Pic of the Day

    Cape May Warbler -- Magee Marsh, Ohio:  As winter waxes and the days grow colder here in north Alabama, I look forward to spring.  It is this time of year that I start dreaming of neo-tropical migrants and start planning trips to photograph them.  I have posted a number of images taken at Point Pelee National Park, Canada,  a well-known location to see and photograph spring migrants.  I have also mentioned in a previous post how the Pelee peninsula acts as a migrant magnet for those exhausted birds that have been pushed north by weather fronts.  The migrants seem to fall out of the sky when they see Point Pelee.

     Perhaps a lesser known migrant trap is Magee Marsh in Ohio.  Magee Marsh is on the south side of Lake Erie directly south of Point Pelee.  Magee is a location that many migrants stop and refuel before heading across the lake.  Like Pelee, Magee Marsh is a wonderful place to see and photograph north bound migrants.

     This Cape May Warbler was photographed in mid May as a wave of mixed warblers passed through Magee Marsh.  The morning I photographed this bird I also photographed a dozen other warbler species.  Warbler fall-outs are an amazing event to encounter as warblers and other migrants seem to be everywhere.   I have often seen trees and bushes with a half dozen different species of warblers at one time.  

     If you have not experienced such an event, you can.  Plan a bird watching, or better yet, a bird photography trip to Magee Marsh or Point Pelee.  Plan on a week or ten day trip between the second and fourth week of May.   You might get lucky and find yourself in the midst of a Warbler fallout.

Nikon D200, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO 200 

Who's Looking

    Readers from two more countires have logged on to "Bobby's Photo Blog."  The viewers from Belarus and Singapore bring the country count to sixty-six.  Welcome to the blog, I hope you return often.  Bobby

Pic of the Day

     Golden Eagle – Guntersville State Park; Guntersville, Alabama: Golden Eagles are not normally seen in the wilds of North Alabama.  In fact this Golden Eagle is not a wild bird at all, but part of Auburn Universities, Southeastern Raptor Center's captive birds.  The photo was taken when students from Auburn University presented their raptor education program at Guntersville State park.  After the program the student allow attendees the opportunity to photograph the raptors at close range. 

     While I ordinarily do not take photos of captive birds I could not resist photographing the Auburn birds of prey.  The raptor center keeps the birds in immaculate condition making them ideal subject for close-ups that are very difficult to obtain in the wild.

     This is one of my favorite images from the shoot.  Though a captive bird, the eagle portrays a regal bearing of majesty and power.


Nikon F4, Nikkor 300 f2.8, Kodachrome 64

Pic of the Day

    Prothonotary Warbler – Point Pelee National Park, Leamington, Ontario:  The Pelee peninsula is a migration magnet.  Extending 3 miles south into Lake Erie, Pelee is a destined landfall for migrants moving north across the lake during the spring migration.   Pelee is at its best when a northward moving weather front out of the gulf pushes airborne migrants over great distances.   Exhausted from long flights birds often drop out of the sky once land is sighted.  When waves of exhausted warblers make landfall the event is called a “fallout.”  My most productive trips to Pelee have been mornings after such fallouts occurred.  I have seen as many as 20 species of warblers in a day, in addition to tanagers, grosbeaks, thrushes and other passerines.   

     This Prothonotary was photographed at one of the many wet depression on the Woodland Nature Trail in Point Pelee Nationl Park.  The prothontary is a cavity nesting warbler that reaches the northern limit of its range in southern Ontario.  This bird had established a breeding territory and was making rounds on the periphery of its territory singing its song.  As I observed the warbler it was moving to and from specific perches as it sang its song, making it an easy mark to photograph.

Photography Notes:  Though I shoot with a long telephoto lens, I also add an extension tube between the camera body and lens when photographing small birds.  The extension tube allow the lens to focus closer than its minimum focus distance, thus producing a larger image of the bird.

Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm F4, 24mm extension tube, Fuji Provia 100

Who's Looking

    This is becoming a favorite part of the blog for me.  Since the last “Who’s Looking” post, readers from three more countries have joined the ranks.  I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the new site visitors from Bahrain, Croatia and Guatemala.  The grand total now stands at 64 countries from which viewers have logged-on to “Bobby’s Photo Blog.”

Pic of the Day

    Dickcissel – Tallgrass Prairie Preserve; Pawhuska, Oklahoma:  I have made three trips to the tallgrass prairie and can’t wait to go back.  I love the prairie in spring when the flowers bloom, and birds in their finest breeding plumage sing their territorial songs.

     This Dickscissel was photographed on one of the tallest weeds in its territory as it proclaimed its dominance for all its rivals to here.  Using my van as a blind I drove within 18 feet of the perch and photographed the bird from the van using a window mount tripod head.  The combination of a long telephoto lens, extension tube and close proximity provided the scene with a shallow depth of field.  The shallow depth allowed the distant prairie grasses to blur into a solid mass of color and isolated the subject from the background.  In painting this technique of placing a bird against a solid, uncluttered background is know as the Audubonesque style.  It is certainly one of my favorite styles to shoot. 

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500 f4, 24mm extension tube, Digital Capture ISO 200

Note:  See post for June 6 and June 8

Who's Looking

    Since my last "Who's Looking" post, viewers from three more countries have joinded the ranks of "Bobby's Photo Blog".  I would like to welcome the new site visitors from Serbia, Turkey and Romania.  These three additions makes a total of 61 countries from which viewers have logged-on.

Pic of the Day

     Canebrake – Keel Hollow; Gurley, AL:  I have lived on the west side of Keel Mountain for almost 29 years and have known of the fabulous canebrake in Keel Hallow for as long.  Cane in the brake grows large.  Much of the cane is five or more inches in diameter, and reaches 25 to 30 feet in height.  It is very impressive.  Every time I drive past the brake I say to myself, or who ever is in the van with me; “there’s a photo in there,”  but I never could seem to find it.  On occasion I would stop at the canebrake, walk around and look.  I would get my camera out and look through the viewfinder at the giant cane poles, but the image eluded me. 

     Recently I drove past the canebrake.  While looking at the stand of cane I said to myself again, “there’s an image in there.”  Again I got out of the van, and looked for the image.  This time I found a spot I liked.  A huge piece of cane leaned toward the camera and the lean, was exaggerated by the wide-angle lens.  The vertical stalks were also curved from there vertical position to converging angels.  The spot had potential, but the images I was shooting looked blain and totally uninteresting. 

     The light was low, so a long shutter speed was essential to get an image.  While shooting one of the exposures I had the idea to swing the camera from right to left; just to see what the effect would look like.  So, when I open the shutter for the next exposure I slowly swung the lens from right to left.  I experimented with the movement, some faster, some slower until I achieved the desired affect.  I was surprised to see the results and even more surprised that I liked the results.

     The movement of the camera during the exposure finally gave me an image I was happy with.  But, this is just the beginning.  I know that there are many good images still to be taken in the canebrake, and I will continue to return and search for them.  Hopefully the next image will not take 29 years to find!


Nikon D3, Nikkor 20mm f2.8, Digital Capture ISO 200

Who's Looking

    Since I uploaded my first post on March 13, of this year the blog has received hits from 58 countries.  It is exciting when I look at the stats and see new viewers from distant lands.   To date I have had readers from the following nations.  I Welcome all of you and invite you to continue visiting the site.

The countries as of date are:

Antigua and Barbuda        Austria                               Australia

Bahamas                               Bangladesh                       Brazil              

Belgium                                Bulgaria                            Canada           

Chile                                     China                                  Colombia        

Costa Rica                           Czech Republic                 Denmark

Egypt                                   Estonia                                France

Germany                             Greece                                 Guam

Hong Kong*                      Kuwait                                 Iceland

India                                   Indonesia                              Ireland

Israel                                  Italy                                       Japan

Latvia                                 Luxembourg                         Malta

Mexico                               Moldova                               Netherlands

New Zealand                   Norway                                  Pakistan

Peru                                   Philippines                            Poland

Portugal                            Russia                                    Saudi Arabia

Slovenia                            South Africa                          Spain

Sweden                             Switzerland                           Taiwan

Thailand                           Trinidad and Tobago          Ukraine

United Kingdom             United Arab Emirates        United States

Venezuela
*Listed on stats separate from country of origin

Pic of the Day

    Ring-necked Duck -- Huntsville, Alabama:  With the arrival of autumn comes the arrival of ducks.  Species like the redhead, canvasback, bufflehead and ring-necked arrive on their southern wintering grounds around mid October and early November.  Many head for wildlife refuges where grain planted in the spring has gone to seed and is left standing in the field for the fall arrivals.   On occasion some ducks find their way to the urban ponds of city parks, industry and universities.

     This ring-necked took up residents on a pond at the University of Alabama, Huntsville one fall, and stayed for a few of months before moving on.  Along with a few others it became part of a mixed flock of domestic ducks, muscovy, and redheads.  I drive by UAH everyday on my way to Oakwood University where I teach photography, so I keep an eye out for the fall arrivals. When I see wild duck on the ponds I arrange time to shoot. 

     One of the favorite past times for some it seems is to go to the duck ponds and feed the ducks.  As the domestic ducks eagerly take handouts of bread the wild ducks soon follow suite and quickly become accustom to the handouts and people.  This conditioning provides wonderful opportunities to photograph wild ducks at close range.

Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f4, Fujichorme Provia 

Pic of the Day

     American Golden Plover – Denali National Park, Alaska:  It was one of the beautiful days I had ever experienced in Alaska.  As I hiked across the tundra of Thoroughfare Pass in Denali National Park wildlife was abundant.  A small group of bull Caribou crossed a ridge in the distances as Lapland longspurs flitted from one bush to another gathering insects, mostly mosquitoes, and Long-tailed Jaegers sailed over the tundra in search for their next meal. As I watched the jaegers one dipped into the low vegetation and plucked a nestling songbird from its nest.   It was quite an amazing site to see, and reminded me that I am the interloper in a wildland that belongs to the wildlife.  

     As the Jaeger flew off with its prey an American Golden Plover appeared on a rise behind me and spoke its “Klee-u” call alerting me to its presence.  Turning to the plover I quickly set my tripod on the ground, aimed and began shooting.  A few moments later the plover flew off and joined a mate, then disappeared over a nearby ridge. 

     This is the only photo I have ever taken of an American Golden Plover in breeding plumage and from the photograph you can see how it gets its name.  With its golden back, black face, white facial ring and bib it is truly one of the most beautiful shorebirds in the Americas. 

Nikon F4, Nikkor 500mm f4, Fujichrome 100

Pic of the Day

    Least Tern – Biloxi, Mississippi:  This tern was photographed at a colony located south of Highway US90 between Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi.  The colony is one of, if not the largest least tern colony in the world.  Getting close to the terns is easy as they nest right up to the sidewalk used by beach goers to access the waterfront. 

      While I was walking along the edge of the colony looking for a nest I could photograph from the sidewalk one morning, this fellow flew in to drive me away.  The bird used numerous tactics in which the most invasive were swooping upon me and pecking my head, to hovering over me and defecating.  I prefer the head pecking above the latter.  I have learned from experience that a hat is an essential piece of gear, and just plain ole common sense tells me to keep my mouth shut. 

       I used a 300mm lens attached to a gunstock mount to take the image. The Gunstock is my favorite method for shooting birds in flight as it allows for maneuverability, a quick aim and a steady shot.  That maneuvrability thing is important when terns start defecating.  
     The tern spent only a few minutes in its attacks before flying back to the depression in the sand that we call a nest, but as I continued my search other terns took its place.  Eventually I found the right nest in the right place to photograph, absent of the head pecking and, well, the other.


Nikon F5, Nikkor 300mm 2.8, Fuji Provia 100

Pic of the Day

   Additional Ring-necked Pheasant photo from Bear River National Wildlife Refuge.  This is the same bird from the previous post.  The same camera and lens was used as well.
Click on any image on this blog to enlarge.

Pic of the Day

     Ring-necked Pheasant – Bear River National Wildlife Refuge, Utah:  For many years I have wanted to visit and shoot at the Bear River National wildlife Refuge but timing was never right until the spring of 2009.  On a trip that took me from the Tallgrass Prairie in Oklahoma to Yosemite National Park in California, I had the opportunity to stop at Bear River. 

     Though it rained most of the time I was there and I shot few photos, I did see a ton of birds.  Avocets, stilts, phalaropes, long-billed curlew, ducks and pheasants were everywhere.  Ring-necked Pheasants were very plentiful, and in full breeding plumage.  Male pheasants seemed to be spaced about every five hundred feet or so, with each one crowing and cackling to attract a female. 

     This male pheasant was in hot pursuit of a female that seemed quite attracted to his displays.  Most of the pheasants were in high grass, and though visible, foreground grasses obscured the birds for photography purposes.  As I photographed this pheasant it moved into an area of shorter grass and began to flap its wings and crow.  It seemed to display just for my camera and I was incredibly fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time.  The bird flapped and crowed a few times and then like the others moved into higher grasses, with the female in hot pursuit this time.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4 with 1.4 Converter, Digital Capture ISO 200  -- This image was shot from my van using a window mounted tri-pod head for stability....engine off.

Pic of the Day

    Tri-colored Heron – Saint Augustine, Florida:  The Saint Augustine alligator farm is far from the Florida wilds, but it is a great place to photograph wild birds.  Each spring a variety of egrets and herons descend upon the popular tourist attraction to build nest and raise young on natural ponds at the farms periphery.   

     This Tri-colored Heron was photographed nesting only a few feet from the boardwalk that winds through the rookery.  As I walked along the board walk on an early April morning I found these two heron perched atop a freshly built nest.  The two birds seem especially attentive to one another as I watched,  then female stood over the nest, and with out warning an egg popped from the female and plopped into the nest.  The male bird seemed almost prideful as he looked at, and slightly moved the egg around with his bill.  I had never witnessed a bird laying an egg before and was quite surprised to see that the heron stood over the nest letting the egg fall about ten inches instead of setting in the nest to lay the egg.  Nature continues to amaze me, and the boardwalk that traverses the rookery at the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm provides a close-up intimate view of nature at its best.  

     The prime time to visit the rookery is early spring, usually between April 1 and May 31.  For more information on the Alligator Farm, the bird rookery and updates visit: http://www.alligatorfarm.com

Nikon F4, Nikkor 300mm 2.8, Kodachrome 64

Pic of the Day

    American Coot – Everglades National Park, Florida: Found from the Yukon to Mexico and from California to Labrador, the American Coot is one of the most wide ranging birds of North America. While on one of my shooting forays into the Everglades long ago, I found this bird at Eco Pond near Flamingo. I had little interest in photographing such a common bird as a coot, but this bird, in its prime breeding plumage with white bill and deep red eye set against the dark water was striking. I took just a few shots then continued around the pond stopping often to photograph Roseate Spoonbills, Great Egrets, and Little Blue Herons.
     At one point I took-off cross country hiking through coastal scrub to follow a pair of Bald Eagles that were on wing performing a nuptial flight. The Eagles flapped high into the sky and then clasp talons and began spinning topsy-turvy as they hurdled in freefall toward the earth. Just before striking the ground the birds released their locked talons to soar in a sweeping arc upward into the blue. It was an exciting day and the first time I had witnessed and photographed such an aerial display.
     After returning home, and in anticipation of seeing the eagle photographs I could barley stand the wait that it took to get the film developed and back in my hands. As soon as the yellow boxes arrived I eagerly laid each image on the light table and scrutinized each one. Upon seeing the images of the eagles in flight my heart sank with disappointment. The eagles, while exciting to watch and photograph did not hold the same excitement and command on film, it was a photographic failure.
     As I continued through the boxes of slides I found other images I shot around Eco Pond that same day, and much to my surprise those few shots I had taken of the American Coot jumped out at me. I found the coot images ethereal as the water y background floats in airy wisps disappearing into the darkness. My day around Eco Pond had not been a total photographic failure after all. Looking at those slides that day I quickly realized that there is no such thing as a common bird, only opportunities.
Nikon F3, Nikkor 400mm 2.8, Kodachrome 64

Pic of the Day

     Great Egret – Venice Heron Rookery; Venice, Florida:  This Great Egret is caught on the wing as it returns to its nest at the Venice heron rookery.  The rookery is one of the best places to photograph nesting wading birds in Florida.  Along with the Great Egrets other birds that nest in the heronry are, Anhinga, Great Blue and Yellow-crown Night Herons. 

     The best time to visit the rookery is January, February and March.  I have found early morning the best time to shoot as visual access is on the east side of the rookery.  On mornings with a clear eastern sky the sulfurous warmth of the rising sun provides rich, saturated colors. 

     Even before the sun breaks the horizon the rookery is a bustling hub of energy.  Activity in the heronry varies depending on the time of the year.  During the early breeding season birds are busy building and adding to nest.  During the incubation and nest building periods there is the constant nuptial ritual between birds when they arrive and exchange duties at the nest.  After eggs hatch there is constant feeding activity as adults tend to nestlings.  One thing is certain, there is never a dull moment at the Venice Rookery and always uncountable opportunities to shoot great photos.  
     If you are interested in visiting the rookery follow this link for more information and direction: http://www.veniceaudubon.org/rookery.html
Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f4, Ektachrome 100VS

Also see post for April 4, & May 21, 2010

Note:  Great Egret, Common Egret and American Egret are the same bird.  Current nomenclature is Great Egret.

Recently Published Work

   I have written an article on the Pribilof Islands that has been published in the most recent issue of "Creation Illustrated," (Vol 17, No.3).
     The article is a two-page spread with four photos.  I also have a photo of Sandhill Cranes in the same issue on page 48 (below), which accompanies an article by Gayle Irwin entitled, Running the Race.  
    To learn more about, or subscripbe to "Creation Illustrated," follow this link: http://www.creationillustrated.com

Pic of the Day

    Northern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis  – Saint Paul Island; Pribilof Islands, Alaska:  The Zapadni Cliffs rise out of the Bering Sea, jutting upward for two hundred feet or more.  The height and location of the cliffs provides a splendid view of Saint Paul on a clear day. 

     On a blustery June morning I stood atop the Zapadni Cliffs bundled in a down parka and mittens searching for just the right spot to photograph seabirds.  Walking along the cliffs I found numerous outcrops of rocks that allowed views of birds lined along the narrow ledges.  As I was shooting auklets and murres I noticed a few Northern Fulmars soaring just off the cliff face.  The fulmars soared in long, wide, sweeping figure eight pattern. 

     As I sat and observed, I saw that the fulmars moved in a rhythmic, predictable pattern; a pattern that brought them close to the cliffs edge, which would allow me to get a good shot of these wind masters.  Moving to a position that allowed me to shoot over the cliffs edge I had full command of the scene before me, being able to follow the birds as they road the winds in their long sweeping arcs.    

     The fulmars moved so fast it was hard keeping up with them as I looked through the cameras viewfinder.  If not for the auto focus and tracking feature of the lens and camera a sharp image would have been impossible.  The overcast of the mornings sky required me to shoot using a slow shutter speed and panning technique.  Panning combined with the slow shutter speed causes the background of an image (in this case the moving waves of the Bering Sea) to render as streaks of tone and color.  The technique worked exceedingly well as the slow shutter speed combined with the panning action blurred the background and wing movement to produced an ethereal quality of movement and action that defined the moment and the essence of a fulmar.  

Nikon F5, Nikkor 300mm f4, Ektachorme 100s

Pic of the Day

   Baskins Creek – Roaring Forks Auto Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park:  This image was taken on the Roaring Forks Auto Trail near the historic Jim Bales cabin.   After walking around the creek I found an angle that maximized the volume of rushing water flowing over the rocks.  I shot the falls from a low angle, only a few inches above the foreground rocks and water.  Using an exposure of two and a half seconds smoothed the water into a wash of movement animating a still image into motion.  A 24mm lens set to an aperture of f22 was used to provide an extended depth-of-field which provided maximum sharpness from foreground to background.     

Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85mm @ 24mm focal length, f/22 @ 2.5 seconds, Digital Capture ISO 200

Add Your Input To Important Research

Dr. William Hayes, a biology professor at Loma Linda University is conducting research on attitudes toward the environment and conservation. Taking the survey below will add valuable data needed for the research. Follow the link below to take a short survey. -- Bobby

IMPORTANT SURVEY ON ATTITUDES TOWARD THE ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION
Your help is needed! The Loma Linda University Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Studies is conducting a groundbreaking survey on "attitudes toward the environment and conservation," particularly of those who love plants and animals. The results from this study, to be published in a professional journal, will contribute to our understanding of the role of plants and animals in society. Participants are urgently needed to complete the survey, which should take about 5-10 minutes of your time. Please click on the following link: http://www.facebook.com/l/f806ckPWwgNgSYtv6MlnkgkAeaA;www.surveymonkey.com/s/R9PFYRN

Pic of the Day

   Appalachia Mountains from Clingman’s Dome – Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN:  
     My first trip to the Smoky Mountains was around June, 1974.  I was 19 years old and had never before seen such an incredibly beautiful wilderness.  On arriving at Clingman’s Dome I met a few backpackers who were hiking the trails, and after talking with just a few of them I decided that I had to become a backpacker and explore the mountains that I saw before me. 

     By the fall of the same year I was on the Appalachia Trail hiking from Fontana Dam on the south end of the park to Newfound Gap.  Over a five-day period two friends and I hiked the 40 plus miles of undulating trails through deciduous and evergreen forest, rocky balds, meadows and mountain ridges.  There were days that I did not think I would make it through the hike, but I did, and truly enjoyed every mile. 

    Over the next five years I backpacked most of the trails in the southern half of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  After that first trip my dad joined me on most of my other backpacking adventures.  We made many trips to the Smokies over the next few years, three of which were during winter. 

     Both of us enjoyed winter camping, even when the mercury dropped to 20 below zero, as it did on a winter bivouac in January1976.  January of “76” was cold, and the day my dad and I started our hiked to Spence Field the temperature was frigid.  The climb took a day and half and the night we spent on the north side of the mountains was freezing.  As I layed in my sleeping bag I was quite comfortable except for my feet, they were glacially cold and never did warm-up.  The next day my cold feet made walking difficult, and as we neared the spine of the mountain the snow depth reached more than two feet making the last three quarters mile to the shelter even a greater struggle. 

Upon reaching the shelter we were both incredibly cold with feet that felt like ice cubes.  Tired and hungry we quickly built a fire then propped our feet near the flames to warm them up. 

     As we sit close to the fire all bundled-up in our goose down parkas, hoods and balaclavas bulled over our head, and feet enveloped in two layers of wool socks I began to smell something unusual burning.  Opening my eyes I saw that my dads right foot was on fire.   I excitedly yelled---“Your foot's on fire!”  My dad quickly jumped up, yanked the sock from his foot, and smoothers the flames.  Half of his outer sock had burned off, but his feet were so cold he could not feel the heat; fortunately his foot was unscathed.  On that same trip I returned with a slight case of frostbite, toes turned purple with loss of surface skin that healed, but nerver damage that never did.  Of all our trips, we told stories and laughed about this particular one the most.

     As I stood on Clingman’s Dome a couple of days ago shooting this image, the air was cold and brisk.   The distant ridges in my viewfinder that faded from black to purple lay in the direction of Spence Field, where my dad and I had climbed during a frigid, snowy winter almost thirty-five years ago.  The cold air and view before me reminded me of those long ago days when my dad and I hiked these rugged mountains, having some of our best times together, and making some of the best memories of our lives.

Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85 zoom @ 85mm focal length, Digital Capture ISO 200

Pic of the Day

   Acorn Woodpecker – Santa Rita Lodge; Madera Canyon, Arizona:  The Acorn Woodpecker is a striking woodpecker with an interesting propensity for storing acorns.  The Acorn woodpecker not only gathers acorns for immediate use, but also gathers acorns to store in a larder for future consumption.  Too store the acorns the woodpeckers drill holes in to a tree and insert the acorn into the hole.  The holes can not be to big or the acorn would fall out or would be easily removed by another bird or small animal.  If the hole is too small the acorn would break apart when the woodpecker hammers the acorn in to the hole.  Acorn Woodpeckers are very precise!  The trees used for the larders are usually called “acorn trees” or granaries.

     This  image was shot at the Santa Rita Lodge near a feeder that the woodpeckers continually returned to feed on suit.  To learn more about Acorn Woodpeckers go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Woodpecker

Nikon D300, 500mm f/4, Digital Capture ISO 200

See previous post on Madera Canyon or Santa Rita Lodge dated: September 15, 2010; September 12, 2010; May 19, 2010; and May 17, 2010.

Pic of the Day

    Fall Color – Ceil Ashburn Drive; Huntsville, Alabama:  North Alabama is a wonderful place in which to live.  Though summer temperatures can reach 100 Degrees (Fahrenheit); everything including: cars, homes, business and restaurants are air conditioned to a comfortable temperature.  Winters can reach temperatures below zero, though most days are mild with the average winter temperature being 32 Degrees.  The only thing missing in our seasons is a consistent display of autumn color.   I say consistent, because on occasion we luck out and catch a fall when every tree displays brilliant colors.

    Last year was terrible for color, the lack of summer rains caused the tree leaves to simply turn brown and fall with no hint of color.  The same thing is happening this fall as well.  The leaves are already turning brown.  There will be no color this year, again.  However, 2008 was a different story, summer rains were plentiful and the fall colors of that year were the best I had seen in more than a decade. 

     As I drove across Ceil Ashburn Drive on my way home in late October of 2008 the color was outstanding.  A scene that I had noticed few days earlier had reached peak color and was beckoning to be photographed.  What made it so interesting to me were two dead trees whose repetitive sway weaved through patches of rich color.  

    As I composed the image I framed the scene so the swaying trees became the focal point.  The trees give the eye a path to travel through the image.  Also, the overall colors of the photograph are warm while the colors of the trees are cool, making them standout against the warmer fall colors.  Photo opportunities like this do not come along often in North Alabama, but hopefully it will not be another decade before I get a break  like this again.

Nikon D3, Nikkor 80-200mm f.2.8, Digital Capture ISO 200

Pic of the Day

    Arctic Fox – Saint Paul Island; Pribilof Islands, Alaska:  The Pribilof Islands are one of my favorite shooting locations.   The four islands that make-up the Pribilof  Archipelago are remote and wild and harbor millions of breeding fur seals and seabirds during the Arctic summer.  I have made five trips to the Pribs, and each one has garnered a lifetime of memories and wonderful shooting opportunities. 

    On one occasion while photographing a least auklet colony near the city of Saint Paul I found myself in the mist of abandoned utility pipes.  The pipes provided excellent cover as I shot the colony.  This particular colony was one of many on Saint Paul and from the numbers I saw must have held many thousands of birds.  The small stretch of rocky seawall where I was shooting was inundated with auklets while flocks of a hundred or more birds were constantly winging in from the sea.

     As I shot frame after frame of the auklets I noticed flashes of movement in my peripheral vision.  Aware that the Arctic Fox on the island love to steal, or worse, urinate on unattended  items  I quickly gathered all my equipment close to my side.  Paying closer attention to the phantom movement I soon saw that the fleeting shadows were indeed a family of Artctic Fox.  The fox were living among the jumble of abandoned utility pipes and I must have been close to the den.

     As I continued to shoot the auklets, the fox kits ran back and forth, over and under, and through the long pipes as they chased and tackled each other.  They were most rambunctious , barley allowing me to get  a shot of their play.  With the kits so close I knew the vixen must me nearby; so I began looking for her.  Sure enough,  I spotted her about thirty feet away peeking out of one of the utility pipes as she kept a watchful eye on me.  With little though I swung the camera around, shot a few frames and then went back to shooting the auklet colony.

    When I arrived home I had a ton of green boxes awaiting my perusal.  Coming home from a long trip and having the film waiting for inspection was like coming home to Christmas, reliving the trip all over again.  I quickly began to sort through the slides, recounting to myself where I had shot each one.  When I opened the box with the fox slides I was happily surprised when I saw the vixen in the utility pipe.  I had remembered shooting the image, but had not thought much about it.  I immediately recognized the image as somewhat special - cute in its on way as the fox was looking directly into the lens.  She was making sure I was no threat to her kits.  

     The next year I entered the image in the Nature’s Best / Cemex International Nature Photography Contest, where it was selected as the winner in the backyard habitat category .  This image was my third win in the Nature’s Best contest, which just goes to prove that good images can just pop-up out of nowhere.  It certainly did for me, while shooting auklets amists a jumble of old abandonded utility pipes.

Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm  f/4, Fuji Provia
Note:  Also see the “Pic of the Day” post for April 14, 2010

Pic of the Day

   Bridal Veil Falls -- Valdez, Alaska:  I have made the trip from Glennallen to Valdez numerous times since my first trip to Alaska in 1981, and have found it to be one of the most scenic drives in the state.  The distant Wrangell Mountains to the east provide a stunning backdrop as the Richardson Highway traverses glacial rivers and hilly taiga.  One of my favorite stops along the highway is about fifteen miles out of Valdez where the Richardson Highway passes through Keystone Canyon; a deep cut that passes between mountain walls that reach skyward to four hundred feet.  Along this stretch of highway is Bridal Veil Falls, a waterfall fed by the melt waters of the massive Workman’s Glacier.
     This image of the falls was taken a little after the noon hour when light from a cloudless day flooded into the canyon.   The lighting was bright and contrasty, the worst light imaginable for photography. A full-length shot of the falls was out of the question due to the poor light quality.   However, as I looked at the falls I noticed that the base of the falls were in the shadows.  The light was soft and cool, creating a wide range of blue tones as the water cascaded over the boulders at the base of the waterfall.   Using a medium telephoto lens I composed the image and shot a series of exposures from an eighth of a second, too more than a second long. 

     This image is one of my favorites from the shoot.  The dark blules to whitish blues create a monotone that is usually only found in black and white photography, rarely in color; while the dancing water seems to make the rocks glow.  All the elements came together to give the image an ethereal quality.  A quality that is not always easy to achieve. 

Nikon F3, Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 (?), Kodachrome 64

"Ghost Birds", New Book on James Tanner

    Over the last two months I have read four books,  and each one was absoloutly wonderful.  Ghost Birds by Stephen Lyn Bales was my favorite, as it would be to those of us with an interest in birds and specifically Ivorybills.  The book is about James Tanner, the one and only person to do a scientific study on Ivory-billed Woodpeckers; thus my interest and excitment over the book.  Below is a short review I wrote on my Ivorybill blog   .  Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. 

     A new book about James T. Tanner has been published by the University of Tennessee Press.  It is a fantastic book about the life of Tanner, the man who did the first scientific study of Ivory-billed Woodpecker.

     The author, Stephens Lyn Bales did a superb job of telling the fascinating story of this remarkable man.  If you have an interest in the ivorybill or not, this is a must read book.  Once I started reading I could not put it down.  Bales words have a flow that keeps you mesmerized about the young James Tanner and his exploits throughout the south as he searches for the “Grail Bird”.

Follow this link to Amazon: www.amazon.com/Ghost-Birds-Ivory-billed-Woodpecker-1935-1941/dp/1572337176/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285442987&sr=1-1

Book Description on Amazon.com
“Everyone who is interested in the ivory-billed woodpecker will want to read this book—from scientists who wish to examine the data from all the places Tanner explored to the average person who just wants to read a compelling story.”
—Tim Gallagher, author of The Grail Bird: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker

In 1935 naturalist James T. Tanner was a twenty-one-year-old graduate student when he saw his first ivory-billed woodpecker, one of America’s rarest birds, in a remote swamp in northern Louisiana. At the time, he was part of an ambitious expedition traveling across the country to record and photograph as many avian species as possible, a trip organized by Dr. Arthur Allen, founder of the famed Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Two years later, Tanner hit the road again, this time by himself and in search of only one species—that ever-elusive ivory-bill. Sponsored by Cornell and the Audubon Society, Jim Tanner’s work would result in some of the most extensive field research ever conducted on the magnificent woodpecker.

Drawing on Tanner’s personal journals and written with the cooperation of his widow, Nancy, Ghost Birds recounts, in fascinating detail, the scientist’s
dogged quest for the ivory-bill as he chased down leads in eight southern states. With Stephen Lyn Bales as our guide, we experience the same awe and excitement that Tanner felt when he returned to the Louisiana wetland he had visited earlier and was able to observe and document several of the “ghost birds”—including a nestling that he handled, banded, and photographed at close range. Investigating the ivory-bill was particularly urgent because it was a fast-vanishing species, the victim of indiscriminant specimen hunting and widespread logging that was destroying its habitat. As sightings became rarer and rarer in the decades following Tanner’s remarkable research, the bird was feared to have become extinct. Since 2005, reports of sightings in Arkansas and Florida made headlines and have given new hope to ornithologists and bird lovers, although extensive subsequent investigations have yet to produce definitive confirmation.

Before he died in 1991, Jim Tanner himself had come to believe that the majestic woodpeckers were probably gone forever, but he remained hopeful
that someone would prove him wrong. This book fully captures Tanner’s determined spirit as he tracked down what was then, as now, one of ornithology’s true Holy Grails.

STEPHEN LYN BALES is a naturalist at the Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville,
Tennessee. He is the author of Natural Histories, published by UT Press in 2007.

Pic of the Day

     American Egret – Fort Myers Beach, Florida:  It was a rainy March morning in southern Florida as the alarm blared its clanging wakeup call.  Four o’clock A. M., shown in bright red number and it seemed as if I had just gone to sleep.  It was raining outside and I did not want to get out of bed; just a few more winks I told myself.  But I was in Florida to shoot, rain or shine I should be in the field.

I dragged myself out of bed and was soon on the road to Fort Myers Beach.  A beautiful stretch of sand on the mainland that looked west toward Sanibel Island.  By the time I arrived the rain had stopped, but a dense impenetrable fog thickened the landscape.  Why did I get up, I kept asking myself, knowing full well that there were no images to be taken this morning.

     Still, I got my gear together and headed toward the beach.  I could barley tell which direction to walk as the fog obstructed all landmarks.   As I listened in the quietness of the early morning I could hear the waves lapping against the shoreline giving me directions to follow.  After a short walk I was standing at the waters edge.  

     The sun had not broken the horizon nor had the beachcomber yet raised to scourer the beach for shells; for now it was just me and the birds. As I stood on the beach the only sounds audible were the lapping waves ,  and peeps of sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones as they scurried to and fro along the edge of the incoming tide.  As the eastern sky began to glow I could tell that the clouds that had brought the nights rain were breaking, and perhaps my earlier haste to remain in bed was truly unfounded.

     As the day grew brighter and the fog began to thin a group of American Egrets foraging in the shallows began to materialize out of the vapors.  Occasionally one of the birds would stretch out its huge wings and with a few effortless flaps leap ten or twenty feet to a new fishing spot. The white birds set within the foggy veil were faint ghost, barely visible to the eye. The scene became a perfect blend of pastel blue and white plums; an ethereal quality that only nature can produce.
     I was drawn to the simplicity of the scene; its forms, pastels and motion.  The view before my eyes made me very happy that I had not lingered in my earlier slumber.  For what I thought was to be a dull ordinary morning was quite different than what I had expected.  In fact, as nature often provides, the ordinary had become the extraordinary. 

Nikon F4, Nikkor 500mm f4, Kodachorme 64

Pic of the Day

     Least Tern – Biloxi, Mississippi: The largest least tern colony in the world is on the gulf beaches from Biloxi to Gulfport, Mississippi.  This year more than 2000 thousand pairs  of least terns began nesting in the colony.  The terns expect to raised their young on the resources of the gulf waters.  As you all know this area is experienced the worst man made disaster in history.  During the clean-up not only the oil spill, but the clean-up itself is had a very negative effect on the terns and skimmers as workers and dune buggies traversing the colonies destroying young and disturbing birds.  I have not yet heard results on how successful or unsuccessful the tern colony was this year, put will let you know once I find some stats.  The following link will take you to an article that gives some states on animals killed as of July 27.  Only time will tell how and to what extent the gulf and its wildlife will recover.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/08/08/98767/effects-of-the-bps-oil-spill-might.html

additional source: 

http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/06/tern_nesting_areas_being_distu.html

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f/4, Digital Capture ISO200

Pic of the Day

     White-winged Dove – Tucson Desert Museum; Tucson Arizona: The Tucson Desert Museum is an amazing place to see wild birds in the desert southwest. The museum is a “Living Museum” with animals and birds of the southwest desert. Though there are living representatives of most animals and birds in the environmental habitat enclosures and the aviaries, Wild birds live and migrate among the desert flora of the museums exhibits.
This White-winged Dove was photographed as I walked along one of the museums trails. White-winged Doves are common in southeast Arizona, and very approachable within the museum.
Nikon D200, Nikkor 500mm f.4, Digital Capture ISO 200

Update:

     Check out the following link. This is a blog on the National Geographic Traveler website written by Rachel Dickinson. Rachel mentions seeing me on Bonaventure Island when I was there to photograph the Gannets this past summer. Rachel is the wife of my good friend and colleague Tim Gallagher. Tim had told me that Rachel was on the Gaspe’ Peninsula, but I never thought our paths would cross, but they did on Bonaventure Island. I was on the way out to photograph the Gannets and she was on the way back across the island. She had no idea that I was on the Gaspe' and was quite shocked to see me. I was surprised as well. You can read her article at the following address.
Go to: blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2010/09/for-the-birds-canadas-gaspe-pe-1.html#more

Pic of the Day

   Osprey – Sanibel Island, Florida: By the late 50’s and early 60’s the Osprey or Fish Eagle was a threatened species in grave danger of extinction. DDT, dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane is a pesticide synthesized in 1874 that was used extensively during the mid 20th century. The use of the potent pesticide had a detrimental effect on birds of prey and other animal life. The pesticide worked its way through the food chain to the top avian predators such as eagles, falcons and ospreys. The pesticides ingestion resulted in the thinning of the birds eggs causing the eggs to crush under the weight of the incubating adult.
     It was Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring that cataloged the environmental impact of DDT in the United States and its threat to humans and wildlife. The book created a gigantic outcry that let to a ban of DDT in 1972. As a result birds of prey began to recover. Now, the Osprey along with many other birds of prey that were affected have made a remarkable recovery.
     This Osprey was photographed on Sanibel Island at a natural nest in an old snag as it was adding nest material. Osprey use the same nest year after year adding new material to the nest each year. Nest can become extremely large, resulting with the weight of nest eventually toppling the tree, which did happen to this nest a few years after this image was taken.
Nikon F4, Nikkor 500mm f4 with 1.4 teleconverter, Kodakchrome 64

Pic of the Day

Joshua Tree National Park, CA: The day was late. We had driven from San Luis Obispo to Loma Linda, California where my wife met-up with some of her former students who are now doctors. The reunion was lots of fun for Norma and her former students as they reminisced of day gone by. With many miles ahead of us we left Loma Linda and headed east. We were on our way to Madera Canyon south of Tucson, Arizona where I would photograph hummingbirds. It would take a couple of days to get there because we had a few stops to make on the way.
The first was Joshua Tree National Park. We had driven through mile after mile on wind generators as the sun fell toward the horizon. Finally, we came to the park entrance, and I hurriedly drove through the park looking for a spot to take an evening photo. Boulders of mammoth proportions surrounded by Joshua Trees were strewn throughout the desert, yet I could not find the right spot that screamed Joshua Tree.
The sky was cloudless and I knew all was for naught; there would be no clouds for the setting sun to illuminate. No dramatic image of the setting sun with golden rays of light striking Joshua Trees set against a colorful desert sky.
A bit disheartened I shot a few images as the sun set, with some success, and then lingered as darkness fell upon the desert knowing I had not taken a shot I was really happy with.
As the sun dropped further beyond the horizon and the sky began to turn various shades of blue, I saw how the Joshua Trees silhouetted against the modulating blue sky. Immediately I began searching for a single tree with braches that would make a good silhouette, a tree that did not look like a black blob against the darkening sky. Finally, and just in the nick-of-time, I stumbled upon this almost perfect silhouette. I shot the image with a wide-angle lens from a low angle to give the tree greater impact.
Often when taking photographs, things just don't always seem to move in the right direction. And then, as if by providence, my eyes are opened and an image appears to save the day. I like when that happens!
Nikon D3, Nikkor 24, Digital Capture ISO200

Pic of the Day

House Finch – Santa Rita Lodge; Madera Canyon, Arizona: The House Finch is a common bird found at feeders across most of North America. Originally the House Finch was a bird endemic to the western United States. In the early part of the twentieth century House Finches were capture in western states and sent to New York city where they were sold in the illegal pet trade as Hollywood Finches. In 1940 pet store owners in New York City got word that wildlife officials were going to raid their stores for illegal trafficking of native species. To avoid prosecution the owners released the birds.
The small number of House Finches that were released began breeding and spread across the eastern half of the country in less than fifty years. Now, east meets west and House Finches are inhabitant of most towns across the United States except for those in the prairie states. It is likely that the bird will eventually inhabit all cities in the country.
As always this is not a happy story of introduced species. House Finches are aggressive birds and have now replaced the eastern endemic Purple Finch whose numbers have been drasticly reduced in much of its range.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 500 f4, Digital Capture, ISO 200

Pic of the Day

Wild Turkey – Santa Rita Lodge; Madera Canyon,
Arizona: In a previous post I extolled the abundance of birds at the Santa Rita Lodge (see post for May 17-19). The new owners have built an elaborate bird feeding and watering station that attract all the local wildlife. They also provide grain for ground feeding birds and deer. Wild Turkey in the area take advantage of the abundant food at the feeding station in the early morning and afternoon hours. I saw almost two-dozen turkeys at one time, while I was photographing Arizona and Acorn Woodpeckers, goldfinch, grosbeak and finches.
While I was photographing a Black-headed Grosbeak one afternoon a dozen turkeys wandered into the feeding area and began eating. After spending a few minutes picking grain from the ground a few of the males began to strut to establishing their place in the pecking order.
I was using a 500mm lens to photograph a grosbeak; a lens too long to photograph the fanned tail display of the nearby turkeys. However, the long lens was perfect to isolate a single bird for a head shot. As I shot the birds it continued to strut turning left then right; never in a position to isolate the head against a clean background. Finally, the turkey began to walk toward me with its tail fanned wide. The turkeys body and fanned tail became the perfect background to place emphasis on the turkeys brilliantly colored head.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO200