FOR THE SWALLOWS, FOOD IN ABUNDANCE

Juvenile Barn Swallow, Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Olympia, WA

Here are a couple more images from last weekend’s visit in the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually Wildlife Refuge near Olympia, Washington. Despite the rain, there was tons of insects, means food in abundance, for all six species in the swallow family that can be found in the Nisqually delta, especially during low tide. However, this juvenile Barn Swallow landed next to me on the reeling of the boardwalk trail that goes across the estuary. It obviously was still hoping to be fed by any of the parents.

The Sigma 150-600 was on camera but the Nikkor 70-200 was available in the backpack as well. I was afraid that the bird would fly away before I had performed a lens change and just stepped back a few feet to get beyond the minimum focal distance of the Sigma, which is slightly below 10 feet (3 m).

For the second photo it really needed the long lens and I even cropped the image a bit. Dead trees or logs, stranded in the mud, are a favorite perch for all kinds of swallows. Our guide Rob told us that the Barn Swallows have their nests most likely underneath the boardwalk we were walking on. There is also a couple of big barns in the sanctuary, left from the time when this was still used as farmland. Farm buildings are preferred places to build nests for this species, hence the name Barn Swallow.

LEARNING HOW TO FEED

Juvenile and adult Sandhill Cranes, Heritage Ponds, Dubuque, Iowa

Despite spending some time with aviation photography during recent days I still had a chance to make some wildlife images as well. I saw a pair of Sandhill Cranes with their chick a month ago while riding my bicycle down in the valley. The best camera you have is always the one that is with you, and in this matter I just snapped a couple pictures with the camera in my phone. Last Friday I watched the cranes again and the juvenile on the left had grown quite a bit already. This time I was prepared and had the right gear in the car.

How do birds learn what to eat, where to find the food, and how to catch it? Although the young cranes begin to feed themselves during the second week, as you can see, this young bird was still not probing with its bill in the mud of the very shallow pond. It just watched one of the adults closely and waited patiently until mom or dad found something, like a tadpole or frog. The second photo shows the other adult, just briefly interrupting its intense search for food. The color of their heads tells the story about a hungry chick that still needs some support…

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

CHECKING OUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Young Raccoons in the front yard

Last Friday we finished the work week with a cocktail hour on our porch with some neighbor friends. At dusk suddenly these two baby raccoons showed up at the edge of our woods. I quickly grabbed the camera, sat down in the grass, and tried to make a sharp image in the fading light of the day. They sniffed around and seemed to check out the neighborhood for a few minutes and then disappeared back in the woods behind them. Almost every picture of young animals, no matter if it is prairie dogs, squirrels, or birds, comes with a certain ”cuteness factor”. Well, raccoons are no exception and I like to share this brief moment with. you.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S,   @ 600 mm, 1/320 s, f/9, ISO 5000

NATURE CLICKS #526 - RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD

Here is a couple more pictures of yesterday’s photo session. I believe the first is a male juvenile, too young for having already a ruby-red throat. Their appetite is not less than that of an adult bird and they feed on the same flowers as the butterfly I showed you in my last blog post. It was shot with the same setup and a little flash helps again to reveal the colors.

This is the dominant male, “the bully”, who likes to perch in a small maple, just next to a hummingbird feeder between the flowers. He will chase everybody away who comes close to that feeder or any flowers nearby. Hummingbirds are very protective of their territory and use a series of vocal declarations or visual displays to scare any intruder away. I chose this photo for the hummer’s gesture, with one of the feathers in the bill after he had cleaned and preened his plumage.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Nikon SB 800 speed light, MAGMOD MagBeam flash extender      @ 600 mm

SURPRISES

Male Baltimore Oriole

It’s always nice to see some birds that don’t visit us every day. During the first days in May we always celebrate the arrival of some Baltimore Orioles. Some just stop here to feed on orange halves during their migration and others have their breeding grounds here in eastern Iowa. As the summer gets closer we don’t see them much anymore because they are busy raising their offspring and are found mostly higher up in the canopy of the trees. This year we didn’t really hear any and thought none of them had a nest nearby. To my surprise a few days ago this beautiful male oriole just showed up and checked out our front yard. I guess they are around somewhere here…

Juvenile male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Only fifteen minutes earlier two juvenile Rose-breasted Grosbeaks came to the seed feeders. We probably saw their parents every day but it is good to know that a new generation has left the nest. Good times!

THE WREN STORY

This photo was made less than a minute before #2 left the nest for good. The little guy was called by the parents and when it had its feet out of the hole, I knew the fledgling would not return.

I’m sorry, it happened already five days ago, but life stood in the way and as you probably figured out by my recent blog posts, other events here in the woods above the Little Maquoketa Valley have been worth to share with you as well. Our young House Wrens left their nest box last week and even if we watch this since seventeen years now every summer, it’s always a good reason to celebrate the wonders of nature.

First landing place was between a patch of iris flowers that just were done blooming.

Oh, I can hold on to a tree! The parents watch every step and don’t let any other bird even come close to their offspring.

After two wrens had left the nest the parents kept feeding two more in the bird box. They did not leave until the nest morning.

Live goes on, while all of the above still happened, the male House Wren sent out enticing calls to attract the same or another female for a next round of breeding. However, his eyes were also kept on the offspring of the first brood.

NATURE CLICKS #507 - BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (AND MORE)

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

The Metadata of my picture library reveal that we have never seen a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at the height of the summer here in our woods. Occasionally I had one in late spring or very early summer in front of the lens. They move very fast up and down on the outer branches and shrubs in search for all kinds of small insects and spiders. This makes taking a sharp image that shows the whole bird a big challenge. You can’t really shoot from a tripod because it would make following the bird’s moves impossible. Changing position constantly and handholding the camera with the long lens is the best option as far as I’m concerned.

This bird is either a female or a juvenile that was born earlier this breeding season. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers can built up to seven nests during one season and have 1-2 broods. There are many reasons for nest loss or brood failure, from parasitism or mite infestation to predation.

Young House Wrens, ten hours before leaving the nest

By the way, our young House Wrens, I had posted about yesterday, Ieft the gourd with the nest this morning at sunrise. I saw the last one jumping into some house plants that we keep on the porch during the summer. Later I heard their chatter in the nearby woods. I hope they all will make it! The male House Wren is already on courtship again and tries to attract a female to one of the other nest boxes. All seasons during a year have exciting moments. The wrens leaving the nest is always one of them!

NATURE CLICKS #503 - HOODED MERGANSER

Female Hooded Merganser, Mississippi Valley, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa

This female Hooded Merganser was as calm as a bird can be. I was really wondering if there were some ducklings nearby. I have photographed the offspring of Hooded Mergansers May 1st already a few years ago, but it didn’t seem like this female was too worried about any juveniles. However, we can’t expect to see the male Hooded Mergansers around the females this time of the year. Once the female begins to incubate, the male abandons her.

The water level in the Green Island Wetlands is the lowest I have seen in years right now. This is not always pretty for a photographer that looks for a nice background, but it is probably good for the wetlands. The high water level of the last few years has killed lots of trees and shrubs and has a huge negative impact on many birds, except maybe for geese and some ducks. There are still some dead trees that make a home for a few woodpeckers and tree swallows. But where do they go when the last tree trunk is not standing anymore? I have watched that and it is amazing how fast a whole grove of trees is nothing but a flat pile of decaying wood in the water. Some land is finally getting dry right now and maybe some of the shrubs may recover. I’m definitely not an expert on the biology of this ecosystem, but my picture library tells me exactly what birds I have not had in front of the lens lately…

RETROSPECTS 2020 - #7

Juvenile Bald Eagle, Mississippi River, Mud Lake, Iowa

I work out of a home office, no matter what, and with not much business or leisure travel this year it is easy to get symptoms of the “cabin fever”. Usually this feeling occurs during long winter months and not in July and so I made it a habit to take our dog at lunch time and walk him at a place in nature. With the Mississippi only a few miles away and many other river valleys, little canyons, or patches of prairie not far either, it is just a matter of deciding where to go. As the avid readers of my blog already know, Mud Lake Park is one of my favorite places. Not only the closest spot to the mighty Mississippi from our home, but always with a chance to see wildlife or weather related drama in the sky. It hit me by surprise when I found this juvenile Bald Eagle sitting on a branch right above me.  A few days later I learned that the parents were actually feeding two young birds but that day I only saw one.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2020 #6 - IT’S ACTUALLY TWO OF THEM

Juvenile Bald Eagle, Mississippi River, Mud Lake, iowa

Almost a month ago I told you about my encounter with a young Bald Eagle at Mud Lake down at the Mississippi River. This photo was made the same day and as mentioned before, I usually don’t walk up that close to an eagle but the bird saw me probably long before I discovered its presence on a low branch almost above me. A few days later I checked the place again, this time staying away a little further. To my surprise I found a second juvenile eagle, looking almost identical. The parents come still in and feed them. Last night I was again in the area and heard the parents interacting with their offspring. It’s a good year for them!

NATURE CLICKS #464 - IMMATURE BALD EAGLE

Young Bald Eagle from 2020, Mississippi River, Mud Lake, Iowa

Normally I don’t walk right up to a raptor that close, but I didn’t see the juvenile Bald Eagle perched on a low branch in the tree until I was just in front of the bird. I showed a photo back in April of the adult Bald Eagle still sitting on the nest and probably keeping a young one warm (Click HERE if you like to see that post again). Well, less than three months later the juvenile has pretty much adult size. For the first four years of their life Bald Eagles don’t have the iconic white head and white tail feathers. I moved in slow motion after I saw the eagle and the bird accepted my presence for about fifteen minutes before it took off and flew to another tree.

For today’s “lunch walk” with our dog Cooper at Mud Lake, down at the Mississippi River, I took the long lens on camera with me. It proved to be a good decision again, although noon hour in July is often not the best time for wildlife photography. I didn’t see the parents at all today but I’m sure they still bring food to the young bird.

ON THE PERCH

Male juvenile Ruby-throated Hummingbird

It is just relaxing to sit at the edge of the porch in the evening and aim the lens at one of our numerous hummingbirds. Today we had a slight overcast with occasional appearance of the sun. To me ideal for hummingbird photography. This time the Micro softboxes were not used as a light modifier and instead the MAGMOD Magbeam flash extender on a flash bracket above the lens was employed. Click on the link “WHAT’S IN THE CAMERA BAG?” if you like to see how this setup works. A hint of flash is concentrated on the bird and the reflected light boosts the colors, even with a gray overcast. The tricky part is to dose the amount of flash and balance it with the ambient light, so it is not apparent that a flash light was used and the bird looks like a “Christmas tree”.

Some of the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds show more character in their behavior than others. This juvenile male doesn’t even have the ruby throat yet but acted like the “neighborhood bully” at one of our feeders. Hummingbirds are very territorial and obviously that starts at an early age. As photographers we can use that behavior to our advantage. The bird returns frequently to the same perch, in this case the stem of a maple leaf. From the perch they can observe what they believe is “their feeder” and start attacks against intruders, most likely their siblings and in-laws.

1/60 s, f/6.3, ISO 320, @600 mm, -1/3 EV, flash -3.3 EV,  with Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Nikon SB 800 speed light, MAGMOD MagBeam flash extender.

OUT OF THE HOUSE

Today around 10:30AM I heard the House Wrens intensively calling while I worked in my office. They just didn’t deliver any food to the nest box in the flower bed of our front yard anymore. I ran downstairs and saw #1 leaning out of the hole but still hesitating. I knew immediately that the time was right and that the little chicks would follow the calls of their parents and leave the nest. The camera was already in position on the porch, ready to shoot.

At 10:37AM #1 finally jumped out of the upper hole, tried briefly to hang on to the wall of the box, and landed on the perch of the lower hole. From there it jumped to nearby bushes, through the grass, and made it safely into the woods where the parents called frenetically.

#2 followed shortly after. #3 didn’t hesitate at all and flew straight into the woods to the parents. I had a look at them from the distance when suddenly a #4 showed up next to me and joined the whole gang in the trees.

This is a photo still from yesterday. The parents had chosen a good time for raising this gang of four little House Wrens. During the last 17 days we had nice weather and there was food in abundance. Here it is a spider but we saw lots of caterpillars, moths, and crickets disappearing in the hungry bills of the juvenile House Wrens.

FEEDING TIME AT THE NEST BOX

Friends of the blog have asked already how the little House Wrens in the nest box doing. The parents feed since July, 23rd and as you can see the size of the food is getting bigger. We know for sure that we have at least three little chicks in the box. I shot a few pictures yesterday morning and I liked this one in particular. It’s always hard to tell what’s on the menu because the feeding happens very fast. But here the shadow on the white wall reveals that a cricket was stuffed into the open bill. The new generation makes a lot of noise if the parents arrive with food but in a few days it will be quiet and the little wrens will have left the nest.

TRYING TO STEP UP A NOTCH

Juvenile male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, near Durango, Iowa, 1/125s, f/6.3, ISO400

One of the goals I wanted to accomplish this year was to step up a notch with my hummingbird photography. The time is just right, we have probably at least a dozen birds buzzing around the house and the new generation is as aggressive as the old “bullies” in their pursue to “own” one of the feeders we provide.

I mentioned in my last post already that I started using a new light modifier, a small soft box that attaches to the speed light. It still maintains the same purpose, just to bring out the colors in the bird’s feathers. The ambient light is still the main light source for the pictures. But it takes more than a new piece of gear to make better images. First I analyzed photos made during the last few years and realized that I had very few that caught the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds during a special gesture. To make it clear, there is nothing a hummingbird does slowly and even preening is done in short intervals that last maybe a second.

1/100s, f/6.3, ISO400

This juvenile male was my main subject today. He often returned to the same branch above one of our feeders and allowed me really to work with him between the “high-speed chases” that went on all afternoon and evening. Many clicks were made, but after the sun disappeared behind the trees on our ridge, there was a brief moment when a shaft of warm light hit the hummer just perfect, and this became my favorite shot of the day.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Nikon SB 800 speed light, Impact Quikbox Micro Softbox