Tag Archives: fly

Two Gulls In a Row

Two Gulls in a Row
Two Gulls in a Row. Pacific Coast, California. March 1, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Two gulls follow one another along the edge of a bluff along the California Pacific coast, flying past my position at eye-level.

I made a series of photographs of birds from this spot – the images that have been appearing recently included. To get these I followed a strategy that can work well in some places along the California coast: spend a few minutes figuring out the “line” that the birds follow along the end of the coastal cliffs, apparently looking for updrafts. Then set up close to or under one of these invisible paths, sit quietly, and photograph like mad as the birds fly by.

keywords: two, gulls, sea, seagulls, birds, in, row, follow, fly, flying, flight, pacific, ocean, coast, california, usa, bif, wings, sea, shore, shoreline, sky, nature, animals, wildlife, stock

Gull in Flight, Pacific Coast

Gull in Flight
Gull in Flight. Pacific Coast, California. March 1, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A lone gull in flight over the Pacific Ocean along the California coastline. This is another in the series I shot on March 1 from the top of the coastal cliff north of Santa Cruz. This bird flew past a bit lower than some of the others, so the background here is the ocean surface.

keywords: gull, sea, seagull, shore, coast, shorebird, sea, seabird, shoreline, california, usa, pacific, ocean, fly, flight, flying, wings, bif, nature, wildlife, nature, stock, bird

Gull in Flight, Blue Sky

Gull in Flight, Blue Sky
Gull in Flight, Blue Sky. Pacific Coast, California. March 1, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

On the first day of March I went out for some “target practice” – trying to track gulls in flight from a bluff above the Pacific Ocean north of Santa Cruz, California.

I was using a new zoom that provides a 400mm focal length at the long end. Although I’m not primarily a wildlife photographer – not that I don’t give it a try from time to time – I have to say that trying to photograph gulls as they pass by in flight is a real challenge, and renews my appreciation for the skills of those who do specialize in “birds in flight” (or “BIF,” as they refer to it) photography.

gull, sea, gull, seagull, bird, shorebird, seabird, pacific, ocean, coast, california, usa, wildlife, nature, animal, bif, flight, fly, flying, shore, seashore, stock

Winter Surf, Gulls

Winter Surf, Gulls
Winter Surf, Gulls. South of San Francisco, California. January 12, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved..

Photographed on the day of the 2008 Mavericks Surf competition, but a few mile further south along the California coast, this was a day of huge winter surf.

keywords: seascape, sea, shore, california, pacific, ocean, winter, ocean, flock, birds, gulls, fly, waves, fog, cliffs, beach, surf, black and white, stock, coast, usa, travel, scenic, nature