As a wildlife photographer, I always look for those rare moments that tell a story. One of those moments happened recently at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.
At around 8:45 a.m., I was driving the auto tour road when I noticed a Pied-billed Grebe diving close to the road. I pulled over and waited. It wasn’t long before the bird resurfaced with a crawdad in its beak. The action took place at Tuff Pond, near the Tuff Boat Ramp.
This was a great encounter to photograph. The timing, the location, and the behavior all lined up perfectly.
My Equipment
For this photo, I used a Fujifilm X-T3 camera with a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens. I connected the lens using a Fringer EF-FX Pro adapter. My camera rested on a bean bag placed over the open window of my pickup, which helped stabilize the shot.
Camera Settings
- Mode: Aperture Priority (AV)
- Aperture: f/7.1
- ISO: 1000
- Shutter Speed: 1/4000 sec
- Focal Length: 400mm
Capturing wildlife like this is always a mix of patience and luck. But when it works out, it’s worth every second.