Michael Despines Photography

Apr

30

Long-tailed Meadowlark

Shot of the Month Posted by Michael / 1 comments

Shot of the Month – April 2025

Some animals are masters of disguise, trying to quietly blend into the surrounding to avoid detection. That does not seem to be the strategy of the Long-tailed Meadowlark shown here. I photographed this dapper fellow in Patagonia, Chile.

The males, especially during the mating season, take on dramatic hues to attract the ladies. The female birds also have red, but the coloring is more subdued as we can see here:

Another view of the female:

The Meadowlark is a New World bird that prefers grasslands, fields, and meadows, as the name suggests. These birds spend much of their time on the ground as they search for insects and seeds.

There are eight species of meadowlark spread out across the Western Hemisphere. Interestingly, all five of the species that live south of the Equator are adorned in red. But the three species of meadowlark that usually live in North America are adorned in yellow. Below is a Western Meadowlark that I photographed in Grand Teton National Park in the US, and he is clearly on team yellow.

Another shot of our lovely male:

Meadowlarks, the dashing fashion plate of the nearby meadow, with handy color coding for the directionally challenged (like me!).

(Blue Line = Equator)

Until next month…michael

Nikon Z9, Nikkor Z 100-400mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec, ISO 100

Mar

31

Pygmy Owl

Shot of the Month Posted by Michael / 1 comments

Shot of the Month – March 2025

While in Patagonia, I finally came across an owl I had been trying to see for ages – a Pymy owl. Just look at this stunning Liliputian cutie pie of a raptor. I am sure he would be none to pleased to hear himself being called a cutie pie – similar to how I imagine cats, the perfect miniature killing machine, hate when we ooh and ahh over their “adorable” ways. That being said, this tiny terror is not to be taken lightly – they are renowned to be quite fierce and have been seen taking birds almost double their weight.

(WHOOS a FIERCe LITTLE OWL? YOOOUU ARE!! Yeessss YOU Are!! (said in that annoying pet owner voice…)

Austral Pygmy Owl Range

There are 29 species of Pygmy Owl scattered across the globe, and they can be found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The chappie in my photo is an Austral Pygmy Owl – they are found in two countries, Chile (mostly) and Argentina (less so). Locally, they are called Chuncho. The males weigh 56-75 grams (2.0 – 2.6 oz) while, as is common with many raptors, the females are larger and weigh 70-100 g (2.5 – 3.5 oz).

For those playing at home, a tennis ball weighs about 2 oz, and a deck of playing cards weighs 3.5 oz. The wee bird stands about 17-21 cm (6.7 – 8.3 inches). This tiny raptor hunts small birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects. These guys like to hunt during the day (diurnal), but they can hunt at night when the mood strikes.

A closer view:

Remember how it seemed that mom had eyes in the back of her head back when we were kids? Many raptors, including some species of pygmy owl, also give that impression, as seen here when my subject looked away:

False eyes, called ocelli, are usually found on prey species to confuse predators. So why does this owl, a predator, have false eyes?? The Austral pygmy owl preys on a wide variety of song birds, which makes him very unpopular with that avian crowd. If prey birds find a resting owl, they will call out for reinforcements. Soon, the birds will mob the owl, dive-bombing and harassing him until he leaves – especially if the birds have nests nearby with chicks. One theory is that these false eyes help avoid getting attacked from behind. Some scientists think the large false eyes are actually designed to trigger the mob response, so birds come in close so the owl can then hunt them! What delicious subterfuge if true – using their rage against them!

A small bird in a large world:

A closer look:

The Austral Pygmy Owl – the tiny but terrifying, diabolically deceptive (some say), geometrically perfect (tell me that head is not a perfect arc!) ball of feathers that is, yes, I still stand by it – adorable.

Until next month….michael

Nikon Z9, Nikon 600mm, f/4, 1/500 sec, ISO 400

Feb

28

Daily Challenge

Shot of the Month Posted by Michael / 1 comments

Shot of the Month – February 2025

As the sun rises in Patagonia, a resting Guanaco looks on, likely wondering why we are up so early.

A Guana-what?

For the uninitiated, it is pronounced “gwa NAH ko.”

If you thought our long-necked furry thing was a llama, you are not far off. Guanacos have a very calm/mellow temperament which allowed locals to domesticate them 6,000-7,000 years ago. That domesticated version is, yep you guessed it, the llama.

Guanacos are the largest herbivores in South America’s dry areas, and they are the main prey of Patagonia’s apex predator – the puma.

But do note, guanacos are not an easy meal. No, far from it. Guanacos are BIG. They stand 6 feet tall and can weigh three times the weight of a puma. Guanacos are also fast – they can run 35 mph. These camel-like creatures (yes, they are related to camels) also have thicker skin on their long necks for protection against predators.

We watched the puma below stalk a guanaco for about 45 minutes. She was unsuccessful.

A failed hunt is expected. It is the norm. Pumas only succeed about 1 in 5 attempts (that is an 80% failure rate!). (In the video below, they say success is only 1 in 10!)

I have seen many feline predators hunt – some in person and many others on video. Catching prey is difficult for all predators, but nothing comes close to the challenge that a puma faces every day. Watch this video and be prepared to be stunned. (Video link here.)

Imagine if you had to do this every time you wanted a meal!!

I am shocked that there are any pumas left alive in Patagonia, given how hard they have to work day in and day out to secure a meal. I would expect that life-threatening injuries must occur regularly, as seen in the video below (fear not, mom and cubs survive, I have seen the entire documentary). The link is also here.

And in the next video, watch how hard the puma gets slammed to the ground…again, and again…and…..(the action starts at about 1m 50sec). I recommend watching with the sound off. (Video link here)

Excuse me, what? You are feeling a bit peckish? Well, saddle up, cowboy, you have some work to do if you are a puma in Patagonia!

E-V-E-R-Y D-A-Y, this is what you have to endure if you want to eat.

In the last example of this daily struggle, a professional photographer captures the battle through a dramatic series of stills stitched together into a short video:

I got nothing else to say. Speechless. Pumas are absolute gangsters. I have the greatest respect for both contestants. Life is H-A-R-D when you are in the food chain….

Until next month….michael

Click here to learn more about Patagonia:

Patagonia

And here for more on Pumas
Puma

And here for the story behind getting a great puma landscape image:

Trifecta

Nikon Z9, 100-400mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO 5000, EV -0.666

Jan

31

Trifecta!

Shot of the Month Posted by Michael / 5 comments

Shot of the Month – January 2025

Boom! (The photographic equivalent of a “mic drop”)

My favorite (best?) shot of 2024!

A once-in-a-lifetime shot! Definitely

It doesn’t get any more Patagonia than this. If you need a refresher on Patagonia, check out this link:

Patagonia

Otherwise, let’s break it down:

Torres del Paine:

In the background of this shot we see three immense rock towers called the Torres del Paine (Spanish for “Towers of Paine”). These three peaks are the centerpiece of the eponymously named Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonian Chile. These peaks are part of the broader Cordillera del Paine mountain range, which makes up part of the southern Andes Mountains.

Puma

The apex predator of Patagonia is the Puma. In this shot, we see a female puma standing on a rock as she surveys her territory.

The Shot!!!

Getting a shot of a Puma in Patagonia is possible if you spend a few days and put in the miles. Getting an image of the Torres del Paine is a given, as they dominate the landscape in this park. Getting them both together, as in this composition? That puts us in “once in a lifetime territory”!

How did it happen?

One crisp morning, we were out hiking when we saw this female puma walking along a ridge line. My guide instantly looked at me and said “I know this cat. She likes to walk along the ridgeline. You are probably going to get some nice shots, but you are going to have WORK for it.” The challenge is that even when a puma is not walking very fast, by puma standards, this is very fast for us, fairly out of shape bipedal humanoids carrying more than 25 pounds of camera gear.

We took off with great haste to try and keep in front of the cat. We scanned the horizon and tried to guess where she might stop, and looked for potential good compositions. We scrambled to get out in front, set down our cameras and tripods, and set up for a shot. Usually, I would be breathing heavily and struggling to keep still as I composed a shot. We might get a few seconds to shoot before she was already past us again. MOVE!

We scrambled and did our best Olympic speed walking to get in front. This went on for hundreds of yards. Scramble. Stop. Drop to your knees and put the gear down. Try and compose an image and shoot while your chest is heaving. Scramble. Shoot. Repeat.

And then we saw the rock.

The rock that also happened to have the Torres del Paine in the background.

The same rock that had the Torres del Paine in the background as the morning light lit up the valley and the towers with a crisp blue sky as a backdrop.

My heart was now pounding in my ears. I realized the image that might be possible. I didn’t allow myself to even consider it. It would be like winning a photographic lottery with the same or even worse odds. I scrambled as fast as I could to get into position. Can I get there in time and set up the shot? Would she actually get up on that rock? Would she look at us? My mind was racing. I set my gear down and began to compose the image. Trembling.

My Brain: “Dont F*&^ this up!” Get your settings right. Get the focus ready. HURRY!

This all happened within a few seconds. The puma reached the rock. She did not hesitate and immediately leaped onto the boulder. She was checking for scents – seemingly a popular place to mark one’s territory. But she was also facing the wrong way!! I need just one MORE miracle. Please turn around! Turn around! Turn…

And she turned around.

I initially tried to shoot the image in landscape orientation, but my lens was not quite wide enough:

Arrrgh! Just a bit too cramped at the top to really work. Flip to vertical!!!

Fortunately, she was very cooperative and stood there for a few seconds, allowing me enough time to rotate my camera, adjust my settings, and get “the” shot before she leaped down and continued her patrol.

The leap:

In the first image, we see the puma, the region’s regal apex predator, on her throne, with Patagonia’s signature mountains, the Cordillera del Paine, towering behind her. Months and months later, and I am still in shock that it all came together so spectacularly.

Until next month….michael

Nikon Z9, Nikon 100-400 (@100 mm), 1/1000, f/4.5, ISO 250,

Jan

04

Favorites – 2024 Edition

Annual Summary Posted by Michael / 7 comments

One last glance back at 2024 before we leap into 2025 with a review of some of my favorite images from the last 12 months.

In 2024 I made my first trip to Patagonia, Chile in search of pumas. I had low expectations going into that trip but in the end, I was blown away by the experience. The landscape and scenery were breathtaking. Although the winter days were short the light was spectacular from sunrise to sunset. We spent most of each day hiking as we tracked pumas allowing us to really be part of that stunning landscape. Put all this together and we get one of the best trips I have ever taken. We enjoyed it so much that we plan to return in 2026 (Sorry, Madagascar, you will have to wait one more year).

Let’s start with my favorite images from that adventure.

1. We begin with my best photo of the year and one of the best images I have ever taken. Truly an image of a lifetime. In one shot, we get not only the dramatic Patagonia landscape (Cordillera del Paine) but also the apex predator of the region.

And just in case you didn’t notice, here is a zoomed-in crop of the bottom part of the image:

2. In the next image we can see the powerful build of the puma. And that gaze is intense!

3. Here we see a female puma with her two cubs. Cuteness overload!

Here is a close up of the puma family:

4. One of my goals for the trip was to photograph a pygmy owl and Patagonia did not disappoint! It was my first sighting of this fierce tiny raptor.

5. I imagine that true landscape photographers must lose their minds in Patagonia – at every turn was yet another mind-boggling scene. How do you choose where to point your camera??

6. Just another average sunrise in Patagonia.

A few other of my favorite images from 2024 captured a bit closer to home.

7. I made a weekend trip to Mt. Rainier (Washington State) and found this dramatic sunset scene at Reflection Lake. I have some nice sunrise photos from this location but this is my first compelling sunset image.

8. I spent a few days in the Olympic National Park (Washington State) and captured two images that I really liked (I am using this one as the background on my phone).

9. Another view of the same stream. It seems that I am a big fan of fuzzy green rocks.

9. Each year short-eared owls winter in Washington State – here is one of my favorite images from my time with them.

10. And each summer bald eagles congregate along the coastline of Washington State to feast on spawning fish. In this image, we have two eagles fighting over a fish.

11. No fish in this image but two eagles still fighting, in the rain – just because.

12. And finally, an image taken really close to home. An Anna’s hummingbird dining in the garden that is on the back deck of our house.

In other news, I entered a few photo contests in 2024 with some good results.

Three images were “Commended” in the 2024 Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) Contest:

1. Feeding Time

Photo Caption:

Over three weeks I visited this Anna’s Hummingbird nest regularly to document the growth and development of the chicks. By staying on the boardwalk and using a 600 mm lens I was able to have a good view of the hummingbird family while keeping a safe distance from the nest. When I began the chicks were blind, featherless, and the size of my thumbnail. In this image the chicks are almost fully mature, and their feathers have grown in. Just two days after this photo was taken, I watched the chicks take their first flight! We were all very proud!

See the full story here.

2. Rufous on Watch

Photo Caption:

From his perch, this male Rufous Hummingbird surveyed the entire field – if any other bird or creature dared to enter, he would take flight and warn them off. As the tree swayed in the breeze the light occasionally caught his gorget just right, and radiated bright orange. Every few seconds he would expand his gorget for added effect, flashing it for all to see, and to proclaim “No Trespassing.” I approached him slowly, taking images every 10 paces or so until I was able to capture this portrait of the fiery watchman

Read more on the rufous hummingbird here.

3. Fish Fight

Photo Caption:

Bald eagles congregate along the Washington coast each summer to feed on midshipman fish spawning among the oyster beds. As the tide recedes the fish become trapped and the eagles attack. Some eagles strafe the water to catch their own fish while others steal from blue herons and seagulls. Other bald eagles prefer to steal from fellow eagles. In this scene, the eagle with a fish implemented an impressive barrel roll to confront her attacker. With the theft rebuffed the eagle flew to a nearby pine tree to dine in peace.

30

Long-tailed Meadowlark

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31

Pygmy Owl

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28

Daily Challenge

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31

Trifecta!

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04

Favorites – 2024 Edition

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