North section of the Bear River NWR auto tour route – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/1500, ISO 400, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18 mm, natural light
Christmas Day of 2012 turned out to be as beautiful as I hoped at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge (also known as Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge) because of bright skies, snow on the ground and virtually having the place to ourselves. The Promontory Mountains to the west were gorgeous covered in a blanket of fresh snow. Bear River had some open water but there was also ice along the shore and some of the smaller ponds were frozen over. The lowest temp I saw was 6 degrees Fahrenheit but it didn’t feel that cold because of the warmth of the sun.
Bald Eagle Landing on the Bear River – Nikon D300, f5.6, 1/3200, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
Just before the maintenance buildings at the start of the auto tour route I spotted this Bald Eagle standing on the frozen surface of the Bear River, it looked beautiful in the soft morning light. The eagle was looking at the ice covering the river when it lifted off and flew a few feet towards something that I couldn’t see. This photo was taken as the eagle started to land on the ice once again. Two American White Pelicans lifted off from the river right after the bridge by the maintenance building, they have hung around rather late in the season. Maybe they just didn’t want to be called “snow birds” by the people down south.
Before seeing the Bald Eagle I spotted a Barn Owl flying but the owl would not let us get close enough for images. During the morning at Bear River NWR and north in the Golden Spike Area we saw Bald and Golden Eagles, Rough-legged Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers, a Prairie Falcon and quite a few American Kestrels. In addition I spotted two Short-eared Owls flying over a marshy area. Most of these great raptor were just too far away for photos.
Marshes and the distant Promontory Mountains – Nikon D200, handheld, f14, 1/640, ISO 400, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 75mm, natural light
The air was crisp, and the only sounds I could hear when the truck wasn’t moving were the sounds of nature. Rustling Phragmites and Cattails, small birds flitting around and some times further away, the cries of gulls. It was peaceful, relaxing and invigorating all at the same time. What a wonderful Christmas gift.
Young Great Blue Heron on Christmas Day – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
On the north section of the very muddy auto route we saw a scattering of around 100 Great Blue Herons, I have never seen so many in an area that size at the refuge. It was pretty amazing to see. right after we headed south I spotted this immature Great Blue Heron standing in a section of open water surrounded by ice, it wasn’t long before the bird flew onto a pile of snow topped vegetation which is where it was when I captured this image.
You might wonder how I know that this is a young bird, the crown is dark and there isn’t any white on top of the head or behind the eye as would be seen on an adult. The rusty colored shoulder patches that adults have aren’t evident and the mottled stripes on the chest of this bird wouldn’t be seen on an adult.
Looking towards Promontory Point – Nikon D200, handheld, f14, 1/320, ISO 400, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 22mm, natural light
After leaving the auto tour route was finally saw another car parked on the shoulder of the hard-topped road and that is where I spotted the first Short-eared owl flying over the marshy area. The driver of the car was out taking photographs so we pulled in a distance behind him to see if the owl would fly in close. The young man came up and introduced himself after a bit. David is from Washington State and it was his first visit to Bear River NWR so we told him what we had seen on the auto tour route and I hope he saw some of the birds we mentioned. It was very nice to have met him.
Bear River NWR and the Golden Spike area are always wonderful but yesterday both seemed even more fantastic.
Sandhill Crane at Red RocK Lakes National Wildlife Refuge – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/320, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in
This Sandhill Crane image was taken last year at Red Rock lakes National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Montana. During the summer months the calls of the Sandhills echo across the Centennial Valley which is a prime nesting area for these large birds.
A ten million year old Sandhill Crane fossil from the Miocene period was found in Nebraska which is identical in structure to modern Sandhills. Although that fossil record has been disputed the oldest unequivocal Sandhill Crane fossil is 2.5 million years old, over one and a half times older than the earliest remains of most living species of birds making them the oldest known surviving bird species.
So, each time we see or hear Sandhill Cranes we are listening to and looking at a real living fossil. The cranes still follow the same ancient migration routes too.
It won’t be long before the high, scratchy kweea kweea calls of Clark’s Grebes (Aechmophorus clarkii) are heard in Utah’s Bear River National Wildlife Refuge if they haven’t already arrived. I haven’t been to Bear River NWR in a while. (I checked on the Bear River NWR site and at least 18 Western Grebes and 16 Clark’s Grebes have been seen there recently)
Clark’s Grebe at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 250, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
I think that Clark’s Grebes are striking birds with their long graceful necks, black crowns, sharp bright yellow to orange-yellow bills, lovely white, gray and black plumage and those brilliant cherry-red eyes. Clark’s Grebes nest at Bear River NWR, they build floating nests with emergent vegetation. The young are able to swim not long after hatching and like other grebe young they do ride on the adult’s backs.
Clark’s Grebes are rarely seen in flight because they dive and swim to get away from predators and they only migrate at night. I’d still love to see one in flight and capture their mating display called “rushing”.
From the dam at the Lower Lake Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana Nikon D200, f22, 1/125, ISO 250, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 26mm, natural light
Montana has had a wet, cold spring and summer hasn’t yet reached the Centennial Valley where Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is located. There was more water everywhere in the valley than I have seen, of the camping sites at the Lower Lake all but one were to wet to camp at. The sagebrush flats were even under water in many locations, I’m not sure how the sagebrush is surviving with such wet “feet”.
Lots of snow left on the Centennial Mountains, even for June Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/5000, ISO 250, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 95mm, natural light
There was still loads of snow on the Centennial Mountain Range so that means more water in the valley for the spring run off. I hope the lakes and streams can handle it all. Even down low near the road to the refuge there was snow close enough that you could get out and walk over to it to stick your hands in the cold white stuff.
Stormy sky over the Lower Lake of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana Nikon D200, f18, 1/160, ISO 250, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light
As a bird photographer extremely low light can be a problem thus there are times I set the big lenses down and grab my backup D200 with the 18-200mm VR lens to take images of the scenery when it get too dark to photograph birds
well. I also do that in good light so that I can capture the wild beauty of the areas that I am out in looking for birds to photograph.
Centennial Mountains with blue skies and fluffy clouds Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana Nikon D200, f16, 1/180, ISO 250, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light
There are times I grab the D200 with the 18-200mm VR just because the view I am seeing takes my breath away as the scene above did.
I know shots like these are not considered “Fine Art Photography” but I don’t really care that they aren’t taken during the “Golden Hours” or that I haven’t needed to HDR them to death, I simply love them because they touch a chord within me that reminds me of the great times I have had in the wonderfully wild places I visit. Besides, most of the time we are viewing scenery under brighter light than early morning or late evening. Fine enough art for my tastes.
Evening light on the Centennial Mountains Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/90, ISO 250, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 62mm, natural light
I do attempt to take landscape photos during the “Golden Hours” but as a bird photographer I don’t want to waste the sweet light very often on scenery, I want that light in my bird images. Clearing storms can often produce delightful images any time of the day. The stormy weather was moving east when I took the photo above and the sun was beginning to set.
Stormy sky looking east from the campground at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana Nikon D200, 1/1500, ISO 250, -2.0 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light
I like moody images with stormy skies, moisture laden clouds and how certain light can play across open areas of the ground. The light here was from above me when I created this file, I bumped down the evaluation compensation to keep the sky as dark as it was at the time. That made the grasses and fence a bit darker than they actually were though I think that added to the mood in this frame.
Rainbow over Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge from the Lower Lake Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana Nikon D200, three frames stitched together to create this panorama, f7.1, 1/350, ISO 2500, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light
I saved this image for last in this post because even when it is stormy I know the skies will clear and that once in awhile a rainbow will appear. This rainbow lasted for over 45 minutes and it was a double rainbow for quite some time. It was awesome to see.
While at the refuge it rained, it hailed, there was thunder, lighting and at times even gale force winds but the biggest weather surprise after leaving the refuge was seeing snow falling lightly near Lima, MT… in June.
I’ll be posting bird and animal images from my trip soon.
Mia
*See more on Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, one of my Favorite Locations. Click Here
Hovering Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus), 1st frame Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Davis County, Utah Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
I was digging through my archives to place my 2011 photos into a new external harddrive when I came across these two images of a Northern Harrier hovering that I had taken in January of this year and decided to post them because of the low light conditions I photographed the harrier in.
Utah weather can be unpredictable anytime of the year but during the winter it can look bright and sunny where I live and then when I get to my location to photograph it can be quite a different story. The Salt Lake Valley has mountains to the east and the west and mountains do make their own weather. Plus given the fact that Northern Harriers prefer areas with marshes or shorelines and the fog found there can create even more challenges.
These two images were taken when there was snow falling, the light was low and there was some fog. I had to increase my exposure compensation so that the images would not be under exposed which decreased my shutter speed giving the images some motion blur. Newer cameras than mine do handle higher ISO settings than 400 quite well which would give the users of those cameras higher shutter speeds than I was able to get with my trusty, but old, Nikon D200.
Hovering Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus), 2nd frame Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Davis County, Utah Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
I don’t mind the motion blur in these images and because northern harriers hunt by looking down at the ground for their prey I was very happy to get eye contact in both frames. The habitat with dried vegetation, snow on the ground and bits of falling snow make the photos appealing to me as do the poses that the harrier gave me.
I could have used some fill flash but at least 99% or more of my images are taken in natural light. I prefer photographing birds without flash partly because I don’t care for the “flashed” look and because I also do not want to startle or scare the birds. I’ve seen people get close to birds and when the flash goes off…so does the bird in many cases.
Appealing and compelling images can be produced even when the conditions are not the best. I enjoy the challenges that low light creates, it test my skills as a photographer and I like that. Low light images are also a challenge to post process and keep the photo looking like what it is, an image taken in low light.
