SUDDEN SURPRISE

Cooper’s Hawk, Mines of Spain, Dubuque, Iowa

With all the snow on the ground that finally made for a ”real” winter here in eastern Iowa any place where birds are attracted to feeders would have been a good place for some wildlife photography today. I went to the E.B. Lyons Nature Center in the Mines of Spain, where the feeders are filled regularly by Ken, a photography friend and active birder. People of all ages can watch the birds from inside the nature center or like me, just stand outside between the trees and wait what happens.

While I watched a flock of Dark-eyed Juncos and American Tree Sparrows a much larger bird came suddenly from behind, flew right by me within a 3-4 feet distance, and finally landed in a nearby tree. This one was bigger than our Sharp-shinned Hawk and its rounded tail tells me it might be a Cooper’s Hawk. They are hard to tell apart from each other and I wasn’t able to see its chest pattern. Since all the little birds were long gone, the hawk didn’t waste any time and moved on after a few seconds.

Dark-eyed Junco

It didn’t take very long and all the woodpeckers, finches, nuthatches, chickadees, and sparrows came back to the bird feeder area at the nature center. The Dark-eyed Juncos feed mostly on the ground or seek shelter in the dense branches of nearby bushes. They scratch the loose snow or leaf litter with their feet and try to find something to eat, often little pieces of seeds other birds have dropped below the feeders.

1.  Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S,    @ 600mm, 1/1600s, f/8, ISO 800, image cropped,

2.  Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S,    @ 600mm, 1/3200s, f/8, ISO 800, image slightly cropped,

THE BONUS - A RED-TAILED HAWK

Red-tailed Hawk at Julien Dubuque Monument, Mines of Spain, Dubuque, Iowa

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head.   @ 600mm, 1/640s, f6.3, ISO800, image slightly cropped

This morning the Dubuque Audubon Society had invited for another birding event into the Mines of Spain State Recreation Area. Our guide Tony Moline, a very experienced birder, helped the group to find warblers, vireos, and other migrating birds and study them in the early morning sun. Most activities required binoculars for watching and identification but the distance for a decent photo was often too big. Nevertheless, it was very interesting to see at least a few of the migrators. I just read that tonight 426.7 Million birds are predicted to move south in the United States. A very impressive number!

Just before everybody was ready to say goodbye shortly after 10am we were treated with a bonus. This Red-tailed Hawk suddenly landed in a tree just in front of the group and on eye level with us. The camera was on tripod and pointed already in that direction and all what I had to do was to adjust quickly the exposure compensation for the existing light and lay down the hammer on the shutter release button. The bird gave us about one minute for that very enjoyable moment.

Thank you Tony for being such a good guide again and for sharing your knowledge with us!

NATURE CLICKS #584 - CHINESE MANTIS (Tenodera sinensis)

Chinese Mantis, Mines of Spain, Dubuque, Iowa

Yesterday I promised you the photo of an interesting insect we found during a hike in the Mines of Spain. It was a species, commonly known as a praying mantis, just sitting in the grass on the trail. This one is a Chinese mantis, native to Asia and nearby islands, but it was introduced to America accidentally in 1896. They eat primarily other insects but females are also known to catch sometimes small vertebrates. This one was about 4 inches long (~11 cm), much bigger than the European mantis or the Carolina mantis, which can be found here as well.

I read September is there mating time and this can be a tragic time for some males because the females are cannibalistic and cannibalism occurs in about half of matings.

They have forelegs that are greatly enlarged and adapted for catching and gripping prey. Their upright posture, while remaining stationary with forearms folded, has led to the common name praying mantis. (source for all facts: Wikipedia)

I started taking some pictures from slightly above but it didn’t satisfy me. Laying in the grass and going down with the lens to eye level with the mantis made at the end for the better photo.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, f/4

LABOR DAY HIKE

We used the afternoon of Labor Day last Monday for a hike in the Mines of Spain State Recreation Area, just south of Dubuque, Iowa. Yes, many prairie flowers and plants have passed their prime already, but there is still a lot of beauty on the prairie and in the woods above the Mississippi River at the end of summer. Here are a few photos I made along the trail during our hike, which led us to the most remote parts of the Mines of Spain. The Nikon Nikkor AFS 70-200 f/4 was the only lens on camera. I like this focal range for hikes or walks, allowing me to zoom in for details, but also still having the choice for a wider view on a landscape at 70 mm if necessary.

We had a nice discovery of an interesting insect, but this is for another blog post, maybe tomorrow. So please stay tuned…

All images: Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, f/4

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2024 #2 - WINTER, BUT WARM COLORS MAY HELP

Bluffs at Catfish Creek, Upper Mississippi Valley, Dubuque, Iowa

After all the snow we had here in the Midwest during the last couple weeks and the very cold temperatures that still remained today, I wanted to make one single photo that sums it all up, tells the story about winter here in the Upper Mississippi Valley. I drove around this weekend, mostly to places nearby and along the river that have the potential to deliver this kind of a story. Well, I got a few shots yesterday and recognized last night in front of the computer, nice photos but the story is not told the way it needs to be told.

So I went out again this morning with a recent blog post of acclaimed photographer Moose Peterson in mind, while thinking about my plans for the day. He called it ”Red Loves White!”. This very interesting article is about the iconic landscapes out west, Bryce, Zion, Arches NP, Grand Canyon, etc., and how these red rocks can really reveal their beauty with the addition of snow. (https://www.moosepeterson.com/blog/red-loves-white/)

I wasn’t really out for the rocky bluffs here in the Mississippi Valley and its side valleys. However, I thought how can I emphasize the presence of cold weather, snow loaded branches, or ice covered creeks in my photo? The answer I found in Moose’s blog post while thinking in reverse was, try to add some red, orange, or yellow to the wintry landscape! The closest place that came to mind was the Mines of Spain, the State Recreation Area just south of Dubuque, Iowa. Catfish Creek has hollowed out this side valley of the Mighty Mississippi River and has its confluence with the big river just a couple hundred yards behind the bend in my photo. I love what I found!

BETWEEN SEASONS

Grass in morning light, Mines of Spain Recreation Area, Dubuque, Iowa

During yesterday’s field trip and bird watching event with the Audubon Society there was a brief moment when the light reminded us that we are between seasons. The seeds of this grass are ready to fall out and the golden light in the early morning made them stand out against the background. I made a quick lens change to the Z 24-70 mm. It wasn’t possible to keep all sky out of the frame but I toned the background down a little bit in post process to keep the eye away from the brighter spots and make them less distracting.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 65 mm, 1/800 s, f/8, ISO 400

FALL WARBLERPALOOZA, AND MORE

Philadelphia Vireo, Mines of Spain Recreation Area, Dubuque, Iowa

I haven’t been able to get out much with the camera lately but today I made up for that. The Dubuque Audubon Society had invited its members and the public for a field trip to the Mines of Spain Recreation Area in Dubuque. The ”Fall Warblerpalooza” was led by Tony Moline, who is a very active birder with very good knowledge about our feathered friends. Hence the name of the event, we were hoping to find migrating warblers in the tree tops early in the morning. We saw a few but none came in the range for the camera. But a number of other birds made it worthwhile to get out with binoculars, tripod, and camera. It was a nice field trip and while listening to Tony and other birders I learned some new things and was able to make a few clicks as well. Here is a first set of photos, maybe I post a few more during this week.

All images: Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head

For the first time I saw two female Scarlet Tanagers during fall migration. We can watch them almost every year in early May in our front yard after their return from South America but have never see them in the fall. They had a feast on the fruits of a wild grapevine.

A Common Nighthawk is not easy to spot when they rest during the day. They are long-distance migrants and fly in large flocks to reach their wintering grounds in South America.

LAST HIKE

Horseshoe Bluff, Mines of Spain, Dubuque, Iowa

Spring like temperatures melted most of the snow we had away in just a couple days and we took the grandkids yesterday evening for probably the last hike in 2022. We climbed up the slippery trail to the overlook at Horseshoe Bluff in the Mines of Spain Recreation Area, in Dubuque, Iowa and enjoyed the warm light on the bluffs before sunset. The eye wanders along the rock wall and stops at the still frozen Mississippi River far in the back. I always enjoy the view in both directions, north and south, but looking south and having the setting sun illuminating the rocks of this old, horseshoe shaped quarry is hard to beat.

Thank you to everybody who shared ideas, knowledge, and opinions, or just quietly enjoyed looking at my photos in 2022. I wish all friends and visitors of my website and blog post a wonderful year 2023! Stay safe!

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 31 mm, 1/160s, f/8, ISO 640

SHOOTING IN THE RAIN

Catfish Creek in the rain, Mines of Spain State Recreation Area, Dubuque, Iowa

The last two days brought some much needed rain. While in town, running some errands yesterday evening, another shower poured down on the Mississippi Valley. The Mines of Spain, a wooded recreation area in the northwest corner of Dubuque, Iowa has some interesting spots for photography in such weather, and so I headed for it quickly. Catfish Creek crosses this area before its confluence with the mighty Mississippi River. The rain created bubbles on the water surface and the rocky bluffs in the background were hugged by the fog. The green of the leaves is so lush in May and you can’t get this light and mood in the same way for the rest of the year. It helps to have a camera and lens that is weather sealed. I enjoy the rain and probably should go out more in such weather…

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 44 mm, 1/40s, f/8, ISO 100

PINPOINT LOCATION BY CALL

Common Yellowthroat, Mines of Spain, Iowa

Not a whole lot of time to go out and shoot birds or critters this week but who will blame me, if I post another picture from a trip the week before. I learned again how great of a benefit it can be, if we can identify a bird by its call. I know quite a few but with warblers there has been always an uncertainty. The Common Yellowthroat is often heard way before we can see them in the brushy prairie. That helps to pinpoint the location and have the tripod with camera in place when the bird suddenly comes out of its hiding place.

NATURE CLICKS #505 - PROTHONOTARY WARBLER

Protonotary Warbler, Mines of Spain, iowa

A dream came true having finally, after many years of trying, a pair of Prothonotary Warblers in front of the lens last week. They were feeding their offspring at an old woodpecker hole in a dead tree log. I owe a big thank you to a photography friend, who discovered the location and gave me a call. Although the nest site is not far from a relative busy location in the Mines of Spain, it is not easy to access. My approach was very slow and careful and I was able to hide behind a layer of dense underbrush. The last thing a photographer should do is to disturb the birds. No photo is worth to risk the well-being of an animal. The warblers seemed to ignore my presence and never hesitated to approach the nest or fly away from it.

Both parents were feeding the young ones in the nest. They showed up in average intervals of about 6-7 minutes. I made a clear decision to shoot without the help of some fill flash, although the tree was in the shade. With the sun almost overhead, there was still enough light to make the warblers stand out against the tree. This required some slow shutter speeds, mostly between 1/80s and 1/125s at the widest aperture f6.3 of the SIGMA lens.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head

WITH A LITTLE LUCK

Fawn, White-tailed Deer, Mines of Spain State Recreation Area, Dubuque, Iowa

Some photos are the result of good preparation ahead of time and the pictures of “Zorro”, the Common Yellowthroat from yesterday’s post, were among them. But sometimes being at the right place at the right time is everything, means luck can play a decisive roll for a good shot. After spending some time with the warbler I hiked back to the car and started to put my gear away. Suddenly two fawns showed up at the edge of the parking lot, frolicking and enjoying themselves. The camera was pulled out of the bag quickly again and a few shots were made. Having both White-tailed Deer fawns in the frame was not an option and so I focussed on the one that was in better light. As quick as they came out of the forest, as fast they disappeared again. I couldn’t ask for a better day of wildlife photography…

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S

“ZORRO” STRIKES AGAIN

Common Yellowthroat ♂️, Mines of Spain State Recreation Area, Dubuque, Iowa

We call him “Zorro” and it is obvious why. The Common Yellowthroat is one of the most numerous warblers that spend the breeding season in North America. I found this male singing its heart out already a week ago but didn’t have the right equipment with me at that time. I came back yesterday with tripod, gimbal head, and long lens mounted to the camera and the bird was still in the same area and was calling again. A few small dead trees in a large patch of flower prairie made for good perches but it wasn’t always easy to separate the bird from some of the branch clutter. The Yellowthroat is a great bird for people that just start with wildlife photography. Its black “Zorro” mask delivers a good contrast edge near the eye and the autofocus system of any camera should have no problem to lock the focus if the sensor hits this line.

Finding this warbler species is not so difficult. They prefer open habitats, like brushy prairie and can be found often near wetlands and marshes. First listen for the witchety-witchety-witchety song of the males. If you can locate one, look low in bushes or trees for this olive and yellow fast little bird. The black mask makes the identification of a male easy. The females look similar but do not have the black mask. I spent about an hour and a half with “Zorro” before I shouldered the tripod again and moved on.

Both photos: Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head

MIDSUMMER RAINBOW

Mines of Spain State Recreation Area, Dubuque, Iowa

It is these brief moments that can make a walk in the evening very delightful. A couple days ago a thunderstorm moved just south of us and created this nice scene. Landscape photographers love rainbows, but it was the cloud that puts the ice on the cake for me.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150mm / f2.8 APO EX DG HSM, @1/800 s, f/6.3, ISO 100

NATURE CLICKS #502 - COMMON YELLOWTHROAT

Common Yellowthroat, Mississippi Valley, Mines of Spain, Iowa

After being on a business trip last week it feels good spending some time behind the camera on this Memorial Day weekend. I didn’t have to search long for the first opportunity. The Mines of Spain, a recreation area south of Dubuque in the Mississippi Valley, with forest, patches of prairie, and ponds is usually a good place for bird watching. Right after I started my little hike I came across this Common Yellowthroat, a warbler that breeds here in Iowa. The males are easy to identify with their black mask and the bright yellow throat.