Brian Smith

@briansmith-photos.eurosky.social

6996 Followers 3937 Following

Keen photographer, nature, birds and landscapes All photos my own - except re-posts Retired. In the Bay area. FujiFilm X-T5 and OM System OM-3 🇺🇦 #IStandWithUkraine More photos here https://www.flickr.com/photos/bsmi067/ and https://briansmith.photos

A juvenile California Scrub-Jay, on recently strimmed dry grass, digging around for food.
A snowy egret, Egretta thula, shakes its feathers on a rocky shoreline covered in green algae in San Rafael, California.
A Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) in flight against a clear blue sky over Marin County, California, identifiable by its large size and bright orange/red bill.
A juvenile American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) standing on a rocky shoreline covered in bright green seaweed in San Rafael, California.
A song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) perched on a green fennel branch in San Rafael, California. It is distinguished from the similar Lincoln's sparrow by its thicker bill, coarser breast streaking, and lack of a buffy chest band. In camera effect Color Profile 2.
A pair of Mallerd ducklings on a pond with the green of the vegetation reflected in the ripples of the water. Sun catching their eyes as they feed near a pickleweed. Two more duckling and mother just out of frame.
A Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) perched on a thistle plant in Marin County, California.
A snowy egret (Egretta thula) stands amidst tall marsh grasses and pickleweed, looking for a snack. It is distinguished from the great egret by its smaller size and a black bill with a yellow lores area.
A wide view of muddy tidal flats and green salt marsh grasses in San Rafael, Marin County, California, with distant misty hills in the background.
A Lesser (or fun-sized) Goldfinch, perched on a grass stem, moving in the wind and making a hard targer, feasts on the head of a grass nearby.
A Violet-green Swallow, perched on Tufa at Mono Lake. Sunny day, shadow of forked tail going down the tufa behind it, and a edge of blue sky to the left.
A Snowy Egret, turned and looking almost towards the camera, perched on a log, looks a little like Mr Bean (at least in my eyes - and I can't un-see it).
A Black-crowned Night Heron, standing on the tailgate of a reversing truck (the bait man arriving with something interesting).
A Black-crowned Night Heron, standing on a post, on one leg with its left wing out covering most of its body. The bill is visible.
Two Belted Kingfishers doing some aerobatics.
A Black Oystercatcher, close up showing head and red/orange bill, along with yellow eye and red/orange rim. Water behind. Shows well that their heads are blacker than their brown bodies.
A female Brewer's Blackbird perched on tufa, calcium carbonate rock formation formed underwater - now many meters above.
A blurred Great Egret, landing with some Snowy Egrets already on the ground. Blurred as I was shooting at a 1/30s at 400mm - panning as the bird moved along, but not quite capturing anything sharp.
A Violet-green Swallow in flight over Tufa at Mono Lake, California.
A Violet-green Swallow, seen from behind, head turned to its left so in profile. Perched on a Tufa at Mono Lake, a calcium carbonate tower that originally grew underwater - now exposed above the lake. Sunny day and the violet and green clearly visible - green on back and head - violet between the black wings on the tail.
A view of a swimming pool in the style of David Hockney, a poolhouse behind. The camera sweeps around to show a female glass figure run along the board and dive into the pool, making a splash.
A Wilson's Phalarope, at South Tufa, Mono Lake, feeding on the lakeside flies. Shallow water, bright sunlight.
An Osprey carry nesting material, which looks like a branch covered in leaves, held in its claws, trailing behind as the bird is set against a blue sky.
A Canada Goose in shallow water, head turned towards me, body in profile, water not reaching its body.
Caspian Tern looking our for food over the Bay.
A Dark-eyed Junco on a branch amongst other lichen covered branches.
A Snowy Egret and a Black-crowned Night Heron perched on a car and boat on a slipway - calm blue water beyond.
A group of ducklings following the mother Mallard. Someone else admiring them, out on one of the pontoons in the harbour, is reflected in the water.
( ducklings following mother Mallard.
Close up of a Great Blue Heron's head with the feathers on its crown sticking up, maybe caught by the wind from behind.
A gull struggling to work out how to eat a crab.
A Black-crowned Night Heron, perched in a pine tree of some sort - partically hidden by the sprigs of green needles.
A Double-crested Cormorant just taking off and above the water, leaves some splashes behind to the left of the frame as it moves forward, wings up but just about to beat down, and feet still low over the water. A quite clear reflection with a few ripples - the reflection of the mast of a yacht in the right side of the frame.
A Caspian Tern has dived into the water to get a fish, and now beats its wings to get airborn again.
Two House Finches, one in flight, wings spread, one perched on a twig amongst the grasses, mainly Greater Quaking Grass. Taken from low down on the brow of a grassy hill, with grey skey behind the birds. This is a square crop, but otherwise straight out of camera but using the art filter Vintage 1 from OM Systems.
A view from the Marin Headlans towards Golden Gate - sport the Great Blue Heron.
A Pied-billed Grebe with drips of water on its back, seen from behind, head turned to its right looking back at me, catching the sun. Legs that look like they are right at its butt seen through the water.
Two Turkey Vultures, on a bare branch, catching the morning sun.
A Turkey Vulture with wings held out on a branch.
A Black Oysrtercatcher on a weed coveered rock, just cracked open a mussel for breakfast.
A group of Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, in a park in Houston Texas, taken a couple of Christmases ago on a visit.
A female Mallard taken from low down, walking towards me. The web of the right, leading foot closed up - which I hadn't really noticed they did when they walked before.
A Western Flycatcher, taken from below as it was perched on a high wire, looking out for flies.
A Western Gull, in flight, looking straight at the camera.
A Black-crowned Night Heron, on a box outside a bait shop - the notice board says Back at 8:10. Photo taken at 8:15 with the heron wondering where the bait-master has got to.
A Song Sparrow, holding on to a thin but sturdy stem, in full voice with bill open.
The newly re-opened Larkspur Library, in its new location. Nice indoor and outdoor space - and lots of books!
A Great Blue Heron with a fish in its bill. Just caught and about to flip around to get it in the right orientation to eat. Close up, just the head and top of neck.
A House Finch perched on a dead twig amongst grasses, feeding off a Greater Quaking Grass. Light gret sky in the background, taken from a low level.
A Yellow-faced Bumble Bee on a Bull Thistle, on the trail down to Tennessee Beach in Marin County - on a warm and windy World Bee Day (not bidet).
A Snowy Egret coming in to land. Yellow feet dangling, wings spread, and others from the congragation of egrets in the background amongst the pickleweed.
A pair of House Finches, one perched on a fead branch laying on the floor amongst greater quaking grass and other grasses. Another male finch is in flight just above and left of the perched bird, wings spread wide. They are on a hilltop, so taken from low down they just have sky behind them. Really pleased with this one as I've been disappointed taking shots using a sequence setting on the camera - and gone back to single shot. It seems to somehow work better (maybe also some other setting for IBIS) and is much more satisfying when you do get that one capture.
The crescent moon and Venus last night. Hand-held, 1/20s M.Zuiko 100-400mm II at 200mm and f/5.9. ISO 800, DxO Photolab for noise reduction. North Bay area, so not particuarly a dark night spot. 9:30pm or thereabouts.
Two Mallards in flight - one coming towards and over the camera, another underneath coming camera right to left, slightly towards camera. Gloomy morning, not very bright.
A wet Red-shouldered Hawk, feathers fluffed up to help them dry. Against a blue sky after a shower.
A Double-crested Cormorant touching down and making a splash, throwing up water droplets. Strong lighting catching the yellow of the face and the wonderful emerald eye.
A Green Heron on a small muddy creek - glimpsed through a small tree in a triangle between branches
The trunk of a tall palm tree - the rings formed by past fronds that have been and gone.
A Least Sandpiper standing on a rock at high tide. In profile, bill to the right. Bright sunshine.
A small waterfall surrounded by ferns and green covered rocks. Slow exposure of 1.3s makes the water look smooth.