2020 -Best or Favorite Images
So, heckuva year. But, looking back as it ends, there is still time for my favorite thread of the year. Your best or favorite photos of 2020!
Apopka Wildlife Drive, just outside Orlando FL. Taken with Mike (Busted Knuckles). I have several images of these two GBHs fighting, but I think this may be my favorite. We actually saw them acting oddly. We didn't know if it was mating ritual or if they were about to fight, but they were on opposite sides of the road. After this picture, we knew the fight was on....
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d0f3af43_h.jpg6S0A0962 by kayaker72, on Flickr
I know this looks like something from a sympathy card, but still, love it. At this point in the lockdown, I had decided to see how the action was in our front yard. So, a Kindle to read and a drink to the side, camera at the ready, I saw this Phoebe would land in this blooming Sand Cherry shrub before heading to its nest located above one of our front porch lights. Of all my bird pics, this probably stands out the most in my mind:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7e6403cd_h.jpg6S0A5938 by kayaker72, on Flickr
A very close second to this one are two shots I have of the Phoebe (a fly catcher) proudly displaying a bug that it had caught.
During COVID, my wife and I decided to try to fit in one trip (we had canceled several others). Our thought being that we could avoid crowds at Teton/Yellowstone National Parks, which we did. Often driving past destinations, going for early morning/late evening times and staying in our "car bubble." But, my love for those parks has not diminished. This is the first time I have been in 23 years and since I have really gotten into photography. A few images from the trip:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...49cb85f7_h.jpg6S0A9905-Pano by kayaker72, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...152249ad_h.jpg6S0A0132-Pano-1 by kayaker72, on Flickr
After Yellowstone, I spent the next week visiting family in Idaho which finished off with a camping trip into the Gospel-Hump Wilderness area:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1f8581bc_h.jpg6S0A1010 by kayaker72, on Flickr
Back home, I had lined up the 1DX III to try out. I still have most of my images to go through, but this one has been a favorite:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5a4cfda3_h.jpgAC8I4375 by kayaker72, on Flickr
There was a drought in New Hampshire (technically, I think we are still in one, but it is not as severe) this year as well. So they were draining on of my favorite places to paddle to migrate the water downstream to another reservoir. This created an surreal scene. At the time of this paddle, the water was about 15 ft lower than typical.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1827ce82_h.jpg6S0A0101 by kayaker72, on Flickr
It was a great foliage year...this is from a waterfall trip with a friend into upstate Vermont:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bb27819d_h.jpgIn Explore--6S0A0113 by kayaker72, on Flickr
Second waterfall trip with my friend, this time to foothills in NH:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d55d5c66_h.jpg6S0A0988 by kayaker72, on Flickr
A getaway to my wife's native Rhode Island in October (house rental to ourselves) gave a nice opportunity for migrating geese at Sunrise:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...64e2b0f8_h.jpg537A4361 by kayaker72, on Flickr
Then these two goldfinch gave me the perfect chance to test AF tracking at 20 fps with the electronic shutter on the R5
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b7a34e74_h.jpg537A8249 by kayaker72, on Flickr
I have several images that I really like from a Nor'easter that came through in early December, but this Junco may be my favorite. It is amazing how fairly simple birds can be very attractive.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f52536ce_h.jpg537A9271 by kayaker72, on Flickr
Happy Holidays everyone. I hope you are healthy, safe, and that 2021 is a bit more normal.
Thanks for viewing...Brant
EDIT: I scaled back to 12 to fit a single post. If interested in more, I have an album on Flickr.
