THE CRITTER AND A WORD ABOUT THE HABITAT

Striped Skunk, Upper Mississippi Valley, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa

A little hike deep into the marsh of the Green Island wetlands in the Mississippi Valley started with a nice surprise. With my eyes mostly up and looking out for birds, I almost stumbled over this Striped Skunk that was obviously in search for food. After we discovered each other the skunk kept searching, had still an eye on me ones in a while but wasn’t bothered much by my presence. I kept my distance, knowing that they can spray their musk, with its very powerful odor, several meters from the two scent glands they have around their anus. If you look at this beautiful animal it is easy to understand why it was one of North America's most sought-after fur-bearers.

I took a new lens I just had acquired for the first time on a hike and wanted to learn how it performs and how it handles in the field. The Nikon NIKKOR Z 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 VR S is only since a few days in my bag and using 400 mm focal length was perfect for this shot, keeping the distance and not making the skunk feeling threatened. I still cropped the picture a little bit because at the end of winter there is a lot of dead plant material scattered everywhere in the marsh and I tried to keep as much as possible out of the frame, especially in the foreground.

Green Island Wetlands

The second picture is a view across the marsh at Green Island, with the Illinois side of the Mississippi River in the background. This was shot with the same lens at 100 mm. It was quite cold during the last few days and most of the water was frozen again. The photo shows also the dilemma we face in many parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley. Floodplain forests along the Upper Mississippi River are experiencing mass die-offs, with thousands of trees lost due to prolonged, intensified flooding caused by climate change and altered river hydrology. These "dead zones" are compounded by invasive species, specifically the emerald ash borer.

I have visited and photographed the Green Island Wetlands since 2011 and even if I shoot mostly wildlife pictures, the landscape images from the past document some of the wildlife habitat loss we can see.

BETTER THAN EMPTY-HANDED

Merlin, Green Island Wildlife Management Area, Iowa

During a search for some Short-eared Owls earlier this week I didn’t come back totally empty-handed. While slowly driving down the gravel road this merlin posed nicely in a tree next to the road. All what I had to do was to lower the side window of the car a little more, aim the lens at the bird, and press the shutter release button of the camera. It isn’t always that easy to make a click and definitely better than going home without a picture on the memory card…😊

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z TC-1.4x,    @ 840mm, 1/1000s, f/9, ISO 1000, image slightly cropped

  • The identification of the bird was changed 02/13/2026 by the author.

A SUNSET INSTEAD

I was out in the Green Island Wetlands today in search for a certain raptor but didn’t have any luck again. The usual suspects showed up but not the one I was looking for. While cruising slowly on the gravel road, with my eyes in the trees and the camera with long lens and teleconverter in my lap, the sun was about to set at the horizon. I never shot a sunset with 840 mm focal length and thought to give it a try. The compression effect of the lens makes it look like the sun sets right between the trees on the ridge. That a bird flew into the scene was a bonus, although it wasn’t the owl I was hoping for…

NATURE CLICKS #618 - ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK

Rough-legged Hawk, Green Island Wildlife Management Area, Iowa

Not so easy to get in front of the camera was a pair of Rough-legged Hawks I found yesterday on ”wildlife patrol” in the Green Island Wildlife Management Area. These hawks have their breeding grounds in tundra habitats of North America, way up north in Canada, but migrate to the Central United States for the winter. These opportunistic predators feed mostly on small mammals, like voles, mice, or even rabbits, but won’t refuse birds either.

WITH A BLUE TINT

Fog in the valley, Mississippi Valley, Green Island Wildlife Refuge, Iowa

I came across this moody landscape with some fog in the Mississippi Valley today. The compression effect of the long lens, including the Z1.4 teleconverter, got me all the subtle layers of gray in the distance. The picture was processed in monochrome mode but at the end I wasn’t completely satisfied, the image seemed to be too gloomy, and maybe too depressive. I gave it a little bit of a blue tint and that changed the appearance to something I like much better, at least for today…

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z TC-1.4x, @ 840mm

A LAST VISIT

Bald Eagle, Mississippi River, Sabula, Iowa

Today was probably the last time in 2025 I visited the Green Island Wetlands and ”Iowa’s Island City” Sabula at the Mississippi River. The statistics in my picture library tell me that I was 20 times in this area this year. Every season is different and each visit doesn’t lead necessarily to some good photos. Sometimes it’s overwhelming and quick decisions have to be made about where to point the lens next. Other times, like today, it takes a long time to have something in the frame that is worth to push the shutter release button on the camera.

Today it was mostly raptors that showed up since all the water bodies were frozen. I saw three Northern Harriers, a couple Red-tailed Hawks, and along the road to Sabula three American Kestrels.

The click for this Bald Eagle was made right after the bird took off from the ice and flew over to a dead tree where its mate was already waiting.

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z TC-1.4x,    @ 840mm, 1/800s, f/9, ISO 3200, image cropped

SENSE OF FALL

Savannah Sparrow, Green Island, eastern Iowa

A big house project came to an end on Friday and I finally found the time to go out with the camera again and shoot some pictures. The photo above was made about 40 minutes before sunset at the edge of a field that was already harvested. The warm rim light on the dried up flower pods intrigued me and all the elements, including some spider web threads, give the photo of this sparrow a sense of fall.

Male Red-winged Blackbird, Green Island Wetlands

Thousands of Red-winged Blackbirds congregate in the wetlands along the Mississippi River at the moment and feed or rest during their migration to warmer areas in the south. If the winter is mild, as we had it during the last couple years, some of them will even stay here or at least return very early. I have photos in my picture library that were made in February.

BIRDS IN FLIGHT

Great Blue Heron, Green Island Wetlands, Mississippi Valley, Iowa

It was pretty quiet in the wetlands today, at least up to the moment when I was ready to leave in the late afternoon. Suddenly several hundred Canada Geese came across the Green Island wetlands in the Mississippi Valley and moved towards the low sitting sun in the west. They flew either in pairs or strings up to 25 birds for the next half hour. Communication with each other is obviously very important and the air was filled with their loud calls. I guess nobody gets excited here in the Midwest about Canada Geese, since they are present pretty much all year long, but many also migrate from up north, where food and open water are not available during the winter.

I saw this as a good opportunity to practice shooting birds in flight and walked with the camera and long lens onto a field to have a good view in all directions. I don’t know who was more surprised, the Great Blue Heron or I. The heron at least saw or heard me first and was already in the air when I discovered the bird. Sudden opportunities like this come and go very fast and it is exactly for these special moments why I practice handholding the long lens in order to come home with a sharp photo. The photos of the geese I made afterwards? Well, nothing but pure fun shooting pictures on a warm late summer day!

All images: Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x

GOING FOR A BIG SNACK

Great Egret with a catch, Mississippi River, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa

When you go since a long time and frequently to the same area for wildlife photography, as it is the Green Island Wetlands in the Mississippi Valley, you may start believing, I have seen it all, no big news anymore. But nature comes often up with a big surprise and I learned this lesson again a couple days ago. So here is the little story that surrounds the two photos in today’s blog post.

When I saw this Great Egret standing beside the gravel road in front of the car I didn’t even consider to make a click. An egret standing on the road and staring down the banks on the left hand side towards the lake wasn’t really a shot I was looking for. I approached the bird very slowly, even stopped, hoping it would take off and fly away before the car came close. Usually those egrets are quite skittish and don’t let you come really close. It took me a few seconds to realize that this guy was on to something and didn’t even look at me.

Suddenly the egret pushed its sharp bill into the weeds along the banks and jumped even down. Obviously it had made a catch. I expected seeing a little frog or maybe a locust in the birds bill, but surprisingly the catch was a lot bigger! This Great Egret had caught a young muskrat, one of the four-legged critters that live in the wetlands. While the bird ”handled” its prey, means it killed the muskrat, I asked myself, how is it going to eat that big snack? The critter didn’t move anymore when I shot the first image and the time stamp on my files revealed that seven seconds later the bird had swallowed the young muskrat completely. Nature can be brutal but as a wildlife photographer I try not to be biased. It was an amazing experience and I’m glad I had the camera in my lap and was ready to document the unexpected.

FOLLOWING THE CLOUDS TODAY

The whole week we had these wonderful puffy clouds here in the Mississippi Valley. Unfortunately they dissolve before the day ends. I thought it is worth a try to drive down already early afternoon today to the Green Island Wetlands, one of my favorite wildlife spots as the avid reader of my blog already knows.

I wanted to come back with some black and white images that tell the story about the landscape of the Green Island Wildlife Management area and maybe an idea what the clouds can do to enhance it. To get already a good preview into my mind how the final picture would look, I set the camera to monochrome mode and with a red filter setting applied, simulating the same way I would have photographed this scene back in the days of film. As I shoot always in RAW mode all the color information is still embedded in the file and it still allows me to tweak a certain color in post process for the final outcome.

How much impact clouds can have to emphasize a certain landscape can be comprehended by studying the work of Ansel Adams or Clyde Butcher. I admire the photography of Ansel Adams since a long time but discovered Clyde Butcher only a couple years ago through the book ”Seeing the Light” by Tom Shroder and John Barry. What an amazing life story and mesmerizing photography! I follow the Instagram posts of this renowned black and white photographer, humanitarian, and environmentalist, but if you like to just have a look, go to his website clydebutcher.com . Highly recommended!

BUTTERFLIES AT PEAK OF THE SUMMER

Sulphur, Green Island Wetlands, Mississippi Valley, Iowa

I made a trip to the Green Island Wetlands today, the first one since a few weeks. As expected not a lot of birds came close to the camera but the area had a good water level and vegetation everywhere was lush and green. I was happy to see many pollinator insects, like bumble bees and butterflies. The number of Monarch butterflies was much higher than during the last couple years, which is really a good thing since this species is in significant decline. In the very humid and hot weather we had today nobody wants to run around with a macro lens and try to get a shot of erratically moving butterflies. I thought I can tell a little bit of the story about summer at its peak by using the long lens from the shelter of an air conditioned car. I hope you enjoy!

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x

Monarch, Green Island Wetlands, Mississippi Valley, Iowa

TALKING ABOUT THE ”CUTENESS FACTOR”

Double-crested Cormorant, Mississippi Valley, Green Island Wetlands, Eastern Iowa

Let me start with some thoughts before I come to today’s image. In the Dubuque Camera Club we participate in monthly competitions with other camera clubs in different categories with our photos each month. We also have the duty of judging a competition quite often. In the month of May it was for the ”Nature” category, means wildlife, flowers, or anything else that falls under the umbrella of nature. This is all good and helps many beginners and advanced camera owners to become better photographers.

Over the years, since I’m a member of the club, I made an observation that still keeps me wondering. Nobody can win a competition if the subject doesn’t have a certain ”cuteness factor”. For example, if you post a real blurry photo of a cat (I mean house cats, lions, tigers, you name it…), not even very well composed, and as boring as a piece of wood in the bright sun, sometimes it still may be judged higher than a tack sharp, well composed, and properly exposed picture of a beautiful snake. It doesn’t matter anymore if the story a photo can tell is good, when the ”cuteness factor” kicks against it. I understand, it’s all subjective and the three judges never have an easy job to find a fair winner. It just still amazes me what role the ”cuteness factor” can play how we can feel about a photo.

So, here we have a Double-crested Cormorant and I know this bird is considered by some people as ugly. I guess the ”cuteness factor” may be ”a bit” less than i.e. for the Great Egrets I posted yesterday. However, this very adaptable bird is an elegant diver, swimmer, and flyer an I personally think they just look great. Due to their black plumage, making a well exposed photo is often a challenge.

The Double-crested Cormorants have a home in the Green Island Wetlands during the season with open water and they are abundant. I see them quite often, but making a photo without cropping the picture to death seems to be not so easy. It was the first time this very skittish bird was within the range of the lens and in decent light. I admit, the ”cuteness factor” doesn’t play a role in my wildlife photography. All animals need our utmost attention for their protection in their still shrinking habitats.

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x

DIFFERENT PREY

Great Egret, Upper Mississippi Valley, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa

The Great Egrets in the Green Island Wetlands have no problems to find and catch food at this time of the year. The metamorphosis from a tadpole to a frog was not yet completed for the prey the egret had in its bill, but I can see the legs of the frog already in a different photo of this shooting sequence.

Tadpoles or frogs were not the only items the Great Egrets had on their menu this afternoon. Another one caught a young Northern Pike and gobbled it down into its throat within a few seconds. The interesting thing to observe was the behavior of the egret after it had the fish in its beak. The Great Egret was smart enough to know that it can loose the pike during the attempt to swallow it and the bird just jumped onto the shore where it could pick up the fish again if the prey was accidentally dropped.

Nikon Z6 III, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x

SLOW MOTION APPROACH

Bald Eagle, Green Island Road, Iowa

We are in full preparation for our next adventure but I still try to find the time for a blog post from last weekend. While approaching this Bald Eagle I made a few ”safety shots” from a larger distance. The eagle seemed to ignore me and I moved the car closer to the tree where the bird was perched. This happened very slowly and my movements with the camera are done in almost slow motion so the bird doesn’t see me as a thread. When I was right below the eagle it was easy to compose and fill the frame while handholding the camera.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x.   @840mm, 1/2000s, f/9, ISO5000

SHOREBIRD ARRIVALS

Every year in late winter I’m in joyful anticipation for the arrival of migrating shore birds. It is fun to watch them how they search for food in the shallow water and on the mud banks. Creating some pictures of the birds can be very tricky at this time of the season, as I had to experience again yesterday afternoon. The biggest challenge is often heat shimmer above the water or the ground, which makes obtaining a sharp focus sometimes even impossible. I go out early, even if the light is sometimes not the best in the early afternoon, but I like to have time to scout the location and see who is there and where is the best chance to make a decent image maybe later in the day.

In addition to the bird species I’m able to present here were also a couple Pectoral Sandpipers in the Green Island Wetlands, but they were too far away for a usable photo. All images were made between 5.19PM and 5.46PM, when the sun had slowed down and the heat shimmer was not an issue anymore. And of course, the light on the birds had a warm touch and was by far not as harsh as still during the mid afternoon.

Wilson’s Snipes. I have never seen so many of this species in the Green Island Wetlands and reported 28 on eBird yesterday, but I’m sure there were even a few more. Counting birds and making photos at the same time doesn’t always go well together… 😉

They probe fast like a sawing machine with their very long bill in the mud for larval insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and earthworms.

Greater Yellowleg. This sandpiper can be watched feeding mostly in shallow water. I don’t see them often on the mud flats. Their diet consists small aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, small fish, seeds, and berries. Six Greater Yellowlegs were present yesterday evening.

The first Killdeers arrived already in February. Their call is distinctive and leaves no doubt who is present. They sometimes tap the ground with one foot to draw out prey and I watched this one doing it several times. They feed on insects and invertebrates.

All images: Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x