NEW ARRIVALS

Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

It was a great day for bird watching and photography. I took my morning coffee and breakfast on the porch today, with the camera ready to shoot on a tripod. The second half of the day was spent in the wetlands, but this is certainly for another blog post. More migrants have arrived during the last few days. The first female Rose-breasted Grosbeak was surprisingly already here a week ago, while the first males were spotted yesterday. This morning we counted at least 11 male Grosbeaks around our bird feeders. The most we have ever seen at the same time. I don’t care for a picture at a feeder very much but when the birds come close and use nearby bushes or trees during their approach, the index finger is on top of the shutter release button.

Male House Wren

This little House Wren sings his heart out since a week but no females have arrived yet. He has already stuffed several of the bird boxes with loose little twigs and branches. A female will hopefully soon inspect his work and they are the ones that choose and “fine tune” the nest if they are willing to mate. It’s an exciting time of the year…!

NATURE CLICKS #517 - BELTED KINGFISHER

Female Belted Kingfisher, Bankston County Park, Eastern Iowa

During my walks in the river valleys and along small creeks here in eastern Iowa I come quite often across with a Belted Kingfisher. Making a picture of this pretty bird is a different story. They don’t let you come close most of the time. Today I had this female kingfisher for almost a minute within the reach of the long lens. It was still too far away for a perfect shot. Luckily the image was sharp and allowed me to crop it quite a bit. This is not my preferred way to present a photo, but it led to a picture better than the last one a couple years ago. A small step, but there is a reason why I still call the kingfisher “the bastard”. This will only end when the time comes and I have a photo that satisfies my ideas of a great wildlife image…

DOWN IN THE VALLEY

Little Maquoketa River Valley, Iowa

A photo left over from last week. When I left the house and drove down quickly into our valley it still looked like we would have an interesting sunset to watch. It didn’t happen, the cloud in the background was faster and changed the scene. I wasn’t too sad, the sun sets 365 days every year somewhere in the world… The houses down there are not that pretty but can tell certainly a story about a little village that has seen better days.

I actually like the muted light on the landscape and tried to keep it for the final image. It was important the bright roofs of the buildings do not overpower the soft colors in the sky and I underexposed by -0.66 EV. In post process the shadows in the trees and also the field in the foreground were brought back slightly, and that’s how I envisioned the final photo when the shutter button was pressed.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 39 mm, 1/400s, f/8, ISO 400

FIRST OF THE YEAR

We were in a shelter building of the campground, celebrating the 4th birthday of our granddaughter Addie, when the rain of a powerful thunderstorm poured down on our tent. A little later, as the storm moved out, we checked the tent but everything was still dry as expected. The last half hour before sunset was filled with some dramatic light. It was our first camping weekend of the season and we had the tent camping area of Spring Lake Park, near Jefferson, Iowa all for ourselves. It doesn’t get much better.

I really like the Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S lens for this kind of landscape work. With fast moving clouds and lots of trees to consider this zoom range is perfect for trying different perspectives within a short manner of time. The first photo was made at 24 mm while for the second the longer end of the zoom range was used.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,

Sunset after a thunderstorm at Spring Lake, Iowa

DRESDEN

The war initiated by Russia in Ukraine, started only days before we went to Germany. There are many places in the world that have experienced the impact of war, but few that suffered destruction as much as Dresden, the capitol of Saxony, during World War II. 

In February 1945 Dresden was a densely crowded city, filled with refugees fleeing the advancing Red Army. Three days of an Allied bombing attack left many parts of the city in total destruction and thousands of people dead. If you are historically inclined, or like to see some images about how parts of the city I show you in my blog today looked like after the bombing, feel free to click the link below. It gives you a comprehensive overview about the scale of this act of war. https://www.history.com/news/dresden-bombing-wwii-allies

My 88-years old father survived the fire bombing of Dresden at the age of eleven and my kids and granddaughter live in this now again beautiful city. What else links Putin’s war into thoughts about Dresden? Six years of Putin’s career as a KGB foreign intelligence officer he spent in Dresden…

During my childhood this place was nothing but a piece of rubble. The ruins of the Church of Our Lady (Dresdner Frauenkirche) were left as a memorial for many years after the war. All the buildings surrounding it were gone.The reconstructing of this church was finished in 2005. It is considered an outstanding example of Protestant sacred architecture, featuring one of the largest domes in Europe.

Dresden Castle / Royal Palace - reconstructed Eastern Courtyard

Monument of August II the strong (1670 - 1733)

Any time I’m in Dresden I make a picture of this monument. Oh no, I’m not really inclined to any royal ideas, but the light on the golden surface makes every photo of this historical marker unique. When in addition a dad plays hide and seek with his toddler around a statue, like the so called “Golden Rider”, the photo becomes less static.

It warms my heart to see the success of rebuilding and restoration efforts. A classic view from Carola Bridge over to Dresden Altstadt, the center of the city. By the way, the fenced in area is the location for a big stage during the summer, used for concerts, film festivals, and other cultural events. Years ago we enjoyed blues legend B.B. King at this venue. Can you imagine a better background than the night skyline of Dresden for such a concert?

Not only banners, like this one in Dresden downtown, express the solidarity with the people of Ukraine. We learned that several of our friends in Germany share available living space in their houses with refugees from this country under attack.

KÖNIGSTEIN FORTRESS

The Friedrichsburg. Today this pavilion is a place for banquets and weddings.

The Fortress Königstein (Festung Königstein) was on our list of destinations we liked to visit during our recent trip in Germany. I have been there quite a few times during my younger years but Joan had seen it only from below or from a distance in the past. The fortress is located near Dresden, in the mountains of Saxon Switzerland, on the left bank of river Elbe. It would be too much here in the blog to write about its significance but you can learn more about one of Saxony’s best tourist attraction by using the link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Königstein_Fortress

It was a windy and chilly day and that kept probably some of the people away. The main tourist season will start anyway with the upcoming warmer weather. However, this was great for photography in those areas of the fortress that are usually filled with visitors. Here are a few pictures from that day.

The 9.5 hectare (23.5 acres) rock plateau rises 240 meters above the Elbe and has over 50 buildings, some over 400 years old.

Steep ramp through several gates at the entrance. The Königstein Fortress has never been conquered during its long history but served often as guard for the Saxon state reserves and secret archives during times of war.

Fantastic view across the rocks, valleys, and mountains of the Saxon Switzerland with the Elbe River below. Panorama from 5 photos, merged in Adobe Lightroom.

Since 1955, the fortress has been an open-air, military history museum of high touristic value.

The rampart run around the fortress is 1.8 km (1.12 miles) long, with walls up to 42 m high and steep sandstone faces. (source for all facts: Wikipedia, see link above)

AFTER THREE YEARS

Hauptmarkt (main market) in front of city hall, Bautzen, Saxony, Germany,

It has been three years that I visited my home country Germany and met family and friends, and I guess no explanation is necessary why it took so long to go across the Atlantic Ocean. Half of the trip was for education and training on the business side. The print and finishing industry is undergoing rapid changes, and Europe is leading the game in automation and robotic solutions for the post process in the printing industry (my part of the business). Mind blowing solutions were demonstrated to me and my American colleagues, a trip worthwhile!

The second half of the journey was dedicated to visits with family and friends. My wife Joan joined me in Dresden for this part of the trip. It was a very emotional visit (three years is a long time) and I’m absolutely grateful to have friends and family that offer hospitality way beyond anybody’s expectations. We really like to thank my kids, their families, and our friends who helped in an unforeseen situation during the last week. Anke, Tarja, Seraphine, André, Ramona, and our hosts in Bautzen, Gabriela and Claus!!! You are the best, and we hope to see you soon, maybe in the United States of America!!!

OK, it’s a photography blog, let’s talk a little about the image. I grew up in the over 1000 years old city of Bautzen, in the State of Saxony, and even after three years of absence still had the feeling, I have seen everything before. These blooming trees in front of the Rathaus (city hall) have not been there in my childhood. Many changes were made in this town during the last 32 years, after the wall came down in Germany, which divided east and west of the country for political reasons. Years ago I would have never made an image from that perspective on a day with overcast. With the blossoms in color contrast to the Rathaus and the mood of this gray day the click had to be made. It’s actually pretty busy during the week in downtown Bautzen, but I waited patiently until nobody was in the frame…

WITH A LITTLE IMAGINATION

The snow is almost gone and it takes a little imagination to make a photo with bare trees and vegetation from last year that is more or less brown and grey. When the sun sets above our ridge and the wind has calmed down, it’s time to pour a glass of wine, sit down in a chair on the porch, and enjoy the first evenings of the year with mild temperatures. With at least one f-stop underexposure and white balance settings at 6000 Kelvin or higher, the colors of decaying grasses in the front yard don’t play a role anymore. The setting sun and the backlit silhouettes of grass, swaying in the wind, are enough to let us forget about the dull colors that dominate the landscape after the winter…

ELEGANT FLIGHT

Greater Sandhill Cranes, Mississippi River, Green Island Preserve, Iowa

If the river is in motion, and I mean when the ice breaks under big temperature changes, everybody can make an interesting picture at any other moment. We went down south today and I certainly hoped to get a few more shots of birds that are the ambassadors of the change in season we all look forward to.

The swoop of Sandhill Cranes I saw yesterday was still present in the Green Island Preserve and during a hike in the wetlands today, we saw some of them taking off and finally getting close enough for a few pictures. Hearing their call after a not very hard , but already long winter is another bonus to the pleasure of watching their elegant flight. 

SITTING, FLYING, SWIMMING, WALKING…

One of many Bald Eagles at the bridge across the river between Sabula, IA and Savannah, IL.

Short post today. Here are a few photos from today’s trip to different locations along the Mississippi River. 

More than fifty Trumpeter Swans shared the ice and open water at the Green Island Preserve.

Always a sure sign that spring is near, migrating Sandhill Cranes. (counted ~30 today)

Again, thousands of Greater White-fronted Geese are still around. Wave after wave flew up the Mississippi Valley and then turned west and followed the Maquoketa River. I still haven’t found out where they roost for the night.

IT’S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR…!

Migrating Greater White-fronted Geese, Mississippi Valley, iowa

I leave it up to you to count all the Greater White-fronted Geese in the photo below. It has been a few thousands that came through the Mississippi Valley this evening within fifteen minutes around 5PM. Wave after wave flew across the Green Island Wetlands just before sunset. I don’t know where their roost for the night is this time. Other years the wetlands were used as a resting location for the night, but with a much drier location this time, the geese may have a better spot to rest. I have witnessed the spring migration of the Greater White-fronted Geese several times before, but it still sends a chill down my spine when these birds head towards their breeding grounds in the arctic regions of Canada. Nature at its best!!

YELLOWSTONE - 150 YEARS

Black bear mother with her two cups, October 2007, Nikon D200 with Nikon 80-400-D VR

On March 1st, Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, was created 150 years ago. I had the pleasure to visit the park with its beautiful mountains, over 10,000 hydrothermal features, and abundant wildlife, together with my wife Joan in 2005, 2007, and 2018. In 2005 I still used mainly a Nikon N2020 35mm film camera but played a little with a 3.2 Megapixel, Minolta Dimage Xt digital camera. At the second visit I just had started with serious digital photography and little did I know how to create an image with some impact. But it is nice to have these old images as a memory. It was interesting to see in 2018 how the National Park had changed and how the park administration tried to deal with the vast number of visitors that pour in the park every day, even in the off-season. It still remains a magnificent place to visit and to photograph. Yellowstone National Park has inspired conservation efforts around the globe since its inception in 1872 and in order to celebrate this event I pulled a few pictures from the library and like to share them with you.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, September 2018, Nikon D750 with AF-S Nikkor 70-200, f/4

Wolf watchers, Lamar Valley at Slough Creek, October 2007, Nikon D200 with Sigma 18-50, 2.8

Mammoth Hot Springs, September 2018, Nikon D750 with AF-S Nikkor 70-200, f/4

PANNING PRACTICE WITH GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS

Immature Great Black-backed Gull, Mississippi River, lock & dam #14, Le Claire, Iowa

Here are a couple more photos from my trip last weekend to lock & dam #14, down in Le Claire, Iowa. The goal was to practice panning with the Nikon Z6II and Sigma 150-600 lens attached. There is always a number of gulls around this area, mostly Ring-billed Gulls, but this time I found only three birds and they all seemed to be Great Black-backed Gulls. This is an uncommon species for this part of the country but I have photographed them before at this location and some other, more experienced birders than me, have documented their presence as well.

Gulls are a great subject for practice with the long lens. They fly often in circles and return over and over again during their hunt for fish, giving the photographer multiple chances to try different settings for the autofocus system and to find out what works best for a fast flying subject. It doesn’t matter how good the autofocus system on a new camera is, proper panning and handholding is still essential for a high keeper rate of sharp images. I could tell that I’m well out of shape. The keeper rate wasn’t bad but there is a lot room for improvement. The Mississippi was still covered with ice here in the Dubuque area yesterday. Once the ice breaks, which will be soon with the warm weather we have since a few days, the birds will move in and I hope my panning skills can improve with more practice down at the river…

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S,

1. photo   @ 600 mm, 1/2500 s, f/6.3, ISO 200

2. photo   @ 600 mm, 1/1600 s, f/6.3, ISO 200

RESULTS WITH LONG EXPOSURE

Whitewater Creek in Whitewater Canyon Wildlife Area, eastern Iowa

There is a chance that this could be my last winter photo of this season that includes snow. What it’s left on the ground melts rapidly away right now and warmer temperatures are in the forecast for the next days. After we left the cave with ice formations ,you perhaps saw in my last blog post, we went down to Whitewater Creek at the bottom of the  canyon. When I saw the pristine field of snow along the creek, with no animal or human tracks on it, I felt the urge to make a photo.

The crystal-clear water flows slowly but still had a few ripples on the surface. Long exposure and the BREAKTHROUGH X4 10-stop neutral density filter eliminated any glare on the surface, made even the bottom of the creek visible, and still retained the reflections from the other side of the creek. It was magical and I love the outcome with any of my Breakthrough filters. By the way, to calculate the exposure time for a photo with the 10-stop or 6-stop ND filters, I use an app on my phone, called ND Timer. It’s free and does the trick just fine. After a test shot without filter you dial the normal exposure time (for this picture it was 1/80s) into the app, choose the grade of your filter (10-stops), and the app displays the required exposure time. I use it usually as a starting point and make corrections up or down to find the best results for the image I have in mind, especially with fast flowing water.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S, Breakthrough X4 ND filter (10-stop) GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head  @ 37mm, 15s, f/20, ISO 100

ICE UNDERGROUND

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S, GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head  @ 24mm, 6s, f/18, ISO 100

Here in the region of the Driftless Area we can enjoy deeply carved river valleys and a karst geology with spring-fed waterfalls, underground drainage systems, sinkholes, and a number of caves. Inspired by a recent post on Facebook from the Dubuque County Conservation about a cave with ice in it, Joan, dog Cooper, and I went on a hike into Whitewater Canyon Wildlife Area today. We were there actually already last week but hiked on a different trail. Today it didn’t take us very long to find the cave we were looking for, located in the Lost Canyon. It was still quite cold last week and we found these beautiful ice formations that look like stalagmites, built from the ground by dripping water. It will be much warmer this week and it may not take long before they are gone.

I had seen photos from that cave before and tried to prepare well for this little adventure. Good boots are a must for climbing up the slippery slope to the entrance at the canyon wall and for some grip on the icy floor. I made sure my speed light had fresh batteries before it went into the backpack and took also the small Gitzo GT2931 tripod on the hike.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S, GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head  @ 24mm, 2.5s, f/14, ISO 100

It was not really necessary to go deep into the cave. Both photos were made near the entrance. It is easy to break off one of the ice formations accidentally, but we were carefully and managed to leave the place as we found it. With the camera on tripod, about half a meter above the ground, I started shooting by using the flash light, which was connected by cable with the camera and allowed me to direct the light as wanted. Didn’t really like what I saw on the camera screen and continued to photograph with longer exposure and without the flash. We were at the cave in the very early afternoon. Some snow was still on the ground in the canyon and bright sunlight bounced nicely through the entrance and into the cave with the ice. The photos made with the use of flash from different angles were not really bad, but at the end natural light was the winner for this blog post.