16 Feet, 2.5 Tons, and Noisy

[ferider]

The Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga Angustirostris) coming here to Año Nuevo California every year for breeding season.

This is from Friday morning, Nikkor 300/4.5 on F3, Tmax 400 in HC110(B):

We did get rather close 🙂 :

Enjoy,

Roland.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

This is from Friday morning, Nikkor 300/4.5 on F3, Tmax 400 in HC110(B):

I applaud your bravery; I think I'd have used a 1000mm on half frame, myself! 😀

Interesting shots.

 

[mfogiel]

Nice looking community 😀

 

[kennylovrin]

Great stuff! I especially like the one I quoted above! 🙂

Do they really move that fast that you actually need tele lenses? I would imagine they are quite slow? Or it is that you're not allowed to intrude on their space?

 

[Gerry M]

Very well done, Roland. Also looks like the kit was up to the task.

Gerry

 

[ferider]

Thanks, SA, Marek, Kenny & Gerry.

Kenny: the males are on edge since there is continued fighting for the right spot to get to the females going on. Here is an example from last year (with a 400mm lens):

Mostly they sleep, though, but can react very quickly. So you have to keep a safe distance of 5-10 meters or so. We were 6 people with a ranger who made sure we didn't get too close. Everybody else was shooting these huge, camouflaged DSLR lenses, I felt very "agile" with the small Nikkor 300/4.5 ED/IF 🙂 (I truly love that lens). Also, we started just before sun-rise, so a tripod was needed.

Roland.

 

[ampguy]

These are excellent Roland. My favorites are the 3 potato looking ones sleeping, and the pups nursing or about to.

 

[farlymac]

Yes, best not to disturb those critters. Wonderful shots, Roland.

PF

 

[burancap]

Looks like my last vacation!

Seriously, beautiful images and processing.

 

[Richard G]

Did you forget 'smelly'? I seem to remember reading that an amusing scene like this is accompanied by the stench of rotting fish. Might be wrong.