A VISIT IN THE NOT SO WET WETLANDS

Green Island Wetlands, Mississippi Valley, iowa

It was overdue but yesterday I had finally a chance to make a trip to the Green Island Wetlands, 40 mile south and along the Mississippi River. As expected the water levels were at its lowest since a long time and many areas had no water above the mud at all. This is probably not a bad thing. The last few years have been very wet and much of the wooded land was submerged under the water. As a result most of the large trees and many shrubs died. All the dead wood you see in the above photo gives you an idea how bad it is. My hope is that during a dry year like 2021 some of the bushes can recover and become a nesting habitat for songbirds again. There is no hope for the trees…

Sandhill Cranes

As always, I was interested what kind of wildlife would be present. Only one Great Blue Heron and one Great Egret tried their hunting luck. Most of these stealthy fish hunters had probably moved closer to deeper waters along the river. A few Canada Geese and a female Wood Duck were about the only waterfowl I saw. But one bird species that obviously stood the ground and still found enough food was present and came within the range of my long lens, the Greater Sandhill Cranes. I saw six birds feeding and walking between grass and reeds. It is always a joy tho watch them and listening to their calls.

YARD PHOTOGRAPHY

Juvenile male Ruby-throated Hummingbird

I have been an advocate for shooting in the yard since a long time. It is the proving ground for practicing our skills, for becoming familiar with new equipment, and it can be an interesting habitat that teaches us how all things in nature depend on each other. In our woods it seems the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that were born here earlier this summer have moved towards the south already and other hummers that grew up further north have taken their places at our feeders, or use the nectar from the flowers in the yard. It’s easy to take a photo of a resting bird, but the photos with spread out and buzzing wings have a much greater impact to the viewer. This juvenile male returned several times for a couple seconds to the flowers of our hosta plants. It made sense to pre-focus on the flowers and just wait until the hummer lands again. Getting the AF sensor onto the eye and throwing a hint of flash at the bird is all what it takes. With 200 mm focal length you don’t want the camera on a tripod. Handholding gives you more flexibility and speed in the process.

‘WISCONSIN DESERT’, VISIT ON A SAND PRAIRIE

Six-lined Racerunner

Last Sunday we went to an unusual nature preserve in our neighbor state Wisconsin. Here is a quote from the Wisconsin DNR website that gives a much better description of this 1,104 acres (446.8 ha) preserve than I can ever give you.

Spring Green Preserve, known as the 'Wisconsin Desert', features a rolling sand prairie on an old Wisconsin River terrace and harbors a unique flora and fauna that are adapted to the hot, droughty environment. The dry sandy soils contain many desert-like plants such as false heather, three-awn grass, and prickly pear cactus. Nearly 40 species of annuals and biennials thrive here, a high number for a prairie, […} Several sand blows, with shifting dunes and open sand, are scattered throughout. Bird life is diverse and includes large numbers of rare open country birds […]

Small part of Spring Green Preserve, a sand prairie born about 17,000 years ago.

Although already late in the season we still found a good number of interesting plants and insects. The biggest thrill for me was the sighting of a Six-lined Racerunners (Aspidoscelis sexlineata), a sun-loving lizard that lives in a variety of habitats, including bluff prairies and sand prairies. I have never seen one before and was very happy to get a few shots of this fast critter.

At places like the Spring Green Preserve is always a good chance to meet people that enjoy nature and travel as much as we do. Thank you to the couple from Madison for the interesting conversation! 

Great to see some real bees in the flowers

All photos: Nikon D750, Sigma 150mm / f2.8 APO EX DG HSM

NO SUMMER WITHOUT

The loyal long time readers of my blog may have wondered already, what’s about hummingbirds this year. Well, they are here as always since the end of April. It started with only three or four and I had some concerns about if it would be a bad year. But the breeding business went on and a few weeks later many juveniles appeared at our three hummingbird feeders. We go through one gallon (3.785 liters) of hummingbird food (just sugar and water, mixed 1:4) every week. the metabolism of these tiny birds is incredible.

Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird

I spent a good hour with them late Sunday morning, sitting in a low position on our front porch with the tripod in front. One of the feeders is right between the flowers and a small maple tree next to it is the perfect perch for the male that believes he owns this place. With a hummer in flight I usually like the wings blurred, telling the story of a bird that really can buzz. However, this time I pushed the limits a little bit in the other direction and increased the ISO up to 1000, which allows a much faster shutter speed. I’m not so sure if I will stick with that…

NATURE CLICKS #508 - SOLITARY SANDPIPER

Solitary Sandpiper, Mississippi River, Mud Lake, Iowa

Today was one these humid days when you just don’t want to move at all but last Tuesday evening it was the perfect weather agin to take the kayak to the water. It has been six years ago when I had the last time a Solitary Sandpiper in front of the lens and I wonder if this bird is already on its way back to the south from the breeding grounds in the wooded northland regions of Canada. They are not truly solitary but this sandpiper doesn’t migrate in large flocks. (source: iBirdPro app)

Being just slightly above the water surface with camera and lens was the key for today’s photos. Shooting from a kayak makes you aware how useful the optical stabilization in the lens can be. There are a lot of things that can lead to an unsharp image, the bird moves, the boat moves, the photographer can’t hold the camera steady…, you get the idea.

Killdeer competing for the feeding spots

Here is a bonus picture for today. The Killdeer was competing with the Solitary Sandpiper for the best feeding spots along the muddy banks. They are a lot more common and usually one of the first shorebirds that arrive here in eastern Iowa in spring. They are considered shorebirds but the Killdeer often lives and nests far away from the water.

All photos: Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2021 #5 - A LIVELY RIVER

This Muskrat, which is a semiaquatic rodent but actually not a member of the genus Rattus, swam right at me and was in interaction with a second one.

Many people enjoy the mighty Mississippi River during the summer weekends and the main channel becomes often very busy and noisy. As the day came to an end yesterday, the most motorized boats were gone and the river fell back into silence. I finally got the kayak into the water again and paddled Mud Lake, a backwater area that is separated from the main channel by an artificial, overgrown rock dam. Mud Lake is still connected with the big river but has very little current and is a wonderful nature area, in particular during this time of the season.

Bald Eagles, pelicans, herons, gulls, and geese fly up and down the river but it’s easier to photograph them from land. I wanted to see again what’s out there in and on the water and took dog Cooper and the long lens with me for a two-hour kayak trip.

Arrowheads that grow along the shore of the dam in the shallow water show their flowers. They produce tubers down in the mud that are an important food source for at least 15 species of ducks, snapping turtles, and muskrats, hence the name “duck potatoes”.

Shortly after I left the sandy boat ramp at Mud Lake Park this Northern Water Snake crossed in front of the kayak. I have seen them before but never took a picture from the boat. They are non venomous but may bite when agitated.

Mud Lake is covered by huge rafts of water lilies and make it a beautiful green habitat. Even some parts of the channel are overgrown with them this year and paddling through the big leathery leaves can be a challenge at times.

No paddle trip without seeing turtles. Most common at Mud Lake is the Painted Turtle. This one stretches its hind leg into the sun.

The water lilies are a great playground for the Red-winged Blackbirds. They find an ideal buffet of insects on the big leaves and blossoms. This female gave me a nice display.

PERFECT SUMMER HABITAT

Great Blue Heron, Bankston County Park, Dubuque County, Iowa

The current heat and humidity take a little bit the fun out of wildlife photography with a heavy long lens, but here is a photo from earlier this month. The Great Blue Heron knows where the fish are and if the photographer has a clue as well, a picture can be taken. The little stream at the bottom of the valley is a good place. This photo represents my idea of an environmental portrait quite well. With the vegetation along the creek at its peak for the season, it tells a good story about a perfect summer habitat for this Great Blue Heron here in the driftless area of northeast Iowa.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, @ 600 mm, 1/250 s, f/6.3, ISO400

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!

JOGGING FOR BEST POSITION

House Wren feeding

As always, this time of the year the young House Wrens are jogging for the best position at the entrance of the nesting place the parents have chosen. This time it is an old gourd that hangs from the edge on the side of our porch since many years. The wrens have used it before. The nearby wooden nest boxes we have in the front yard are not used at the moment, but might if another brood will happen this summer. I saw at least three nestlings and it will not take long until they leave the hollow pumpkin. The parents feed every few minutes and the prey they deliver into the hungry bills gets a little bigger every day.

I try to stay away from the nest while taking my pictures and employ the long lens at 600 mm focal length and crop a little bit in addition. It was too dark under the roof of the porch this evening and the speed light was used towards the ceiling to bounce some light at the birds.

It isn’t the only pair of House Wrens that feed their offspring around here. There is another brood in a nest box behind the house and we can hear some chatter from our neighbors backyard as well. We are happy to have them here every summer.

GOING FOR THE COLOR CONTRAST

American Goldfinches, Maskunky Marsh, Iowa

Shortly after arrival at Maskunky Marsh last Saturday the rain clouds opened up a little bit. When I saw these two American Goldfinches in a dead tree, and in front of a dark cloud, I knew there was a picture opportunity. The distance was too long for a real detailed image but the color contrast wrote the invitation to make a click. The sun behind me just broke through the clouds and made the finches standing out nicely in front of this wall of dark rain clouds. What followed was nothing but photos of the gorgeous Yellow-crowned Night Herons. The American Goldfinch is a year-round bird here in Iowa, but as I have mentioned many times before here in the blog and during public photo presentations, don’t forget the common species! They need our attention and protection as well.

NATURE CLICKS #506 - YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON (FIRST SIGHTING)

Yellow-crowned Night Heron with crayfish, Maskunky Marsh, Iowa

Encouraged by the reports from other birders on the IA-BIRD Google group website, I made a three hour trip to Mahaska County, in particular to Maskunky Marsh, a wetland area east of Oskaloosa, Iowa on Saturday morning. Driving down in some rain made me doubt if this was a good idea but all was good at my arrival at the marsh. Within a few minutes I saw the first Yellow-crowned Night Heron. What a beautiful bird, and it was a lifer for me! I knew from the birder website that there were several more in the area but I saw only two.

I was amazed by the amount of crayfish the Yellow-crowned Night Heron can eat. The photo’s metadata show that the bird I watched ate nine crawdads within an hour and fifteen minutes. After they pick one up in the water or mud, they chew on them until most of the legs and claws are gone, and then swallow them as a whole.

Almost all shots were made from the tripod, trying to tell the story about the heron’s feeding habits. The relative large eye and the contrast on the bird’s head seem to make obtaining focus easy, but this was not always the case. The overcast gave the water some not so pretty glare and a little heat shimmer above the water surface seemed to play a role as well. However, my autofocus was thrown off more often than I expected. Well, none of this will stop me to rave about my first sighting of the not so common Yellow-crowned Night Heron!

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

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