Nature clicks #22 - Two new species

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500 @ 370mm,  1/320s, f/6.3, -1EV, ISO 100

I'm always excited if I have a chance to take pictures of animals I have never seen before. This seems not so difficult because I live only since seven years in the United States. Some species have relatives over in Europe and I'm mostly familiar with them, but many are unique in North America and I'm totally thrilled when I discover a new one.

Last weekend I spent time again in the Green Island wetlands. It was Joan's birthday and she asked me to show her the Sandhill Cranes. Unfortunately we did not see them at all, but instead we saw two different duck species  that we had not seen before.

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500 @ 370mm,  1/320s, f/6.3, -1EV, ISO 100

At two different locations I spotted Blue-winged Teals (Anas discors). It is a beautiful looking duck and especially the male is not difficult to identify. Well, I forgot my field guide book once more and had to wait with identification until I was back home. If I discover a new species (at least new to me ;-)  ), I take lots of pictures if possible. Even if the light or the background is not good. Sometimes even a mediocre image can help with identification of the bird later at home. The Blue-winged Teals spend the winter in the northern part of South America and time will tell if they were only on a stopover on their way north, or if they really will spend the summer here in Eastern Iowa near the Mississippi.

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500 @ 420mm,  1/500s, f/6.3, -1EV, ISO 100

The second discovery was the Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata). They have a large spoon-shaped bill, which also made it easy to identify. My field guide tells that we are on the east side of it's breeding range but there is a tendency of further expansion eastward.

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500 @ 420mm,  1/500s, f/6.3, -1EV, ISO 100

I used the car as my blind because the ducks fly away as soon you open the car door. The lens rests on the edge of the pulled down car window, which I cover with a piece of pipe insulation foam. A trick I learned from another photographer just a few weeks ago.

Nature clicks #21 - Spring indicators

150 mm, 1/60s, f4, -1EV

For me spring has really arrived when the first wildflowers stick their heads out from underneath the old leaves. We are blessed to have each year several species in the woods behind our house. The first ones are always the Round-lobed Hepatica. The dry rocky ground on top of a big limestone bluff is the ideal ground for these little spring flowers.

Joan discovered the first one today. After I finished work I mounted my favorite macro lens on the D200, the SIGMA 150 mm, f2.8, and went out in the woods. The sun was already very low and it was slightly windy. However, I wanted this shot, got down flat on the ground, and dialed in 1/60s, f4, and -1EV. We usually have quite a few hepatica here and I hope during the next days we will see many more.

Did I say yet "Spring is here!" ? ;-)

Nature clicks #20 - Craving for colors

Nikon D200, SIGMA 150mm, f/2.8

While I'm writing this post it is snowing again. Don't take me wrong, I like winter. But this year for some reason I'm tired of the precious white. I am craving for colors! The best place to find them at this time of the year is Joan's flower bed in front of the house. I took several pictures a couple days ago. I'm glad I did! The blossoms of the crocuses are closed today.

Nature clicks #19 - Sandhill Cranes and Pied-billed Grebe

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500

I knew I wanted to go back to the Green Island Wetlands as soon as possible and try to see "my" Sandhill Crane again. And last Saturday it turned out even better. I discovered two pairs this time. They were searching for food at different places but not far from each other. The distance to them was quite big. Between the dam with the gravel road and the cranes laid a wide trench, filled with water. No chance for getting closer to the birds. In order to get the picture above I had to use the maximum focal length of 500 mm. The picture is even cropped quite a bit. The downside is that the Sigma 50-500 is a little soft at maximum focal length. The sharpness the lens can provide is much better at around 400 mm. Even if I could, I would not cross this natural barrier between the birds and the road. The last thing I want to do is disturbing these beautiful birds. I rather don't get the picture than disturbing an animal, especially close to breeding season.

After several hours of watching the Sandhill Cranes I went south to the little town of Sabula again. I didn't really get any good photo opportunity this time but run into my new friend Dave Updegraff. I know Dave since last year's Worldwide Photowalk event, that he led in the city of Dubuque, Iowa. He was after some Bald Eagles, but because the ice was almost gone they were too far away for an easy picture. We discussed our future photography projects and had of course some gear talk. We will hopefully going out soon together for a wildlife shooting.

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500

I went back to Green Island but it was much quieter than in the morning. I saw the cranes again but this time even further away. Finally all four took off together and I enjoyed seeing them in flight.

On my way out I took a few shots of a little Grebe swimming in a trench below the dam. It was a Pied-billed Grebe. This little bird is widespread across North America but it was new for me. After each shot I had to reposition because the grebe dived into the muddy water and showed up at a different location. Lots of fun...

Nature click #18 - Swans, Meadowlark, and moon...

There were three things in nature today that put a smile in my face and made me happy. First of all, the Trumpeter Swans are back! I went to the little lake where I watched a couple of them last year several times. (Click on the tag "Trumpeter Swan" below and it will display all my older posts about them.) When I arrived they seemed to great me with their loud call, that sounds like a car horn. What a moment!

I had the 50-500 with me, but no tripod. Despite a grey overcast I ripped through one 8 GB memory card in no time. I used manual focus only. That seems to work better in low light situations as it was today.

On my way back home I saw an Eastern Meadowlark. For some not a big deal, but it was my first one that I saw here in the area. Another bird that will make it into my Iowa wildlife gallery soon. This gallery is one of my photography projects I pursue and that I try to expand and improve.

The last big thing today was the very bright and big moon. It has not been so close to earth since 18 years. I made the click, even if full moon is actually tomorrow. Who knows if we will see it then?! ;-)

Nature clicks #17 - Ring-billed Gulls

A couple days ago I said that I would post some pictures of the Ring-billed Gulls I enjoyed watching last weekend in Sabula at the Mississippi River. So, here they are.

Nature clicks #16 - Sandhill Crane and more

As I mentioned yesterday, I was very happy after I had the chance to take some close-up pictures of a Bald Eagle sitting on the ice at the Green Island Wildlife refuge last Sunday. And the day was still not over. I saw hundreds of Canada Geese and ducks flying into the wetland for the night. I also spotted some swans, probably Trumpeter Swans, that were feeding among the other birds.

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500

Suddenly I heard a call that was different, but that I knew very well from my home country Germany. The call of a crane. It took me a little while before I saw the Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) between bushes and reed grass. Cranes are such wonderful birds. It was quite a bit away but seemed to move in my direction. I had the tripod and camera out in almost no time and started shooting. The sun was already very low behind a thin layer of clouds and it was very difficult to use the auto focus. The crane was constantly moving and the low contrast of the bird against the bushes and grass didn't help either. I guess I reached the limits of my camera-lens combination, and of course my own abilities. The above picture is quite a bit cropped. I haven't been as close as it seems. I know it is not tack sharp but watching cranes has been always a thrill for me and I'm glad to got the shot.

I wonder why I saw only a single Sandhill Crane. Maybe this bird was not able to follow it's flock on their way up north, or maybe it will stay in this area during the summer and other cranes may still arrive. However, it seemed healthy.

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500

On my way back I saw another eagle sitting up in a tree beside the gravel road. It was a young Bald Eagle. According to my field guide books it is probably in its third year, considering the colors. I was able to use what was left of the sun light late in the day. Since I was almost right underneath the bird I handheld the camera.

What a great day! I hope to have another one like this soon… :-)

Nature clicks #15 - A dream became true

The warmer weather during the last couple weeks made me believe that the season for shooting Bald Eagles at the Mississippi River was over. I didn't know that the best things were still waiting for me. Last week I got a hint on Dave Updegraff's blog that there might be still many eagles along the river. Sunday I went down south to check out different locations. First I drove to Sabula, Iowa, a little town on an island in the Mississippi River. Sure enough there were eagles sitting on the ice, lots of Ring-billed Gulls were flying around, and I saw a big flock of White Pelicans gracefully circling high up in the sky. The Bald Eagles were sitting in the trees along the river or on the ice of the backwater lakes that surround Sabula. They were close, but not close enough for the frame-filling pictures I was hoping for. In other words, too much ice, not enough eagle :-). I tried hard but was only able to get good pictures of the gulls, who were always in motion. I may post a few shots of the gulls later this week.

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500

I finally went back north to Green Island, a wetland area and wildlife refuge near the Mississippi. While driving down the muddy road toward the river, I spotted several eagles in the trees and on the ice of the still frozen backwaters. And there he was! A wonderful adult Bald Eagle was landing on the ice right beside the road. I figured leaving the car would probably scare the bird away. I just shut the engine off and started shooting, using the car as a blind and the car window as my camera support. The eagle didn't mind. The low sitting sun made for perfect light. A dream became true for me. I have seen them sitting many times on the ice along the river and was always wondering if I could ever come close enough for a good picture.

Nikon D200, SIGMA 50-500

Everything was perfect until another car drove by and the eagle flew to a different spot, closer to the open water. I managed to approach it again, this time from a different angle. The light came more from the backside of the bird, but still good enough.

I was already a very happy man at this point but another surprise was still waiting for me. Stay tuned for more.

Nature clicks #14 – Bald Eagles again

1/1000s, f6.3, -1/2 EV, ISO 100, 420mm (630mm FX), spot metering, shutter priority

All the snow we had since early December is rapidly melting away. I wonder how long the Bald Eagles will still be present at the Mississippi River in great numbers. I will hopefully find out this weekend. For now another shot from last weekend. The color of the water was amazing. No color enhancement done at this photo either.

Nature clicks #13 - Bald Eagles

Mississippi dam #14, near Le Claire, Iowa, is my favorite spot to watch and photograph Bald Eagles in the winter. I have been there several times this season and always got skunked. It seemed, that the clouds were always just waiting for my arrival, and as soon I had my tripod in place they moved in front of the best light source we have. Taking pictures of birds against grey sky just sucks.

1/1500s, f6.3, -1/2 EV, ISO 100, 420mm (630mm FX), spot metering, shutter priority

Finally last Sunday I got awarded for driving down south the usual hour and a half. The blue sky gave the water a very vibrant color and of course, was perfect for shooting eagles in flight.

It is so much fun to watch especially the juveniles hunting for fish. Some of them have still a lot to learn because they drop them quite often. If it was a dead fish, that someone had thrown in the water, the photographers got a second chance to capture the moment when the young eagles tried to grab it. I'm like these young Bald Eagles. I'm happy to have this second chance since some of my pictures are still out of focus.

1/1500s, f6.3, -1/2 EV, ISO 100, 320mm (480mm FX), spot metering, shutter priority

However, in comparison to last year I have many more keepers on the memory card. There are reasons for. First, I'm using a gimbal head on the tripod instead shooting with a ball head. Huge difference! It is much easier to track the birds in flight. Second, I have watched the eagles many times and learned so much more about their behavior. Yep, even the days with overcast were time well spent at the river. The movements of the Bald Eagles seem to become more predictable for me and that helps to be prepared for what 's coming next. This little extra second gives time enough to correct the EV or change the focal length slightly.

1/1000s, f6.3, -1/2 EV, ISO 100, 420mm (630mm FX), spot metering, shutter priority

This picture was taken in the very late afternoon sun. You can tell by the color of the water. Did this guy get the fish? You bet!