NATURE CLICKS #602 - WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW

White-crowned Sparrow, Ophir Beach, Oregon, Apr 11, 2025

White-crowned Sparrows are not seen very often here in the Little Maquoketa Valley in eastern Iowa. They spend the winter in the states south of here and have their breeding grounds high up in Canada and Alaska. With other words, we are migration territory. The photo below was shot a couple days ago and the bird spent a few minutes on a small tree in our yard. During our recent trip to Oregon we saw White-crowned Sparrows in abundance. At the coast they are present year-round.

At both occasions I tried to make an environmental portrait. Giving the picture a sense of place or season is my preferred way to photograph wildlife. Including the ocean and the surf in the background let us know that the sparrow was perched right behind the beach. The second photo is totally different. The bird was hiding in a dense tree with lots of little branches and that could be anywhere. No chance to have such a clean background as on Ophir Beach. But the buds had just opened and small leaves showed their fresh green, telling the story about spring migration of the White-crowned Sparrow.

Both photos: Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x, @840 mm

White-crowned Sparrow, Little Maquoketa, Valley, eastern Iowa, May 1, 2025

NATURE CLICKS #601 - CALIFORNIA QUAIL (FIRST SIGHTING)

California Quail, Arizona Beach area, Oregon

The California Quail was a lifer for me. Several males and females moved quickly through the grass while feeding near Arizona Beach at the Oregon Coast. The topknot above the head of this male looks like a single feather, but it is actually a cluster of six overlapping plumes. (source: iBird Pro App)

This is such a pretty bird but unfortunately we watched them only for a few minutes until they disappeared between the thick underbrush again.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S

Female California Quail

THE SLIGHT DIFFERENCE

Bald Eagle, Cape Arago State Park, Oregon

Making a photo of a Bald Eagle here in the Upper Mississippi Valley isn’t really such a difficult task anymore. This species was delisted from the endangered species list in 2007 after a remarkable population recovery due to conservation efforts like habitat preservation and captive breeding programs. At or near the Mississippi River or even at many tributary rivers you most likely can see them. When they perch you may find them in a dead tree or on a branch in a deciduous tree. During our recent trip to the Pacific Northwest I wanted a different shot, a Bald Eagle perched in a coniferous tree. Their population is not as dense as here in eastern Iowa, but I finally found a bird that would become part of my story telling. We don’t have really many conifers where an eagle could perch but at the Oregon coast I found the difference I was looking for.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head,    @ 840mm, 1/2000s, f/9, ISO 400, image slightly cropped,

GEOLOGIC STORY ALONG THE OREGON COAST

Tree on a cliff at Sunset Bay State Park

No landscape photographer likes a bald blue sky but after a couple rainy days every sunshine is welcome, with or without clouds. Off the Oregon coast the Juan de Fuca Plate, an oceanic plate, slides under the continental plate of North America, creating a subduction zone. Many rock formations can tell this geologic story especially along the coast line southwest of Coos Bay. Gigantic waves crash into the rocks and it is really not difficult to find a pleasing composition even without some perfect clouds.

Sedimentary rocks have been tilted at steep angles, very well visible at Shore Acres State Park.

Concretions in the surf at Shore Acres

Sand deposits that accumulated along the ancient coast were eventually hardened to form sandstone. A Concretion develops when calcite crystallizes around an object within the sand, perhaps a seashell fragment. This zone of mineralization gradually increases in diameter, causing the concretion to grow like a pearl in an oyster. Concretions are more durable than the surrounding sandstone, and on weathered rock faces they commonly resemble stone cannonballs. (source: George Musteo, The Geologic Story, researchgate.net).

NATURE CLICKS #599 - ROUGH-SKINNED NEWT

Rough-skinned Newt, Pacific Coast, John Dellenback Dunes, Oregon

It started raining when we left the parking lot for a hike on the John Dellenback Dunes Trail, a protected part of the 40 miles stretch of the Oregon Dunes. No off-road vehicles are allowed in this part of the landscape. Before you can climb the sandy part of the dunes  to reach the Pacific Ocean the trail leads through a wooded area. With a dark overcast sky and the dense vegetation of the forest there was hardly any light for a photo by handholding the camera.

Well, we got all excited when we saw a newt crawling through the mud on the trail. You may think a newt is a slow mover, but for making a photo of this critter it seemed to be still quite fast. I really wanted its picture and did something I have never done before. I cranked up the ISO in the camera to 20000 (Yikes!) and ended up with an exposure of 1/250s @ f/6.3. The Nikkor Z 24-70mm opens up to f/4 but I really wanted a little more depth of focus, so not only the head of the newt would be sharp, but also part of the body.

The photo is sharp but the question remained, how much detail is left after digital noise removal in post process at crazy ISO20000? The de-noise tool in ’TOPAZ Photo AI’ came to my rescue. I think ADOBE made some good progress with their AI noise removal in ’ADOBE Lightroom Classic’ lately, the software I use for my post processing most of the time, but I still like the control over the process and the results with TOPAZ better.

The Rough-skinned Newt was a first sighting for us and I’m very happy to add this critter to my wildlife photo library. It is known for the strong toxin exuded from its skin. If you like to find out more about its interesting biology, check out the entry at Wikipedia.

Oregon Dunes

The Oregon Dunes are a unique area of windswept sand. They are the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America and are the home of native plants that are vital for this ecosystem. Many bird species live in the different habitats and need attention for future survival. It’s too bad that not all parts of the dunes are under protection. Finding the Rough-skinned Newt near a creek at the foothills of the dunes was a real treat for us.

SPECTACULAR SEA LION CAVE

View to the north from the old entrance of Sea Lion Cave, located between Yachats and Florence, Oregon

An elevator takes you down to America’s largest sea cave. It is home of a herd of Steller sea lions, that find protection against weather and rough seas in the cave mostly during fall and winter. Other than their cousins, the California sea lions, they don’t bark but really have the loud roar of lions. It was a spectacular experience for all senses. A photo alone cannot capture the sound of the crushing waves, the roar of the sea lions, the smell of the ocean mixed with the smell of the animals, but it might give you a sense of scale in this cave. We were told approximately 75 Steller sea lions were present in the cave that day.

I was a little skeptical if being in the sea cave would lead too a good shot, but another opening in the cave, which used to be the old main entrance for visitors, gave us a fantastic view to the Pacific Coast of Oregon. The clouds had just opened up and a little bit of sun came through, touching the mossy rocks and the waterfall on the right, and shed some light onto Heceta Head Lighthouse in the background on the cliff. I’m not a big fan of ”tourist traps”, and Sea Lion Cave at the Oregon coast is definitely one, but the experience there was worth a visit.

A stone wall and metal bars keep sea lions and visitors safely separated from each other. The Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 just barely fits through the gaps in the metal grid but allowed me to point the lens down and capture this image of the sea cave with its residents.

NATURE CLICKS #598 - ROOSEVELT ELK

Group of five bull elk. Four had shed their antlers already and had new growth on their heads.

When the weather is nasty at the Oregon coast it is sometimes a good idea to stay out of the strong winds along the shore of the Pacific Ocean. Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area along the Umpqua River is only a few miles away from the coast and offers great viewing and photo opportunities for a herd of Roosevelt elks. It includes marsh land and is also a great bird watching area.

Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) are the largest subspecies of elk in North America by body mass. However, the antler size of Rocky Mountain elks is larger.

The elks were quite a bit away from the viewing platform and so I used the Z 1.4x teleconverter for a focal length of 840 mm. I thought there was still too much grass in the foreground and decided to crop the photo a little bit.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z TC-1.4x,    @ 840mm, 1/1000s, f/9, ISO 2000, image slightly cropped

BACK AT THE OREGON COAST

Oregon Dunes, near Florence, OR

We are back from our spring adventure this year. As already in 2024 we explored the Pacific Coast of Oregon, this time the central and southern part all the way down to the California border. I like to share a few scenic views and some wildlife encounters with you during the next few weeks. The weather wasn’t always as nice as during the first day on our way from Portland to the coast but even the days with some rain led to a few photos for the memories. The beauty of the Oregon Coast is stunning, the seafood we ate almost every day was just delicious, and boy, they know how to make a good beer in this part of the country… 😊

Harbor Seals, Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, near Newport, Oregon

RETROSPECTS 2024 - #2 - MARITIME SUBJECTS

Port of Newport, Oregon during the Blue Hour

Already in my childhood I was fascinated by anything that had to do with boats, harbors, and coastal life. Maybe no surprise for a guy who grew up in a hilly and wooded area… Well, I still get a kick out of it and whenever there is a chance to shoot in an harbor, I have no problems to find something to aim my lens at.

The Port of Newport, Oregon was the perfect playground at different times of the day. I focussed mostly on details during the days with an overcast. Going out for dinner during the blue hour to a seafood restaurant right at the harbor provided other opportunities and walking back to the car long after sunset wasn’t without charm either.

Containers full of crabs shortly after unloaded from a boat

Maritime details are a great subject for a day with an overcast sky

The port at night with hardly any wind blowing from the Pacific Ocean

RETROSPECTS 2024 - #1 - OREGON COAST

Surf, Ecola State Park, Oregon

I know, it’s a little early to start with retrospects for 2024 already but some other projects kept me away from the camera lately. I still have been out in the Great Outdoors this weekend but sometimes we just have to let it sink in and admit that the pictures we brought home do not tell the story as we thought they would.

So here we go with a photo, created in late March, from the coast of Oregon at the Pacific Ocean. Ecola State Park has some great vistas, like the view to Tillamook Lighthouse, and watching and listening to the surf below was just great.

I used a 2 second exposure to give the surf a sense of motion but without making it a ”milky puddle”. Each image was different and the surf really dictated how the photo was perceived. This one I liked the best…

NIGHT SHOT AT THE PORT

Port of Newport, Oregon, March 29, 2024

This photo is from the same night as yesterday’s sunset image, except it was shot after dinner. Ports and harbors had always a great fascination for me and I love to watch the business around ships, boats, or on the docks.

I guess it helped a little bit having a bottle of wine with our seafood dinner to handhold the camera and make a sharp picture at 1/13 of a second 😉.  And this still required an ISO setting of 12800. A few years ago this was unthinkable with any previous camera I owned, but the technology for noise reduction we have at our hands today, while shooting and in post process, is just amazing.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 62mm, 1/13 s, f/4, ISO 12,800

WAY TO END A DAY

Beach after sunset, Newport, Oregon, March 29, 2024

A minute earlier a small sliver of the sun was still visible. Of course, a few clicks were made with the sun above the horizon, but it was the glow that follows I was after. The people on the beach at low tide below our apartment give the scene a sense of scale.

What followed was a short drive to a restaurant at the harbor of Newport and a dinner with fresh seafood and wine. You can’t find a better way to end a great day at the Oregon coast…

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S, GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head    @ 24mm, 1/100 s, f/10, ISO 100

BACK IN TIME, OREGON COAST

View from Cape Meares, Pacific Coast, Oregon

Unfortunately I didn’t spent time behind the camera last week but still like to share a photo from our trip to the Oregon coast three months ago. Fast changing weather and light make it such a great place for landscape photography. If you miss a shot, you can’t repeat it exactly the same way.

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

LUMINOSITY UNDER WATER

Pacific Sea Nettle, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport, OR

It’s tempting to just follow the actual time line and post only the photos that reflect what’s going on at the moment of publishing. I would follow the ”journalistic path” of the blog but many photos I create, especially those on the more artistic side, would fall under the table and never ever being shared with you.

Today’s image of a Pacific Sea Nettle is one of my favorites from our recent trip. It’s not wildlife and it was all about dealing with the circumstances of shooting through the thick glass in the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Oregon.

I pressed the lens tightly against the glass of the aquarium and the rest was done by the lighting source of the tank above the water level. A few years ago I would never ever had dreamed about using a sensitivity of ISO 16000 for a photo. Now, with the great handling of high ISO settings in mirrorless cameras and much better noise reduction features in our software, this is just a matter of employing all these tools. Don’t take me wrong, I still believe shooting with the lowest ISO settings as possible is the best way to go for a high quality image. This time ISO 16000 allowed to expose at 1/640s at extremely low light conditions and to get this pulsating jelly fish still sharp in the frame.

A public aquarium tries to tell the story about the life under water for a certain habitat, that most of us aren’t able to see in their life time. When I take a shot like this I try to keep any men-made items out of the frame and hope to continue their story telling.

Here in Dubuque, Iowa we have the Mississippi River & Aquarium, one of the best in the country, and practicing many times before at their beautiful fish tanks made it easier to nail down the photo I can present for you today. I hope you enjoy it!

LIFE IN THE TIDE POOLS

Sea anemones

I was at a conference in Dallas, TX this week and a busy schedule prevented that time was spent behind the camera. Luckily I still have a number of pictures from our trip to the Oregon coast I like to share with you.

Clams and snails in a color reach environment

It took a few days before we had the conditions that we were looking for to explore the life and beauty in the tide pools. It needs of course a low tide at a rocky beach and the colors can be revealed if the sun shines at least a little bit. A polarizing filter in front of the lens works great for eliminating most of the glare on the water and for revealing the colors on mussels, clams, sea anemones, crabs and whatever else we found.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, f/4, Tiffen Circular Polarizer,  @ 200mm,

Hermit Crab inside shell of a gastropod snail

Sea star left on the rocks at low tide