Capturing Wildlife: My Bird Photography Journey

I bought a full-frame Nikon Z8 camera in the fall of 2024. In March of 2025 I sold my firstborn and bought a Nikkor Z 600mm f4 lens that has a built-in 1.4x teleconverter. Using this expensive gear I collected 5000 bird images by the end of 2025. I delete 90% of the pictures I take, so this means I took 50,000 bird photos in 9 months. That is equivalent to 1390 36-shot roles of 35mm film. Back in 1990, a roll of Fujifilm Velvia cost about $10, so the cost of 50,000 film pictures would have been $13,900. Developing the film would double that amount. Accounting for inflation from 1990 to 2025 adjusts the cost to $70,000 in today’s dollars. Digital images are obviously much cheaper than film photographs. Digital gear allows me to take photos in a profligate manner that would have been financially ruinous in the film era.

This blog is a collection of 72 wildlife photos taken near Bishop CA in the last 3 months of 2025. I took thousands of photos during that time, so at least some of these should be good.

Mule Deer

Hundreds of Mule Deer live within 50 miles of Bishop. In summer, deer are high up in the Sierra, but in winter they roam the floor of the Owens Valley. This buck was getting a drink at the Pleasant Valley Reservoir. Roberta spotted him as he crossed the road and ambled up the hill above us. They are named for their large, mule-like ears. Deer often have scrapes and scars on their fur, but this one looks as if he was groomed for a show.

A close-up of a deer with antlers standing among rocks and vegetation in a natural setting.

Close-up of a deer with antlers, set against a blurred natural background.

Tundra Swan

A lone, migrating swan was at the Buckley Ponds for a few days.

A white swan swimming on a pond covered with green algae.

A white swan feeding in a grassy aquatic environment, its neck extended while it dips its head into the water.

A white swan swimming in a calm body of water surrounded by tall grasses.

Common Goldeneye

Goldeneye’s migrate through in winter. A few were hanging out at the Reservoir.

Two ducks swimming on a calm body of water.

A duck swimming gracefully on a calm, reflective body of water, showcasing its unique coloring and detailed features.

Surf Scoter

Below is a female Surf Scoter, which I photographed on Nov 12, 2025. This bird brought me 15 minutes of fame. I’ll explain below.

A duck swimming in calm waters, reflecting its image on the surface.

Some birders engage in a competition to count the greatest number of species in their area during each year. In the digital era, they report their findings to eBird, a website run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. During 2025, for example, Nancy Overholtz was the leader for Inyo County, with 301 different species that she saw in our county. Rosie Howard was close behind with 297, and Chris Howard was third at 284. These people are superb birders; in a year, they see more species than I’ve seen in my lifetime. (They also happen to be nice people who are happy to share their bird knowledge with others.)

On Nov 12, I spotted the Surf Scoter at the Reservoir and snapped a few images. I realized this was a female Surf Scoter, a bird that I have photographed on the coast. It sports a strange, bulging bill that seems ill-fitted to its face. This bird does not belong here, over 100 miles inland; they are rarely show up here. By luck, I was the first person to spot this bird species in Inyo County during 2025; or at least the report it. I posted my find to eBird and sent email messages to Nancy, Rosie, and Chris; before the sun set, they traipsed to the Reservoir and saw this bird. So I was briefly famous to a few people. OK, not actually famous, but at least notable?

Full disclosure: I was Inyo birder number 640 with just 12 species seen during 2025. In my defense, I don’t report the birds I see, I only made the report for Nov 12. If I were to report faithfully, I suspect I could break into the top 100 for Inyo County!

Double-crested Cormorant

California has only one inland cormorant species, the Double-crested. They are at Pleasant Valley Reservoir year-round. I try to get sharp images of their lovely feather patterns and colors. Their blue eyes look like buttons sewn to their faces. Look at the third photo below. Doesn’t it look as if there are yellow stitches around the eye?

A cormorant in flight over a calm body of water, showcasing its dark feathers and extended wings.

Two cormorants standing on a rock by the water, one facing forward and the other slightly turned.

A cormorant perched on a rock by the water, with rippling reflections in the water's surface.

A cormorant spreading its wings while perched on a rock in a body of water.

Grebes

Below is an Eared Grebe. The “ears” are feathers that appear only during breeding season; so there are no “ears” in this photo

A bird swimming on a body of water, with rippling reflections that include shades of yellow and blue.

Pied-billed Grebes are smaller. The ones below have been at the Buckley Ponds for months, but these Grebes also appear at the Reservoir and in other locations. “Pied” means multi-colored, white and brown, or white and black; an old-fashioned word that people usually apply to horses.

A bird swimming in calm waters surrounded by small aquatic plants, reflecting its image on the surface.

Two small birds swimming in a calm body of water, surrounded by reflections of greenery.

Great Blue Heron

Three photos from the Reservoir and the Owens River.

A heron standing in shallow water, with its long legs partially submerged and a calm water surface in the background.

A heron standing on a rock beside a calm body of water, surrounded by lush green grass.

Great Egret

Four images of Great Egrets at the Pleasant Valley Reservoir in late September. The first shows an Egret high up in a tree. It is common to see Egrets and Herons up in trees. I suppose they perch there for a location where they can take a break and be safe. But they always seem out-of-place to me.

A white heron perched among lush green leaves.

A white heron wading in calm water with circular ripples around it.

Two white birds with long necks and wings in flight over tall green grass.

A white bird flying over calm water, with its reflection visible on the surface.

Golden Eagle

Below is a Golden Eagle near Warms Springs Road in November. Sometimes we see what we expect, rather than what is there. I’ve seen Bald Eagles at this location and initially that is what I thought I had photographed. But on reviewing the pictures, I realized that the golden feathers on the neck and the long bill were not those of a Bald Eagle. In the third photo, a flock of Ravens (or Crows) tries to intimidate this Eagle.

A golden eagle perched on a barren tree branch against a blurred background.

A hawk perched on a bare tree branch with several black birds in flight around it, set against a blurred mountainous background.

Bald Eagle

The first photo shows a Bald Eagle on the basalt boulders above the Reservoir.

Another Eagle at the Reservoir.

A mature bald eagle perched on a bare branch among rocky terrain and sparse vegetation.

The next two photos show a Bald Eagle on Gus Cashbaugh Lane near Bishop.

A bald eagle perched on a branch against a clear blue sky.

Birds have three eyelids; upper and lower lids, similar to those of humans, and a nictitating membrane, a translucent membrane that is under the eyelids. The nictitating membrane protects the eye in flight or from dust, but the bird can see through the membrane; sort of like a pair of goggles. It is common for me to photograph this membrane. Less common is to see the outer opaque eyelids, but you can see the eyelid over the bird’s right eye in the next picture.

A bald eagle perched on a branch with its eyes closed against a clear blue sky.

Cooper’s Hawk

Their long tails and colorful eyes make these hawks stand out. The first four photos were taken at the Buckley Ponds. In the first two photos, the iris is more yellow than red, indicating that this is a young bird.

A hawk perched on a branch among lush green and yellow foliage, preparing to take flight.

A hawk perched on a bare branch against a clear blue sky, preparing to take flight.

A bird of prey perched on a branch, viewed from the back against a clear blue sky.

A hawk perched on a branch, looking back towards the camera, showcasing its distinctive feathers and sharp gaze against a clear blue sky.

The next two pictures show a Cooper’s Hawk that was 100 feet south of my home. Sometimes these birds are in my backyard. To get these pictures, I just walked out my door and strolled down the street until I had a clear view.

A bird of prey perched on a branch, partially turned away from the viewer, with bare tree branches in the background against a blue sky.

A hawk perched on a tree branch with a blurred blue sky in the background.

Red-shouldered Hawk

We walk to the Pleasant Valley Reservoir on a paved road that was built when the Reservoir was constructed on the Owens River. The road is about 20 feet above the water. This lets me look down on some birds, an unusual view. In the first photo, a Red-shouldered Hawk flies below me along the Owens River.

Two hawks flying above tangled branches near a dark water surface.

As the bird lands, it flairs its wings and tail to slow down. The bird even lifts feathers on its back to reduce lift and speed. Note the white bands (called “windows”) near the end of each wing. You can see a badly damaged feather in the tail. All birds molt, replacing old feathers with new ones. Some birds molt all at once. Ducks will find a pond or secluded marsh where they can feed and renew all their feathers; for about a month they cannot fly. Hawks would starve without flight, so they shed and regrow just a few feather at a time.

A bird in flight above a tangle of branches and foliage.

At the last moment the bird throws out its feet for landing.

A hawk in flight above a tangle of branches and foliage.

At the Conservation Open Space Area, a sequence of three photos shows a Red-shouldered Hawk making the same landing maneuvers:

A close-up of a bird in flight, soaring just above a barbed wire fence, with a blurred background of tall grass and wildflowers.

A hawk in flight, displaying its large wings and striking feather patterns while perched on a fence post, with a blurred background of grass and flowers.

A hawk perched on a fence post with its wings partially spread, set against a blurred background of yellowing grasses and wildflowers.

Below, a Red-shouldered Hawk perches on a power line in my backyard. These birds hang out in my Bishop neighborhood. I often hear them calling while I edit bird pictures at my desk.

A hawk perched on a power line, facing sideways. Its feathers are a mix of brown and white, showcasing intricate patterns.

Red-tailed Hawk

Bald Eagles usually appear at the Buckley Ponds by December. But they did not do that in 2025. Instead, Red-tailed Hawks have been using the trees that are usually occupied by their bigger rivals.

The Red-tail below is crying out as it takes off.

A hawk soaring in the clear blue sky, wings spread wide.

When I got home and reviewed my photos, I found that the Hawk below was carrying breakfast; a rodent of some kind. The Hawk has a band on its leg.

A hawk in flight with its wings spread wide, soaring against a clear blue sky.

Two more Red-tails in December

A hawk perched on a tree branch, surrounded by bare branches and a soft blue background.

A red-tailed hawk perched on a bare branch against a blue sky.

Below, a Red-tail takes off from a basalt boulder above the Pleasant Valley Reservoir. Red-tails vary a lot in color; this bird is quite dark.

A hawk perched on a large rock against a blue sky.

A hawk perched on a large rock, looking forward against a blue sky.

A hawk flying gracefully above a rocky outcrop against a clear blue sky.

Ferruginous Hawk

Ferruginous Hawks appear in winter. The first photo shows one on Warm Springs Road. This species has a stunning white chest. Feathers on the head look as if they have been combed back and kept in place with hair gel. The yellow lips extend far back under the eye, past the center of the pupil. The yellow corner of the mouth is called the “gape.” A large gape makes it easier for this bird to quickly swallow an entire rodent. If you scroll back to my pictures of Cooper’s, Red-shouldered, and Red-tailed Hawks, the corner of the mouth ends in front of the pupil.

A perched hawk with a striking plumage, seen against a clear blue sky.

The next three photos show a Ferruginous Hawk on Gus Cashbaugh Lane near town. There is red color on this birds nose, face, and feet. That ain’t lipstick.

A hawk perched on a tree branch, surrounded by bare branches against a clear sky.

A hawk perched on a tree branch with a clear sky in the background.

A hawk perched on a tree branch, with a clear blue sky in the background and some autumn leaves visible.

Below is a list the average weight, in pounds, for the raptors I have shown. This gives you an idea of how varied they are:

Golden Eagle 10

Bald Eagle 9.5

Cooper’s Hawk 1

Red-shouldered Hawk 1.4

Red-tailed Hawk 2.4

Ferruginous Hawk 3.5

Greater Roadrunner

I see this bird twice a year, usually as it runs across a road ahead of me. Some books say they are uncommon in our area, but the sagebrush habitat seems ideal for them. I suspect they are just good at staying hidden. One of my photography goals is to get better images of this bird. The photos below show the iridescent colors of a Roadrunner near Warm Springs Road.

A colorful bird perched on a log with a textured tree trunk in the background.

Close-up of a bird looking upwards against a textured tree bark background.

Belted Kingfisher

The first photo was taken at the Control Gorge Power plant on the Owens River, the next three at the Buckley Ponds. Lovely bird with a bad haircut.

Close-up of a kingfisher bird perched on a metal pole, showcasing its vibrant blue and white plumage against a blurred background.

A bird in flight against a clear blue sky, showcasing its wings and distinctive coloration.

A kingfisher perched on a slender branch against a softly blurred purple background.

A kingfisher perched on a branch against a blurred background of soft clouds.

Anna’s Hummingbird

In mid-December I joined two expert birders at the Conservation Open Space Area for the Christmas count. They heard, saw, and identified this bird before I knew it was there. I was finally able to see it and started taking pictures as it moved from perch to perch. It was gone in a minute.

A close-up of a hummingbird perched on a branch, showcasing vibrant green and purple plumage against a blue sky.

A close-up of a colorful hummingbird perched on a branch, displaying iridescent feathers and a vibrant throat patch against a blue sky.

American Dipper

The Dipper dives into streams and walks around under the water looking for stuff to eat. I took these photos along the Owens River near the Control Gorge Power Plant. The bolts in the first picture are part of the power plant’s structure.

A small bird perched on a wooden post above calm water, surrounded by ripples and reflections.

A small bird standing on a rock by a flowing stream, with water splashing around it.

Rock Wren

These tiny things hop about on the basalt boulders above the Reservoir. In the second photo, the bird is jumping up to grab an insect out of the air. These birds are small and are colored to match their rocky surroundings. They give themselves away by jumping and flitting about, and singing a loud song.

A small bird with a brown and gray plumage perched on a rock, looking upward.

A small bird with wings spread, hovering near rocks in a natural setting.

A small bird perched on a rock with a blurred background, showcasing mostly gray plumage with a lighter belly.

A small bird standing among rocks and dry vegetation in a natural setting.

A small bird perched on a rock in a natural setting, surrounded by soft-focus background elements.

Common Yellowthroat

A Yellowthroat appeared at the Buckley Ponds in late September. I had less than a minute to take pictures. Fortunately, the bird perched in a well-lit spot.