Picture of the Day - 3/8/2011

Roadrunner, Martin Refuge, TX - I spent the afternoon today at the Martin Refuge (www.martinrefuge.com) sitting in a blind and photographing the myriad of birds found here. Joining me in the blind were, photographers, Jon Fuller (Moab Photo Tours) and Jack Panseca (27 Birds). The blind was about three feet below grade, so we were able to set up tripods with lenses just above ground level for perfect eye-to-eye photography. Dominant birds included green jays, yellow-fronted woodpeckers, cardinals and long-billed thrashers. We did manage to photograph a roadrunner, who (very politely, I thought) posed for us in various spots, turning his head first one way and then the other, just showing off the the cameras. I was using the 600mm lens with the Canon 1D Mk2 body with a 12mm extension tube to bring the focus a little closer. The refuge management had constructed a couple small ponds and several nearby natural-looking perches. Settings: ISO 200, 1/4000 second at f4. Fill flash set at -2/3rds shot through a Better Beamer magnifier.