View allAll Photos Tagged LEAST

I have always granted myself the freedom to exercise artistic license and pursue whatever brings me joy. Currently, shots from my cellphone and digital AI artwork fulfill that purpose, at least for the time being.

 

If in doubt which is my work and which is Generative AI, just look for the watermark on my photography.

 

- Generative AI art

Estero Llano State Park, Hidalgo County, Texas

NC, August 2019

 

I found this young Least Tern on the beach, late in there nesting season!

Dummy me... Here I was thinking this was a Western Sandpiper but I thought something was amiss. I noticed that this bird didn't have quite the rust color of the Western. In a conversation with a fellow photographer about this bird I realized I had it wrong. This is a Least Sandpiper, smallest of the peeps, and the yellow legs are one clue to the species of this bird.

 

So, a new bird for me! Part of the difference was in behavior. This bird was not and did not fly with the larger flock of Western Sandpipers from what I saw. It and a few others kept to themselves. I had to go back to my Western Sandpiper photos to make sure I didn't miss identify any of them.

 

Taken 9 May 2021 at Homer, Alaska.

Wrightsville Beach, NC

I was at the riparian preserve yesterday and there were a few photographers standing around (all socially distanced, of course) and one guy points to theses little shore birds and asks what they are. I said, "those are least sandpipers". There was a long pause and then the guy asks, "So what's the advantage of leasing a sandpiper vs. buying one? 😂" Funny guy

There were dozens of these tiny shorebirds at the beach. So busy and so difficult to capture.

Mill Creek Marsh, Secaucus, NJ

Damon Slough, Oakland, CA

Buffalo River State Park, Minnesota

While working on a presentation, I stumbled across an image that was marginal at the time but fares somewhat better with the aid of DXO Pure RAW. A male Least Bittern looks on as its mate takes care of business in late light on Horsepen Bayou.

www.texastargetbirds.com

 

We were thrilled to spend a little quality time with this cute Least Grebe during a recent visit to Estero Llano Grande State Park. It was one of our first birds of the morning and the lighting couldn’t have been nicer.

  

_MG_8193-web

 

Tachybaptus dominicus

 

Least Sandpiper foraging at the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, New Jersey

 

Many shorebirds have returned to the tidal mudflats to feed up before the next stage of their migration

 

2019_08_05_EOS 7D Mark II_5061_V1

Least Sandpiper, juvenile

Calidris minutilla

 

Just one of a few dozen seen foraging in a very shallow mudflat at the mouth of a local river. Apparently migrating south already.

 

Grand Traverse County, Michigan

Least Tern fish exchange series, 4 of 6

Accidentally saw a least weasel and got a few minutes with the guy to get some shots.

NC, August 2019

 

I found this young Least Tern on the beach, late in there nesting season!

I was able to get this image of the 3rd smallest Heron worldwide at the Whittier Narrows Regional Park (Legg Lake) many years ago as an Nikonian. Seen since, but not this close!

A Least Chipmunk (Eutamius minimus) feasts on a green leaf in Yellowstone National Park in the state of Wyoming, U.S.A.

 

19 October, 2011.

 

Slide # GWB_20111019_4422.CR2

 

Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.

© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.

 

A Least Chipmunk (Eutamias minimus borealis) munching on a tasty morsel from a prominent rocky perch in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.

 

5 September, 2011.

 

Slide # GWB_20110905_8213.CR2

 

Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.

© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.

 

This Least Bittern was recently photographed here in South Florida at Wakodahatchee Wetlands. The background is blurred by the movement of the bird as I panned with the little guy, attempting to keep him in the center of my viewfinder as I moved with him. (Ixobrychus exilis) (Sony a1, 200-600 lens @600mm, f/6.3, 1/3200 second, ISO 640)

A Least Chipmunk (Eutamias minimus) scurries on an exposed rock surface to its next hiding spot on the rocky mountain slopes in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.

 

5 September, 2011.

 

Slide # GWB_20110905_8223.CR2

 

In Explore : May 19, 2023.

 

Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.

© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.

Cool Facts: The Least Grebe sunbathes by facing away from the sun, closing its wings and tipping them upward on the back. It raises feathers of the rear parts, as well as those on the back of the head. The skin underneath these raised feathers has black pigment, believed to help absorb solar radiation.

The Least Grebe can hide underwater with only its bill showing above the surface.

 

Thanks so much for the visit!

Thanks so much for the visit!

Same male Least Bittern from yesterday's post, still trailing spider web, headed my direction. It was actually being chased by a second bittern and perhaps thought I was the lesser threat if it even noticed me at all. On Horsepen Bayou.

Howard County Conservancy

Sequoia National Park, California.

We were hoping for bears in SNP, but we only saw one and the one shot I took wasn't worth a hoot. So I set my sights on some smaller game and got some nice marmot shots and this one of a charming little chipmunk.

Light in the last few seconds of the day

In the background you can see the leaves and flower stems. It’s at least 25yo and is a huge plant.

This is a male Least Bittern who luckily gave a "I'm leaving" look just before takeoff. (Ixobrychus exilis)

NC, May 2020

 

There are many dangers at a Least Tern nesting site. Besides, foxes, raccoons, gulls, unleashed dogs etc., adults must guard their eggs and young against the ever present Ghost Crabs.

At least that is what I think it is. Very small in size. Taken from my kayak at the lake. Fast and very acrobatically inclined birds. I watched it snap up a dragonfly like nothing. Also, very skittish, took me many tries in a two week span.

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