Nature clicks #12

1/320s, f8, -1 EV, ISO 100, 420mm (630mm FX), spot metering, aperture priority

Sometimes we are tempted too look only for the big animals, the most iconic, the most well known. This is easy, because they are always impressive. We sometimes forget about the small ones, the maybe not so gorgeous animals. But there is also a chance that we repeat things over and over again, that we take the same pictures all the time.  I believe there is a good chance that we can end up with a unique and interesting shot by looking for the lesser known animals, because they are not so over-photographed as those always seen in ads of  magazines or other publications.

When I watched this little Willet in the Bolsa Chica Wetlands I enjoyed it as much as the Brown Pelicans and Snowy Egrets. The perspective for this photo is not ideal. It was taken from slightly above. The access to the water is restricted for visitors and I'm all for that the protection of the bird habitat has absolute priority. I like how the reflection of waves makes for a nice background pattern. It was my first time in the Bolsa Chica Ecological Preserve but I'm sure I will go back there again. It may take some time, but one of these days I will have a really great shot of the little Willet.

Nature clicks # 11

Nikon D200, Sigma 50-500, 1/3000s, f6.3, -1EV, spot metering, ISO320

For the first time I watched Brown Pelicans. I was totally thrilled to see these majestic birds feeding on fish in big numbers. They are a good subject to practice with the long lens when they just swim and wait for the fish. Both images were taken in the morning when the light had still a warm tone.

Nikon D200, Sigma 50-500, 1/1000s, f6.3, -1EV, spot metering, ISO320

Nature clicks # 10

Nikon D200, Sigma 50-500, 1/1500s, f6.3, -1EV, spot metering, ISO320

Since a long time I had the wish to do some wetland bird photography in a coastal area. I was dreaming about really good light and birds in abundance. Last weekend this dream became true. I spent a full day between sunrise and sunset at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve near Huntington Beach in California.

Of course, the morning light and the warm sun light just before sunset is the best, but the relative low sun at this time of the year allowed for some good pictures at any time of the day. Let's start with an image of a Cormorant, who seemed to enjoy the morning sun the same way I did. More to come….

Last one (almost)

Nikon D200, Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 35/f2 ZF

Perhaps because of the dry weather during the last few months the leaves have been on the ground very early this year. Except for a young oak near the house. Last night it let its red leaves shine against the setting sun. Time for another "nature click"...

Nature clicks #9

We had gorgeous weather last weekend here in Iowa and I thought it was time to have a look how the Trumpeter Swans that I discovered in April were doing (see my earlier posts). Knowing the location much better now, I knew the late afternoon sun would illuminate their usual spot. Too make a long story short, the light was perfect and they were much closer to the shore than I had ever seen them before.

During the first half hour their heads were mostly in the water in search for food. You can see the mud on their necks and heads and the water gave their dark bills a nice glare. I used the short moment in between and shot in 'continuous high speed mode' with five frames per second.

As the sun sunk deeper both swans moved toward a little island in the reeds, where I had seen them before resting at other times. They started an intensive cleaning procedure. And then it happened again. One was beating its wings in order to dry them. The wing span of the Trumpeter Swan is incredibly big, and it is so much fun to watch these majestic birds in the wild.

All images: Nikon D200, Sigma 50-500, shutter priority 1/800s, spot metering, ISO100

I used spot metering for almost all shots and I'm much more pleased with the results. This time I also had many more pictures in focus. I believe this is due to the fact that I used a gimbal head mounted on the tripod. What kind of gimbal head did I choose? I will talk about this in one of my next posts, so please stay tuned….

Nature clicks #8

I didn't have to go very far for today's 'nature click'. The larvas of the Black Swallowtail butterfly were feeding on the parsley in the herb garden behind the house. The sky was overcast and I used the Nikon SB600 flash light off camera, with a diffuser head attached.

Nikon D200, Sigma 150mm/F2.8, 1/30s, f13, Nikon SB600

Mayflies at the Mississippi

Nikon D200, Sigma 150mm/F2.8, 1/40s, f9, tripod

Yesterday I went across the Mississippi river to a boat landing near Potosi WI. I have been there before and always came back with some macro shots or pictures of the river. As already last year at the same time, there were thousands of black mayflies in the air or hanging at plants. I was really glad to see these wonderful insects since their adult life stage is only 24 hours or less.

It was windy and not very easy to obtain good focus. I got the best results with the camera mounted on a tripod and by waiting for the short moments when the wind calmed down. After checking different sources I believe these are Hexagenia bilineata. I would appreciate if any expert can confirm or correct my analysis.

Nature clicks #7

When a thunderstorm or tornado warning is issued it might be important to have an eye on the radar screen to see where it moves. My other eye goes to the sky between the tall trees around the house, especially if the storm approaches close to sunset time. It doesn't get much better...

Nature clicks #6

Nikon D200, Sigma 50-500 / f4-6.3

After being away for a few weeks I was really excited to see what is new with the Trumpeter Swans (see my earlier posts here). I found the couple resting near a patch of reeds in the center of the lake. The other single swan was not there anymore. Maybe it tried to find a mate somewhere else. I was waiting patiently for a long time before one of the swans  finally started to beat its wings. What a wonderful moment and definitely worth to wait for.

Nikon D200, Sigma 50-500 / f4-6.3

Nature clicks #5

Nikon D200, Sigma 150mm/F2.8

I didn't really plan to be on Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake in Utah last Thursday. It was just a spontaneous decision to drive up there from Salt Lake City in the late afternoon, after I was done with my work chores in town. I wanted to get an impression of the lake, with nothing particular in mind. The map made me believing this would be the right place for my intend. Since I hadn't read anything about the island before I was surprised to see Pronghorns, Bison, Meadowlarks, and many other birds.

I didn't  know the name of this bird until I came back home to Iowa and looked it up in the field guide. It is a Chukar, a bird we don't find in the Midwest. What I saw immediately was, that it was a perfect setting with the bird sitting on the rock and the snow covered mountains in the background. The sun was already very low, minutes away from disappearing behind the crest, but just right for this picture.

Don't take me wrong. I like to be prepared when I go out shooting. I believe in good preparation. That includes having the right gear on site and learning something about the location ahead of time, especially if it is a new one. Sometimes it just doesn't work out this way. And that's when things hit you by surprise. Good ones and bad ones. I guess this time things were in my favor. The weather was perfect and I had the right lens already mounted to the camera. Too short for some of the wildlife I saw, but just right for this image and the brief moment the Chukar was posing for me.