2017 RETROSPECT / 5

Male Orchard Oriole, 1st summer, near Durango, Iowa ----------     

May has been all about bird photography ones more for me in 2017. I don’t even have to go too far, things happen right here in our woods north of Dubuque, Iowa.

We usually see a large number of Baltimore Orioles stopping briefly on their long journey and eating from oranges we provide. Some of them stay here during the summer and raise their offspring. Not a daily event is the sighting of an Orchard Oriole. Last year we had more than ever before and it was fun to see both species at the same time. This male oriole was in its first summer and didn’t have the dark chestnut-orange color of its body yet as the adult males.

2017 RETROSPECT / 4

Whimbrel, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, California ---------

There is no doubt that April is one of my favorite times for wildlife photography, especially birds. There is bird migration going on in eastern Iowa and many other areas in the country. I had my good share of images here in the Midwest but I chose a picture for 2017’s retrospect from the coastal wetlands in California. Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve at the Pacific coast near Huntington Beach, California is a destination I have been many times before. Last year I explored another area not far from Bolsa Chica, San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary in Orange County, and it led to photos of new birds and great story telling about well known species.

The Whimbrel breeds in Alaska but spends the winter months along the coast of California. I was a little surprised to find them still in the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in April, but hey, I didn’t mind… The gorgeous warm light of the late afternoon sun eliminated the need for fill flash. Except for the shooting position from slightly above, which you can’t do much about in the Bolsa Chica Wetlands due to access restrictions (which I absolutely support and obey) I have been happy with the results. Having many clean shots of a Whimbrel and other new birds we don’t see here in Iowa in my files made this trip a highlight of 2017’s photography adventures.

2017 RETROSPECT / 2

Red-tailed Hawk with roadkill

Photographs bare our memories and while looking through the images from last February I was reminded how little snow we had on the ground last winter. I had reported about this Red-tailed Hawk not giving up a dead raccoon, which was probably killed by a car, when I stopped on the other side of the road and started shooting. The hawk had a large injury on its chest but was otherwise acting very normal. I just can assume that the bird had contact with a car as well. This was the only picture where the hawk stared right at me but I like the shot just because of the direct eye contact. This is not always a good thing but I think in this matter it tells the story how the Red-tailed Hawk stood its ground.

BALD EAGLES - GESTURES, LIGHT, AND TEMPERATURE CHALLENGE

Great gesture, the moment when the eagle drops suddenly down to go for a fish ----   

The weather conditions are ideal for Bald Eagle photography at the moment. First we had a clean blue sky, which in combination with a low sun in the afternoon makes for good colors and light. And second, it was cold, and I mean really cold, and this requires the eagles to eat a lot in order to survive. If the eagles are hungry they are in permanent move in search for fish, and this gives us photographers a lot more shooting opportunities than if the temperature is just around the freezing point.

When the eagle is about to put its talons into the prey you can hear the camera shutters rattle...

As expected, about 60 miles down the river at lock & dam #14 in Le Claire, Iowa the parking lot was quite full and people enjoyed watching and photographing a good number of Bald Eagles today. The cold bares some challenges and being properly dressed is absolutely essential for spending time behind the camera. I saw several people climbing out of their cars full of enthusiasm and making a fashion statement with every piece of clothes they wore, but ten minutes later they disappeared again because they were not dressed warm enough. Shooting with gloves is not my favorite thing to do but there was no way around it today without a high risk of frostbites.

The flight patterns of a juvenile Bald Eagle while hunting for fish is harder to predict, their lack of routine shows quite often.

I took many pictures of Bald Eagles already during the last thirteen years since we lived near the Upper Mississippi Valley. So why going back to the best spots over and over again with the camera? Well, just watching these majestic creatures is priceless and having hundreds of photos in the files doesn’t mean there are no new gestures or light patterns to discover, and there is always this one special picture that still needs to be made…😉

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

2017 RETROSPECT / 1

I finally found some time tonight looking into my photo archive from 2017 for pictures that may deserve to be seen by the public and that mark some of the highlights during the last year. In January I spent quite some time along the Mississippi, which was other than right now not frozen over for the most part.

When a Bald Eagle drops out of the tree and glides towards the open water you know the hunt is on. This one flew right at me but I was able to nail the focus on its eye, which has to be sharp, no matter what. If not, the picture goes to the trash can…

This photo of an excited Herring Gull was made below lock and dam #14 in Le Claire, Iowa. The direct light of the late afternoon sun helps to bring out the dynamic of the scene. I chose both photos because the quality of the light makes the story telling a breeze.

NATURE CLICKS #388 - DARK-EYED JUNCO

Can you tell I’m having fun again shooting birds? The snow on the ground is my favorite reflector and the flash arm with flash light can stay in the photo bag if the sun is out and its light is bounced back from the ground. The Dark-eyed Juncos are here in large numbers and take advantage of free food and water from the heated bird baths. They feed mostly on the ground and go never too far away from a hiding place, like our bushes and mountain pines. I saw a hawk flying in today and within a second you can’t see any of them anymore. They even use the old dried leaves between the shrubs to hide. The juncos don’t make it always easy for the photographer because their dark eyes blend often right in with the feathers, and if there is no catch light on the eye it looks kinda lifeless. I don’t think that only a bird with a catch light in its eye makes a good photo, but in case of the Dark-eyed Junco it makes all the difference.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The year ends with very cold temperatures and snow on the ground, ideal conditions for some bird photography in the backyard today. This young female Red-bellied Woodpecker posed nicely on the trunk of this gnarly Ironwood (American Hop Hornbeam).

Female Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dec 31, 2017, near Durango, Iowa

The weeks before Christmas the weather has been relatively warm and to our surprise we had a female Yellow-rumped Warbler at our bird bath and below the suet feeders. The northern edge of their winter range is normally several hundred miles south from here, but another birder told me that is not totally unusual to see a few here in eastern Iowa if the winter is mild. I was awed when the warbler still came to the bird bath and feeders today despite the fact that the temperature was at -18ºC (0º F) and with a solid snow cover on the ground.

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, October 2017

Usually I would end the year with a few “Retrospect” blog posts about my photographic highlights during the year, but some last-minute business trip between Christmas and now kept me from doing it. Maybe I find the time in January… However, I like to thank everybody for stopping here, for your emails and messages with opinions, critique, and advice. I appreciate all of them and would be happy to see you back in 2018!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

IT WILL TOUCH YOU

The Tundra Swans are still present at the Mississippi ----- 

Remember, a week ago I posted pictures and reported about the large concentration of migrating Tundra Swans at the Mississippi River, just north of the Minnesota border. Joan had to work last weekend and so we gave it a try again today and drove north on the scenic roads that follow the river. Guess what, the swans were still present and after a mostly gray and rainy week it was nice to see thousands of Tundra Swans again in good sunlight.

View from Brownsville Overlook, Minnesota

This is only a fraction of all the swans. The compressed view of the 600 mm lens makes the Wisconsin side of the river appear a lot closer than it actually is. The Mississippi is here about 3 km (~2 miles) wide. The main channel for the boats is behind the island with the tall trees.

If you live somewhere in northeast Iowa, southwest Wisconsin, or southeast Minnesota and you haven’t been there yet, take the time to see the swans. It will touch you, no matter if you a photographer or just someone who likes nature.

STILL INTRIGUED

Tundra Swans, Mississippi River, between New Albin, IA and Brownsville MN ----

I admit, I’m still intrigued by yesterday’s wildlife experience. Watching ten-thousands of Tundra Swans on the Mississippi isn’t an everyday occurrence even for us that live near the Mississippi Valley and enjoy bird migration every year one way or the other.

Between all the noise created by the Tundra Swans I heard, and it was confirmed by other birders, the french horn like call of at least one Trumpeter Swan.

The Tundra Swan is smaller than the Trumpeter Swan and most adult birds have a yellow spot at the base of their black bill, while the Trumpeter Swan has an all black bill. The yellow spot varies in size and shape as I realized by studying the pictures from yesterday’s photo shooting. The photo above shows the distinct field mark very well. I had the focus on the juvenile bird in the back while they took off, hence it has better sharpness than the swan in front. It is not difficult to distinguish an adult from a young bird, and there were lots of families with one to four juveniles.

NATURE CLICKS #387 - TUNDRA SWANS - LARGE NUMBERS

Mississippi River, between New Albin, Iowa and Brownsville, Minnesota ----

When I watched Friday night about 150 Tundra Swans resting on a mud bank across from Mud Lake, and far away in the Mississippi River, I knew it was time to go up north. Today I made the trip to New Albin, IA, crossed the Minnesota border, and stopped finally at the viewing deck just south of Brownsville, MN. What I found was one of the most spectacular wildlife experiences I ever had. Today’s estimate by birders that had an information desk out there was 30,000 Tundra Swans. The swans take a rest along the Mississippi during their long journey from the arctic all the way to the mid-Atlantic coast. The sound is incredible beautiful and seeing so many swans in one location was a sheer delight.

Click on photos for larger view!

After a gray and foggy morning the sun came out and awarded everybody with a piece of optical glass in their hands or on a tripod with quality light. I’m not sure if four photos can tell the story completely but I hope they make you want to go out and see this. It looks like the temperatures will stay on the moderate side this week and there is a chance that the Tundra Swans will be in the area for a few days.

NATURE CLICKS #386 - RED-SPOTTED NEWT

Two Red-spotted Newts, Watoga Lake, Allegheny Mountains, West Virginia ---- 

If you saw my photo from Watoga Lake in yesterday’s post you can imagine that Joan and I had a really good time there. Our excitement grew when we discovered a whole bunch of Red-spotted Newts in the crystal clear water at a shallow part of the lake. So, what is a newt? I found a simple answer on a website of the University of Georgia. All newts are salamanders, but not all salamanders are newts. With other words, they are a specific type of salamanders. The Red-spotted Newt is a subspecies of the Eastern Newt. This newt produces tetrodotoxin which makes the species unpalatable to predatory fish and crayfish. Key to survive! There is a lot more to tell about the biology of this very interesting critter. I trust you know where to find more detailed information in the world wide web.

Since this was not an “everyday” shooting situation I like to share my approach for this photo with you. We had an overcast day and it was already late afternoon, hence the amount of light was limited. Even if the water was crystal clear, we had to deal with some reflections of the sky on the water surface, means a polarizing filter was mandatory. The B+W F-PRO Kaesemann High Transmission Circular Polarizer MRC filter did an excellent job to keep the glare on the water out of the frame. The downside is that it swallows about 1-1.5 f-stops. The photo was made handheld with the Sigma 150/f2.8 at 1/40s, f/4.5, but to get into this speed range I had to pump up the ISO to 400. I tried to keep the focus point on the eye of the adult newt on top, but obtaining focus on a small spot under water is quite a challenge. The newts moved around but often stopped for short periods of time.

There is lots of wildlife in West Virginia. It is not always easy to spot because most of the state is forested land. Our biggest hopes to see a Black Bear again were not fulfilled, but the excitement while watching the Red-spotted Newts left a lasting impression on us.

SEPARATION IN THE FRAME

Trumpeter Swans, Mill Creek Ponds, Eastern Iowa

My last visit at the Mill Creek Ponds between La Motte and Bellevue, Iowa was May 21st, 2017, and at that time the Trumpeter Swans were still sitting on the nest. It is hard to believe how fast their five (yes, 5!!) cygnets have grown up to almost adult size. Sure, I have some pictures that show the whole family of seven swans but I like the intimacy of this photo the best. It seemed that the most difficult part today was not light, contrast, or too much distance, but separating the birds from each other in the frame, without cutting off body parts of another swan in the background or at the edge of the photo.

NATURE CLICKS #385 - EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE

It has been over two months since my last visit in the Green Island Wetlands, down south where the Maquoketa River meets the mighty Mississippi, but last weekend I finally was able to get back to this location, which is a favorite since a long time. This is not prime season for a wildlife photographer in this area. Duck hunting season has opened and the gravel road on top of a levee that goes through the actual wildlife refuge is closed, which itself is a good thing. However, all together it limits the chances to make a good click for those who hunt with the camera in hand. As you can imagine there wasn’t a single piece of waterfowl on the water but with a little patience and open eyes you still can find photo opportunities. Beside pelicans, eagles, egrets, herons, and swallows I saw at least two warblers and this Eastern Wood-Pewee. I cropped the image a little bit because there was a body of water between me and the bird and getting closer was not an option. Pretty soon this flycatcher will migrate to the northern part of South America.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, @ 600 mm (DX mode), 1/80 s, f/6.3, ISO200

BREEDING PLUMAGE

American Goldfinch in breeding plumage, April 2017

It is quiet around here, except for the never ending sounds of the crickets and locusts. At least we see a few goldfinches every day at our feeders. They are one of the latest nesting birds. They start not much before July, when most other songbirds are finishing with breeding. Pretty soon the American Goldfinches will change from breeding plumage to winter plumage by a complete molt of their feathers. It is the only member of its family that has a molt in spring and fall. All other species have just one molt each year in the fall.

The males still have their yellow feathers at the moment but the plumage is not as bright and beautiful as it was back in spring, when this photo was taken.

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, @ 600 mm, 1/1000s, f/7.1, ISO200,

ALL GONE NOW

It was an exciting time during the last couple days watching the young House Wrens finally leaving their nest. I tried to document as much as time allowed, hoping to catch one of the juveniles out of the nest. Read the full story:

Sunday 10:00 AM

All three young birds were still in the nest. The parents brought in food very frequently. As you can see, sometimes two insects were carried at once. I doubt that this little guy shared them with its siblings…

Sunday 1:30 PM

The parents had started calling the kids out of the box. They sat sometimes for a few minutes with food in their bill in the dead cedar tree across from the box and tried to lure them away from the nest.

Sunday 7:40 PM

At about 7:00 PM the first little wren had left the nest and flew directly into the trees of the woods. No picture was taken, it just happened too fast. The parents called the other two birds intensely but they decided to stay another night in the safety of the nest box. They received the last meal at 7:40 PM. There wasn’t enough light anymore and I used flash as my main light source, not just to fill in shadows or boost colors as usual.

Monday 9:46 AM

Early in the morning the two little House Wrens were still in the box and called for food. A quarter to ten I interrupted my work and stepped out on the porch to check out what’s going on and saw that the second bird had just left the nest box. The little guy was chirping and hopping around between our flower pots on the deck. It finally climbed up the espalier on the side of the porch where this photo was taken. Later, at about 1 PM during the eclipse of the sun, the last wren was not in the nest anymore. Here in the Durango area the sun was covered by the moon about 88.5 %. During the peak time I didn’t hear a single bird, even the hummingbirds were quiet and didn’t show up.

The wrens are still around somewhere nearby. I still heard their chatter in the woods this evening. I hope they all will make it, become mature birds, and some will return for another good summer here in Iowa. It is always a sure sign of spring when the males show up here in late April or early May and work on their reproduction again.