 |
Leica M11 & 75mm Summilux 1.4
|
My time spent on my beach has been less than I'd like lately. Life has a way of getting in the way of Life. Obligations, responsibilities and limited time in the day are apparently part of being an adult. I'm not a fan. I make it out as often as I can, which typically is after dinner and before sunset at this time of year. I like to think that somehow makes me more European.
 |
Everything from here down was shot with a Leica M11 & Apo-Telyt 180mm 3.4 w/Apo-Extender 2x
|
If you know me, you know I like to make things extra difficult for myself - especially photographically. For my commercial work, I have to get the shot. That's what I'm paid for. That's why we have cameras with eye controlled, near instant autofocus, pre-capture capabilities and burst rates rivaling video. Cool. It's great when a photographer actually needs it. But how often do you really need it?
One such time is when you are trying to photograph the tiniest fuckin birds known to man, as they run faster than Usain Bolt across the beach then hide in a footprint and disappear completely. Did I bring my fancy computer whizz of a camera? No! Of course not. I brought a 46 year old manual focus lens with a slightly less old 2x tele-converter mounted to a digital rangefinder. At least the view was somewhat stabilized through the viewfinder, 'cause shooting handheld through 360mm of unstabilized glass can induce nausea.
 |
| A Western Snowy Plover chick came to mama for some lovin (or to papa - apparently the females often leave the nest shortly after hatching to find a new man and do it again). |
The Western Snowy Plover is listed as a threatened species, and while I call it "my beach," it's really theirs. They even get their front yards fenced in by biologist trying to make sure they stay nice and comfy, preventing their numbers from dipping any further. The problem is; their camouflage on a beach is so good that it's worked just fine for (probably) thousands of years. Then, humans come along and decide the beach is a great place to hang out, have bonfires and parties, bring their dogs to run around off leash and they don't even notice these little guys are there.
Here on the coast, the Plovers lay their eggs directly on the sand. You know, because why not? Seems good enough. High tides take something like 20% of their eggs. Predators take a few. But as a whole their system has worked and they were fine. The driver of their decline has been humans - either through altering their beaches or by forcing them to abandon their nests. They scare easily.
 |
I wasn't joking when I said they hide in footprints on the sand. Snowy Plover chicks are tiny.
|
As such, the overlords of
Coal Oil Point Reserve took the step earlier in the year, of
not allowing any dogs along the beach at all. Bummer, but makes sense. They tried to allow them on leash, but not nearly enough people were actually doing it. I've watched as dogs ran full throttle up and down the sand, tearing across the sand and leaping over the barricades while their owners just strolled along not paying any attention. This is why we don't have nice things.
 |
| Male? Female? I'm not a birder, just over 40. |
I'm pretty sure most of my factoids here are accurate, but I'm not a biologist or a birder. My only real qualification is that I'm over 40, and as we all know, that's when you hit an inflection point on the parabolic curve of interest in feathered creatures. I find all things nature related interesting, and I love pointing cameras at them - particularly if I can make a real challenge out of it.
 |
Pretty cute little guys.
 |
 |
Saw this Red Tailed Hawk on the way down. More proof I'm not a birder.
|
 |
More proof. I don't even know what that thing is. But it is yellow and seems happy.
|
 |
Like clockwork, these Canada Geese just got off their shift at the golf course and are headed home to the slough. Not a birder. See?
|
|
