Around-Davis/i-FSmW6RT/A>
> 
> The western pond tutles are the true natives to this area but other 
> species appear (and are removed) frequently.
> 
> Here are a pair of red-eared sliders catching some sun:
> 
> <https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Home/Around-Davis/i-5TsWkXS/A>
> 
> I have wondered what made these creatures so wary. About 50 yards away I 
> found out why:
> 
> <https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Home/Around-Davis/i-FbMsfTL/A>
> 
> A great blue heron, standing on a tree branch hanging over the water, 
> proves to be an agile predator.
> 
> Channeling his inner dinosaur:
> 
> <https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Home/Around-Davis/i-hrZWD2C/A>
> 
> This bird was absolutely fearless and paid me, a troupe of joggers, chatty 
> moms with strollers no mind at all. Entirely focused on what might pass 
> below him.
> 
> A week earlier I?d spied a green heron hunting along the same stretch.
> 
> <https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Home/Around-Davis/i-Z38vjwH/A>
> 
> <https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Home/Around-Davis/i-sGb75sK/A>
> 
> <https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Home/Around-Davis/i-rP9Q7Hp/A>
> 
> Thanks for looking. Comments/corrections of species ID gratefully 
> accepted. 
> 
> All of these are with the Fuji X-T2 and the excellent XF100-400MM F4.5-5.6 
> R LM OIS WR lens. The exception being the first image of the pond turtles 
> which was shot with the Sony A7Riii and the (brand new) FE 100-400MM 
> F4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens. I?m still working on that one because the contrast 
> in the original shot was too great.
> 
> Adam Bridge
> 
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