Nature clicks #243 - Gray Tree Frog

 

This is our “house frog”, a little Common Gray Tree Frog. It lives on our balcony, under a canopy of grape vine leaves and between flower pots that we have outside during the summer. The 4 - 5 cm long (1.5 - 2 inch) frog is always good for a surprise and we see it quite often. The Gray Tree Frog can change its color in seconds and this helps it to blend in with tree bark or leaves. They are nocturnal and spend the day resting in trees and shrubs, or like this one, in the plants on our balcony. One of the most interesting facts is that the frog is capable of surviving freezing of their internal body fluids to temperatures as low as -8°C (17.6°F).

It took me quite some time to figure out how to light my subject and to make these photos in very low light between the branches of a Crassula ovata plant. Luckily the frog was cooperative and didn’t move too much. The best results were obtained by using a camera off flash, pointing upward, and using just the light that bounced back from the grapevine leaves that grow above.

Nature clicks #193 - White-tailed Deer

 

As you can see by the golden background, the White-tailed Deer showed up in our yard during the last minutes before the sun finally disappeared behind the ridge yesterday evening. It is a doe with two fawns that hang around in the neighborhood and try desperately to find something to eat. Our bird feeders in the front yard are often on their route. The amount of snow we have on the ground makes it really difficult for them to find anything. This fawn was looking after its mother who had already moved on.

This shot wasn’t easy to make. Exposure was already down to 1/60s at ISO 400 and I didn’t have the speed light with the soft box ready to use when I saw them. In the original image I can see that is not tack sharp but I really like the background for this photo that helps to tell the story.

2013 – Looking back, part 5

 

The key for wildlife photography in my opinion is getting close to your subject. This is quite often easier said than done. If you followed my attempts over the years to get close to some Sandhill Cranes you know what I’m talking about. Yep, I got them, but almost every picture was cropped because these very shy birds like to keep a distance between themselves and the avid photographer. The breakthrough came in 2013, when I used a kayak and a lot of time to approach the cranes in the backwaters of the Mississippi River, not far from home. The cranes that stay here during the summer come back to their resting places for the night usually after sunset. Well, that fits my working schedule pretty good but shooting a 500mm lens from a kayak in low light bares a challenge that isn't that easy to overcome.

The images of wild Sandhill Cranes were an accomplishment that I’m very happy about because they were made from a close distance. I love those birds and you can bet that adrenaline rushed through my veins any time I was able to press the shutter release… (see my posts about the Sandhill Cranes in 2013 by clicking HERE and HERE).

Nature clicks #184 - Sandhill Crane

 

If you follow my blog since a while you probably know that I had to go back to the Mississippi River after I found the place where the Sandhill Cranes are roosting. I had to wait four days because the job that helps to pay the bills sent me to Nebraska last week. It wasn't before Friday night that I was able to put the kayak back in the water again.

It was another wonderful summer night and almost a Dèjá vu when a swoop of cranes landed at the same spot at Mud Lake, in the backwaters of the Mississippi River. This time there were only three birds but it didn't matter to me. I approached them with utmost caution and very slowly and finally the cranes let me close in. I really enjoyed every moment of this encounter.

The cranes were busy cleaning their feathers and still raking for a snack in the shallow water. These images made me push my limits and I'm a little proud to present them. It is the first time that I was able to get so close to a Sandhill Crane that I didn't have to crop the photos more than marginally.

Tonight I went again to the Mud Lake area but ended up with something totally different. I didn't even had to put the kayak into the river... but this is for another post. :-) Thank you for stopping in my blog and thank you to all of you who email me, write a comment here, or encourage me in any other way to do this!!!

Nature clicks #179 - American Beaver

 

It was my dear wife Joan who discovered the beaver family in the Little Maquoketa River down in the valley during a bicycle ride last week. I knew it would be sheer luck to find them at the same spot. Nevertheless I tried it and spent an hour waiting, and endless slaps for the mosquitos, but to my surprise the beavers showed up again. The beaver parents took care for four young ones and I was really happy to see them.

Camouflaged well by surrounding trees, the river was between me and the beavers and the remaining light made for camera settings like ISO 400 and 1/50s exposure time. The only way staying in business and using the maximum focal length of 500 mm (750 mm on the D300s) was to use the peak of action. The beavers moved most of the time and just having the shutter going while they had those tiny breaks of action sometimes led to a halfway sharp image. I used the term "halfway" because none of my shots was tack sharp.

I know, in some areas beavers are seen as a pest because of some trees they may take down in order to feed and establish their life. It takes a smarter approach to see the whole picture and the role the American Beaver can play in a healthy environment.

The Little Maquoketa River is not very long in comparison to the big rivers that cross the US from north to south. However, I really believe it is important to realize that even the smallest stream plays a role how things turn out when the water finally hits the ocean. Watching beavers only a few miles away from the Mississippi River is just a wonderful experience and I hope I can see them again soon in our valley.

Brown Thrasher captured with SB600 and Better Beamer flash extender

 

We had the third rainy day in a row and our original plans to use the kayaks during this holiday weekend had to be dumped. The canopy of leaves doesn't let much light coming through anymore and so it was the right decision to take the SB600 flashlight and Better Beamer flash extender with me when we went for a hike on the Heritage trail this afternoon. For those who are new in my blog, the Heritage trail is on an old abandoned railroad track that ones connected Chicago with St. Paul in Minnesota. It follows the Little Maquoketa River just north of Dubuque, Iowa and is a great trail for all kinds of recreation, including nature photography. Because of the weather all the bicycle riders and runners that are usually on the trail stayed home and we had it all for ourselves.

We saw several warblers, Indigo Buntings, and American Redstarts again and the young eagle that we discovered recently in a nest has grown quite a bit. The best shooting opportunity came shortly after we started our little hike. For the second time this year a Brown Thrasher showed up in front of the lens. You can click HERE for the older post about this bird. I would not have been able to make this photo without the flashlight and flash extender attached to it. I don't care how far I have to carry the equipment. If at the end of the day one image that I like is on the flash card , I know it was worth the effort...

News from the Great Horned Owl and talk about quality of light

 

Both photos were made about the same time, 7pm, just a day apart from each other. Yesterday we had ideal weather conditions for bird photography in Mud Lake Park at the Mississippi River. Almost no wind and warm and crisp sun light. The only problem was the little owl who did not cooperate with me. It hardly peeked out of the nest and most of the time the eyes were covered by some of the sticks from the nest. Just seconds before the last sun was on the nest it came up a little higher and I was able to make a clean shot as you can see here.

Today was totally different. The great news is that the juvenile owl was outside of the nest and was sitting in a neighbor tree. Making a picture was quite a challenge. Strong wind moved everything. The branches were shaking, the feathers of the owl looked like in a wind tunnel, and the light just sucked because dark clouds were moving in. What a difference the quality of light and a little more wind can make!

It is amazing how big this juvenile Great Horned Owl already is. I learned from a retired lady, who is at the nest more often than me and who made photos of the owl as well, that the bird was born in March. As you can see pretty soon the leaves will be out and I wonder if it will be even possible to get an unobstructed view to the bird. The trees are at the edge of a small campground and the season started today. It isn't a busy place but I hope the birds will tolerate the increase of traffic.

Mama comes home

 

Two nights ago I spent two hours laying on a cold rock behind a fallen tree near the fox den but none of the little pups stuck its nose out. I had the camera on the tripod very low to the ground. It was almost 7pm when suddenly the female approached me in a straight line. Just before she reached the big rock, under which the den is located, she sensed my presence by smell and stopped. When the shutter of the D300s started rattling she came even closer but finally turned around and showed me her wonderful profile. I was at the limits again with my shutter speed. The metering at ISO400 required already 1/60s, which is normally beyond my lens handling capabilities for a sharp shot, but somehow I managed it. I moved out quickly and quietly in order not to disturb the fox more than I already did. What a great moment that made me forget the long waiting time in the cold easily.

Nature clicks #149 - Red Fox pups

 

Today a photographer's dream became true. I wrote here in my blog about the Red Fox who comes through our yard every day and tries to get a hold of a squirrel or a bird. I always thought it would be totally cool if I ever would find the fox's den and see a pup. I was dreaming for several years about this...

Our neighbors saw the fox with one pup in our backyard earlier today. That was actually great news for me. I went onto our bluffs in the woods behind the house and tried to help finding their two little dogs, who were missing since several hours. I didn't find the dogs (still missing as I write this) but discovered four little fox pups outside their den on the steep slope of our property. I was thrilled! There isn't much light left at 7pm in a forest and getting this picture pushed me to the limits. My camera doesn't deal very well with ISO800, noise is inevitable, and shooting a 500 mm lens (750 mm on a DX sensor) at 1/60s is not really the key to success. However, I held my breath and got a shot that I like to show you. I hope I can say, more to come...

Nature clicks #147 - Osprey

 

I'm very happy to introduce you to another bird that will make it into my Iowa wildlife gallery. I have seen Ospreys before over in Wisconsin but not here in our direct neighborhood at the Mississippi River. The heavy rain the last two days kept me grounded but the evening before this wonderful Osprey was hunting for fish in the marina of Mud Lake Park. The marina is not open yet and no boats are at the docks. I had a hard time to get a sharp image because the autofocus was at it limits in the low light of the evening. For me it is ok since it is a "first sighting" but I like to go back as soon we are done with all the rain and gray clouds here and try to get another and better shot of this large raptor.