By Mia McPherson, on April 5th, 2012%  Bison bull shedding - Nikon D200, handheld, f13, 1/200, ISO 250, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 135mm, natural light Every day that I spend in the field is always marvelous but it seems especially wonderful during the change of seasons because I feel a heightened sense of anticipation for the first of the year birds, the first spotting of wildflowers blooming or the seasonal changes that wildlife exhibits in behavior or appearance.
After a winter of seeing Bison (Bison bison) with thick winter coats I’ve begun to see them shedding to their summer coats. I photographed this Bison bull two days ago while he was grazing on the tender green shoots of grasses and although he looks very shaggy I know that soon his haunches and hindquarters will be very sleek looking.
I have also recently noticed that I am only seeing bulls, the cows are noticeably absent which means they are seeking quiet locations to drop their calves.
Spring has sprung!
Mia
More Bison images
By Mia McPherson, on February 26th, 2012% It has been a very weird winter here in Utah, there hasn’t been much snow at all in the Salt Lake Valley and temperatures have been warmer than normal. For a few weeks it has felt like spring. This week I saw a report of butterflies already flitting around and the trees I see have buds that look like they are ready to burst open.
Birds that I normally expect to photograph in the winter have been scarce, for instance the Bald Eagles at Farmington Bay WMA where last year I could count hundreds on any given day in February and this year I’ve been lucky to see more than 4 at a time.
So I’ve found myself wishing for the arrival of “spring birds” on more than one occasion because bird photography has been rather slow the last few weeks.
Swimming Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) ~ Salt Lake County, Utah
Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
Today I went out to Antelope Island State Park not expecting much because it has been very slow out there for bird photography lately and for the most part I was correct. But at the marina I saw some dark shapes in the sky flying very rapidly. I realized they were Cormorants as soon as my lens could focus on them! My FOY (first of the year) Double-crested Cormorants! There were four of them and they were too far away to get decent images but I felt like dancing because in my mind they are “spring birds“. Hooray!
American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) in flight ~ Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area, Utah
Nikon D200, f8, 1/2000, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
Just about a mile away from the park entrance I caught sight of a bird in flight and wondered what it was. My first instinct was “American Avocet” but it seems a little early for them. But I was right on the ID and saw not just one but two of them in flying along the causeway. Wow, more “spring birds“!
Oh yeah, I’m ready for the birds of spring.
Mia
(These images were taken previously, not today)
More American Avocet images
More Double-crested Cormorant images
By Mia McPherson, on February 7th, 2012% All over the U.S. this winter is reported as “The Winter that Wasn’t”. I believe it, I’m living it. The temperatures have been warmer, there has been very little snow in the Salt Lake Valley and it has just been very odd. The numbers of Bald Eagles are very low at Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area compared to last year at this time and it seems the Rough-legged Hawks have started to move north already because their numbers are dwindling.
But I have begun to notice the signs of spring. Common Ravens and Loggerhead Shrikes are pairing up, Western Meadowlarks are singing their little hearts out and tiny green shoots of grass trying to emerge from the cold soil. So, enough already, if there isn’t going to be a winter then bring on the spring!
Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) with its eye on another Grebe ~ Bear River National Wildlife Refuge, Utah
Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1500, ISO 320, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC 400mm, natural light
Each spring I look forward to seeing the arrival of Western Grebes in noisy, gregarious flocks. For me, they mean the ice has melted and that spring is making its appearance. Western Grebes are handsome black and white birds with cherry red eyes and long sharp bills. Western Grebes are graceful in the water, clumsy on land and enchanting during their amazing courtship rushes.
I hope to get acceptable (by my own personal standards) of them rushing this spring if the Bear River refuge remains open throughout this years breeding season. Last year there was some flooding and road work happening that closed the road to the auto tour where rushing can usually be seen and photographed.
Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) family portrait ~ Bear River National Wildlife Refuge, Utah
Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/750, ISO 320, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
Western Grebes make floating nests using plant materials that are normally attached to submerged vegetation and both sexes incubate the eggs.
Within minutes of hatching the young climb onto the parents back and are hidden under the feathers which is called back-brooding and lasts for several weeks. In my opinion it is very endearing to see the young poke their heads out of the back feathers of the adult to beg for food or to just look around.
Yeah, bring on spring, I can barely wait to see Western Grebes again!
Mia
More Western Grebe images
By Mia McPherson, on January 9th, 2012% Last week I posted some fun images of a Coyote with Falcon leftovers taken along the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake with piles of ice in the background. Six days later, on January 1st, I had more fun with a Coyote in almost the same location.
Coyote running on the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake ~ Davis County, Utah
Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC 200mm, natural light, not baited or called in
The piles of ice from my earlier Coyote series of images are nearly gone due to some warm weather but the lake is still frozen in many areas. This Coyote was running; perhaps a better term would be galloping, along the shoreline and didn’t seem to be in the mood to hunt at all.
Coyote on the go
Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 200mm, natural light, not baited or called in
This Coyote looks a bit messier than the other one that I posted last week but I think that just adds to the scruffy reputation that Coyotes seem to have. I had to pull my zoom all the way back to 200mm to try to keep the Coyote in the frame as it ran and I still had plenty of shots where I had clipped a part of it.
Three feet off of the ground
Nikon D300, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 200mm, natural light, not baited or called in
The Coyote was intent on its path and it was a challenge to try to get eye contact from it but several times it turned and looked my way. In the image above I was able to get three feet clearly off of the ground plus I had eye contact.
Coyote in the air
Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 200mm, natural light, not baited or called in
Several times I was able to capture photos of the Coyote with all four feet off of the ground, I liked this frame because all of the feet were in the air, the eye is clearly visible, the mouth is open and the teeth are showing plus I really like the setting. The out of focus vegetation on the bottom of the image isn’t ideal but I believe the strengths of the photo outweigh the minor distractions there.
Coyote braking to turn around
Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 200mm, natural light, not baited or called in
I wanted to keep my shutter speed high to capture all the movement so I set my ISO to 640 and my aperture at f6.3, the light was great so I didn’t need to adjust my exposure compensation at all. I used Aperture Priority and Auto White Balance and those settings worked very well.
When I took this last image the Coyote was slowing down to turn and go across to the other side of the road. I thanked the Coyote and went on down the road. (Yes, I thank my subjects)
What a great day!
Mia
More Coyote images
By Mia McPherson, on December 19th, 2011% During the summer months I don’t often see Bald Eagles unless I go up into the high country or travel north of Utah to Idaho, Wyoming or Montana but in the Salt Lake Valley many Bald Eagles come in to spend the winter.
Four year old Bald Eagle Portrait ~ Davis County, Utah
Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 200, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
By the time autumn arrives I find myself anxiously looking forward to seeing my first Eagle of the season and usually the first one I spot is flying high overhead or perched on a craggy rock.
Many of the Bald Eagles that over winter in the Salt Lake Valley have migrated down from the mountains or from much father north of Utah, including Bald Eagles from Alaska.
Adult Bald Eagle in flight ~ Davis County, Utah
Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
I have been seeing a spattering of Bald Eagles either in flight or perched in leafless trees lately and before long there will be hundreds more.
I haven’t heard any calling yet but I suspect that I will be hearing that soon. I am looking forward to seeing and photographing the Bald Eagles that call this valley home during the coldest months. Utah ROCKS for bird photography!
Mia
|
Photographing a Tricolored Heron from a tidal lagoon
Focusing on Wildlife Contributor
|
