All photos: Pine Valley Nature Area, Jackson County, Eastern Iowa
We used Labor Day weekend for some scouting and exploration of nature areas we had never visited before. One of them was Pine Valley Nature Area in Jackson County, located about 3 miles northwest of Maquoketa Caves State Park. I’m posting the location below for those who like to discover it as well. This 676 acre woodland and prairie area is a gem for any nature lover. It is a great place to study different types of prairie grass and at this time of the year you will find an abundance of wildflowers on the prairie. I’m sure in spring and early summer we can find a lot more birds than we saw last Monday. It looks promising for wildlife photography.
I traveled light, with just the Nikkor 70-200, f/4 lens on camera, during our hike on some of the trails. This is not a macro lens but I tried to isolate certain flowers, grasses, and other plants from their dense surroundings. Not my usual kind of photography, but thinking about how to place the subject in the frame or trying to find a good background was a lot of fun during this hike. I hope you enjoy this little selection of images.
All photos: Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, f/4