Birds of December 2023, Southern CA & AZ (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2023-12-30 | A look at some of the birds I saw in Southern California and Arizona in December of 2023. Includes some that are rare in the area including Streak-Backed Orioles, Black-Throated Magpie Jays, Ancient Murrelets and Rufous Backed Robin.
Canon RF 200-800mm Handheld Video Test rogeruzun 2023-12-17 | (EDIT - I have found that at times for whatever reason the image stabilizer in the lens seems to be disabled. You have the shake the lens or tap it to get it to work properly. Not sure what causes but if you notice the image stabilization is shaky you can often fix it by a quick shake of the lens). A look at handheld video shot with the new Canon RF 200-800mm zoom lens on a Canon EOS R5 body. While you can get decent Handheld video with this new lens, its not nearly as easy to hold steady as the 100-500mm with a 1.4x extender. Optically the 200-800mm is better than the 100-500mm with 1.4x extender though, so I'm motivated to make this work. This new lens is WAY better optically than the old 800mm f/11 prime, but again it was easier to handhold steady video with the old f/11 prime. Since I shoot stills and video, and for many nature subjects I can't be agile enough with a tripod for stills I really prefer a setup that lets me shoot both stills and steady handheld video. So the jury is still out for me on this lens, but I really want to make it work. I miss a lot more video of birds with this 200-800 now since it often takes a second or so longer to steady the lens and by then the bird has often moved so its a bit frustrating at this point compared to the older lenses that are easier to steady.
Morning in Cuyamaca (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2023-12-06 | A look at some of the birds seen in a morning trip to the mountains of Eastern San Diego County, CA USA. Features Steller's Jay, Williamson's Sapsucker, and a Bald Eagle.
Night at Bishop (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2023-11-24 | A couple of Night Sky Timelapses in the Bishop, CA area from June of 2022.
Wildlife of Southern CA & AZ (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2023-11-11 | Some of the birds and animals I was able to film in Southern California and AZ from Feb - Nov of 2023.
Hummingbirds of Fall (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2023-10-01 | A look at a local hummingbird feeder in Poway CA. Shot on Oct 1, 2023.
Bird Feeder Poway CA rogeruzun 2023-01-22 | Scenes from my Poway, CA USA Bird Feeder in January of 2023. Features California Scrub Jays, California Towhees, California Quail, Spotted Towhees, Mourning Doves, California Thrashers and many others.
Birds of Southern CA & AZ (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2023-01-09 | A look at some of the birds I saw on my travels around Southern CA and AZ from January - June 2022. Includes Lewis's Woodpecker, Tufted Duck, Long-Eared Owl, Harris's Hawks, Burrowing Parrots, Common Black Hawk, Chukar, Harris's Sparrow, Five-Striped Sparrow, Fan-Tailed Warbler, Olive Warbler, Elegant Trogon & many more.
Reptiles of Southern California (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2023-01-06 | A short video featuring some of the reptiles I photographed in Southern California in 2022. Features Whiptails, Collared Lizards, Rattlesnakes and even a Mohave Desert Tortoise.
Birds of Southern CA (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2023-01-05 | Some of the Birds I've observed in Southern California and Cibola AZ USA between Nov 2022 and Jan 2023. Shot with a Canon EOS-R5 and 100-500mm lens, at 8K/30p for the most part.
Night Over Lake Henshaw (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2022-06-05 | A short night sky timelapse over Lake Henshaw in San Diego County, CA USA.
Urban Parrots of El Cajon CA (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2022-02-28 | A quick look at a large flock of urban parrots in El Cajon, CA USA. Feb 2022.
Lewiss Woodpecker (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2022-02-28 | A look at a Lewis's Woodpecker in suburban San Diego, CA USA. January 2022.
Morning at the Berry Bush (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2022-01-23 | Some bird activity around a berry bush in Ramona, CA USA. Shot on Jan 19, 2022. Cedar Waxwings, American Robins, & Phainopepla.
Arizona Road Trip (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2022-01-21 | A short video featuring birds and animals I saw on a trip to Southern Arizona back in Sept of 2021.
Birds of Baja California (Xantus Edition) rogeruzun 2021-12-27 | A short video shot on a birdwatching trip from San Diego to San Ignacio in Baja California, MX. Features Crested Caracara, Vizcaino Thrashers, Gray Thrashers, Xantu's Hummingbirds and others. September 2021. Shot primarily with a Canon EOS R5 camera.
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In (New Car) rogeruzun 2021-10-17 | Bought a new car to make adventuring a little easier. 2022 Santa Fe Plug in Hybrid. A quick video of the first test run into the desert.
Hummingbirds (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-09-22 | Some hummingbirds around my house in September 2021. Test of the GoPro Hero 10 slow motion, comparing it to a Canon EOS R5.
Marine Room Morning (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-09-22 | Quick Snorkel at Marine Room in La Jolla, CA USA. Sept 21, 2021. Mostly to test out my new GoPro Hero 10 camera.
HDObservations : Reddish Egret (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-16 | In the stately and dignified world of herons, Reddish Egrets are the swashbuckling cousins. These big, cinnamon and steely gray birds put on a show as they forage in shallow saltwater. They race back and forth, open and shut their wings, stir up sediment with their feet, and even swoop low over the water in flight—all in pursuit of small fish.
HDObservations : Cockatoo Waspfish (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-15 | Found singly or in pairs rocking in the current during the day, over sand, rubble and weedy bottoms of shallow reefs. The Cockatoo Waspfish can be recognised by its long sail-like Dorsal Fin which originates above the eyes. They feed nocturnally on tiny crustaceans by ambushing their prey pretending to be a dead leaf.
HDObservations : Blainvilles Horned Lizard (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-14 | The Blainville's (formerly Coast) Horned Lizard is endemic to California. Their cryptic coloring enables them to blend into the background making them difficult to spot. They are capable of quickly running away for only a short distance at the approach of a predator. As a last resort, it will spray the intruder with blood from the corners of its eyes
HDObservations : Black-Striped Salema (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-13 | Xenocys jessiae is a species of grunt endemic to the Galapagos Islands where it is found along rocky slopes at depths from 3 to 18 m (9.8 to 59.1 ft). This species grows to 30 cm (12 in) TL. This species is the only known member of its genus
HDObservations : Gilded Flicker (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-12 | A large and common woodpecker of the saguaro cactus forests of the Sonoran Desert, the Gilded Flicker has the gray face and red mustache of the "red-shafted" form of the Northern Flicker, but the yellow wings of the "yellow-shafted" form.
HDObservations : Pacific White-Spotted Eagle Ray (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-09 | This ray can be identified by its dark dorsal surface covered in white spots or rings. Near the base of the ray's relatively long tail, just behind the pelvic fins, are several venomous, barbed stingers. Spotted eagle rays commonly feed on small fish and crustaceans, and will sometimes dig with their snouts to look for food buried in the sand of the sea bed. These rays are commonly observed leaping out of the water, and on at least two occasions have been reported as having jumped into boats.
HDObservations : Acorn Woodpecker (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-08 | Reminiscent of a troupe of wide-eyed clowns, Acorn Woodpeckers live in large groups in western oak woodlands. Their social lives are endlessly fascinating: they store thousands of acorns each year by jamming them into specially made holes in trees.
HDObservations : Bluestreak Fusilier (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-07 | A slender brownish fusilier with a white spot on each scale forming rows along the back, a pink to reddish lower part, a broad iridescent blue stripe from the snout to the caudal-fin base bordered above by a narrow black stripe running onto the upper caudal-fin lobe, and a black spot on the pectoral-fin base. Individuals can rapidly change colour, becoming reddish below with a shorter blue stripe.
HDObservations : Stellers Jay (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-06 | A large, dark jay of evergreen forests in the mountainous West. Steller’s Jays are common in forest wildernesses but are also fixtures of campgrounds, parklands, and backyards, where they are quick to spy bird feeders as well as unattended picnic items.
HDObservations : Brown Rockfish (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-05 | The brown rockfish is native to the northwestern Pacific. Its range extends from Bahia San Hipolito in southern Baja California to Prince William Sound in the northern Gulf of Alaska. These fish are most abundant in the central and southern parts of Puget Sound and from southern Baja California to Bodega Bay in northern California. Brown Rockfish live in places that have a source of light.
HDObservations : Great Blue Heron (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-02 | Whether poised at a river bend or cruising the coastline with slow, deep wingbeats, the Great Blue Heron is a majestic sight. This stately heron with its subtle blue-gray plumage often stands motionless as it scans for prey or wades belly deep with long, deliberate steps. They may move slowly, but Great Blue Herons can strike like lightning to grab a fish or snap up a gopher.
HDObservations : Wunderpus Octopus (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-07-01 | Wunderpus photogenicus, the wunderpus octopus is a small-bodied species of octopus with distinct white and rusty brown coloration. Due to the appearance and behavior of the wunderpus, it is frequently confused with its close relative, the mimic octopus. The wunderpus octopus was not discovered until the 1980s and was only officially described in detail in 2006
HDObservations : Mule Deer (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-30 | The mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is a deer indigenous to western North America; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule. Unlike the related white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), which is found through most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains and in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains from Idaho and Wyoming northward, mule deer are only found on the western Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the southwest United States, and on the west coast of North America.
HDObservations : Coconut Octopus (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-29 | Amphioctopus marginatus, also known as the coconut octopus and veined octopus, is a medium-sized cephalopod belonging to the genus Amphioctopus. It is found in tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean. It commonly preys upon shrimp, crabs, and clams, and displays unusual behavior including bipedal walking and tool use (gathering coconut shells and seashells and using these for shelter).
HDObservations : Lawrences Goldfinch (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-28 | Among the most attractive of North American songbirds, male Lawrence’s Goldfinches are soft gray overall set off by a black face and copious amounts of lemon yellow throughout. But the species’ preference for remote, arid habitats of California and the Desert Southwest renders it unfamiliar to most birders.
HDObservations : Southern Kelp Crab (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-25 | The Southern Kelp Crab, Taliepus nuttallii, is a common quick agile shore crab that is a member of the Majidae Family of Spider Crabs. They have distinctive long, spindly legs which are best known for their habit of camouflaging themselves with bits of algae, sponges, bryozoans, or other animals.
HDObservations : Great Egret (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-24 | The elegant Great Egret is a dazzling sight in many a North American wetland. Slightly smaller and more svelte than a Great Blue Heron, these are still large birds with impressive wingspans. They hunt in classic heron fashion, standing immobile or wading through wetlands to capture fish with a deadly jab of their yellow bill.
HDObservations : Vermilion Rockfish (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-23 | The Vermilion Rockfish, also commonly named the vermilion seaperch, red snapper, red rock cod, and rasher, is a bright red bodied and finned rockfish with plenty of black and grey mottling on its back and sides. The Vermilion Rockfish are native to the Pacific Ocean, waters around western North America from Baja California to Alaska.
HDObservations : Groove-Billed Ani (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-22 | A loose-limbed, disheveled-looking bird of tropical dry country, the Groove-billed Ani is always entertaining. These all-black cuckoos have curiously tall, flattened bills marked with narrow grooves, which they use to catch large insects and small lizards.
HDObservations : Galapagos Sea Robin (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-21 | Native to the Galapagos is the curious Sea Robin. This bottom-dwelling fish can grow to around 12in (30cm) long. Its habitat is the sandy and rocky seabed at depths of 60-100ft (20-30m) although it has been known to frequent shallower waters. The Sea Robin is distinctive by its unusual solid skull, as well as its long pectoral fins that extend down to the anal fin and open out when swimming.
HDObservations : Desert Horned Lizard (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-18 | Desert horned lizards are medium-sized lizards native to western North America. They have a distinctive flat body with one row of fringe scales down the sides. They have one row of slightly enlarged scales on each side of the throat. Colors can vary and generally blend in with the color of the surrounding soil, but they usually have a beige, tan, or reddish dorsum with contrasting, wavy blotches of darker color
HDObservations : Spotted Porcupinefish (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-17 | This species is known to occur on coral and rocky reefs throughout the world’s tropical and subtropical seas, likely because it lives in the open pelagic ocean until it reaches a size of approximately eight inches (20 cm). However, an extensive genetic study of the spotted porcupinefish may reveal the existence of different species in different ocean basins (e.g., on either side of Central America). Unlike many blotchy species of porcupinefishes, this species is covered with small, regularly spaced spots.
HDObservations : Black-Chinned Hummingbird (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-16 | A small green-backed hummingbird of the West, with no brilliant colors on its throat except a thin strip of iridescent purple bordering the black chin, only visible when light hits it just right. Black-chinned Hummingbirds are exceptionally widespread, found from deserts to mountain forests
HDObservations : Bullseye Puffer (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-15 | Sphoeroides annulatus (bullseye puffer) is a species in the family Tetraodontidae, or pufferfishes. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from California, USA to Pisco, Peru and the Galápagos Islands.
HDObservations : Brown Booby (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-14 | Found in tropical oceans around the world, the Brown Booby is a dashing seabird—both in plumage, a natty brown-and-white (with bright yellow feet) and in flight style, which involves swift aerial maneuvers and deft dives. Brown Boobies do not nest on the United States mainland but often visit waters off Florida or California. They occasionally stray as far north as Canada, and sometimes well inland.
HDObservations : Channeled Sea Star (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-11 | Channeled Sea Star (Tethyaster canaliculatus) have a somewhat flattened, with a wide central disc and 5 narrow, tapering arms that are often of differing lengths. The plates along the margins of the arms are very obvious. These stars may be mottled or solid colored, and may be brown, orange, reddish-brown, or tan. The Channeled Sea Star can reach up to 50 cm (20 inches) in diameter.
HDObservations : Hepatic Tanager (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-10 | The Hepatic Tanager’s sweet, caroling song carries well through the open pine and pine-oak forests of its highland habitats. Named for the male’s dusky reddish upperparts (“hepatic” refers to the liver), this species’ scientific name (flava) also references the female’s yellow plumage. Hepatic Tanagers occur in much of South and Central America and barely reach the southwestern U.S., where they are common but very little studied. They have gradually expanded their range northward since the 1960s.
HDObservations : California Mantis Shrimp (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-09 | What animal strikes faster than a cheetah, has the eyesight of an eagle, is (almost) as ferocious as a great white shark, and looks like a cross between an insect and a lobster? It's the California Mantis Shrimp and it can be found in the shallow waters right off the shores of Palos Verdes and Catalina Island, among other areas in Southern California.
HDObservations : Coopers Hawk (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-08 | Among the bird world’s most skillful fliers, Cooper’s Hawks are common woodland hawks that tear through cluttered tree canopies in high speed pursuit of other birds. You’re most likely to see one prowling above a forest edge or field using just a few stiff wingbeats followed by a glide.
HDObservations : Crocodile Fish (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-07 | The tentacled flathead (Papilloculiceps longiceps) or crocodilefish is a flathead within the order Scorpaeniformes, an order which also includes the scorpionfishes and stonefishes. They are predatory bottom-dwelling fish, using their camouflage to ambush their prey.
HDObservations : Yellow Warbler (4K UHD) rogeruzun 2021-06-04 | North America has more than 50 species of warblers, but few combine brilliant color and easy viewing quite like the Yellow Warbler. In summer, the buttery yellow males sing their sweet whistled song from willows, wet thickets, and roadsides across almost all of North America
