Persistence.... Perseverance.... Balls...... however you want to say it.....

This little one had it in spades!!!!!
I was at Brick Pond early in the morning and was fortunate enough to have a family of Mergansers (Mom and the kids, the males are nowhere to be found) feeding in front of me. Eventually they got their fill and decided to get up on a log near me to take a break. Keeping track of these little ones is probably an adventure in itself, so Mom was probably glad for the break.

This isn’t working for the little one on the right….

There was only one problem. The little one on the right wanted to be with the other two siblings on the left, but big mama was in between. He or she would have to get back in the water and swim around Mom to get next to the other two. The little one had no intention of getting back into the water. He had just spent the last ten minutes preening and had no intention of getting back in that chilly water! So the little one improvised and solved the problem in a way that left me shaking my head laughing!!!

What is the armed services slogan, “adapt and improvise???”

This little shit decided to go under Mom to get next to his siblings!! The next sequence of images shows exactly how it was accomplished!

Mom is just not prepared for this!!!

On his way!!!

I think by now Mom realizes that she is going to lose this battle….. So she tries to stand up and let the little one go by.

In the end, the little one gets its way and Mom relents. She could have just shoved him off into the water and made him swim to get to the other side. But that is not what Moms do……

Junior is very happy being back with his buds, at least in the anthropomorphic world that I live in. If you go out photographing with just the intention of getting some pictures, you are missing the most important part. Seeing something like this is priceless, and on those days where it’s hard to get out of bed at 3am I just have to think back to this and I am ready to get going again!!! I’m also glad that I could bring this little slice of their lives to all of you. Please enjoy!!! And if you know someone who would enjoy the pictures, send them the link!

"Branches" Revisited.....

A week or so ago I posted a pic on FB of a Wood Duck that would have made a remarkable picture, except for the fact that there was a small branch directly in front of the bird! I was very frustrated at the bird because if he had walked a short bit to my right he would have been in the open, making for the mythical “perfect shot”
Well, as Paul Harvey would say, I’m here to tell you “the rest of the story….”

I spent a considerable amount of time waiting for him to finish preening and move up the log so I could get a clear shot. Ducks in general are quite fastidious, which is a fancy word that means they spend a lot of time looking good! And before he got up on the log he gave me a few decent looks in the water.

He thinks he’s hiding…..

Patience….

So here he is on the log, doing everything he can to stay in front of the branches!

Shake it off……..

“The Look”

Stretching Out…

Then he starts to move up the log a little bit….. I’m thinking “just one more step”…. actually I’m thinking he should get his ass in gear and move up the log!!!

Move it!!!

Story of my life…..

Well, he did oblige me and moved alright…… right back to the water!!!!!
So I figured it was over. I gave it another half hour to see if he would come back, but it didn’t look good. But then the photo gods looked down and must have taken pity on me because here he was, swimming back towards me! And unbelievably he hopped back up on the same log, farther up, where I could get a clear shot! And he proceeded to put on a show for me, giving me all of his best poses. It was like he felt pity for the poor photographer …..

I’m not sure if he is stretching or farting…..

I like this last one the best….. I’m thinking of printing this one…..

Stylin’………

So I guess the moral of the story would be…….. Patience. Without it this all would have happened. I just wouldn’t have been there to see and photograph it. And for that, I consider myself lucky.
Thanks for looking!!!!

And That Is When The S**t Hit The Fan......

Wood Ducks are temperamental little creatures. Or maybe I should say Schizophrenic? Whatever you want to call it, I really didn’t expect the “discussion” I was witness to yesterday morning.
I was minding my own business, just waiting for a wood duck chick parade to come by. Birds are hatching now so it’s not too unusual to see a family of chicks lined up behind Mom just enjoying their new life. I didn’t see the chicks, but a lone hen wood duck began swimming in my general direction. Now I only have 5 or 6 thousand wood duck images already, but what’s a few extra electrons on my memory card? Or so I thought. As the first hen neared a small patch of Lily pads, another hen who was hidden in the Lily pads came out and just lit into this poor hen! It looked like Friday Night Wrestling as they glared at each other and squared off.

And so it begins……

They sure weren’t acting like ladies!!!

And the poor Merganser in the lower left is just trying to mind her own business!!!

The next two images are basically all I could see for several seconds as the water was flying everywhere!

Just a difference of opinion…..

Coming up for air!!!

This whole episode only lasted for about a minute, at most. Then they both stopped as fast as they started, apparently none the worse for wear. You just can’t make this crap up!

Like nothing had ever happened!

After it was over, the “winner” got up on a log to show the rest of the swamp who was the baddest duck in the swamp!

It’s good to be the Queen!!

And she kept running her mouth for the next ten minutes to make sure everybody knew it!!

If a big mouth was money in the bank, she’d be a millionaire!!!

More to come, thanks for looking!!!

Playing Catch Up......

Sorry kids, I am so far behind on my posting from the Florida trip I’ll be lucky to catch up before the end of the year! I managed to take about 8000 images while I was there. Normally I would do my editing after dinner each day but the weather was so nice, and the Margaritas so tasty, that editing just wasn’t at the top of my list! So I will do my best now…..

First up is a bird I think I featured in one of my earlier blogs, the Yellow Crowned Night Heron. But right below that image is a night heron in the juvenile stage He barely moved in the two hours that I was there but he did not seem disturbed at all. They’re very quiet and usually keep to themselves, unlike the Snowy Egret that is the wetland busybody! As always, click on the images to enlarge them

Next up is another bird I may have shown you already, a Little Blue Heron. This is another bird that is very different once it matures. The juvenile is shown first, already showing signs of maturing by changing from white to blue. The following pic is a mature bird and is a beautiful blue pretty much all over.

A Wood Stork is next on the list. When you first see them on the ground they look a little strange. At first I thought God had some spare parts left over during creation, but the more time I spent observing these birds I gained a bit of respect for them. On the ground they are as graceful as the Great egrets and when they fly they are a very impressive bird! They have a huge wingspan and their breeding plumage is a striking black and white. I will feature them in their own post later on.

And what post would be complete without some Wood duck pics???? I don’t know why, but I see more Wood Ducks down here than I do at home!

The incredible thing is that all of these pics were shot in a two hour stretch on one morning! I feel very fortunate to be able to be here at just the right time of the year to see all of this! Enjoy and thanks for looking!!!

Opinions And Critiques Wanted........

Hey all. I could use your help please! I’m going to be entering a competition next week and I’m not sure what I want to enter. I’ve been looking through some of my recent work and I could use some extra eyes and opinions on which ones are good enough to enter. I have not done any final tweaking on them, so I can change them a bit if needed. It doesn’t matter if you are a photographer or not. Just tell me which ones you like and why. And please don’t be shy about the critiques. I’ve got a pretty thick skin and as long as you are honest with your comments, I will take them constructively. One other thing: In case somebody is wondering, I have not replaced any of the backgrounds on any of these images. The background was dark to begin with and I used the sliders in Lightroom for the rest.
So, what do you like??????

Like Stephen Stills Said..... "Love The Light You're With"......

Y’all know I’m that crazy guy that gets up in the middle of the night so he can be at his shooting spot before dawn. That way I can be in the right spot, at the right time, and the right bird flies in and lands in the right direction for that “right” shot. Boy, do I wish it would work that way all the time!!!
But we all know that the “perfect” light only makes an occasional appearance when we’re out in the field, usually when we’re drinking a coffee or peeing in the bushes. So, what do you do when the light is being difficult? You can either give up and go home or find a way to make the best of it. Usually if the light is really bad I will just sit there and observe. The more you learn about the habits of the animals you are photographing, the better you can predict what they will do and you can be prepared when it happens. I’m not a big believer of luck in wildlife photography. To me, luck is where preparation and opportunity meet. Opportunities happen all the time out in the field. But if you are not prepared for them, the opportunity will pass you by and go find someone else. Happens all the time, to all of us!
Okay, off my soapbox now. This first image below is taken while there was still some pretty good light. This Ibis came by so close to me that this image is the full, uncropped image! But at that distance my depth of field was only about a half inch in either direction. As a result I missed sharp focus on the eye. Remember what I said about opportunity? Click on the images to enlarge

The next image below you can see the sunlight creeping in. This can be good or bad. Sometimes it can create interesting backgrounds for your shots and sometimes it can land on the bird’s face and totally ruin the shot.

You can also use the bright backgrounds to create a silhouette of your image.

Now in the next 3 images the Sun is really starting to make its presence felt. But if the birds will cooperate and turn the right way you can get some very nice rim and/or backlit photos. Don’t quit now, because these photos can be very dramatic images! But don’t dawdle either! This light only lasts for a short time.

Look at the difference in light quality between foreground and background. Cool gray and warm yellow.

In the next pic below the Sun is beginning to get harsh. You can see the overexposed leg on this bird. But, the Sun also gives a nice sparkle to all the water splashes from the bird striking the water. And if you look, you can see the bird’s eye through the water splash.

And finally, on this last pic, you can see how harsh the light is getting. The birds in the background are all bathed in very warm sunlight. Fortunately, the Heron had his back turned so I could still get detail out of his face and it makes for an interesting contrast with the overexposed birds in the background.

Mel and I had so much fun on this morning shoot. We had never seen this many birds in this one spot and we took full advantage of it. It would have been even better if we had a light cloud cover, because I would have stayed until my cards were full! My wife doesn’t like getting up early on these morning shoots very much but after this one she was a regular partner with me! It’s a chance to spend some special time with her, and I always enjoy her company on a shoot. Days like this are the reason I get up early and it’s even more special when I can share an experience like this!
Thank you all for looking! More to come!

These Guys Play For Keeps!!!

I was down on the Gulf Coast of Florida recently and I spent a fair amount of time shooting birds. I apologize for not keeping up with the blog while I was down there but to be honest I just wasn’t very motivated. But one morning that I was out I saw one of the most knock down, drag out fights that I have ever seen between two Anhingas. They are diving type water birds, very similar to the Cormorants that you see in our area. Click on the images to enlarge.

Who’s the baddest of them all???

These two had been yapping at each other all morning but had been keeping their distance. Until all of a sudden they both agreed it was time to settle their differences and it was on!!!

These two were going right for the throat, and they weren’t messing around!

This continued for several minutes and they weren’t letting go!

You can see the beak of the lighter colored one sticking through the skin of the other.

I really thought that one of them was going to become Alligator food!

At this point they both fell off the log they were fighting on and crashed into the water. They squared off facing each other with wings flared out and I thought then that this would end it, one way or the other.

And then the strangest thing happened! They both flew back up onto the log and began………… mating????? What the Hell????? I know that birds can sometimes get a little rambunctious with their mating rituals but these two were beating the crap out of each other! I’d hate to see what happens when they are pissed off at each other!!!

A great but totally unexpected experience, that’s for sure! I will try to post more a soon as I can, because it was a terrific year for photography down there!!! Thanks for looking!

Pissing Contest.....

Sorry that I have not been posting lately, I think the weather down here is making me lazy! (or maybe the Margaritas are?)
But I wanted to share a short sequence of images from the other day. There were 2 Snowy Egrets in front of me and they both wanted the same fishing area. Doesn’t matter that it’s a 6 acre pond with numerous good fishing areas, they both wanted the exact same square foot of water. And being the bitchy birds that they are, the fireworks soon erupted. It’s a short sequence, couldn’t have lasted more than 5 seconds, but it sure was fun to watch! I didn’t do much editing on them yet, just a little sharpening and toning down the whites a little. Hope you enjoy! Click on the images to enlarge.

Here we go!!!

More to come!

Doing The Best You Can With What You've Got.....

I can’t believe that I’m in Florida shooting Wood Ducks! But when the other, more unusual birds don’t come out to play, you’ve got to shoot what is in front of you. And make them the best you can.
Which is why I started this post with the Wood Ducks. They are beautiful birds and are in their prime plumage and are well worth my effort. Click on the images to enlarge.

Early morning get together….

Still my favorite duck….. beautiful!

Another early morning visitor was the Yellow Crowned Night Heron, which I showed you in the last post. And he was in his favorite spot, in the bushes with no clear shot for me. And to make it worse was that he was showing off for his girlfriend! Damn bushes!!!!

By this time the Sun was getting pretty bright, and the images were getting pretty harsh. The best light for a bird photographer is filtered sunlight. And there wasn’t a cloud in sight, so I knew I had to work quickly because time wasn’t on my side.

Tri Color Heron

You can either wait for the birds to step into a shadow or just minimize the harsh Sun as best you can. The image above is a Tri Colored Heron who was in semi-shade and about the best you can hope for in this scenario.
And the bird below is a Little Blue Heron, who was about to step into a patch of sunlight. You just have to wait for your best opportunity and then don’t hesitate!

I just love the Bald Cypress tree as a background!

On a beautiful day like this, doing the best you can is an absolute pleasure! Thanks for looking!

Birds On A Stick.......

Back on the Gulf Coast for some vacation time, which means shooting for me!! Pulled a rookie mistake on my first day here. I walked out of a cool, air conditioned room into a 75 degree, very humid morning. The camera instantly fogged up and stayed that way for over an hour until it came up to temperature. Sure glad I didn’t have a client with me!
But the second day was a little better. I got a chance to shoot some birds on a stick. For a wildlife photographer, especially a bird person, that means shooting birds in their natural habitat but in a very common pose. Like sitting on a log, perched on a stick, etc. You get the idea. Nice pics but nothing you haven’t seen before. Below are some examples. Click on the images to enlarge.

All the way to Floride for a pic of a Wood Duck!

Juvenile white Ibis…..

Green Heron

With a common bird like a green heron, you try and get something a little different. Maybe catching a fish, or perched somewhere unusual. I was able to get some nice bokeh behind the bird in this one by using an aperture of f/2.8, which totally blurs the background and highlights the bird.

I did find one unusual bird this morning though, a Yellow Crowned Night Heron. I have plenty of pics of the Black Crowned Night Heron, but this was my first opportunity at the yellow crowned. Normally you find them tucked way back in the brush and unable to get a shot at them, like the pic below.

He knows I’m watching!

But this guy was trying to impress his sweetie so eventually he came out and showed himself, but he was still very wary about anything strange in the area, like me!

He’s stylin’ for the ladies!!!!

He kept a careful watch for his girlfriend but she wasn’t impressed. He was all dressed up with no place to go! His girlfriend wasn’t buying it so he thought that he would impress her by bringing her a stick!

Waiting and hoping….

But alas, it just was not to be. He left shortly after to search for the love of his life…..

I also had some wonderful Bald Cypress trees across the pond on the far bank that would make interesting compositions so I tried a couple shots with a Tri Colored Heron and a juvenile Blue Heron. They’re okay, but nothing to write home about. I will eventually get the composition I want with the Cypress trees!

An absolutely huge Cypress tree!!!!

A juvenile Little Blue Heron. The blue color slowly appears as they mature…..

A closeup of the little blue heron.

And so I think it’s fitting that I end up with a final “bird on a stick” picture. Hey, they’re not all Nat Geo winners!!!! All for now, stay tuned!

NEVER Trust The Weatherman!!!!!!!

KInd of an odd title for a post, right? Well, it was kind of an odd day. Very satisfying in the end, but the way it started had me wondering.

I had planned on going out early on Thursday. I checked the weather the night before and the rain was supposed to end by 3am so I have should have no issues the next morning. So, guess what it was doing at 6am the next morning? As I drove up to my spot in the rain (I know better than to cancel a shoot on the word of the weatherman), I was trying to come up with an alternate plan to salvage the morning. I knew it wasn’t going to rain all day and I’m too stubborn to give up that easy.
But my luck turned for the better when I got there. The rain had turned to a fine mist and then stopped altogether, only to be replaced by thick, wet fog. This ended up working in my favor because the fog would help me setup without alarming the birds. The only question was how long it would take for the fog to burn off so I could get some decent images.

I don’t know what they’re looking at either…. maybe somebody dropped a contact…

At 6:30, half an hour before sunrise, I was able to start figuring out how I wanted to deal with the fog. Images with fog are a double-edged sword. On one hand fog can add an ethereal sort of look to the image, but too much fog is very tough on the autofocus system. It’s the same as shooting in a heavy haze. So I was praying for the fog to lift soon because the courtship rituals were starting.

Do I know you??? Or, hey do you come here often???

Many times, they act like they don’t know who the strange bird is next to them. It’s a very clumsy kind of courtship in the beginning, kind of like watching 12-year-old kids at their first school dance. You remember, don’t you?

Well, they finally get around to a little bit of snogging (look it up) and the damn birds are on the wrong side of the tree!!!!

Again with the wrong side!!! I’m getting a complex here! Don’t they like me????

Finally they see it my way and move to my side of the tree! The courtship can be very intricate and involved but these two had just met, so it was just some harmless jousting!!!

I knew that I had to work quickly, because the Sun was just starting to peek up over the hill and I knew the light would change very quickly now. And not for the better. After each of these brief skirmishes they go back to ignoring each other again. Eventually they will realize that at some point they’re supposed to mate! And take note of the color of the light because you will see how quickly it will change…..

Are these birds beautiful or what??????

Look at the difference in the color of the light compared to the previous images. All it took was few short minutes for the light intensity and direction to change.

Fifteen minutes after this image and the good light was gone, replaced by harsh directional light that doesn’t work for these shots.
So what do you do when the light turns to crap? My advice would be to just put your camera down and enjoy the day for what it is, a nice sunny, beautiful day! And be glad you were alive to see it! Spend enough time out here and you will realize how lucky you are to be a part of this thing we call nature……. More to come!

Standing Room Only.....

I was out early yesterday. It was going to be such a nice day that I didn’t want to waste a minute!
Half an hour before sunrise, as the light in the sky grew brighter, I could see that I was not alone! The Herons were back! And I’m sure they were not happy because 90% of the pond still had ice on it….

So even though it was low light the conditions were good for hi-key photography. I’ll tell you, it felt good to put a few clicks on the shutter!
The pics aren’t anything awesome, but it just felt good to get out! The birds are coming back in full force and for a bird photographer this is the best time of year. So get out there because they are coming!!!!

Shaking Off The Rust.....

It has been a loooong winter. The weather hasn’t cooperated very well and it has been an unusually slow winter for photography. My friends the Otters have relocated to a spot that isn’t very photogenic so I’ll leave them be until the ice starts breaking up on the ponds.

As a wildlife photographer, if you don’t think your skills have gotten a bit rusty during this period of relative inactivity, you are in for a bit of a shock. Without constant practice you’ll be just a little off on your shots and your shot anticipation. So the best thing is to get out wherever you can and get some practice in.

I did just that last week at the towpath at Chenango Valley State Park. It’s easy to get to and has some open water that will draw birds like Mergansers, Mallards and Woodies. It may not be the greatest as far as backgrounds but your real goal here is to get your reflexes and hand eye coordination working together again. Click on the images to enlarge

Winter Surprise!

I really didn’t expect to see a Kingfisher in this area in the middle of winter, but you can’t mistake their call when you hear it. He never really got close enough for a good shot, but you take what you can get in the middle of February! He had gotten a Crawfish but when he shook it like they always do with their catch, it broke into several pieces and all he was left with was an empty shell!

Thankfully the Mergansers love the cold! They stick around as long as there is open water for them to feed and they were nice enough to swim by a few times.

Like a missile!

But what I really wanted was some practice on birds in flight and I finally got a few to oblige me and it was then when I realized that my skills were a bit rusty! I won’t tell you how many images I took that day, but I will say the keeper rate wasn’t very high!!!

So I didn’t end up with anything outstanding but that wasn’t the point. You work on your skills now so that when that awesome shot opportunity comes you will be ready for it!!!!

Won’t be long now until ice out and then the real fun begins!!!! Better be ready! Get out and shoot!

Going Stir Crazy.....

I was out twice last week. Two different places, very different conditions. Not exactly the weather I had in mind but damn, I need a camera in my hand on a regular basis!
First place was in West Danby, near Ithaca. About 14-16” of snow, a little crusty too. Just crusty enough to hold your weight for a few seconds and then bam, you fall through the crust! But I had my snowshoes with me and it was tolerable. And I’m glad I went because it was beautiful out there! It was the kind of day that it didn’t matter if I saw anything or not, I was just thankful to be out there soaking it all in. Unfortunately, all I saw was a small group of whitetails, but that was enough to call it a successful day. The Otter family that I have been watching for the last 2 years moved their winter den down the road a little. I know where it is but it’s not in a good place to get any images. No worries, they’ll be back when the ice melts a little.

The next place was an old familiar spot where I spent a lot of time in the summer. Chenango Valley State Park was a favorite swimming and camping spot for us when we were kids. And recently I had been hearing that there was some open water that just might hold some ducks. My kind of place!
But you know how cold it has been lately and when I got there almost all of the open water was covered in ice. I did a bit of hiking but was running out of luck and I was heading back to the car when I passed by a tree right along the road by the swimming area. I saw, or better yet heard, a Pileated Woodpecker rattling the tree, so I stopped to get a look at him. It was then that I saw 3 of them in the same tree, making short work of a fairly thick branch. Of course my camera gear was in the car, on the other side of the tree. I tried my best to sneak by, but us old guys don’t sneak very well anymore. I ended up scaring them off the tree. But I also knew I hadn’t pushed them too far away so I was hoping they might come back. In about half an hour one of them flew back. I was able to get a few decent images in a high key style. The backlight was perfect for this type of image and I knew it wouldn’t be long before the sunlight was too harsh for any good pics. Click on the images to enlarge.

Two slightly different images and two very different looks. One picked by me and one picked by Lightroom. Nothing special, but that’s not the point. I was able to scratch my photographic itch and enjoy just being out there! The second image is better but the light seems better to me in the first pic. Either way I was just happy to be out there! Spring is right around the corner. Get your gear ready!

The Party's Over..... :(

That’s me in my Ghillie suit, crying the blues because all of my favorite shooting spots are covered in ice…..

It’s that time of year when all of my favorite shooting spots turn into skating rinks. I think nature is trying to tell me to take a little break now. We’ve been busy shooting high school sports championships for the last month and my butt is starting to drag a little. Shooting sports is in many ways similar to shooting wildlife. You use much of the same equipment and the technical knowledge needed is the same. A fast flying bird or a fast flying running back, it’s all the same. You better be ready for both!

It’s also that time of year to reflect on how lucky we all are just to be alive. The last 2 years haven’t exactly been a cakewalk for us as a country but at this time of year we can surely put our differences aside to just enjoy each other’s company and realize how important our family and friends are.

But don’t think I have put my camera away for the Winter. Now it’s time to start looking for the four legged opportunities. Fisher, Bobcat, Mink, deer, and Coyotes are all active and hungry in the winter. And now is primetime for all the backyard birds.

Thank you all for visiting my blog this year. If it has brightened your day a little then that puts a smile on my face! We have enough bad in our world right now, let’s concentrate on the good.

Merry Christmas to you all!!!

Barking At The Moon.....

It was duck day at the pond…. I only saw one GBH and that was after I had packed up to go home. You know how I always say “pick a time and don’t leave before that time is up?” Well that proved to be right on the money because these ducks waited until 15 minutes before I was scheduled to leave to come close enough for a few pics. Patience is a learned skill and if you don’t practice it you will never get better at it.
Anyhow, it was actually Wood duck day, and both the drakes and hens were at their peak of color! The two males below spent half an hour just cruising up and down a small section of the pond, trying to impress the ladies. Click to enlarge the images…

showing their best side….

Take a closer look at the two males below. Notice how the one on the left doesn’t have the feather colors or configuration of the one on the right? I’ll make a guess and say that the one on the left is a first year bird while the other one is a true studmuffin!

before and after….

How about me????

And don’t count out the ladies either! This girl is telling the Mallards that they are in her spot!!!
The one below isn’t anything special but it is a pleasant composition and I like it… we call these kinds of pictures “birds on a stick”…

Chillin’……

And here is where I explain “barking at the Moon”…. The next sequence is one you’ll see quite often if you spend any time watching Wood ducks. I’m sure the other ducks do it too but woodies are just look prettier doing it! It just seems to me like like he is barking at the Moon!!!

Struttin’ his stuff…

Look at me honey!

If he gets any higher he’ll fall over backwards!

Coming back to earth….

Notice during this whole sequence the female is not paying any attention whatsoever!

And that is why you never leave early! I would have missed a great performance! (at least I thought so even if the female didn’t)
Hope you enjoy!

Yeah, It Was That Kinda Day.....

Sometimes when you go out to shoot early in the morning, so early that even the birds are still asleep, you just get the feeling that it’s not going to be a Nat Geo kind of day. By that I mean you feel that for whatever reason you know that it’s not going to be your most productive outing, photographically speaking. That was the case on Wednesday morning. The wind wasn’t right, my angle to the sunrise wasn’t all that favorable and to top it off the Otters came in a half hour before sunrise. All I saw was 5 little black heads bobbing in the water.
But as the sun began it’s race to the other side of the mountain I realized what a beautiful morning I was being treated to! A gorgeous colorful light filled the sky, with backlit clouds providing perspective to the scene. Shortly after sunrise while the light was still pretty dim, this male Wood duck and his girlfriend started working their way towards me. Of course they stayed in the dimmest part of the pond but I was still impressed by their Fall colors. Nothing spectacular but the day had already exceeded my expectations. Maybe it wasn’t such a dud after all!

After those two passed out of my sight I decided to have a cup of coffee. I always carry a thermos of coffee with me when I’m out shooting. If I’m going to sit for 3 or 4 hours in the same spot I am damn sure going to be comfortable! The problem is every time I pour a cup somebody shows up to get their picture taken! It’s like they wait until they see me pour a cup and then decide to come by. That is exactly what happened when I saw the little one below.

This little cutie is a Pied Billed Grebe. They are one of the smallest ducks that inhabit our area. Maybe they just look small because they have no tail, just a little puff that looks like a cotton ball. But do not let the small size fool you! They are as vicious as the Otters when they are tearing apart their prey.

Spin Cycle….

They enjoy doing the Spin-o-rama on their prey to basically break every bone in the poor minnow’s body! I wish I could have used a faster shutter speed on this but it was early morning and I needed all the light I could get! I like the next one a bit better.

I like this image a bit better than the previous one. The bird had just finished tenderizing the minnow but the spray was still in the air and the color palette is interesting too.

So as Mr. Peabody would say “there are no bad days. It’s just that some days are better than others.” And any day you can spend with friends like these is a gift to be appreciated…… now get out and shoot!

I Had Lunch With Some Friends Last Week.....

Sometimes you just need to Hang with your buds on a nice sunny day! I was invited to a luncheon put on by the Otter Society, spur of the moment of course, and I had a wonderful time! These cute little mammals (who are actually very efficient killers) seem to have a joy for life and a wish to enjoy every minute! Click to enlarge the images

Waiting for a lunch menu…..

Making a splash…

Should we order now???

Lunch looks great! Maybe the Bullhead in his mouth doesn’t think so though….

The whole sequence only took 3 to 4 minutes at most and is a compilation of two separate encounters. But I very much appreciated them inviting me to join them!

I hate it when a Bullhead gets stuck in your mouth!!!

The whole time this Kingfisher sat there watching…… He was probably wishing he could catch one that big!!!!

Making plans to skip out on the check!!!!

I felt very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. I just hope we can do lunch again next week!!!

Shooting In Shitty Light...... (with props to Lindsay)

This is a difficult time of year for a local bird photographer, especially in the wetland areas. It’s hot as Hell, the haze plays havoc with your autofocus, the light gets harsh quickly, and the mosquitos are tapdancing on your forehead. (I didn’t know that many of them could land in one spot!)
With that being said, it’s still an awful lot of fun! Your keeper rate will probably suck, but there are things that you can learn, even if you have to pay in blood!

For instance, I never knew that Green Herons could go full vertical without falling, but this youngster below did! And I’m pretty sure it’s a juvenile because of the white fuzz he or she has on the top of their head.

Now that is some great camoflage!!!

Now that is some great camoflage!!!

And usually when you see two Green Herons as close as these two were below it’s because they are fighting with each other. But maybe there is a temporary truce because one is an adult and one is a juvenile. The juvenile was probably afraid Mom was going to kick their ass if they started anything!

A rare sighting….. two in close proximity and they’re not fighting!!!

A rare sighting….. two in close proximity and they’re not fighting!!!

I actually like the next image below quite a bit but…… I missed the focus by just a hair. You’re constantly living on the edge of high ISO and slow shutter speed early in the morning and sometimes you just guess wrong….

A rare and endangered “Jumping Heron”……

A rare and endangered “Jumping Heron”……

I call the next one below my “live long and prosper” bird….. they are actually scratching their neck but it looks like they are trying to channel Spock….

What a great haircut!!!!

What a great haircut!!!!

And last but not least, this is the way you usually see Green Herons act……. like siblings! They constantly harass each other. If one is fishing the other has to try and sneak up and goad the other one into a game of tag. Or if one actually catches a fish the other will do their best to steal the catch!! They are a constant source of amusement in the swamp.

Another “almost” image that will end up in the recycle bin….. but captures their personality perfectly!!!

Another “almost” image that will end up in the recycle bin….. but captures their personality perfectly!!!

So that is my tale of woe…… but not really. I had a great morning!!!! Mosquito bites will fade, but the memories will last a long time! And remember, you’re going to miss 100% of the shots you don’t take! So get out there and shoot! Hope you enjoyed it!