OWL AT SUNSET

Barred Owl, Little Maquoketa River Valley, Iowa ------------

Joan and I sat down with a glass of wine on our porch this evening when suddenly one of our Barred Owls flew across the front yard very low, went up again, and landed in a tree nearby. The camera was waiting, ready to shoot, near the door and within a few seconds I had the bird in my viewfinder. We have seen the pair of owls every evening during the last few days. Sometimes it was too late for even thinking about a picture but today we had the best light so far. It is an exciting story for us, although we still don’t know for sure about their offspring and where the nest is located. We just guess it is very close…

NATURE CLICKS #399 - AMERICAN BITTERN (FIRST SIGHTING!)

Today’s blog post starts with a big thank you to my photography friend Kevin! He sent an email this morning telling me that he discovered an American Bittern yesterday at a pond near his home on the south side of Dubuque. A nice photo was attached as well. This morning there were even two birds but they took off too soon. I was about to close my office for the day this afternoon when my phone rang and Kevin was telling me that the bittern was back again. He didn’t have to ask me twice, I grabbed the camera bag, let the dog jump into the car and took off.

This heron-like wading bird is very secretive and a rare breeder here in Iowa. According to an article from the Iowa Audubon website the American Bittern was fairly common in the 1940’s and the trend of population decline continues. The causes of population declines have been cited as habitat loss, human disturbance, and pesticides and other contaminants. The American Bittern is now considered a high conservation priority in Iowa.

The pond, which is actually a rain water detention pond, is wide open from all sides and a stealthy approach with the camera turned out to be a challenge. Kevin knows the terrain and we managed to get within shooting range without disturbing the bittern. The location was perfect for the bird but not so much for the photographer. Between the broken branches of a fallen tree near the shore the American Bittern can find its food, insects, amphibians, small fish, and mammals. We had to deal with obstruction by branches and grass but that’s the challenge of nature photography and part of the fun mastering it…

The American Bittern was a first sighting for me and I’m very thankful for the call from Kevin today!

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

1: @ 550 mm, 1/800s, f/6.3, ISO 200, camera set to DX format (equivalent to 825 mm focal length)

2: @ 220 mm, 1/800s, f/6.3, ISO 200, camera set to DX format (equivalent to 330 mm focal length)

NATURE CLICKS #398 - YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER

In yesterday’s blog post I mentioned that I had another story for you. Yes, it was bird photography fun at its best Saturday afternoon and today I went again to the Deere Marsh, the wetlands behind the John Deere factory north of Dubuque. The Yellow-rumped Warblers migrate right now through the Mississippi Valley and they obviously like the supply of insects that came with the warm weather we have here since the last couple days and stay a little bit longer. The warblers use the trees and shrubs along the shore beside Riverside Road to perch and to catch their prey, almost in a flycatcher manner, There is also a lot of display going on. The males try to impress the females and the coloration of their feathers doesn’t get any better than this time of the year.

The Yellow-rumped Warbler is one of the most common Warblers in North America and because of their ability to digest wax-coated berries, like bayberries, they are capable of wintering farther north than any other warbler (source: iBirdPro App).

At this location having a good background is not a big problem. You either have water or the sky as your background and even if you, like me, don’t have the fastest lens in your arsenal, you can still render a background without clutter. The second image shows where the challenge lies. Getting a clean, unobstructed shot is not always easy. Lots of branches and wild growing vines can be in the way or just cast a shadow on the bird. I tried to make this a part of the story telling…

IT TOOK ME 11 YEARS!

Barred Owl -----------

I bought my first digital SLR camera almost exactly 11 years ago. It took me that long to make some photos of a Barred Owl. It was sitting in one of the oaks at the edge of our woods this evening. This owl nests here every year and we can hear their distinctive call “Who, cooks, for-you, who, cooks, for-you, all” every night and sometimes even during the day. You can’t imagine how happy I am to have finally some images of this mostly nocturnal bird. I still haven’t figured out where the nest of the owl is, I just know it is very close. Last night, right after the bird had called again, I could hear some pitched noise just from outside my office window, obviously from a young bird. Actually I had another story and photos for you from today, not even less exciting, but the joy about this accomplishment prevailed.

Friends who follow my blog regularly know that I usually don’t set the ISO in camera higher than 200, and it is very rare that I exceed ISO 400. The noise reduction that is required with higher ISO in dim light comes with the loss of detail, and I believe detail is important for bird photography. Today was such an exception. I didn’t want to risk ending up with blurry photos only and so I dialed in ISO 800. The exposure was still as low as 1/125s, actually too slow for handholding at 600 mm focal length, but I guess turning on the VR (vibration reduction) helped to walk away with some pictures in focus.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, @ 600 mm, 1/125s, f/6.3, ISO 800

 

GIVING ME A DIRTY LOOK

Chipping Sparrow, Little Maquoketa River, near Durango, Iowa ------------

There was another “first of the year” bird encounter in our yard yesterday. The first Chipping Sparrow has arrived. Every year in the past we had a pair raising their young in our woods. This one seemed to give me a dirty look and say, are you kidding me with all the snow on the ground by mid April? Well, I should have answered, I don’t like it either, but it definitely helps with exposure while taking some pictures…😏

NATURE CLICKS #397 - RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET

Actually I had a different story to tell for today’s blog post, which had to do with the snow that we have on the ground again. My plan was changed immediately when I had this little guy in front of the lens this evening. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is one of the tiniest and prettiest birds we can sometimes see here during spring migration. Our dog Cooper and I enjoyed a hike down in our valley on the Heritage Trail along the Little Maquoketa River. The trail follows an old railroad track and at several places it has steep rock walls on both sides. The kinglet did not sit still for even a second and was vigorously searching for little insects in every crack, cave, and cavity between the mossy rocks.

I shot the lens wide open at 200 mm, f/4. Several tack sharp “butt shots” proved the fast focus of the lens but it was quite a challenge to get the eye in the picture because the Ruby-crowned Kinglet faced the wall most of the time. So why did I try to shoot the “little feather ball” from behind or at least from the side? The second picture, the only real front view I had, may tell the story about today’s weather conditions better but it doesn’t say “ruby-crowned” at all.

Nikon D750, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, f/4G ED VR

SPRING MOLT

American Goldfinch ---------------- 

It was an easy picture to make. This is just outside of my office window and the only challenge is the glass between the bird and the camera. I don’t do a lot of “feeder pictures” but couldn’t resist this time. The American Goldfinches are in their spring molt at the moment. It happens very fast and in a few days they all will have their new feathers and this golden-yellow color that makes it easy to identify them during the summer. Although the males sing like crazy during spring, pairs do not nest until later in the summer when seeds are available in abundance. Goldfinches eat seeds almost exclusively, from thistle, sunflower, aster, to grasses and tree seeds. We have a lot of Goldfinches here and their molt is for us another sure sign that winter is almost over.

OWL IN THE CAVE

Great Horned Owl, Dubuque, Iowa ------------------ 

Are you tired of seeing photos here in my blog taken in the wetlands along the Mississippi River lately? Well, today I have something different for you. Friends who follow my blog since several years know that at this time of the year I have reported about the breeding efforts of a pair Great Horned Owls down at the Mississippi not very far from home.

The bad news is, it isn’t happen this year. Great Horned Owls don’t really build their own nest but take possession of an old nest instead and maybe move a few sticks around. In this matter it was the nest of a Bald Eagle that the owl used for five years in a row. Well, rain, snow, and in particular wind have finally succeeded and the nest had fallen apart after the last breeding season. There are still a few branches and sticks up in the tree but it isn’t big enough to be the place for another generation of Great Horned Owls.

And here comes the good news. Thanks to a couple photography friends I learned about two other locations around Dubuque, Iowa with an active nest site. One is in a small cave and it isn’t easy to see mother owl back on the nest. I used the flash to throw some light into the hole but this wasn’t enough to make a difference, at least from what I saw on the display of the camera back. The solution for this photo was to expose all the way to the right of the histogram, but still making sure the surrounding rocks were not blown out. It is amazing how much dynamic range today’s cameras are able to capture and the RAW files can hold. Later at home in Adobe Lightroom I lowered the exposure of the rocks and lifted the shadows of the cave locally. And this revealed some detail inside the cave. I don’t know if there is an owlet deeper in the nest but will hopefully find out as time progresses.

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, 1/80s, f/6.3, ISO 400,

 

EASY IN GREAT LIGHT

Great Blue Heron, Green Island Wetlands, Mississippi River, Iowa

You know how much I like to rave about “killer light”, a term I admit I have not invented, but this is the best description of great light for nature photography I have found so far! It doesn’t matter what we call it, it is just about the best quality of light mother nature provides for us. The Great Blue Heron may migrate to the south for the winter but they are here as soon they can find open water. I have pictures with snow and ice in the background and if there is a chance the heron can catch fish, you will find them standing and waiting for prey in shallow water.

It is human nature that the eye goes first to the brightest part of an image, and second to the sharpest. If we make sure the highlights are not blown out on the head of the bird and if we have the eye in focus, it is easy to expose and make the click. For this image an exposure compensation of -0.7 EV was necessary to accomplish the task.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, @ 600 mm, 1/500 s, f/6.3, ISO 100

NATURE CLICKS #396 - GREATER YELLOWLEG

The water level in the lakes and marshes of the Green Island Wetlands is slightly lower than it was during the last few months. This is good at least for two reasons. If it stays that way the trees and shrubs that were submerged by water have a chance to recover and new growth is possible. The water level in this area is controlled and there are probably reasons, that may have to do with the adjacent Mississippi River, to raise or lower it. As a frequent visitor I noticed during the last years that many of the bigger trees have died, maybe due to a higher water level for too long. Woodpeckers and tree swallows may benefit for a while but in a long run their habitat can be threatened if few or no new trees have a chance to grow.

The other reason, the mud banks that were covered by water appear again and this gives shore birds, like sandpipers and plovers, a chance to feed and they may use the wetlands as a stopover place during their migration. My photo library reveals that I haven’t taken a picture of a Yellowleg during the last two years in the Green Island area.

Much to my pleasure I saw a single Greater Yellowleg foraging in the shallow water and on the mud banks yesterday. Unless you are in a boat, the shooting position is always from slightly above water level, due to the topography in the wetlands, and that makes it difficult to keep mud and old plant litter out of the frame. Yes, as a photographer I prefer the environmental picture of birds and critters and having part of a mud bank in the picture is considered part of the story for me. However, having an old plant stalk sticking out of the bird’s head is not very desirable. It took me a while to get a shot that I like of this beautiful Greater Yellowleg …

This post was altered April 14, 2018. In my first version I had identified this bird as a Lesser Yellowleg. After looking closer at more of the pictures I took and after consulting with a more experienced birder (Thank you Tony!) I came to the conclusion that this might be a Greater Yellowleg. They are a little bigger and have a slightly upturned bill. Other photos show this feature more pronounced than this one.

FINALLY, SNOW GEESE!

Snow Geese, take off at Green Island Wetlands, Iowa ---------   

It was one of the best days in a long time I had this afternoon and evening in the Green Island Wetlands. The quality of light and the abundance of birds made for a fun time in these wetlands next to the Mississippi River. Several ‘first of the year’ sightings and a lot of displaying behavior, because love is in the air, made for some great observations.

The big migration wave of the geese was early this year and I saw a good number of Greater White-fronted but had absolutely no sighting of any Snow Geese. It became clear I missed the peak of the geese migration. Today, to my surprise, it came all together when five Snow Geese landed just in front of me while I looked at some ducks.

The Snow Geese gave me 43 minutes to work with them before they took off. During that time they rested, preened themselves, but didn’t feed. They probably spent a few more hours in Green Island because I saw them again just before sunset. It is mind boggling how far they still have to fly for their breeding grounds up in the arctic regions of North America.

There is only so much you can do photographically if five geese don’t move much and the shore dictates how far you can get closer, but it made me very happy to capture a couple shots in focus during their take off.

We have snow in the forecast for tomorrow and that means we will probably not drive around on slippery roads. In other words, there might be time to write about some other birds here in the blog. So, please stay tuned…

COLD BUT KILLER LIGHT

American Tree Sparrow, Mississippi River, Hawkeye Marina, Mud Lake, Iowa ---------

I know, I know, I had a photo of an American Tree Sparrow in my blog less than two weeks ago! But how could I resist? It was very windy and cold today, the air was “crisp” and clear and as a result we had great light, at least in my books. Down at the Mississippi River I counted 8 different species of ducks, Hooded and Common Mergansers, lots of American Coots, and a number of Pied-billed Grebes. But it was just before the sun disappeared behind the rocky bluffs that border the river valley, when the great light turned into “killer light”. At that time I focussed on a grove of American Tree Sparrows who searched for food between the driftwood and seemed to enjoy the last rays of sun for the day.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, @ 600 mm (DX mode), 1/800 s, f/6.3, ISO200

NATURE CLICKS #395 - HERMIT THRUSH

Hermit Thrush, Backbone State Park, Iowa --------

Joan had to work this weekend, so I took our little dog Cooper for an Easter hike to an area that I have a little neglected during recent years. Backbone State Park is the oldest state park in Iowa, dedicated in 1919 (2001 acres, 820 ha), and it is only an hour drive west of our area. It is named for a narrow and steep ridge of bedrock carved by a loop of the Maquoketa River originally known as the “Devil's Backbone” (source: Wikipedia). I always hope to see some wildlife during a hiking tour but I didn’t want to carry the heavy 150-600 mm lens with me. Instead the 70-200 was on the camera.

Only fifteen minutes into the hike I came across this Hermit Thrush, an inconspicuous little bird, that wasn’t very shy but nevertheless kept a safe distance to Cooper and me while searching for food between leaf litter. The Hermit Thrush breeds further north and that makes me believe that this was a migrating bird.

The thrush decided to pose between thorny branches and unfortunately one of them covers part of the bird. I still decided to use this photo for today’s post because it was the closest and sharpest image I was able to make. It isn’t ideal for identification because you can’t really see the spots on its chest, but other pictures, from a wider distance, helped me to compare the field marks. The last time I had this bird in front of the camera was in April 2014 in our front yard. I guess I’ll keep my eyes open during the next days…

Nikon D750, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, f/4G ED VR, @ 200 mm, 1/1250 s, f/4, ISO 200

THE PRINCESS AND HER LOVERS

If things don’t work out as you may have hoped for during a photo shoot in the Great Outdoors, and for example the species you may see only for a relative short period of time while migrating stay out of your way, don’t hesitate to work with the “locals”, the birds you can always have in front of your camera. I’m not advocating to make another picture of a pair, swimming peacefully side by side, but looking out for an image that tells a story about their life or the specifics of the season I think is still desirable.

Last Sunday I saw a lot of migrators, Buffleheads, Gadwalls, Ring-necked Ducks, and Mergansers, but none of them came into a range that allowed me to make a serious effort for a photo. I’m sure that most of the Mallards we can see here at the moment by the thousands will migrate further north but some are here all the time and many people don’t even look at them. The difference to other times of the year is that mating time is approaching fast and their plumage is at its best at the moment. Combine this with the quality of light in late winter or early spring and you have best conditions to make a photo that sticks.

The lady was holding her breath, she really remained in this position for a few seconds, while the boys were fighting for the grounds. Don’t tell me Mallards are boring just because there are so many…😉

NEW SNOW, BUT ALL GONE ALREADY

Song Sparrow, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa ---------

Some new snow came down yesterday, most of it west and south of us, and I was hoping to have a little bit of a reflector available during another visit in the Green Island Wetlands today. My assumption was wrong, the powerful sun and wind took care of the white stuff this morning and except for the north side of hills and slopes it was all gone. As you can see, light was nevertheless available in abundance and the Song Sparrows, who spend the winter here, enjoyed the warm rays of the sun as much as I did.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens, @ 600 mm, 1/1250 s, f/6.3, ISO 200