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

”THE REGULARS”

American White Pelican, Mississippi River, near lock & dam #14, Le Claire Iowa

Any time I go out shooting along the Mississippi River there are critters that we can see more often than others and it is easy to ignore them. Are the Canada Geese ugly birds just because we see so many and almost any time of the year? I don’t think so. Well, I do a fair share of documentary shots just for my own biological interest. I like to remember what was out there in previous years and get an idea how populations develop over time. But most of these pictures will never be exposed to the public. But I also believe if the light has a certain quality even the ”regulars” deserve their minute in the spotlight of our attention. Here are some examples what I mean.

This pelican was hunting for fish together with about another dozen. I underexposed by -1.66 f-stops to keep some details in its feathers, eye, and beak. Look at the ice on the bird’s chest and the feathers on the head. It really tells the story about a frigid and windy day during the recent polar vortex. It is my favorite shot from the recent visit to lock & dam #14 in Le Claire, Iowa.

Young Common Muskrat, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa

Last weekend the ice melted in the Green Island area. This young muskrat went into the water when I stopped, but after a short time accepted my presence and returned to this stick and climbed on it again. I guess sitting on. a stick wasn’t as cold as on all the ice floes around. I love how the little critter’s thick fur is presented through the light.

Canada Geese, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa

Making a photo of Canada Geese is not a difficult thing here in the Mississippi Valley. The pairs are getting ready to nest soon and if the light and colors are right, we can look for a gesture that shows their bond.

THE GEESE ARE MOVING

Greater White-fronted Geese migrating north, Green Island Wetlands, Mississippi Valley, Iowa

I had the feeling the time was right and didn’t get disappointed this evening. Spring migration has started and about an hour before sunset several hundred of Greater White-fronted Geese headed north in the Mississippi Valley. I think it’s just the beginning and the next few days may open more opportunities. If weather permits I hope to go out again and see more geese heading to the arctic regions in northern Canada.

It was the first time that I tried to photograph this nature event with the Nikkor Z 600 / f6.3 lens, which I use since about six months. Today I got the final proof that buying this lens was a great decision. With about half the weight of my older Sigma 150-600 S lens it is so much easier to track birds in flight and keep a sharp focus over a long period of time while panning with the lens. To make the challenge a bit bigger the 1.4 TC was attached, extending the focal length to 840 mm. Still, no problem to keep up with the birds.

Less than an hour later I just had to turn around for this final photo of the day.

BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER

Pair of Bald Eagles, Mississippi Valley, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa

Shortly after I started shooting pictures of this pair of Bald Eagles the female left the tree. At that time I didn’t know it was the female. She returned after three minutes The eagles greeted each other with loud vocalization and another minute later the male seemed to understand that his partner was receptive and ready for copulation. Most Bald Eagles are monogamous and mate for life and they can live up to 30 years in the wild.

The metadata of my images reveal that it all lasted for about 13 seconds. Afterwards the pair sat together in the light of the setting sun, which is generally interpreted as a sign of strong partnership and a renewal of their bond. I never witnessed this important ritual for a healthy Bald Eagle population and I felt rewarded by watching some essential biology.

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

…@ 840mm, f/9, ISO400, 1/1000s - 1/1250s

Although I had the teleconverter already on the lens I felt it was still a little bit too far away and I cropped the final pictures by about 18% in post process.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Wilson’s Snipe, Mississippi Valley, Green Island Wetlands, 12/22/2024

There wasn’t much going on here in the blog lately. We had family over here from Germany during the last few weeks and that took priority over photography efforts besides some shots that captured memorable moments of the good time we had together.

However, I still can’t get over that we found a Wilson’s Snipe in the Green Island Wetlands during a hike two days before Christmas and that’s why I came up with another photo from this series of shots.

So here is a little more input about the shooting conditions. It was a low light situation shortly before sunset. The bird was mostly probing with its long bill in the mud below the edge of the thin ice. I needed some speed to freeze the fast movements and cranked up the ISO settings to 10000 (yikes!!) but also used the technique of ”peak of action”, the brief moments when the snipe stopped and lifted the head out of the water for a second or so. I also was hiding behind some grass that swayed in the wind, leaving only a small gap for a clean view at the bird. I finally cropped the image so the grass was kept out of the frame.

Well, the other family members stood and waited in a respectful distance, watching my excitement about this bird and the efforts to get a shot. It was a memorable moment in any way and this photo will always remind me about just that.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S,    @ 600mm, 1/800 s, f/6.3, ISO 10000, image cropped

RETROSPECTS 2024 #4 - GREAT SKIES OVER THE VALLEY

After sunset, Green Island, Upper Mississippi Valley, Iowa, February 25, 2024

While digging through my photos from 2024 I got reminded that we had quite a few days with overcast or just a boring sky. Nevertheless, we also had our good share of great sunrises or sunsets here in eastern Iowa. This day at the end of February I mad a couple shots of a Rough-legged Hawk and a Sandhill Crane flying across the Green Island Wetlands in the afternoon, but they were not filling the frame, so more less just documentary shots for myself. I stayed late in hope to see maybe an owl but this didn’t happen. The clouds and setting sun came to my rescue and after capturing a few moments during the blue hour with the Z 24-70 f/4, I changed lens quickly when the day ended with a nice glow above the rocky bluffs of the Mississippi Valley.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S,   @ 150 mm, 1/2000 s, f/8, ISO 1600

AT THE END OF THE DAY

Sandhill Cranes, Green Island Preserve, Mississippi Valley, Iowa

Going out on a photo walk or drive doesn’t always lead to an image that is worth to show or sometimes no wildlife at all shows up in front of the lens. This was pretty much how it was this afternoon on either side of the Mississippi River. Coming back from the Illinois side I decided to give it another try and went back to Green Island this evening.

Earlier in the afternoon I counted 17 Sandhill Cranes but all too far away and the high temperatures created quite some heat shimmer above the ground. The air had cleared this evening and the numbers of cranes went up to at least 80 birds again, about the same as last weekend. They were spread out in five different groups in the part of the Green Island Wetlands that is a bird sanctuary. No access is allowed for this area and you have to deal with the distance the birds give you. It is so much fun to watch the migrating Sandhill Cranes and especially when they display their courtship and bonding dances in the warm light of the setting sun.

GREAT BIRD WATCHING WEEKEND (PART 2)

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

Spending time in the wetlands along the Mississippi River is one of the things I really enjoy and last weekend wasn’t any different. I got quite a few hours of practice with the new Nikkor Z 600 f/6.3 lens and like to share a few images with you.

Some easy shots of this Great Blue Heron were made a minute earlier, as the heron still stood motionless on the dyke. When the bird finally took off I was able to pan with the lens and follow the bird for a few pics. Good panning is still a matter of practice but it is a lot easier with the much lighter Z 600 than with my good old Sigma 150-600 S.

Sandhill Cranes

I counted 87 Sandhill Cranes foraging in the field of the Green Island Bird Sanctuary. This was the highest number I have ever seen in the fall at this location. Some of the cranes performed their elaborate courtship displays, mostly served between mates to maintain their pair bond. The cranes were more than half a mile away, almost one kilometer, and some heat shimmer above the ground effected sharpness a bit. However, I was amazed how clear the lens still rendered despite the distance.

Garter Snake

This Garter Snake was stretched out on the gravel road and seemed to wait for the return of the sun from behind a cloud. Before I guided the snake back into the grass, so nobody could accidentally or intentionally drive over it, a few clicks were made. Should have gotten still a little lower but at least nothing in the background distracts from this nice Garter Snake. I have seen a few snakes lately and this gives me some hope that population may bounce back.

Sandhill Cranes, Heritage Pond, Cooler Valley, Eastern Iowa

This photo was made a day later at the Heritage Pond and marsh, not far from home. A pair of Sandhill Cranes, maybe the same as last year, had flown in from the Mississippi and started searching for food in the mud. Very little rain during the last couple months dried the pond out again but the cranes seemed to like it. They are extremely careful and most of the time one crane keeps its head up while the other one is looking for food.

All photos: Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S

THE JINX IS BROKEN!! (FINALLY)

Male Belted Kingfisher, Mississippi Valley, Green Island Wildlife Preserve, Iowa

Long time readers know that I always called this beautiful bird ”the bastard”, due to the fact that I have been on the chase for a decent picture of a Belted Kingfisher since a long time. They are very skittish and often fly away before you even have a chance to aim the lens at them. During a short trip to the Green Island wetlands yesterday afternoon I finally had this male kingfisher even twice in front of my lens. First it was placed on one of the bowls that are provided as nesting places for Canada Geese. They are placed in the water, getting closer was not an option, but at least I made some sharp images.

A little bit later I saw the same bird sitting on a branch just beside the gravel road and this time the kingfisher didn’t fly away, even when I moved slowly right next to the tree with the car. There is still room for improvement since the light was a little too harsh for my taste but I think I should stop calling him ”the bastard” after the jinx is broken now…

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S

KILLDEER IN MIGRATION

Killdeer, Mississippi Valley, Green Island, Iowa

A couple days ago I spent the evening in the Green Island Wetlands, hoping for some good light and maybe spotting some migrating shorebirds. I’m not very good at counting large numbers of birds but I estimated about 200 Killdeer on one of the mudflats that have been under water for quite some time during the flooding we had in July. Food was obviously there in abundance. The birds were too far away and the camera stayed in my lap while watching them.

Later, an hour before sunset, I moved to a big puddle on the westside where I had good luck with sandpipers earlier this season. First I had only three Killdeer feeding in the shallow water or in the mud, but at the end, shortly before sunset, I was able to choose from about two dozen birds which one to get in the viewfinder. The Killdeer is one of the earliest birds that arrive after the winter and they are building their nests in shallow ground depressions in gravelly areas, like parking lots or in fields. It’s hard to tell which bird is a juvenile, they all have nearly the same size. The Killdeer is a common bird here during the summer but I have never seen so many at the same time. I’m glad I didn’t miss them during their migration to the South this year.

NATURE CLICKS #580 - INDIGO BUNTING

Indigo Bunting, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa

Yesterday in the wetlands I tried to capture some beautiful yellow American Golfinches, eating seeds from the plants that line the dykes between the lakes. It wasn’t a very successful effort. The goldfinches didn’t like my presence and moved on to another spot any time I stopped the car. But to my surprise another finch species posed nicely for a while in front of the camera. This was the first time I ever saw an Indigo Bunting in the grass and between the flowers on the dyke. This little guy was singing its heart out and I heard a second one nearby.Their feathers are actually black but the diffraction of light through their feathers make them look blue. One reason we can see them in many shades between turquoise and black.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG

CRAYFISH DINNER

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

This was a tricky shot of this Great Egret in the wetlands along the Mississippi River today. I navigated my car (the well known mobile blind!) carefully in a position where I hoped to have an unobstructed view at this bird. The size of the vegetation is enormous after the rain we had lately and there was a lot of grass and other wild plants swaying in the wind between the bird and me. Luck was on my side and just where I had anticipated a possible shot, the egret caught a crayfish and ate it right away.

It is quiet on the lakes and between the reeds at this time of the year in the backwaters of the mighty Mississippi River and it takes some efforts to get a bird in front of the camera. However, I enjoyed being back again after some busy weeks and nothing can beat the time spending in the Great Outdoors!

By the way, the neck of this Great Egret seems to show some impact and it makes me wonder, if the bird had a hard time with a predator or if it just is the result of a fight with another egret about the right to mate…?

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG,   @ 850 mm, 1/1250 s, f/9, ISO 400