NOW ONLINE: VISUAL STORIES - THROUGH THE DAKOTAS

Castles-Slim Butte, North Dakota

Some projects take a long time to become reality and some take even a little longer…😉

I just finished a new set of VISUAL STORIES here in my blog. The collection THROUGH THE DAKOTAS is finally online and you can find it by clicking up in the “Collections”-bar or by clicking right HERE. Some of the photos about a journey through the Black Hills and different “Badland” areas in the Dakotas have been previously posted in my blog a while ago and a coffee table book “BADLANDS - North and South Dakota” has been created as well. The only thing missing was a slide show in the blog. Well, as people in Germany say, …. gut Ding will Weile haben!

NATURE CLICKS #389 - NORTHERN FLICKER (2 FORMS)

Male Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker --------     

The Northern Flicker is a woodpecker we see here mostly between October and May, although a few nest in the area. Their usual breeding range is further north in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and all over Canada. Their preferred diet is ants, other insects, berries, and fruits and it is not unusual to see them feeding on the ground. In the eastern and central part of the country the “Yellow-shafted” is common and the males are easily to identify by their black malar mark and golden yellow flight feathers and underwing linings.

Intergrade between Red-shafted and Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker

The “Red-shafted” nests in the western US and southwestern Canada. Their feathers are orange-red on the underside of their wings and the males have a red malar mark on their face. Last Saturday I saw for the first time a bird with a red malar mark near our house and learned quickly that intergrades between Yellow-shafted and Red-shafted are not uncommon. The flicker in the second picture shows clearly the red malar mark but has also the yellow feathers.

You know that I’m always raving about the great light for bird photography when we have snow on the ground. The first picture was taken yesterday while it was still snowing. A hint of flash in addition brings out the colors very nicely. Easy shot.

The second photo was made before the snow and with a gray overcast last weekend. In order to make this image, while the woodpecker was still on the tree trunk, I had to shoot through the glass door of our balcony. Understandably using flash for color improvement was not an option. I cranked the ISO up to 2000 (Yiiiks!) for this documentary shot and got at least a sharp enough image for posting here in my blog.

GUESS WHO IS STILL HERE!

Yellow-rumped Warbler, near Durango, Iowa ----------

In December 2017 I reported that we had a Yellow-rumped Warbler still coming to the bird bath and feeders despite temperatures way below freezing (http://www.exnerimages.net/blog/2017/12/31/happy-new-year). Guess what, the female warbler is still here and I saw her today eating from a suet feeder and hanging around for a little bit.

WINTER AND ITS LIGHT

Red-bellied Woodpecker -----------    

I was determined to get the camera on a tripod and practice some bird photography this weekend, but got a little frustrated on Saturday because a gray overcast and dull light just didn’t lead to any satisfying results. Of course, pilot errors played a role in the game as well… 😏

This was different today. We got some snow overnight and the sky cleared finally this morning. I call this ideal conditions and have written here in the blog before how the reflecting light from the snow can help with exposure and story telling.

The male Red-bellied Woodpecker is pretty, no matter what, but throwing a hint of bundled light through the MAGMOD MagBeam flash extender ( http://www.exnerimages.net/blog/2017/3/30/gear-talk-magmod-magbeam-wildlife-kit ) makes the red on his head just popping. I shot this with 1/160 s, more than fast enough for a sharp image and slow enough to make the falling snow part of the story telling in this image.

FASCINATING WINTER WORLD

Hi friends, I’m back from the moon! (just kidding…). The photo was made today during a flight from Denver to Chicago. Business required my presence in Colorado this week and the only camera that was in the pocket was my iPhone. I don’t know the exact location of this shot, it was somewhere between eastern Colorado and western Nebraska. It was fascinating how every little creek and water vein was filled with snow or ice, while other parts of the fields below showed the blank soil. Back home here in the Little Maquoketa Valley in eastern Iowa the reality was more disenchanting. We don’t have any snow on the ground, very unusual for this time of the year, but the weather forecast says this may change during the next few days…

THE LONELY SYCAMORE

Down in our valley at the Little Maquoketa River is a lonely Sycamore tree (Platanus occidentalis) that has intrigued me many times before. It seemed in all the years I never found the right light to make a photo telling the story about this unique tree with its mottled and flaking bark, that makes the tree standing out from any other one around. Today, an hour before sunset, Joan and I went for a walk on the trail in the valley with our dog Cooper. I don’t remember a year without any snow on the ground in January but this abnormal weather situation suddenly delivered the photo opportunity I had somehow in mind. I exposed strictly for the highlights to make the almost white bark standing out. This would have not worked with a layer of snow on the ground. Although the sun was very low already, the light is not really warm and I was actually thinking of black & white when I took the picture. But I like how the crisp light strikes the scene and only the corn stalks in the foreground pick up a little bit of the warmer light.

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

2017 RETROSPECT / 9

Cranberry Wilderness, Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia

One of the most interesting places we have been during our vacation in West Virginia was the Cranberry Glades in the Cranberry Wilderness, all part of the Monongahela National Forest. This photo was made not far from the glades near the site of the Mill Point Federal Prison camp, a former low level prison which was in operation from 1938 till 1959. It was demolished after its closure. Some interpretive signs and photos provide information for interested hikers. Nature took over and it needs some power of imagination to envision the former prison camp.

2017 RETROSPECT / 8

Ruby-throated Hummingbird ------  

August is always the month when the bird activities in our woods slow dow. Some of them have raised their offspring already and are on their way south again. Not so much the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. There is a lot going on around the flower beds in the yard and of course the hummingbird feeders are visited frequently by old and young birds.

With hummingbirds I don’t try to freeze the wings of the tiny birds by using a very short exposure time. I think the story of their humming, buzzing, hovering, and erratic moves is much better told when the wings appear blurred. This is how we see it. However, the eye has to be still sharp even if the Ruby-throated Hummingbird’s wings flap with a frequency of about 55 beats per second. The photo above was made in the early evening. The ambient light dictates my exposure time. A hint of flash is only used to boost the colors slightly but not to freeze the action.

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, @ 600m, 1/125s, F/6.3, ISO200

 

2017 RETROSPECT / 7

American White Pelicans -----

The collective fishing efforts of the American White Pelicans at the Mississippi River are a subject I come back to photograph every summer and working with these majestic birds in great light is always rewarding. Their gentle movements seem to be very coordinated and sometimes it feels like they follow a choreography in their efforts to catch as much fish out of the river as possible. The photo leaves room for interpretation. Is the pelican in the back the one who guides the efforts? Or is it just a novice who needs still to learn how to catch fish? Who knows, but the gestures of this pod of pelicans tell the story about some serious fishing efforts just below lock & dam #11 in Dubuque, Iowa. The best time for quality light at this location is between mid and late afternoon, but don’t even bother if the sky is gray. Your picture may tell a different story if the blue of the sky is not reflected from the muddy waters of the big river...

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, @ 600m, 1/1600s, F/8, ISO100

FIVE RAPTORS

CYSCO, Harris’s Hawk, hatched in captivity in 1994, excelled as a falconry bird, and came to the Schlitz Audubon Center after retirement. ------------ 

It was fun at the 30th Annual Bald Eagle Watch in the Grand River Center of Dubuque yesterday. The event that celebrates the American Bald Eagle had a very good turnout with people of all ages. We had lots of good conversations with visitors at the information desk of the Dubuque Camera Club and the other participating organizations have been very busy as well. The highlight for many guests was without any doubt the live bird program, presented several times during the day by staff and volunteers of the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Milwaukee WI. The program was great education, not just for all the kids who got involved by Sara, who did a very good job of moderating it.

BARON VON SCREECH, Eastern Screech Owl, lost his right eye in a car accident.

It was allowed to take pictures, even with flash lights, but I decided to use just the ambient light for making some images of the raptors and the people who showed them to the audience. All photos were made handheld at f/4 between 1/20s and 1/40s. The ISO was cranked up to 1600. Shooting indoors is not my usual thing to do and dealing with white balance in very dim incandescent light had its challenges. The presenters moved around to give everybody a chance to have a close-up view of these beautiful raptors and the birds themselves move as well, with other words, not an easy task to get a sharp image.

CUTRIGHT, Peregrine Falcon, a retired falconry bird.

All seven birds of prey that were introduced to the audience (I only show five of them) are unable to make a living out in the wild for various reasons. Since I didn’t make notes (too busy fiddling with the camera 😉), the information about each bird under the photos is from the website of the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/education/raptor-program

TSKILI, Great Horned Owl, was stolen from her nest by a human who wanted her as a pet.

VALKYRIE, Bald Eagle, Was left by her parents earlier than normal. She did not have the hunting skills to survive in the wild. I like this photo because it shows the enormous size of an eagle, next to Sara, the main presenter of the program.

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

30TH ANNUAL BALD EAGLE WATCH IN DUBUQUE

If you live in or near the tristate area around Dubuque, here is a reminder. Tomorrow, Saturday 01/20 is the 30th Annual Bald Eagle Watch in the Grand River Center. There are live bird programs and other activities, lots of information about the eagles and other nature related things available. The Dubuque Camera Club will have a table at this free family event. I will be there as well and if you like to talk photography, wildlife, or learn about good locations for nature photography in the Upper Mississippi Valley, don’t hesitate to stop at the DCC information desk. The event is open from 9:00AM to 4:30PM. Hope to see you tomorrow!

2017 RETROSPECT / 6

For my retrospect about the month of June I have to revert to one of the best wildlife moments last year. While leaving the Green Island Wetlands at the Mississippi River the evening of June 9th I discovered four young raccoons having dinner in a mulberry tree. I have written in detail about this encounter in the blog and if you like to see the photos and read the full story I posted back in June 2017, feel free to click the link right here: http://www.exnerimages.net/blog/2017/6/10/a-gang-of-four

We photographers can talk about the technical aspects of photography all day long or get lost in overanalyzing our pixels, but it is important to have some fun while shooting, even if the results are not more than a “learning experience” sometimes. The good results will come with the passion we apply to our own photography. Watching the young raccoons was priceless and the only way to make these images was to crank up the ISO setting to 640 due to the very low light. Not my usual style for wildlife photography, but who cares if the technical side of the photo is not perfect but the story telling aspect reflects the fun I had while taking the pictures.

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 / 3

Mono Lake, Eastern Sierra, California

March held many good photo opportunities for me, especially with migrating birds, but the highlight was a visit at Mono Lake in the Eastern Sierra in California. The tufa formations around the lake are a fascinating subject and with the snow covered mountains in the background you can’t go wrong, even if circumstances allowed me to be there for only a very short time around the noon hour.