Looking back over the years of photographing birds, I have noticed a continuous improvement in my image composition and quality. If I had to pick my favorite image for 2022 it would be an encounter with a Pacific Wren. I have seen them in the Chimney Beach area, which is about 6 mi south of Incline Village on the north shore of Lake Tahoe in the eastern Sierra Nevada Range of Washoe County NV. It would be easier to look that up.

Pacific Wren, adult (Troglodytes pacificus) - Chimney Beach Area, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 6-2-2022 at 11:25

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/500s, f/5.6, ISO1000, +1/3EV, Conditions: shade

There is a trail that runs from Lake Tahoe to Marlette Lake and there is a small creek that runs into Lake Tahoe with easy access from the Chimney Beach Parking area. I followed the creek up hill and encountered Cassin’s and Warbling Vireos, Hermit Thrush, Wood Pewee, and many other species but the Pacific Wren flew right in and let me know that this was his area. It was overcast and under a dense conifer grove so the light was very diffuse. I lowered the shutter speed to 1/500s, opened the aperture to wide open f/5.6 with the attached 1.4 teleconverter requiring an ISO1000. I really like how sharp the image was and still getting a great bokeh. The second image captured the habitat where I found the Wren.

Pacific Wren, adult (Troglodytes pacificus) - Chimney Beach Area, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 6-2-2022 at 11:24

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/500s, f/5.6, ISO1000, +1/3EV, Conditions: shade

During the first week of January I captured this Gadwall. A stunning duck with its tight patterns subtle blacks and browns and this one I found resting on a rock as to show off the bright orange legs. A couple days later I found a Hybrid duck that was a cross between a Common Goldeneye and a Hooded Merganser. It was on a small pond at the University of Nevada Reno downtown campus.

Gadwall, male (Mareca strepera) - Diamond Creek Pond, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 1-7-2022 at 9:46

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO360, +1/3EV, Conditions: overcast

Common Goldeneye x Hooded Merganser, hybrid (Bucephala clangula x Lophodytes cucullatus) - UNR Campus, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 1-14-2022 at 12:11

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/1250s, f/5.6, ISO1400, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Some other great encounters was this immature Bald Eagle that flew right over me at Bowers Mansion Regional Park. Sandhill Cranes are not very common but in March I was able to get with 20m of a pair.

Bald Eagle, immature 1st yr (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) - Bowers Mansion RP, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 3-10-2022 at 10:33

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/1250s, f/5.6, ISO400, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Sandhill Crane, adult (Antigone canadensis) - Washoe Lake SP - Wetlands MA, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 3-17-2022 at 11:23

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/1250s, f/9, ISO1600, +1/3EV, Conditions: overcast

Hope you enjoy the rest of my 2022 Favorites and I will be working on my 2023 Favorites.

Barn Swallow, adult (Hirundo rustica) - Rancho San Rafael, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 5-13-2022 at 8:44

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/1250s, f/5.6, ISO320, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

American White Pelican, alt adult (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) - Pyramid Lake - South Shore, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 5-24-2022 at 11:23

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/1600s, f/5.6, ISO320, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Western Tanager, female (Piranga ludoviciana) - Davis Creek RP, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 6-24-2022 at 7:08

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/1250s, f/5.6, ISO250, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Gray Flycatcher, adult (Empidonax wrightii) - Bowman Archery Range, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 7-8-2022 at 9:58

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/1250s, f/9, ISO640, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Cooper's Hawk, immature (Accipiter cooperii) - Washoe Lake SP - Bellevue, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 8-17-2022 at 8:58

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/1000s, f/7.1, ISO500, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Lincoln's Sparrow, adult (Melospiza lincolnii) - Swan Lake - Fleetwood Pumphouse, WAS (NV)

EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC Taken: 9-13-2022 at 9:14

Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/1250s, f/7.1, ISO500, +1/3EV, Conditions: sunny

Here are a few more photos from 2022 that I really like too.

Top left American Avocet, alt adult (Recurvirostra americana), American Dipper, adult (Cinclus mexicanus), American Crow, adult (Corvus brachyrhynchos), Ash-throated Flycatcher, adult (Myiarchus cinerascens) bottom right

Top left Black Phoebe, adult (Sayornis nigricans), Barrow's Goldeneye, male (Bucephala islandica), Black-crowned Night Heron, adult (Nycticorax nycticorax), Bewick's Wren, adult (Thryomanes bewickii) bottom right

Top left Black-headed Grosbeak, male (Pheucticus melanocephalus), Brown Creeper, adult (Certhia americana), Black-throated Gray Warbler, immature female (Setophaga nigrescens), Bushtit, female (Psaltriparus minimus) bottom right

Top left Common Goldeneye, male (Bucephala clangula), Green-tailed Towhee, adult (Pipilo chlorurus), Dowitchers in Flight, Fox Sparrow, Thick-billed adult (Passerella iliaca [megarhyncha Group]) bottom right

Top left Harris's Sparrow, basic (Zonotrichia querula), Horned Lark, male (Eremophila alpestris), Mandarin Duck, male (Aix galericulata), Marsh Wren, immature (Cistothorus palustris) bottom right

Top left Marbled Godwit, adult (Limosa fedoa), Mountain Chickadee, adult (Poecile gambeli), Northern Harrier, adult male (Circus hudsonius), Northern Pintail, male (Anas acuta) bottom right

Top left Sage Thrasher, adult (Oreoscoptes montanus), Northern Shoveler, female (Spatula clypeata), Savannah Sparrow, adult (Passerculus sandwichensis), Osprey, adult (Pandion haliaetus) bottom right

Top left Tree Swallow, adult (Tachycineta bicolor), Pygmy Nuthatch, adult (Sitta pygmaea)

Top left Rock Wren, adult (Salpinctes obsoletus), Rock Wren, immature (Salpinctes obsoletus), Say's Phoebe, adult (Sayornis saya) bottom

Top left Snowy Plover, basic adult (Charadrius nivosus), Spotted Towhee, adult (Pipilo maculatus), Steller's Jay, adult (Cyanocitta stelleri) bottom

Top left Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis), Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), Western Tanager, male (Piranga ludoviciana), Wilson's Warbler, male (Cardellina pusilla) bottom right

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