Author Archives: Laura Meyers

Wilson’s Phalaropes

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Wilson's Phalaropes

The picture of these Wilson’s Phalaropes was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge during Fall Shorebird Migration. The Wilson’s Phalarope is a pretty shorebird with distinctive features–both physical and behavioral. Female phalaropes court males, display colorful plumage, and fight off rivals. A semi-colonial nester, this aquatic shorebird breeds in northern prairie wetlands, and winters on South American salt lakes. With fringes on their toes, they swim well, often whirling in circles as they feed.
I took the picture with the CANON EOS7D and the CANON 100-400mm lens. The 5th Annual Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Shorebird Festival attracted over 100 people. There were wonderful leaders who generously shared their knowledge about shorebird ID and behavior. To top off the day Kevin Karlson gave a talk and slide presentation of his wonderful photographs of shorebirds and his “impression” technique for id’ing birds

Weevil Wasp on flower

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Weevil Wasp

The picture of this Weevil Wasp (cerceris fumipennis) was taken at the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx, NY. This picture was taken with the CANON EOS 20D with the CANON 100mm Macro lens. and the CANON EX580II flash.

A little about my work process. I shoot only in RAW and bring my pictures onto my computer with Adobe Lightroom and then finish the picture in Adobe Photoshop.

Herring Gull in flight

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Herring Gull in flight

The picture of this Immature Herring Gull in flight was taken at Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Herring Gulls in flight adjust their wing beat and orientation to the wind to their regulate speed. The Herring Gull spends considerable portion of flight time gliding or soaring with outstretched wings.

This picture was taken with the CANON EOS 7D and the CANON 100-400mm lens at the Northend of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Common Aerial Yellowjacket

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Aerial Yellowjacket (male)

The picture of this Aerial Yellowjacket was taken at the Shakespeare Garden in Central Park, New York City. I took this picture with my CANON EOS20D with the CANON 100mm Macro lens.Yellowjackets have sometimes been mistakenly called bees but they are actually in the wasp family. Although they lack the pollen-carrying structures of bees, yellowjackets can be minor pollinators when visiting flowers.

The Shakespeare Garden in Central Park is a very beautiful well maintained garden. It was a delight for me to photograph insects with these beautiful unusual flowers giving me many options for composition.

Least Sandpiper

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Least Sandpiper

The picture of this Least Sandpiper was taken at Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge during Fall migration. I used the CANON EOS 7D with the CANON 100-400mm lens. It was taken at the south end of the East Pond at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge where there were hundreds of Least Sandpipers among other shorebirds resting and feeding for the next leg of their long journey to Northeastern South America.

Bumblebee on Sneezeweed Flower

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Bumblebee on Sneezeweed Flower

The picture of ths Bumblebee on Sneezeweed Flower was taken at Stuyvesant Cove Park in New York City. This picture was taken with a Canon 100mm Macro lens on a Canon EOS 20D. I use the Canon 580EXII flash on the hotshoe of the camera as a fill flash.

I am finding the combination of the Canon EOS20D with the Canon 100mm Macro lens a winning combination for Macro shots. I can hand hold it and get in really close to the subject. Auto focusing is fast and accurate as long as the subject is not moving.

Forster’s Tern Juvenile

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Forster's Tern Juvenile

The picture of this juvenile Forster’s Tern was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The Shore Bird migration is in full swing at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. I am looking forward to the annual Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Shorebird Festival August 14, 2010

The picture of this Forster’s Tern (juvenile) was taken with the CANON EOS7D with the CANON 100-400mm lens.
At the time, this appeared to be the only juvenile Forster’s Tern on the south side of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay. It looked very lost to me espeically among the flocks of sandpipers that were abundant that day.

Sandpipers in flight

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Sandpipers in flight

The picture of these Sandpipers in flight was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. This picture was taken with the CANON EOS7D and CANON 200-400mm lens.

The Shore Bird Migration is in process at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. There were hundreds of Sandpipers at the East Pond getting sustenance for their flights south.

Common Loon

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Common Loon

The picture of this Common Loon was taken in Shrewsbury, Vermont on beautiful Spring Lake. I was very grateful that this Common Loon finally came close enough to get this picture after being on the Lake for a couple of days.

The picture was taken with the CANON EOS7D camera with a CANON 100-400mm lens.