Andy_Allen
LightNews LightNews
banner
andyallen.bsky.social
Andy_Allen
@andyallen.bsky.social
800 followers 1.2K following 220 posts
Brit in L.A.; Musician, Sound Engineer, Composer, Educator. Wildlife/Urban Photographer with Fujifilm X-H2S and XT-5 Cameras.
Photos; https://vero.co/andy_allen
Posts Replies Media Videos
andyallen.bsky.social
Typically these beetles prefer to scuttle to safely under a leaf rather than pose for the camera. This one was much more obliging and I was able to get this shot.

Dotted Paropsine Leaf Beetle; Los Angeles River at Studio City, L.A.

#Insects #macro #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A reddish brown beetle with small lighter spots and a round body like a large lady bug sits face-on to the camera on the edge of a deep green leaf. Other leaves surround the beetle in the background.
November 18, 2025 at 5:53 AM
andyallen.bsky.social
A Red Tailed Hawk, momentarily hovering over the edge of the L.A. River - no doubt looking for voles along the bank.

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A Red Tailed Hawk, wings outstretched, almost-hovering over the slope of the Los Angeles River bank. The grass and trees in the background are washed out by the rising L.A. sun, but the Red Tail, lit from behind, glows as the sun filters through its feathhers. The color of the red tail is especially deep and bright.
November 8, 2025 at 9:37 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
A little bit of sexy-time in the trees; two Monarch butterflies linked together at the abdomen, mating. Nice to know they’re making more Monarchs for the future.
Taken at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, Los Angeles.

#Insects #macro #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A single slim branch with two Monarch butterflies hanging from it, facing away from each other. They have their wings closed, displaying the yellow underside of the wing, covering their joined abdomens as they mate. The background is a bright Bokeh of greens and blues as the sunlight filters through the trees.
October 26, 2025 at 10:17 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
An Osprey wheeling around to dive on potential lunch - my contribution to #raptor #birdoftheday. Taken at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, Los Angeles.

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A large white and black fish eagle against a blue sky. The wings are fully spread and we see the underside of body and wings as it turns to drop onto a fish in Haskel Lake, Sepulveda Basin.
October 22, 2025 at 6:35 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
A female Great Tailed Grackle strutting her stuff on a concrete bench at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, Los Angeles, CA.

As active, noisy and impressive as the male grackles are I think it’s these that are really in charge!

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A large light brown bird, a little smaller than a crow, with a long brown tail, strutting right to left with its foot lifted to take its next step. The background, just out of focus, is of bright yellow mustard blooms.
October 14, 2025 at 8:33 AM
andyallen.bsky.social
In between zipping around at up to 30mph (apparently) you might get lucky and have a dragonfly perch up close on a convenient twig. I got lucky.

Taken at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, Los Angeles.

#Insects #macro #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A bright blue Dragonfly with green eyes perched on a bare stick at the edge of Haskell Lake. The background foliage is blurred and the golden hue suggests that this is early morning sunlight.
October 8, 2025 at 12:03 AM
andyallen.bsky.social
Ash Throated Flycatcher at the Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, Los Angeles.

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A larg-ish light brown and gray flycatcher with a slight crest and distinctive rust red wings and tail. I had not seen this bird before this summer and it took me a while to figure out what it was. It was larger than I expected for a flycatcher but handsome nonetheless.
September 30, 2025 at 2:12 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
Great Blue Heron early morning at the Los Angeles River near the Sepulveda Dam, L.A.

(As usual, more info in ALT text.)

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
Black and White version. A Great Blue Heron standing on a boulder in the L.A. River - hunched up in its full breeding plumage, looking grumpy. This old GBH is king of its patch and fiercely defends this area of the river from any threats. At this time there were four other GBHs sitting a ways away on the rail atop the dam, far above the river, waiting for it to leave so they could come back and fish. (I hadn’t seen that many GBHs there at one time - it reminded me of the holding patterns waiting to land at LAX on a busy day.) Color version. A Great Blue Heron standing on a boulder in the L.A. River - hunched up in its full breeding plumage, looking grumpy. This old GBH is king of its patch and fiercely defends this area of the river from any threats. At this time there were four other GBHs sitting a ways away on the rail atop the dam, far above the river, waiting for it to leave so they could come back and fish. (I hadn’t seen that many GBHs there at one time - it reminded me of the holding patterns waiting to land at LAX on a busy day.)
September 21, 2025 at 3:56 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
A young Coyote crossing the Los Angeles River at Sepulveda Dam, L.A.

This is one of the juvenile Coyotes from the family that maintain their territory around this part of the river.

#wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A lean, full size young Coyote, paddling through the L.A. River at a shallow part. The early morning sun is lighting the Coyote up as it walks through a patch of warm, golden light from the left. Despite sitting low behind the scrub the Coyote was well aware of me, likely even before I saw it. It kept an eye on me as it went past, but didn’t seem too intimidated by my presence. I had earlier that morning photographed the Mom on the same route carrying prey - going home to feed the latest brood no doubt.
September 14, 2025 at 11:56 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
Gray Bird Grasshopper; Los Angeles river at Studio City, LA.

(Photography info in alt text)

#Insects #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
This is a pretty big grasshopper - about as big as my thumb, and took 10 frames of focus bracket to get any decent depth of field. This was the first time I attempted such a large stack - made all the more complicated by being completely manual. I haven’t got the steadiest hands, so it took a lot of fiddling around to align all the frames to be able to do the stacking. I’m very pleased with the result in the end though. Fujifilm X-T5 Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Macro Godox V350 + AK Diffuser 1/125 sec - f/10 - iso 800 ACR + Photoshop
September 7, 2025 at 1:25 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
An early morning Great Blue Heron descending to the Los Angeles River at Sepulveda Dam, L.A.

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A Great Blue Heron, silhouetted against a deep orange early morning sky, glides down to the Los Angeles River with wings outstretched and legs dangling.
August 30, 2025 at 8:17 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
A juvenile Great Tailed Grackle at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, Los Angeles.

Not quite as sleek as its adult counterparts, but it’s doing well in the attitude department. And look at those claws!

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A high key photo of a large, fluffed up brown bird with a large beak and long tail. It’s changing direction on it’s perch; looking to the right over it’s shoulder.
August 25, 2025 at 8:57 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
This is a Gulf Fritillary butterfly, taken at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, Los Angeles. There is a small flower-filled meadow at the South of the reserve that catches the morning sun and makes the butterflies glow like they’re internally lit.

#Insects #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A glowing orange butterfly patterned with white spots, flying close over white wild flowers, against a blurred green background. A glowing orange butterfly pictured from above, patterned with black spots and perched on white wild flowers, against a blurred green background. A glowing orange butterfly patterned with black and white spots, perched on white wild flowers, against a blurred green background.
August 20, 2025 at 12:40 AM
andyallen.bsky.social
A Great Egret on the LA River at the Sepulveda Dam, Los Angeles, CA.

In the middle of grooming this bird spotted a possible snack and locked eyes on it.

I was looking to make some black & white pictures and this one was perfect for it.

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A Black and White photo of a large white Heron-like bird standing amongst water plants, turning and staring at something (edible no doubt) just out of frame.
August 11, 2025 at 9:30 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
This little mantis was barely 1” long, hanging out on a tree leaf. This was a four frame manual focus bracket, stitched together in Photoshop.

Taken by the Los Angeles river at Studio City, LA.

#Insects #wildlife #photography #fujifilm #macro
A macro shot of a tiny, young, light brown Mantis, parallel to the camera, angled down towards the right of the picture. It is grasping on to the green, hairy stalk of a tree leaf.
July 24, 2025 at 6:28 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
According to iNaturalist this butterfly is a Garden Whites. It looks much whiter on the top of its wings when they are open, but I like the subtle yellowish green of the underside too.

Taken at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, Los Angeles.

#Insects #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A small, delicate, off-white butterfly with its wings closed above its back, sitting on a deep green leaf. The background is very out of focus, creating a smooth blurred effect in the same deep green.
July 15, 2025 at 6:34 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
American White Pelican at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, L.A.

I don’t see these Pelicans perch often, they seem most comfortable in the water or air. Seeing their huge webbed feet I can understand how they can look so effortless while swimming so fast.

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
An early morning shot of a large white Pelican perched on a partially submerged log showing its large, bright orange webbed feet. It is clearly basking in the bright morning sun shining from the left.
July 2, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Reposted by Andy_Allen
nigels1.bsky.social
A wonderful short documentary on how America's most endangered songbird is saving a landscape and the efforts to save this bird from extinction.

#birds 🪶 #nationalgeographic #thelittlebrownbird
The Little Brown Bird (Full Documentary) | National Geographic
YouTube video by National Geographic
youtu.be
June 30, 2025 at 1:16 AM
andyallen.bsky.social
Juvenile Black-crowned Heron at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, L.A.

Early, misty morning and this little guy was all floofed up against the chill. I like the way those couple of errant feathers pick up the sunlight.

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A golden, early morning shot of a medium sized, mottled brown heron with piercing red eyes. there is a couple of stray feathers on it’s right wing that are sticking out and catching the early morning sun.
June 27, 2025 at 4:38 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
California Towhee at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, L.A.

With only a little light through the dense foliage I had to use 10,000 ISO! I wasn’t sure it would be useable, but the Fuji sensor and Camera Raw noise reduction gave a remarkably good result.

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A dark close up portrait of a large gray-brown finch, its outline ringed by golden light. Some of the light can also be seen through small gaps in the foliage behind it.
June 21, 2025 at 12:06 AM
andyallen.bsky.social
Great Blue Heron at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve. Los Angeles.

This from a spot in the reeds where the birds stand in the shade while softly backlit by the sun’s reflection off the water.

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
Close up portrait of a Great Blue Heron atmospherically lit from behind and framed by a few reed leaves.
June 11, 2025 at 3:16 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
American White Pelican at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, Los Angeles.

This is from early spring before they left for their breeding grounds. You can just see the breeding season ’horn’ starting to grow on the top of its bill.

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A large white bird with a huge pink and yellow bill, swimming calmly on the dark water, lit by the early morning sun.
June 2, 2025 at 11:51 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, L.A.

I frequently don’t know the names of birds I have photographed and then have to fully search the Merlin app. And females or juveniles like this one are harder to identify. I hope I got it right. 🤞

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
A small grey bird, slightly lighter underneath than above, with a thin fairly long beak. It has a definite white ring around its eye. It is perched on a thorny branch backed by out of focus greenery.
May 27, 2025 at 9:18 PM
andyallen.bsky.social
Great Blue Heron, Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve, L.A.

It looks like GBH is doing the rooster thing at dawn, but it had just been preening and was shaking its head and clacking its bill trying to get rid of the fluff; some of which is visible in the picture.

#birds 🪶 #wildlife #photography #fujifilm
Normally a large blue and grey bird, in this picture the GBH is back lit by the morning golden hour sun and the whole picture, including the bird, is in set in gold and brown colors.
May 20, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Reposted by Andy_Allen
tedzukoski.bsky.social
Hey, birders! If you're a scientist and care about wildlife, sign this letter opposing the Trump administration's proposal to amend the Endangered Species Act's definition of "harm" that would allow massive habitat destruction. A blatant attempt to speed extinction. #birds
savelifeonearth.bsky.social Tierra Curry @savelifeonearth.bsky.social · May 12
Scientists-- we have one week left to boost support to protect endangered species' habitat safeguards. Sign on to the scientists' open sign-on letter here and please share: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
May 13, 2025 at 4:14 PM