Nature clicks #241 - Gray Catbird

 

The Gray Catbird is not an uncommon bird in most parts of the United States during the summer. Its catlike “meow” call, that gave the bird its name, can be heard along forest edges, marshes, or streams. They often imitate the call of other birds, like jays, swallows, kingfishers, or grosbeaks (source: iBirdPro app). The catbird prefers low, dense vegetation and that’s why it is quite often not so easy to make a decent picture of this summer resident. Their gray color does not provide a lot of contrast in a low light situation, like in the dense bushes and trees as we have them here in Eastern Iowa, and focus is hard to obtain sometimes. I had countless tries to make a picture of the Gray Catbird during the last few years but this is the first time that I like the outcome. Not that there isn’t any room for improvement but I’m happy to present this image to you. Yes, this doesn’t have the “wow” factor, gray is probably not the favorite color of most people, but my concern as a nature photographer is to create awareness for all the species that need our attention in our local and global ecosystems.

Bunnies! - gestures and light

 

As deeper I dive into wildlife photography as more I become aware that a simple gesture of an animal can make the difference between a great photo and a not so great photo. If the animal doesn’t “cooperate” at least some great light can make the difference. This is especially true for critters that everybody has seen before or that are relatively common.

We can find the Eastern Cottontail at several places around here and these photos were again made at Finley’s Landing down at the Mississippi River. But that doesn’t mean it is easy to make a good click. The best way to make it happen with these young bunnies is to let them come to you. Simple sit and wait for your chance.

I used my car as a blind again and after a while they didn’t run away and came very close to the vehicle. I enjoy watching the cute cottontails chewing on some fresh grass or chasing each other in the evening. And as I said, if the gesture is right or the light is killer, the click has to be made…

Nature clicks #237 - Northern Water Snake

 

When I go on a photo trip in the evening or during the weekends I have my eyes open for any critter out there that tries to make a living in the Mississippi Valley. Two days ago I discovered this Northern Water Snake in the marina of Finley’s Landing down at the Mississippi River. It was swimming very fast and so it was almost impossible to focus the lens on the reptile. But suddenly the snake stopped, probably because it sensed danger by my try to follow it at the edge of the water.

Northern Water Snakes are nonvenomous but they can bite if handled. They may briefly grab hold while twisting the body, producing more laceration than most other harmless snake bites. These snakes can be found in all of Iowa except the north-west and north-central parts. They eat fish, frogs, and salamanders. (source: “The Snakes of Iowa”, by Dr. J.L. Christiansen and Dr. R.M. Bailey).

Looking at the final photo on my computer screen I thought it was interesting how the snake supports its body while resting on two stems of reed. It’s the little things in nature that amaze me the most quite often…

Flooding at the Mighty Mississippi

 

I will not talk much about photography today. This post is a little more on the editorial side. The heavy rainfall during the last couple weeks made the Mighty Mississippi even mightier than usual and many places along the river are flooded.

Yesterday evening I arrived at the little campsite at Finley's Landing right after another rain shower and the first photo gives you an idea what I was talking about above. I guess some people that had planned to camp there during the upcoming holiday weekend may have to change their plans…

Later, a little further north at Mud Lake Park, I saw the same scenario while another shower just poured down on us. Parts of the park and campsite were under water and the boat ramps disappeared completely in the river.

However, fast moving clouds and the occasional sun ray made for some good light in the evening. This is where the Mud Lake Marina and the actual Mud Lake, which is a backwater area in the river, connect to each other. The water flows down to a slightly lower level but the current is usually very moderate and it is no problem to paddle even upstream with the kayak. Not so yesterday. The passage between the main land and the island on the other side was at least twice as wide The little turbulence in the water marks a spot where a sign post is located that usually sticks 3 - 4 feet out of the water…

Nature clicks #235 - Belted Kingfisher

 

This photo is hopefully a starting point. I try to make a picture of the Belted Kingfisher since a long time. It is the most skittish bird you can imagine. I found a pair of kingfishers today at Finley’s Landing, a marina and campsite down at the Mississippi River. I had no chance to get closer for this shot, there was water between me and the dead tree where the male kingfisher was perched. It is not so difficult to find them. Often you can hear their loud, penetrating rattle before you see them.

I know the image lacks some detail due to a heavy crop and the long distance that puts my SIGMA 50-500 to its limits. However, I’m not unhappy about the picture because it shows a typical scene, with the kingfisher high up on a perch, which is of course quite often a dead tree, and the lush green of the forest in the background. I usually have the patience to stand or sit and wait for a better opportunity but this was at 7pm and daylight was fading away quickly. I guess I have to try it again and maybe start a little earlier since the daylight time is becoming shorter again with every day…

Nature clicks #231 - Semipalmated Sandpiper (?)

This Semipalmated Sandpiper should be in the lower Arctic regions by now, where it usually breeds during the summer. Nobody probably knows what inflicted the large wound below its left wing. This could be the reason that the little guy was left behind during migration. It may have been a bird of prey or any other predator the sandpiper maybe managed to escape from. However, it seemed to do OK and the bird enjoyed a bath and the following drying and preening process of its feathers at the boat launch of Finley’s Landing at the Mississippi.

As always, sandpipers are not easy to identify (at least for me). There are many combinations of feather patterns and color changes, and that’s why I put a question mark behind its name in the headline of my post. If you have another idea, please let me know. I’m always open for suggestions and like to learn the differences.

Nature clicks #230 - Green Heron

 

I guess I never get my warbler stories finished, too many new things happen in the great outdoors these days… ;-) Jenny, the naturalist from the County Conservation Board, gave me the hint last Sunday to check out the nature area of Finley’s Landing, a popular beach, boat launch, campsite, and marina at the Mississippi River. I have been at the beach before but didn’t really know that there was a nature preserve adjacent to the marina and campsite. Nobody was at the campsite and the marina this evening and I had it all for myself, ideal for wildlife photography. Pretty soon I saw a Belted Kingfisher, a couple muskrats, several dragonflies, and I watched a raccoon crossing a creek on a fallen tree. As I was about to leave, a bird flew under one of the boat docks. My excitement grew when I realized that it was a Green Heron. I have made pictures of this bird before but still didn’t have a shot that I really liked. They are not uncommon here along the Mississippi but we don’t see them as much as the Great Blue Heron. I just read that the Green Heron is one of the few tool-using birds that sometimes drop bait onto the surface of the water and go for the small fish that might be attracted. I didn’t see this kind of behavior today but I thought it is an interesting fact that I will pay more attention too the next time I see a Green Heron hunting for fish.