Glennfield, March 22, 2024

On Friday, March 22nd, 2024 I joined Nature Calgary on a field trip at the Glennfield Day Use Area in Fish Creek Provincial Park.  The day was quite a contrast to my Monday walk at Old Refinery Park. It was a bit chilly and was snowing. No blue skies on this walk! The light was flat and made for quite a magical morning. This old cottonwood tree caught my eye. I thought the lighting really worked with a black and white picture.

Olympus OM-1, 100-400mm + M20, 200mm, ISO 4000, f/11, 1/2500. 

As I didn't have my landscape camera with me, I used my phone for the next shot. 

Apple iPhone 14, 6mm, ISO 50, f/1.5, 1/4444.

We saw quite a few birds. This White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) was shaking the now off its feathers. It then perched on the branch for a better picture. On this trip I was experimenting with a fixed aperture and speed and allowing the ISO to float. 

Olympus OM-1, 100-400mm + M20, 585mm, ISO 16000, f/13, 1/2500.

Olympus OM-1, 100-400mm + M20, 772mm, ISO 16000, f/13, 1/2500.

This picture of a Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) shows the snow falling. Both the nuthatches produce a lot of sound for such small birds.

Olympus OM-1, 100-400mm + M20, 585mm, ISO 8000, f/13, 1/2500.

Someone had left seeds in the snow and I was able to photograph this Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) as it few of with a seed in its beak. I wanted a fixed shutters peed to help photograph the birds in flight, and it worked for this picture. 

Olympus OM-1, 100-400mm + M20, 200mm, ISO 3200, f/11, 1/2500.

Compared to the Monday pictures, this Red-shafted Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) isn't quite a bright.

Olympus OM-1, 100-400mm + M20, 400mm, ISO 16000, f/12, 1/2500.

All pictures photo-edited with On1 Photo Raw 2024