[Leica] IMG: Pond turtles and what stalks them

[Adam Bridge]

Great idea on the re-framing to portrait, Philippe! I’ll give that a shot. In the version of the photo that I see the bird’s reflection isn’t cut off. I wonder if SmugMug’s display isn’t doing something nasty on your screen?

I’ll ponder the background issue!

Adam

> On 2018 Aug  29, at 5:33 AM, Philippe via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> wrote:
> 
> Lovely takes Adam.
> 
> The sharp background is somewhat of a distractor though. and I would have liked to see the full reflection of the bird in
>> <https://adam-bridge.smugmug.com/Home/Around-Davis/i-Z38vjwH/A>
> Portrait orientation next time? ;-)
> 
> Amities
> 
> Philippe
> 
> 
> 
>> Le 29 août 2018 à 02:17, Adam Bridge via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> a écrit :
>> 
>> 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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