Wings - Assorted

Photos from a book project I am working on. Except the last two were added just for fun.

Black-browed Albatross, Antarctica, 2008
Nikon D80, 300mm f/4 lens
1/2000 sec at f/11, ISO 400

Wingspan of Black-browed Albatross is almost 8 ft.


Northern Gannet, Cape St. Mary's, Newfoundland 2010
Nikon D300 + 500mm f/4
1/3200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 200


Bald Eagle,Haines Alaska, 2017
Nikon D500, 500mm f/4
1/2000 sec at f/4, ISO 2200


Peregrine Falcon, Viera Wetlands (FL), 2014
Nikon D4, 500mm f/4 + 2x teleconverter
1/2500 sec at f/10, ISO 2000


Great Blue Heron, Ft. Pickens (FL), 2011
Nikon D700, 300mm f/2.8 lens + 1.7x teleconverter
1/1250 sec, f/9, ISO 1600


Great Egrets, Venice Rookery (FL), 2012
Nikon D700, 500mm f/4 lens + 1.4x teleconverter
1/8000 sec at f/9, ISO 800


Royal Tern, Ft. Pickens (FL), 2014
Nikon D4, 500mm f/4 lens + 1.4x teleconverter
1/4000 sec at f/7.1, ISO 1000


Loggerhead Shrike, Anahuac NWR (TX), 2012
Nikon D300, 300mm f/2.8 lens + 1.7x teleconverter
1/2000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 640


American Oystercatcher, North Jetty Bolivar Peninsula (TX), 2016
Nikon D500, 500mm f/4 lens + 1.4x teleconverter
1/3200 sec at f/8, ISO 560


Western Meadowlard, Roxborough Park Rd (CO), 2018
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera, 300mm f/4 lens
1/1000 sec at f/4.5, ISO 800



Blue Angels practice session, Pensacola FL, 2010
Nikon D300 + 500mm f/4 lens
1/1000 sec at f/8, ISO 250

The home of the Blue Angels at the Navy base in Pensacola, FL was just opposite Ft. Pickens where I did much of my local birding when living in Pensacola. The 500mm lens had sufficient reach to get some decent shots of their practice sessions.


Blue Angels practice session, Pensacola FL, 2010
Nikon D300 + 500mm f/4 lens
1/640 sec at f/8, ISO 250

David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit.