Country Captures

Lucky Break

2012-01-27T19:16:00.001-05:00

After raining yesterday afternoon and throughout the night the precipitation stopped this morning. As usual on my days off I headed out at daybreak hoping to capture some wildlife images however things didn't work out as I had hoped for. For one thing the wild turkeys apparently chose a different route leaving the roost and never came into view. A beautiful fox squirrel did show up and perched in a nearby tree cutting a walnut but before I could get the shot he spooked.

Heading home with no pixels exposed, I was a little disappointed with the morning's outcome. Rounding a bend in the road I noticed a large bird perched in a roadside tree. With no traffic behind me I pulled the car to the side. Swinging the door I open braced the 600mm between the door and the body. Shooting against a gray sky can be problematic so I dialed in a +1 exposure compensation to keep the subject from being too heavily exposed.

Whether hunting with a weapon or a camera a few seconds can make the difference between returning home empty handed or with a smile on ones face. This morning I was all smiles!

Wild Turkeys: Tensions Rising

2012-01-25T19:59:00.001-05:00

Day by day the tensions are rising in the wild turkey flocks. The breeding season is still some time off but the gobblers are becoming more aggressive as they vie for dominance.

A flock of jakes (yearling males) surround a mature gobbler

Vastly outnumbered, the mature gobble breaks and runs with the jakes in hot pursuit

The gobbler continued to run until the jakes gave up the chase

In the coming weeks the aggression will continue to build as the spring mating season approaches. Fights will occur where a pair of gobblers will fight to exhaustion. I'm hoping a good fight will occur in front of my camera as it did in February of 2010.

American Coot

2012-01-22T18:38:00.000-05:00

The thousands of geese present at Blackwater can cause the casual viewer to miss many of the other inhabitants of the wetlands. At first glance the geese may be all that you see but a closer look reveals many other species mixed in. One of those species, the subject of today's post is the American Coot.

Although they look much like a duck and swim like a duck they aren't ducks; Coots are member of the rail family. Unlike the other species of rail, the coot has lobed feet; an adaptation that makes them excellent swimmers.

I could count the number of times I have encountered coots in my home area on the fingers of one hand so I was very pleased to be able to photograph this pair of American Coots foraging at Blackwater NWR.

Blackwater Honkers

2012-01-20T19:22:00.001-05:00

Canada geese are by far the most commonly seen wildlife at Blackwater NWR. The waterfowl was concentrated in the freshwater marshes to the right of wildlife drive.

Some time after sunup the waterfowl flew to the fields that lay along Key Wallace Drive where thousands upon thousands of Canada geese could be seen foraging on the food plots. I found it interesting that the huge flocks paid no attention to passing vehicles. However upon slowing the geese would begin running directly away with a few taking flight. Their reaction to slowing vehicles makes me wonder if there is a problem in the area with persons shooting from vehicles.

Mixed with the geese were various species of ducks. Here a male pintail and two females swim by some resting Canadas.

Day Tripping: Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

2012-01-19T19:28:00.001-05:00

Needing a photo-fix Willard and I visited Blackwater NWR this morning. Located on Maryland's eastern shore near Cambridge, Blackwater is a wintering area for many species of waterfowl as well as a good number of Bald Eagles.

Great Blue Herons are plentiful as well. At one point five herons were in sight at stalking across the tidal flats in search of prey.

Throughout the morning we observed Canada geese, snow geese, tundra swans, northern shovelers, mallards, pintails, hooded mergansers, and northern harriers. I will be post images more images from Blackwater NWR in the coming days.

Winter Wild Turkeys

2012-01-18T19:26:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know the weather is cold and sometimes dreary, but wildlife photography opportunities still exist for those willing to endure the numbing chill. Migrant species that summer here have long since departed but for the wild turkey there is no choice other than to spend the entire year on their home range.

While the wild turkeys are mainly interested in feeding at this time of year, the occasional fight does break out when two flocks meet. Within a month the gobblers will begin feeling early stirrings of the mating season; gobbling and fighting will become more common.

I photographed this gobbler during a snow shower early this morning as he fluffed his feathers in a display of dominance toward another gobbler. Today the display was all that was needed to force his opponent back off.

Downy Woodpecker

2012-01-17T19:32:00.000-05:00

Downy woodpeckers, the smallest of our woodpecker, are very common across North America and are feeder favorites. However this adult male was not visiting a feeder when I captured this series of images.

I was (unsuccessfully)attempting to photograph a yellow-shafted flicker feeding on grubs in a long ago abandoned lawn when the little downy landed nearby. Although not scared enough to fly away he persisted in keeping me under keen observation.

Remaining curious throughout the encounter he stretches to his fullest height for a better view

Stripping Bark

2012-01-14T18:36:00.000-05:00

With winter getting colder dead branches with shredded bark are becoming much more commonly seen. Here I caught the culprit in the act as she stripped the dead cambium layer.

Squirrels will strip bark from living branches for food and/or water but when they are stripping dead limbs as they are doing now it is to line their nest. The bark provides padding and insulation. It will be a few weeks before the first young of the year will be born but this squirrel will have her nest ready to receive them.

A little chewing softens it up just right before she scampered away to her cavity nest.

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Winter Gobblers

2012-01-12T19:07:00.003-05:00

Wild turkeys and some of the toughest subjects I think I have ever tackled. Even when photographing birds with which you have developed a level of trust, trying to get good sharp images is incredibly difficult. For a photo to be a keeper the head must be sharp and a turkeys head is always twisting, turning, and bobbing about.

So I was very pleased when after making 58 shots during a recent morning's shoot that I still had 19 images remaining after deleting motion blurr/missed focus shots. Of those 19 shots this image of a pair of mature gobblers feeding in the frosty meadow grass is my favorite.

Wild Turkeys on the Wing

2012-01-11T16:52:00.001-05:00

Wild turkeys spend most of their time on the ground usually prefering walking or running. However when the mood strikes they are perfectly capable of lifting their heavy bodies into the air. With strong wingbeats they will rise quickly and then glide to their destination.

Willard and I watched a small flock of immature gobblers this morning as they decided to fly over, rather than walk through, a patch of dense cover. One by one the birds lifted up and glided into the a open field.

As each turkey made its flight we followed their progress with our cameras; trying to capture sharp images of the big birds in flight.

Their flight, while not graceful by any measure still is more graceful than the landing.

Long Shot

2012-01-09T18:37:00.001-05:00

1/250, f8, ISO 100

On a crisp clear January evening it is difficult to fathom that 238,857 miles separates the earth and moon. For centuries people have gazed at our nearest heavenly neighbor while imprisoned on this sphere we call earth.

We are told that our astronauts visited here five times between 1969 and 1972. If this is true why have we allowed 39 years to pass without another lunar landing?

Golden Surprise

2012-01-08T21:04:00.001-05:00

Friday morning found me pursuing our local squirrels and enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. Seeing half a dozen squirrels running through the woods is very common now as their mating season is is full swing. A female followed by her lusty admirers creates quite a ruckus as the males chase her up and down trees each trying to best the others in his quest to mate.

It was during one of these squirrel melees that I heard crows calling loudly as they flew overhead. Looking up through the tree tops I could see that they were pursuing a much larger bird.

Quickly loosing interest in the squirrels I grabbed the camera gear and went to the edge of the nearby meadow to get a better view. Sightings of bald eagles has become somewhat commonplace in our area and at first I thought that the bird was a immature bald eagle.

Imagine my surprise when I was able to identify the bird as a Golden Eagle! As if that were not enough there was not one, but two of the majestic birds wheeling through the air as they swooped over the rolling foothills in search of prey!

These images are not of the quality I normally post because of the long distance, hand holding the 600mm lens, and extremely heavy cropping.

Middle Creek Ringers

2012-01-06T19:34:00.002-05:00

Working my way through my archives I found these ring-necked duck shots from March of 2010.

Ring-necked ducks pass through Pennsylvania during their spring and fall migrations. Nesting on ponds and marshes in the boreal forest of Canada and wintering in the southern US states they spend only a few weeks passing through southern Pennsylvania.

Ring-necked ducks are divers however unlike other divers they can leap into the air without pattering. In this photo a male can be seen surfacing. Look closely and you will see that the surface tension of the water causes him to looks as if his head is encased in plastic.

I photographed these ducks at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management area. The images are cropped more that what I would have preferred but getting close to waterfowl is not a viable option at most of the Middle Creek viewing spots.

Fox Squirrels

2012-01-04T18:56:00.000-05:00

Two distinctly different squirrels inhabit my home area, eastern gray and fox squirrels. When I was a kid growing up squirrel hunting was very popular and like so many other rural kids my I began honing my hunting skills targeting the local gray squirrels. At that time in the mid 1960's gray squirrels were the most numerous with a smattering of red squirrels. I well remember the first time I encountered a fox squirrel. I was hunting up a hollow on the back side of our family farm when in the distance I spotted a huge reddish squirrel. I could scarcely believe my eyes for I had never seen a squirrel anywhere near the size of this animal. It was too far away for my shotgun and before I could close the distance it disappeared.

It would not be until the early 1980's before I would again encounter a fox squirrel. Again it happened while I was squirrel hunting and this time I took it with the scoped .22. Since this was only my second sighting of a fox squirrel I took the animal to a local taxidermist and the mount hangs in my den to this day.

Little did I know that a major change to our local squirrel population was underway. Soon I began spotting more and more fox squirrels and by the mid 90's they were often making up from a third to half of the squirrels I bagged. At the same time as the fox squirrels were moving in the red squirrels disappeared.

Fox squirrels habits differ somewhat from that of grays. Fox squirrels prefer more open forest and are often seen rummaging about in open fields whereas the grays show a propensity for denser forest and seldom venture far into the open. Compared to gray's the fox squirrels are huge; frequently weighing two pounds or more, nearly twice that of a gray. The grays and foxes seem to co-exist quite well as both are populations are flourishing. I noted on an earlier post that the local gray squirrels are busy feeding on black walnuts and as you can see in this photo the foxies are doing so as well.

Winter Cleaning

2012-01-03T19:36:00.002-05:00

I sometimes hear my wife refer to spring cleaning but spring is a busy time in the outdoors so I have decided to set some time aside this winter for clean-up. File clean-up.

I'm a procrastinator and somewhat of a hoarder so tackling my image files has looked like a daunting task. Instead of ruthlessly deleting images immediately after downloading I usually only delete the absolute blown shots and process the best; leaving hundreds, no thousands of images I will never use cluttering up my hard drives. So I have declared this winter, Clean-up Winter!

In doing so I am getting to review all of my image collection and finding some overlooked gems mixed in. There was never any doubt about the first image posted above being a keeper but the second; it deserved a second look.

2011 in Review

2011-12-31T16:14:00.000-05:00

Eastern Bluebird Canon 60D, 600mm, ISO 320,f4.5, 1/90

As 2011 passes into history I look back at my outdoor photographic endeavors and marvel at what an incredible year it turned out to be. Posting to Country Captures, I was frequently at a loss for words but never for wildlife images. The year started with visiting the eagles at Conowingo early in January, then on to Pa's elk herd in February, and then to Middle Creek for the snow geese migration in March.

By early April the waterfowl migration was going strong around home and combining fishing and photography filled the freezer with fresh fillets and my computer with image files through May. June and July were spent near home photographing the waterfowl young, whitetail fawns, and the bucks as their antlers grew.

Come August it was on to Shenandoah National Park in search of velvet and SNP seldom disappoints. A highlight of the August trips was encountering the blueberry eating coyote who, although he kept the deer on alert, showed no interest in eating anything other than the berries. September found me in Pa's elk country photographing the rut. While I didn't capture any images that really grabbed my attention it was a good trip with a number of good bulls to photograph and a quite a few great guys to shoot the bull with.

October as always seen the foliage change from a uniform green to a coat of many colors. Whitetail activity picked up as the first stirring of the pre-rut began exciting the deer herd. A day trip to SNP was just the ticket for pre-rut buck images. Migrating waterfowl began to show up at the local lake as the birds began their southward journey. Fall waterfowl photography is never as productive as the spring, the migration moves faster and hunting pressure makes the birds very wary. The month ended with the opening of Pa's elk season and for the first time I was there with Willard to document the hunt around Winslow Hill. We photographed the events as hunters killed a human habituated bull on the hillside facing the viewing area. By the time the season had ended a number of the habituated bulls that had thrilled thousands of viewers were dead; a sad note to end the month on. It was also on this trip that I heard the story of the bull shot by this years holder of the Governors Conservation Tag. It was told that he arrowed bull #22; a bull that was collared with a transmitter. The wounded bull escaped only to die eight days later; 4 1/2 miles from where he was initially shot. If it hadn't been for the collar he would not have been located. The bull was alread spoiled by the time they got there; only his antlers could be salvaged.

November brought on the whitetail rut. Thanks to Pa's antler restrictions and a number of trips to SNP it was the most fantastic whitetail rut I have ever experienced. The rut was winding down by the time SNP began closing the middle district during the night and Pa's deer season opened; the two events that ended my season of buck photography. With the ending of the rut my photographic attention turned to feeder birds.

Birds and squirrels have been my targets the last few days but I am already beginning to feel the need to put the wheels on the highway in search of bigger and better things for 2012!

Happy New Year!

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What are they eating?

2011-12-29T19:19:00.003-05:00

The components that make up ideal wildlife habitat are not much different than our own; food, water, and shelter. Knowing what food source the wildlife you are seeking is utilizing at any given time is an important clue to locating it. Squirrels in my area will be found around hickory trees in mid to late August where they are cutting the green hickory nuts. As the acorns ripen squirrels will show a marked preference for the oak ridges where they will feed and collect fallen nuts many of which they will bury for later retrieval. In year's when the acorn crop fails, squirrels can be found targeting other food sources such as red-bud pods, dogwood berries, wild grape, poplar seed, etc.

Recently I have noticed that most of our local gray squirrels are targeting black walnuts. They seem to have forsaken nearly all other food sources, even our feeders offering sunflower seed and corn, preferring the hard thick shelled black walnuts instead. The walnut meats are quite tasty but at the same time difficult to access. It is not uncommon to watch a squirrel gnaw for fifteen minutes or more on a single nut as it chews holes through the shell to extract the contents. It's a lot of work for a small meal but the squirrels don't seem to mind.

Wildlife Population Perceptions

2011-12-27T19:42:00.000-05:00

Recently as I thumbed through a Pennsylvania outdoor publication I was struck by the observations that contributors had made. A number of hunters were questioned about their opinion of the recent changes to the Pa bear season format where extra days were added to the archery season, one day added to the firearms season with that being a Saturday opener to allow hunters more access without needing to take time away from work. The comments were all positive and respondents generally felt there are too many bears in Pennsylvania and increased hunting opportunities posed no problem.

Additionally in letters to the editor hunters decried the lack of deer. One Pennsylvania legislator has even proposed a bill requiring a separate committee be appointed to oversee antlerless license allocation as the PGC has over harvested deer and apparently cannot be trusted to manage deer numbers. Continuing to spot read I did not find one person expressing the opinion that Pennsylvania has enough deer let alone too many.

With those opinions in mind lets look at some numbers.

During the 2010 hunting season 161,119 bear hunting licenses were sold. Hunters bagged 3,090 bears during the hunting season. However, during the same license year hunters took an estimated 316,240 deer; 122,930 antlered and 193,310 antlerless. When comparing bear license to harvest one finds that less than two percent of bear hunters were successful. However, when comparing the deer harvest of 316,240 deer against a total of over 800,000 licensed hunter yields a thirty seven percent success rate.

From a personal point of view, during 2011 I have seen deer nearly every day and photographed them innumerable times. During the same period I had just one bear encounter with a sow and three small cubs, and never a chance to fire the camera. Yet those interviewed by the hunting publication generally agreed; Pa has too many bears when over 100 times more deer were harvested. And guess what; We don't have any deer!

Kinda hard to figure

Blue Jays & The 600

2011-12-26T19:47:00.001-05:00

The minimum focus distance of the 600mm lens required me to move the blind farther away from the feeders. The wary blue jays, difficult to photograph with the 400mm, seem to appreciate the extra personal space.

The 600 presents its own set of challenges. Quarters are cramped enough inside the small blind and adding the big lens makes it even more so, but the biggest problem by far is locating the birds through the lens. At the close distances necessary for frame filling shots the field of view through the finder only covers a few inches and for the most part that is blurred because of the shallow depth of field.

I have also found that to capture the very sharpest images that I must shoot hands free with a cabled remote. The tiny vibrations induced by simply touching any part of the rig; camera, lens, or tripod will soften the image perceptibly. However, when it all comes together the resulting images are just what I was hoping for. Now I can hardly wait until the spring waterfowl migrations begin!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T17:58:00.000-05:00

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas

Reindeer

Cardinal

Blue Jay

Let Heaven and Nature Sing

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Prime Time Bushytails

2011-12-23T20:10:00.001-05:00

Don't get me wrong, I love my Canon 100-400mm L. In Canon's lens line-up you cannot get more bang for your buck in a lens to cover a wide range of wildlife photography. Sure the f5.6 is a little slow for low-light photography and the dof isn't as shallow as one might like, but with 300mm of zoom topping at 400mm it does a fantastic job without sending one for a home equity loan.

However there is a reason that wildlife photographers lust after the big primes. There is a reason that folks like me look at their prices and feel an empty pit in our stomachs; knowing that someday we won't be satisfied without one. And after saving for a couple of years I find myself sitting in front of the computer, the order filled out; feeling the upwelling of the dry heaves as the cursor hovers over the "place order" button.

A few days later the big box arrives. Almost hesitantly I open it and am soon fitting the beast into the Kirk gimbal head. It feels much heavier than the advertised 11+ pounds but swings effortlessly in the gimbal.

A couple of days later and it's show time at the feeders.

This little fellow mustered up a bushel of "Cute Factor" for my first 600mm prime-time shoot.

Too Close For Comfort

2011-12-21T20:14:00.000-05:00

During a visit to Shenandoah National Park during the 2011 rut I spotted a good buck at a considerable distance and decided to get closer. Not to be left behind Brad Myers joined me with Willard bringing up the rear. Twenty five yards distance was close enough for frame filling head shots with my 400mm so we set the tripods down and went to work.

The buck seemed unconcerned with our presence but then began moving in our direction. By this time I was sitting on the ground keeping my camera low for a better shooting angle. I noticed that he was drawing nearer and soon was zooming out to obtain the compositions I desired.

And then with his head down his ears went back; there was no doubting his aggressive body language. We all began talking sternly to him as we slowly backed away, making sure to continue maintaining eye contact as we went. After following us for twenty yards or so he lost interest, turned and began moving parallel.

When he came to the woodline he scraped. This image captured him as he scent-marked the overhanging branches by licking and rubbing them with his facial glands.

As he moved through a strip of woodland we repositioned to intercept him coming out the other side. We watched as he battled the bushes in mock fighting and then as he began to emerge shutters began clicking.

And once again he headed directly toward the cameras! When he lifted his tail we all knew that it was time once again to move back and give him room. While this body language may not appear threatening don't be mislead; it is! When a whitetail encounters a predator, if they don't flee, they will approach with head held high and tail lifted just as this buck was doing to us.

Later in the evening we were again photographing the same buck as he rubbed a large tree, but this time from a much greater distance and this time he didn't seem to mind.

This whitetail was the most agressive buck I have ever encountered during my years of photographing the rut. Having an understanding of their body language and behaviour helped defuse the situation. Always remember if you get into a "Too Close For Comfort" situation always back away slowly, maintain eye contact, and never, never turn and run for that may be the trigger that brings on an attack.

As the sun dropped below the horizon we watched as this same buck approached another photographer with head and tail up. The photographer, being seasoned and fully understanding the situation, backed away and continued backing until the buck lost interest.

Bird Feeders: Keeping it Natural

2011-12-20T19:51:00.000-05:00

A gust of wind ruffles the feathers of a Mourning Dove

As those of you who visit Country Captures regularly know, I always strive to capture wildlife images in natural settings. Photos of birds sitting on feeders, roof tops, and powerlines are not as aesthetically appealing to me as birds on a natural perch. It really doesn't take much to set up a feeding location with lots of natural props as long as your local ordinances allow a brush pile on your property.

This photo shows the setup where many of my bird shots are taken. The pop-up blind gives the birds a sense of security although they know full well that I am inside. While the brush pile provides perches galore, the upright hollow logs hold the bird seed that brings then flocking in. Scattering some feed in the brush attracts ground feeding birds such as the mourning dove pictured above.

Spending time in the blind is a great way to pass a few hours on a chilly winter day. Reviewing, deleting, and processing the keeper images will make the long winter evening hours fly by quickly as well.

Backlit Leaves

2011-12-19T19:49:00.000-05:00

It seems like quite a bit of time has passed since the colorful autumn foliage drifted to the ground but going through my archives I found this one touch of color that I had yet to process. I made the image one foggy November morning. The combination of fog, wet leaves and backlight caught my attention as I was driving along a dirt road. I tried a few different compositions with this one being my favorite. I hope you like it too.

Too Much Depth of Field

2011-12-17T18:53:00.003-05:00

400mm f5.6, 5.5m distance

Try as I might I haven't been able to capture a satisfactory shot of a blue jay yet this year. It's not that there is a lack of bird for at times more than a dozen jays will swarm the feeding area. Rather the problem is their wariness. Seldom will they perch for more than a split second unless they are in or near cover when I am positioned close enough to the feeding area to capture an acceptable image. When I snapped this image the bird was close enough to the camera but too close to cover.

It is a good sharp image of the bird but the busy background is too distracting. While reviewing my shots from the day I thought for a moment about hitting the delete button and then decided to post about those times when having too much DOF ruins the shot.

Beef

2011-12-14T18:06:00.003-05:00

Born on our family farm, castrated during his first day of life, he spent his entire life grazing the pastures with the brood cow herd. Normally our calves are kept until they are 500-600lbs and then sold as feeder calves to be finished out for beef, but this fine looking fellow was chosen two years ago to stay. He had been chosen while still a young calf to provide beef for our family.

He never had to endure the trauma of being trucked to the livestock auction, chased through the sale ring, herded onto a truck, and then dumped into a crowded feedlot where he would barely have room to move. He never had medicated feed, hormone implants, or a steady diet of corn to make him grow faster than he would naturally. And he was never rounded up and trucked to a slaughter plant where he would be forced in line awaiting his turn to be killed. Instead this morning he was pasturing in the same fields he had known all of his life when suddenly his life ended.

Millions of people every day dine on a steak or wolf down a burger without giving a moment's thought that an animal had lost it's life in order for them to have that meal. But when you are around them from the time they are born right up until you carefully aim the shot that strikes their forehead you do think about such things.

It was with sadness that I aimed the rifle. Knowing that this animal had lived a much better, more tranquil life than most cattle slaughtered in the US helped to lessen the sadness.

There is no Substitute for getting Close

2011-12-12T20:02:00.002-05:00

Tufted Titmouse - 7 feet

Eastern Gray Squirrel - 19 feet

Nibbling

2011-12-10T19:34:00.001-05:00

Nibbling on a frost covered twig a whitetail buck fawn shows off his tiny antler.

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Pennsylvania Antler Restrictions: My Opinion

2011-12-07T18:40:00.001-05:00

When this Pennsylvania firearms deer season draws to a close Saturday we will have ten years of antler restrictions behind us.

Prior to the 2002 season Pa regulations required a buck to carry either a 3" minimum length spike or two points on one side to be a legal antlered deer. Starting with the 2002 season to be legal; a buck had to carry at least 3 points an inch or more in length on one side and some regions required at least 4. This year after much complaining from hunters in the 4 point region as to the difficulty in determining whether a buck with three points on top also had the required brow tine the PGC changed the 4 point region to requiring 3 points on top; brow tines do not count.

At the same time the antler restrictions were instituted antlerless rifle deer season, which had previously been the Monday through Wednesday following buck season, became concurrent with the two weeks of buck season. Since then due to hunter complaints about lack of deer much of the state is now buck only the first five days followed by seven days of concurrent antlered and antlerless hunting.

Legal buck prior to 2002

Prior to 2002 1 1/2 year old buck made up 85% of the buck harvest. Leaving only 15% of the bucks to have a chance to become 2 1/2 years old. At 1 1/2 bucks are simply too young to grow nice antlers. Spikes were so common that it was the running joke that they were Pennsylvania 11 pointers. If I remember correctly studies were reporting that the adult buck/doe ratio was somewhere around 14 does for each buck following the hunting season.

Another legal buck prior to 2002

Willard and I both became interested in our local whitetails at an early age and have hunted, watched, and photographed them extensivily over the past forty plus years. Prior to 2002 we would have refered to the buck pictured in the first photo as a big buck for our area and indeed he may have been the biggest buck we spotted during the course of the year. Today our standards have changed. Now I would refer to him as a little eight pointer as bucks of his size are quite common.

After nine years of antler restriction it takes a buck like this to really get my attention

Pennsylvaina was never known for big bucks. Our deer herd was managed for quanitity and quanitity only. With 750,00 to 1,000,000 hunters in the woods a buck did not have much of a chance to live to adulthood. Our problem has never been geneticts, it has always been age. No buck can grow impressive antlers at 1 1/2 years of age. 2 1/2 year olds can grow some nice antlers but they simply cannot be big. Its very simple, it takes time for a buck to grow. Our current antler restrictions are designed to protect yearlings and is producing a good crop of nice bucks each year.

I have listened to many hunters discuss antler restriction and surfed message boards. What I find is that some hunters swear by them while others swear at them however, surveys of hunters finds that support for antler restrictions is very high. Personally I would never want to go back to the old way. If change were to be made I would like to see the entire state changed to 3 points on top however the way it is now suits me just fine!

Side Light: Female Cardinal

2011-12-06T19:49:00.001-05:00

A cold frosty morning at the feeders was a perfect time to work with low-angle side light. Shortly after sun rise a female cardinal utilized a number of perches to show off here beautiful muted colors.

Here the light passes through her translucent legs and bill making them glow as if lit from within.

Don't get stuck in the rut of always shooting with frontal light and miss some of the best shots of the day.

Whitetail Humor

2011-12-05T18:48:00.001-05:00

Shooting the rut isn't always serious business. I was quick to click the shutter when this buck peered out from behind a tree. Did he think that he was hid? Or was he practicing for the coming deer season?

When a buck began closing in on the doe he was chasing I focused the camera on her to capture the interaction between the animals. I had to chuckle when his antlers lined up with her head, nearly looking as if she was wearing the headgear in reverse.

And when a grazing fawn found a leaf firmly attached to its nose it tossed its head violently. I was too late focusing on the fawn to capture its frantic action in its failed attempt to dislodge the leaf, however I was able to make this capture moments before she dropped her head and wiped the leaf away with her hoof.

Capturing the Feeder Critters

2011-12-03T18:54:00.001-05:00

During this first week of Pa firearms deer season I spent quite a bit of morning and evening time at the bird feeders. It's pretty easy to take pictures of feeder birds so instead I have been concentrating on making close-up photographs in dramatic light as you seen with the male cardinal in my last post.

Here a Tufted Titmouse poses nicely in the warm evening sunlight. The background was heavily shadowed. Since a camera cannot record the light range seen by the human eye, exposing the bird properly rendered the shadows as black, just the combination I was looking for.

The early morning sun coming from in front of the squirrel creates an interesting play of light and shadow across this image. The combination of highlights and shadows add depth to the image that would not be present if the sun were in the traditional over the shoulder position.

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Shooting the Feeders

2011-12-01T19:41:00.001-05:00

Wildlife photography can be a hit-or-miss affair but snuggling up to a bird feeder tilts the odds in the photographer's favor. To capture this series of photographs I needed to be close so I set up my Ameristep Outhouse blind this morning ten feet away from the primary feeder. This gave the birds a few hours to become comfortable with it before the afternoon shoot. Once the sun had dropped a to a suitable angle it was time to enter the blind and wait for the shots to materialize. The low-angle light illuminating this cardinal against a deeply shaded background made for a dramatic image.

My goal is to always capture the birds in their natural surroundings. To facilitate this our feeders are constructed from natural tree trunks with brush and weeds to provide cover and perches. There is nothing wrong with shooting birds on man-made feeders; it's just not my style.

This cardinal paused while hopping from branch to branch through a dead poke weed as he approached the feeder. The earthy browns contrasting with the cardinals brilliant reds, black face mask and shadows playing across his body made a striking image.

With so many perches for the birds to chose from lighting angles and backgrounds vary a great deal depending upon which perch the bird chooses. With a rather shallow depth of field the distant woodland become a pleasing soft brown background.

For a productive session of wildlife photography setting up close to a busy bird feeder is a nearly sure-fire recipe for an action-packed outing. And if you pay attention to details the resulting images may become some of your all-time favorites.

Photographing Park Whitetails

2011-11-30T19:49:00.001-05:00

Making good wildlife photographs is challenging but it certainly helps to have acclimated subjects to work with. Its one thing to take a snapshot of a deer but to make a good photograph is an entirely different matter. Having acclimated animals for subjects allows one to move their shooting position to take advantage of lighting angles and backgrounds. These images were captured in Shenandoah National Park where the whitetails are accustomed to being around hordes of tourist throughout most of the year.

A nice buck passes by a fellow photographers. At times the animals may approach the photographer too closely and backing away is in order. Rutting bucks cannot be trusted; a healthy distance of twenty or more yards should be maintained.

Photographers working a large buck. Notice the big glass they are using? It is best to uses telephoto lenses that allow the photographer to work an animal from a comfortable distance that does not intrude on the animals personal space. By doing so one can capture the animals doing what they do naturally instead of photos showing them reacting to the photographer.

Pressing an animal too closely will result in unnatural photos. This lady with her point and shoot has invaded this doe's personal space. The does is trying to move to a more comfortable distance but is being followed very closely. Situations like this will likely only result in butt shots and perhaps a stern warning from park personnel.

Common Feeder Birds

2011-11-29T19:25:00.001-05:00

Since Pa. firearms deer season opened I have been spending more time focused on the bird feeders. At present there are only a few species coming to the feeders but that will change when snow covers the ground. Blue jays can always be counted on to show up at the feeders regardless of weather although getting them close-up can be a chore.

Northern Cardinals with their brilliant red color makes me think of Christmas although they are resident birds and will visit the feeders throughout the year. The strong beak of the cardinal makes short work of sunflower seeds; cracking them easily to get at the starchy kernel.

The Tufted Titmouse, another year around resident, will never pass up a free meal. These little birds acclimated very easily. Spend some time set up at the feeders and soon they will be feeding within just a few feet of the camera lens.

Pa Deer Season Opens

2011-11-27T18:42:00.001-05:00

As daylight seeps across Pennsylvania the firearms deer season will open. Thousands of hunters will take to the woods in hopes of bagging a deer and while they are waiting for a deer to appear there will be other wildlife to entertain during their wait.

Birds such as this Tufted-titmouse will be flitting around in search food

The deer will be on heightened alert and ready to burst into flight at the least sign of danger

And by evening many hunters will have the story of "the big one that got away"!

Tender Moments

2011-11-26T13:58:00.001-05:00

A whitetail mother appears to give her young son a big smooch.

And this doe appears to be whispering sweet nothings into her daughters ear.

Both photos taken while the whitetails were grooming

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Double-takes: Fawn Siblings

2011-11-24T18:28:00.001-05:00

Fawns are frequently left alone by their mothers during the rut. The bond between the siblings is strong and becomes more obvious with mother temporarily out of the picture. This pair of fawns was browsing along a brushy stream bank when they caught sight of me. Their pose was more than I could have hoped for
.

This pair of fawns had just finished a short nursing session. A moment after the doe walked away both began grooming in nearly identical poses. Grooming, a common everyday occurrence, but to have a pair of button bucks lined up like this; Priceless!

Siblings standing together along the edge of a frosty meadow. I couldn't have posed them any better for a mirror-image shot if I had been able to position them myself.

All bucks are interesting and big bucks are thrilling, but it is the fawns that have the ability to really tug at your heartstrings.

Turkeys for Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T19:15:00.001-05:00

While photographing a flock of wild turkeys early one recent frosty morning I was surprised when suddenly the alarm call was sounded and the entire flock sprang into the air.
As the last bird disappeared I raised my head from the viewfinder just in time to see an eagle departing in the same direction as the turkeys had flown. Their evasion tactics were sufficient for them to avoid becoming the eagle's next meal.

This big gobbler is not destined for anyone's Thanksgiving table this year. I photographed him early this morning and with turkey season closed he should still be out there enjoying life while his domestic kin are being carved.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and thanks for stopping by Country Captures!

Thoughts on Scents

2011-11-22T19:51:00.001-05:00

I was busy photographing this young rutting buck when a stray gust of wind carried my scent directly to him. Immediately he burst into flight; as did the dove trying to escape his pounding hooves.

Much is made of scent in the world of deer hunting, and indeed human scent can take a whitetail from relaxed to full speed in a split second.  Hunting magazines are full of articles extolling the virtues of the deer's sense of smell and the difficulties in overcoming this seemingly perfect defense mechanism. As a matter of fact they will lead you by the hand straight to the retailers who sell products supposedly to overcome the deer's ability to scent the hunter. Shelves full of masking scents, scent free soaps, detergents, and carbon scent blocking clothing and hunting blinds are ready for the buying. Add in the scent attractants like apple, acorn, doe urine, etc. and you have a huge market generating a tremendous amount of economic activity each year.

Do they work? Some swear by them while other swear at them. To defeat the deer's sense of smell you only have to remember a few things. First remember, you stink! At least to a deer you do, and no amount of anything you can put on will cover it up. The deer will simply smell whatever it was that you applied plus you.   The wind only blows one direction at a time and typically your scent will follow a narrow path as long as that path misses the deer the deer misses you.

I would be the last person to ignore the deer's nose but I do miss the scent section at the local sporting goods store.  Your local grocery store carries scent free laundry detergent, ivory soap is scent free as well and both much cheaper than those packaged for hunters.  And forget about dryer sheets, they all stink. Wash your clothing in scent free detergent, use a pure soap like ivory, and go out and enjoy your hunt. If a deer does scent you enjoy watching it's incredible grace as it flies through the air, or enjoy listening as it snorts and stomps and remember no matter what you could have spent on the latest scent lock gear and cover scents it would not have made the encounter any different.

Woodland Whitetails: Firearms Season Nears

2011-11-21T18:50:00.001-05:00

Pennsylvania's firearms deer season will open in less than a week. It has been an incredible season photographing the whitetail rut both in Pennsylvania and SNP Virginia but, as with all good things it must end and here in Pa with the season opener my buck photography will end literally with a bang.

With that I feel it proper to share some thoughts on whitetail hunting. Up until a number of years ago a legal buck in Pa was a deer with at least a 3" spike or a branched antler on one side. In more recent years the state has been divided between areas requiring a minimum of 3 points at least 1 inch long on one side with others requiring a minimum of 4 points. This year the regulations in the 4 point zones has changed to requiring 3 up, or said another way there must be three points on top, brow tines do not count. Antler requirements remain the same in the 3 point zones. If you are planning on hunting Pa whitetails you should study the digest to insure that you are following the rules and regulations that apply to the zone you are hunting as changes have been made this year.

Looking at the photos in hunting magazines and popular outdoor blogs will not prepare you for what you will find when hunting whitetails in the woods; which is where most of the Pa deer hunting will be done. Seldom will you have a clear view of the deer. As the deer moves through the cover counting points will not be easy nor will getting a clear opening to the deer's vital area; however both must be accomplished before a shot is taken if the hunter is to be both legal and ethical. Too many times deer run off to die a lingering death because a hunter has neglected to assure a clear shot. Another problem that causes misses and wounded animals is "buck fever" a condition where the hunter looses a degree of control brought on by intense excitement and a rush of adrenalin. Self control is imperative if a clean kill is to be had; there will be plenty of time for shaking while you are attaching the harvest tag to the ear.

The hunters goals should first and foremost be safety. Wear the required safety clothing; the law is for your protection. How could you explain to your family that the reason you were shot was because you were worried that a deer may see your orange vest and hat?

If you don't have binoculars, go out right now and buy them; a rifle scope is an aiming device, not an optical device to be used to identify things. Can you imagine the feeling of seeing a rifle pointed at you while someone peers through scope? I know, its happened to me, and it always scared the H.... out of me!

Remember that once a shot is fired it cannot be recalled and telling a dead man "I'm sorry", doesn't work. Don't shoot at what you think is a legal deer, shoot only at what you KNOW is a legal deer. If you KNOW that your target is a deer you will never have to pace the ground trying to explain to the officers how you shot another person in mistake for game and then face that person's family later in court.

Safety First, it's the only thing that Really Matters!

From Velvet through the Rut

2011-11-20T18:06:00.001-05:00

August 10th I photographed this buck as he bounded away when a coyote trotted past

Bumping into him again October 25th I photographed him extensively. This shot captures his unique antler configuration.

Meeting up with him again November 18th I found it interesting to see how he had broken his antlers. Although his antlers are broken his spirit wasn't for he was pushing does like he was the biggest baddest buck in the meadow.

An Hour in a Buck's Life: Part 2

2011-11-18T18:11:00.001-05:00

Approaching the upper end of the meadow I spotted a large buck watching the buck I was following

Drawing nearer it was plain to see that this was an incredibly large eight-point, a worthy opponent for the ten-pointer I was following. Notice how his attention is riveted to the right of the camera; he was watching the ten-pointer's every move.

An then the demonstrations began. The eight-point attacked a shrub, then scraped and urinated, the ten-point did likewise. They began circling each other and taking turns battling brush, scraping, and urinating in all I think that they each took three turns however as I was working feverishly to keep the couple in view I could have miscounted.

The circles drew smaller and smaller until the bucks were within a just a few feet of one another.

Then suddenly......

With a loud wheezing grunt the ten-point charged and just as quickly the eight point's nerve broke as he wheeled and bolted with all of the speed he could muster. Panning as he rushed by my position I captured this unique image at 1/125th of a second shutter; the ten-point was in hot pursuit!

As the victor came to a stop he exhaled with a loud long hiss and stood looking in the direction the vanquished had fled. A few minutes he later ambled out of sight into the surrounding forest.

Usually Whitetail confrontations are settled through bluff and posturing but this time it wasn't until the big ten-point committed himself to an all out attack that the contender backed down. I was hoping to photograph an intense battle between these massive bucks but was not disappointed in the least to capture what I did while this breeding confrontation played out. It was a privilege to witness one tiny speck in the scheme of evolution as the genetics of the future whitetail herd was decided.

A Hour in a Buck's Life: Part 1

2011-11-17T19:48:00.001-05:00

On a recent morning I located my favorite SNP whitetail very early before sunrise.

My plan was to stay with him as long as possible. At times it didn't seem possible.

Meeting up with a small buck they both stood and watched.......

As a pair of bucks sparred in a sunlit portion of the meadow

Soon tiring of their sparring the big fellow moved on

Pausing to do battle with a sapling the old fellow put on a good show

Little did I know that the morning was about to get very interesting. However you must wait until the next post to see what was about to transpire.

Fog

2011-11-16T19:18:00.001-05:00

Fog can obscure subjects, particularly for the wildlife photographer, but it can also be used to the photographer's advantage.

This shot was made quite early today with a light rain falling as Willard and I watched a meadow hoping for rutting whitetails to appear. Hunting whitetails is always somewhat of a mystery. Will I see any deer? If so, how many? Will any be bucks? If so, how big? Will I get the shot? For me, this image of a mountain meadow shrouded in fog captures the mystery of the hunt.

Without the fog this scene captured earlier in the fall would not have gotten a second glance. However with the suns rays illuminating the wisp of lingering fog an otherwise everyday scene in Pennsylvania's elk country becomes an image of beauty.

The Huddle

2011-11-14T18:56:00.001-05:00

With the rut in the forth quarter It's time to get Serious Boys!

If I were a football fan I would expect that I could draw a cute analogy between these bucks and the game. However in my youth "game" had a different meaning altogether. With no TV to distract or entertain I spent my free time roaming the woodlands and streams with gun or rod in hand.

Much has changed since those days but I still don't know a darn thing about ball games and could care less. I still find the outdoors to be more than sufficient to entertain and awe.

Appreciating Whitetail Beauty

2011-11-13T18:23:00.001-05:00

While talking with a young fellow, he asked if I had gotten any good pictures during my time off work. Responding with a yeah, I clicked the tab that took me to Country Captures and began showing him a few of my latest whitetail shots from the ongoing rut.

As I scrolled through the images he commented that he has hunted deer and enjoys the occasional spotlighting trip to see deer but that he had never realized how beautiful they are. With that comment I felt that in a small way my photography had made a difference; the images had instilled a little deeper appreciation for the beauty of nature in a young man.

There are many words to describe the beauty of the whitetail but a good photograph conveys the beauty better than any words can ever describe. A young buck alert for danger, framed by the dark woodland and highlighted by the frosty grass in the foreground conveys the very essence of the whitetail's beauty.

A big buck pounding across the meadow as he rushes toward a buck who had invaded his territory resulted in an image which captures his incredible strength, determination, and speed.

An adult whitetail buck steps into the last rays of a setting sun captured as the golden light illuminated him against a background made dark by the long evening shadows.

As the last light of day fades in the western sky a buck standing on the skyline strikes an impressive image.

No matter the time of day or the size of the deer, the incredible beauty of the graceful whitetail keeps me going back with photo gear in hand; for another person to see and gain a deeper appreciation of that beauty is what makes the effort worthwhile.

Everyone is Doing the Lip-Curl

2011-11-11T19:06:00.001-05:00

No matter the size, no matter the age; in the whitetail buck's world Everyone is doing the Lip-Curl.

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Rutting Morning

2011-11-10T13:29:00.000-05:00

Chasing does

Chasing other bucks attempting to cut in on the doe of the day

Watching for opponents

And observing them watching from a distance

Really makes a fellow...

Tired!

There are different approaches that one can use when photographing wildlife in an area where the animals are acclimated to human presence. Some photographers will attempt to keep moving trying to capture shots of as many different animals as possible while others will find a single subject and attempt to stay with it, capturing different poses, backgrounds, and lighting as the animal goes about its day.

Personally I am inclined to stick with a good subject as long as it is available, maximizing my actual shooting time, but by doing so I may miss out on something interesting happening nearby. So which is the best approach? Your thoughts are appreciated.

The Fight!

2011-11-08T20:15:00.000-05:00

Having just returned home from two days of intensive whitetail rut photography I have only had time to quickly review the images, deleting the worst misses, and beginning the back-ups. However during the review this image jumped out at me, begging to be processed.

The baleful eye, the bulging muscles, and the narrow shaft of sunlight illuminating just the bucks as they surge together; to my eye it is possibly of the most powerful whitetail image I have ever had the pleasure of capturing.

Actually these bucks were not fighting but rather were engaged in a friendly sparring match. However friendly sparring can become violent at times but the violent agression and the desire to do physical damage to the opponent is not present during a sparring match. These bucks would tussle for a few minutes, take a break, and then resume their game.

Living the Dream

2011-11-06T19:58:00.002-05:00

As the morning began to brighten I greeted another photographer in an SNP parking lot. When he asked what I was there for I answered with one word; Whitetails. He grimaced and said that he only had time to shoot the sunrise. Trying to make the best of the beautiful sunrise developing I located a doe to silhouette against the awesome sky.

This buck had passed through the area where the sunrise photo was taken just a few minutes before I could get set up. Fortunately I was able to bump into him again later and capture some good images. I have been photographing him since the fall of 2007 and he has continued to grow larger antlers each year. I have often heard that a buck will grow his best antlers between 4-7 years 0f age and then go down hill after that. This buck is at least nine years old, perhaps more, yet his antlers continues to become more impressive as the years pass.

As part of the scrape ritual a wide eight-point rubs his antlers on an over-hanging branch. When making a scrape a buck will horn and over-hanging branch, rub his facial glands on the branch as well as chew on or lick a twig on the same branch. Once satisfied that he has sufficiently marked the branch he will paw the ground, clearing a small patch of earth, and complete the scrape by urinating on the bare earth.

When the doe he was guarding moved off he was quick to follow

Although I must still work for a living I am so very fortunate that this year my vacation time is allowing me to spend most of my time pursuing whitetails during the rut. I have spent so much time lately with bucks and bulls that when I crawl into bed each night and sleep begins to overcome me I see antlers bobbing through the dreamy mist.

This year I am Living the Dream

More Scenes From Monday Morning

2011-11-05T20:16:00.000-04:00

The first morning of the elk harvest was extraordinarily beautiful. Apparently during the chilly night the area had been shrouded in fog leaving everything, including the elk, coated with frost. The frost and the remnants of autumn foliage created an incredible backdrop for the morning's events to play out against.

A calf searches frantically for its mother shortly after the bull and first cow were harvested

A pair of young bulls surveying the scene from the edge of the herd

And soon they were engaged in sparring

A young bull watches as elk guide(s) and client passes by

Cows, coated in frost, walk along the ridge top

And a bull surrounded by cows bugles forth his challenge

A view from atop the saddle

Lip-curl

2011-11-04T12:24:00.001-04:00

The lip-curl or flehmen response exposes the vomeronasalorgan to scent molecules. This organ,also called the Jacobson’s organ located in the roof of the mouth is extremely sensitive,allowing bucks to determine a doe’s state of estrus.

Whilebucks will occasionally lip-curl at other times of the year; during the rut itis very common

No photo series of the whitetail rut is complete without a good buck,in good light, posed against an attractive background. This year I have been blessed.

The images posted here were captured in Shenandoah National Park, aplace where wild creatures are able to live out their entire natural lives withlittle to no fear of humans. Only in places like this where there is no nearbyagriculture, human habitation, or high-speed roads can whitetails be allowed toexist in this manner. For the wildlife photographerthese are places to be treasured.

Scenes from the Rut

2011-11-02T20:51:00.000-04:00

The Whitetail Rut has kicked into high-gear since the unusually early snow and colder temperatures over the weekend. Normally I would not expect to see rutting activity hit this level until around November eighth in our area.

Frosty morning brings out the best in the bucks and also make for incredible backgrounds

When a contender attempted to cut in on his doe the eight-point left him know who is boss. This time a bluff was all that was required.

And the little fellow with just buttons seems confused by his mother now ignoring him as she garners the adult bucks undivided attention.

For the whitetail deer enthusiast, whether they are a hunter, photographer, or both, there is no time of year that can match the rut. Winter is a quiet time in which the deer focus upon survival. Spring a time of plenty when antlers begin to grow and coats change. Late in the spring the new fawns arrive providing an added attraction as we watch them nurse and grow into miniature editions of their mothers as summer fades into autumn. And then finally the moment arrives; the breeding season, The Whitetail Rut.

A time when normally secretive bucks drop their guard as they pursue does. A time when through bluff or battle the natural selection of the fittest plays out as bucks feel that irresistible urge to pass on their genetics to the next generation.

The Rut...........the most fantastic time of the year.

The First Morning Continued........

2011-11-01T16:05:00.000-04:00

Upon approaching the party at the downed bull we learned that two elk had been harvested. The guide was with two clients; one with a bull tag and the other holding a cow tag. Both had successfully harvested their animals.

While talking with them; elk continued to mill about the area. Here another guide is seen watching a small group of cows and calves on the summit.

As the morning progressed a number of elk assembled on the ridge top and nervously returned to feeding.

Elk guide glasses elk in the saddle from the tailing pile

The herd assembled on the ridge top contained two respectable bulls.

Soon more guides and a client appeared along the wood line checking out the elk feeding on the summit.

After watching the elk for a few minutes; they then began their stalk which took them back inside the woods as they circled the elk to approach to within shooting distance.

Although we could no longer see the party the elk watched their progress.

Hearing a single shot we watched as the elk nervously gathered together and finally after one hour and fifty minues had passed since the first shots were fired, after three of their number were taken, finally they headed for cover; some walking, others trotting, none running full out.

Later we circled the hill and observed the party taking a cow elk out with the aid of horses.

Let me make my position clear. I am not anti-hunting. I was raised in a hunting family and have hunted for most of my life. That I prefer to do most of my hunting with the camera today is a personal choice. Hunting is a time honored tradition and is a means for people to add healthy wild meat to their families menus, spend quality time afield, while aiding wildlife management agencies in keeping wildlife populations in check. Hunting is also a huge industry supporting retail, equipment and clothing manufacturing, and travel related jobs.

The Pennsylvania elk herd as a whole is doing well as it is managed currently however; to conduct a trophy hunt in the Winslow Hill area where the elk are completely accepting of humans and to continue the negative impact harvesting the mature bulls has on the viewing experience escapes me. I fully understand and accept that the elk population must be controlled, something that can be accomplished in the Winslow Hill area by culling the required number of elk from the cows and if necessary the small antlered bulls. But instead the large bulls, the same animals that draw the tourist and their dollars to the area, are targeted in a "trophy" hunt. A "hunt" where the bull will simply watch as the party walks up and takes care of business.

Allow me to also state that all persons we encountered during this day of the harvest were polite and courteous. The three animals were harvested in a quick, humane, and as far as we could tell lawful manner. It is not the people involved in the harvest that is the problem, but rather it is the policy that has created this harvest of Trusting Trophies.

Pennsylvania Elk Harvest: The First Morning

2011-10-31T22:27:00.005-04:00

By the time of our predawn arrival at the parking lot at the end of Dewey Road a number of vehicles were already there. Soon more guide and clients arrived and headed out into the game lands adjoining the elk viewing areas. Willard and I headed up towards the saddle stopping where the road makes the sharp left-hand turn just after passing the gate. As the scene before us began to brighten we could see orange vested people and elk spread out across the hillside facing the viewing areas.

This bull was bugling from his bed

At 7:38 I was looking at the camera when a shot rang out. Seeing that the bull was now up I could see him shaking his head, undoubtly hit.

As subsequent shots roared the bulls body convulsed with each impact

Stagering, he attempted to stay on his feet

But to no avail

He crashed to the ground eighteen seconds from when the first round hit him

Within two minutes the party had assembled around the fallen animal

Once a majestic animal, now a trophy

The parking lot at the end of Dewey Road is visible in the upper right-hand corner of this photograph

Not overly alarmed, most of the herd moved only a short distance before retuning to grazing.

The elk on and around Winslow Hill, being exposed to thousands upon thousand of viewers each year have little to no fear of humans. In this area there is no elk hunt; to say it nicely it is a harvest.

Stopping by the Elk Check Station this evening I learned that five bulls and a number of cows had been checked by 4:45pm. It was also reported that the bull named "Hook" or "Hook Ear" photographed by many on Winslow Hill during the rut was among the animals taken.

Pennsylvania Elk Harvest Begins

2011-10-30T20:09:00.001-04:00

When the morning's light begins to seep across the Pennsylvania elk range the eleventh annual elk harvest will begin.

Guides and clients will be in the field as well as the elk

Bulls that thrilled thousands during the rut will be targeted with this year's increased license allocations

As these trusting animals go through their day tommorrow it will seem much like any other day. When a group of people approach they will hear what they may think is another click of the shutter; instead it will be the metalic snick of a rifle's safety being released.

While photographing the rut with a visiting west coast photographer he mentioned that he had photographed elk all over the western United States and Canada and that this was the best that he had ever seen. When the subject of the elk season was brought up he could scarecly believe that the same animals we had been moving freely among would be targeted to be killed for trophies. With an incredulous look he asked "Why?"

Why indeed! But no matter; in the morning the killing will begin.

For more information and observation concerning Pennsylvaina Elk visit Pennsylvania Wildlife Photographer.

On The Move

2011-10-29T18:57:00.004-04:00

Last seen heading north in mid-May the Loons are now passing through on their way south

While on the water Thursday I noticed twin wakes cutting across the placid surface some distance away. A quick peak through binos confirmed that a pair of feeding loons were causing the disturbance. Unable to approach closely for portrait shots I was content with a more distant shot that included the reflection of the colorful autumn foliage.

Pied-billed Grebes are also among the waterbirds moving south for the winter

A Great Blue Heron watches stoically from a lake side log

The great blue herons however are in no hurry to move. Instead they will remain as long as open water can be found. A few birds will remain throughout the winter feeding along the spring-fed streams that remain ice-free.

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The Chase is On!

2011-10-28T14:47:00.000-04:00

ISO 1000, 1/10sec, f5.6

Yesterday was cool and rainy. Clearing overnight the temperatures plummeted jump-starting the whitetail rut. As day began to break bucks could be seen pursuing does; sometimes at break-neck speed!

The low light levels were perfect for panning with the racing bucks.

As the light increased I decreased ISO and increased F stop to maintain a slow shutter speed.

ISO320,F5.6,1/1000sec

Bright light and fast shutter speeds allows the sharp capture of a racing buck as he attempts to catch up with the waiting doe.

It will be a few days yet until the does are ready to breed. In the meantime the eager bucks will continue searching in hopes of finding a willing mate for now is the season............The Chase is ON!

Awaiting the Whitetail Rut Continued........

2011-10-27T09:53:00.000-04:00

The bucks pictured in this series are the same pair featured in the previous post. Note the unusual left antler. When not rutting bucks form bachelor groups of two or more animals that spend a great deal of time together.

The other half of this group of two checks out an approaching photographer while posing against a colorful autumn backdrop.

Grooming can be frequently observed between bucks making up a bachelor group; however it isn't often that it takes place in front of the camera with multiple mountain ridges fading into blue for a background.

In this early morning photo taken in August the same pair of bucks are seen interacting in a playful way. Soon the fights of the rut will begin but when the season passes these fellows will most likely once again be the best of friends.

Awaiting the Whitetail Rut

2011-10-25T20:07:00.000-04:00

Anxiously awaiting the beginning of the whitetail rut, Willard and I traveled south this morning arriving in Shenandoah National Park before daybreak. As light began to seep across the mountain landscape we soon located a nice pair of adult bucks feeding in a meadow and decided to stay with them to await the arrival of photographic light.

The pair continued to feed as the light became stronger. Meanwhile we and other like minded photographers moved into position. The bucks were showing no signs of the impending rut and with the sun cresting the mountain top I began to loose hope of capturing a dynamic shot of whitetail interaction before the rising sun spilled sharp-edged light across the landscape but then suddenly they came together. As they lifted their heads and began grooming the sunlight kissed their antlers; half a dozen shutters clicked rapid fire. Everyone knew that the moment for "the image" had arrived!

For just a brief moment they assumed an aggressive posture as if rutting combat was about to begin.

And then the moment passed; touching noses they returned once again to feeding.

The bucks soon ventured off and so did we as we went in search of other deer. Walking away chatting with a new found photographer friend, he mentioned that that one moment made facing the cold wind whipping across the mountain top worthwhile. I nodded in silent agreement.

Wildlife Variety Show

2011-10-23T19:55:00.000-04:00

An Autumn morning spent outdoors can be likened to a variety show. For the wildlife enthusiast the show is not equaled by anything TV has to offer.

This years fawns are now half-sized copies of their mother yet they continue to enjoy short nursing sessions. Weaning the fawns is a gradual process with some fawns continuing to nurse into December.

The Ruby-crowned Kinglets are busy feeding as they pass through on their autumn migration.

An Eastern Towhee makes a rare appearance for a photo-op. The Towhee, a year around resident, seldom ventures out from the heavy underbrush.

2012 Connect With Wildlife Calendar

2011-10-21T18:56:00.001-04:00

The new 2012 Connect With Wildlife Calendar is now available on-line at the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Outdoor Shop. The cover features an incredible image taken by Jake Dingel of a Short-eared Owl. Each month features images of wildlife found in Pennsylvania. Photographers featured are Jake Dingel, Tim Flanigan, Willard Hill, and myself. Photographs for the calendar are accepted only from current and retired PGC employees.

The following images are the ones chosen from my submissions for publication in the 2012 Calendar

Bugling Elk, Elk County, Pa

Muskrat, Fulton County, Pa

Hooded Merganser, Fulton County, Pa

The calendar retails for $8.95 plus shipping and tax. Quantities are limited and sell out quickly.

Lifer: Ruby-crowned Kinglet

2011-10-20T13:20:00.003-04:00

This morning found me watching a meadow at daybreak, hoping for a whitetail buck encounter. Our local deer are beginning to enter into the early stages of the prerut with bucks becoming more active with each passing day. However on this morning no bucks showed and my attention was drawn to a tiny bird flitting about a nearby multiflora rose.

Since I didn't recognize the species I had no doubt that it was of a species which I had never photographed. After repositioning the camera for a better view of the bush it was a matter of waiting for the bird to accept my near presence which it did after twenty minutes.

Soon it was once again feeding on the outside perimeter of the bush and although it never sat in one place for more than a few seconds I was able to focus and fire occasionally with most shots containing a feathery blur. Mixed in among the throw-away shots were a few keepers.

About to spring to the next perch

Checking birding resources revealed the bird to be a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Note the red stripe on the back of its head; the only indication of the feathers that make its namesake; a red crown that it can display when aroused.

Small Bulls

2011-10-16T20:15:00.000-04:00

Small Bull

Smaller bull

Smaller still

Smallest!

Don't Come in out of the Rain

2011-10-14T19:28:00.002-04:00

Photo taken during a downpour

When we think outdoors we usually consider a day without precipitation as being a better time to be afield. However if we confine our time out to the clear dry days we will be missing some of the very best the outdoors has to offer.

Recently while reading a post by fellow blogger Ian Nance concerning how cold influences deer movement I began thinking about how wet influences wildlife and wildlife photography. Although my opinion is based purely on anecdotal evidence it is based upon over five decades of personally observing wildlife. Most species of wildlife are very active during wet days particularly those days that remain cloudy with light rain and mist.

Great Blue Heron landing

From a photography perspective wet weather is a great time to capture scenes with heavily saturated colors. Not only does the rain saturate us it also saturates the colors. Combine the color saturation, autumn foliage, and a little mist and you get a photograph like you could never capture on a bluebird day.

If you are shooting a DSLR don't overly concern yourself about getting the camera wet; most of them can take it. Keeping a plastic grocery bag handy to cover the camera with during heavy rain will suffice as will a garbage bag to protect the camera bag. I have photographed during heavy rain with water running off the camera and lens and had no problems develop. I have read that one should not wipe a wet camera but rather blot it to keep from pushing water in around the controls; a practice I follow.

Cool wet days also seems to bring out the best in fishing

Even on rainy days it may not rain all of the time. At the end of the day with a light mist falling this wet young bull paused from feeding long enough to pose against the clearing sky.

Clicking on a Cloudy Day

2011-10-12T12:53:00.003-04:00

400mm, ISO500, 1/30,F5.6

Photography is all about the light. Digital images are simply a recording of the light reflected from the subject, through the lens, an onto the camera's sensor. The flat bright light present when the sun is high in the sky is the type of light most tourist snapshots are made with and for the most part it is the worst light of the day. On clear days good wildlife light can be over within a very short time after the sun rises above the horizon. Capturing good wildlife images on clear days requires being afield by first light and again in the late afternoon, staying until the last light of the day has faded. Unless you can find your subject in an evenly shaded area there is only a slim chance of making an image worth keeping.

Cloudy skies are a different matter entirely. The soft diffused light falls evenly across the subject muting highlights and filling in shadows allowing the capture of great subject detail. As an added bonus wildlife will typically remain active for longer periods of time.

400MM,ISO1000,1/60,F5.6

Shooting under heavy skies does have one major drawback, the quantity on light. This can be overcome by shooting at high ISO but high ISO increases digital noise; those tiny red, green, and blue dots that destroy image quality. Lower shutter speed also counteract the lack of light but requires stationary subjects, and wildlife is notorious for not holding. The very best way to compensate is with fast lenses, lenses with an aperture of F2.8 or larger will do a fantastic job of letting in the light. Their major drawbacks are weight and size as well as taking a large bite out of your children's inheritance.

Even if fast lenses are not an option for you don't pass up the cloudy days. Experiment with your camera to find just how high an ISO your camera can handle while still capturing an acceptable image. Steady that camera on a good tripod and shoot lots of images; hoping to snap one while your wild subject remains still. Trash the blurred images, keep the sharp ones, and enjoy your cloudy days afield. Besides any day spent outdoors shooting wildlife is far better than being inside and you just may capture the most beautiful image of your life.

Raining on the Rut

2011-10-10T20:32:00.001-04:00

Who in their right mind would want a bluebird day with dazzling sunshine for wildlife photography when great images can be made during a driving downpour. And that was the situation when these photos were taken.

A few minutes before the bull and his harem began moving into deep cover the rain began to pour. And I mean POUR! Notice the soft streaking of the falling rain in the images.

Uncomfortable? Sure but the great color saturation of rainy day images more than makes up for any discomfort.

Wood Ducks on the Water

2011-10-08T18:52:00.000-04:00

Spotting a flock of Wood Ducks hiding out in the back of a small cove I nosed the boat slowly towards them.

The wary wood ducks soon errupted in flight their brilliant colors flashing like jewels in the morning sun.

Catch of the Day

2011-10-05T20:03:00.001-04:00

Today, with fishing slow, I was more than pleased when I spotted a pied-billed grebe feeding along the shoreline. This particular bird showed no fear of the boat and allowed me to approach to within twenty feet as it continued diving into the submerged vegetation.

Waterfowl has been mostly absent since the spring migration ended in late May. Two weeks ago I spotted a pied-billed grebe in the middle of the lake but with the skies heavily clouded no opportunity for a good photo existed. Today with a cloudless blue sky, the grebe along the shoreline and the sun not too high in the sky the situation was perfect.

After shooting a few shots upon my approach I decided to follow the grebe hoping for an exceptional shot.

And it happened!

The grebe emerged with a fish!

The grebe held the tiny bluegill for just a moment before expertly flipping it and swallowing the fish headfirst.

With that the grebe returned to fishing and so did I.

We had each gotten "The Catch of the Day."

Nailing Down the Background

2011-10-04T12:04:00.000-04:00

Wildlife photography presents a multitude of challenges. Locating the subject is only the first step towards making a good photograph. Light is always of prime consideration, both quality and angle. So often in our rush to capture the photograph we fail to look beyond the subject to take background into consideration.

This image of a very good Pennsylvania bull illustrates a shot made without consideration of background. It remains a documentary shot in my archives from the 2010 rut but is a shot that will never hang on a wall.

A fog background can make for a beautiful almost mystical image while it obscures an otherwise unattractive or distracting background. The key to making these shots lies in getting close to the subject to minimize the amount of fog between the camera lens and subject.

In this instance the clear blue sky provided an attractive uncluttered background to capture this young bull against. Shooting up hill is a favored tactic of mine.

Here the same bull poses in a hilltop ravine with the colored foliage on the next ridge providing a soft backdrop.

Shooting a bull elk as he bugles from a hilltop required a low camera angle to place an adjacent hillside into the background.

So many factors come into play when photographing wildlife; subject, pose, lighting, and camera settings. All of the attention we pay to each of these important items though will be for naught if we don't look beyond the subject and consider the backdrop as well.

Photographing the Photographers

2011-10-02T18:46:00.000-04:00

Shooting together with photographer friends is an enjoyable part of shooting the Pennsylvania elk rut. Shrouded in fog Willard and Dick stand by their camera awaiting the next elk action.

While working a bull together I take a moment to back off and snap Brad peering into the viewfinder as a nice bull feeds along the ridge top.

Clearing skies provided a gorgeous backdrop as Willard and Brad work from the crest of a ridge.

Wet and weary, the gang heads for the cars as daylight fades into darkness

Bugle: In Black & White

2011-10-01T17:53:00.026-04:00

Canon 60D, 100-400, F5.6, ISO 800, 1/20th

Seldom do I find B&W wildlife images as appealing as color. However with this image of a mature bull roaring out a challenge it seemed a perfect fit.

As did this image of a bull and cow silhouetted on a ridge top. The action here was quite fluid and fast moving. I am still kicking myself in the butt for cutting the cow's head off just below the eyes. But it is what it is and I love the raw power captured in the image.

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Pennsylvaina Elk Rut 2011

2011-09-29T20:15:00.000-04:00

I have just returned home from shooting the Pennsylvania Elk rut. With cards downloaded and back-ups ran I have just begun to relax and review the results of this week's efforts.

The first bull encounter was with a young bull on high ground. From high points like this the Allegheny Mountains can make for some exceptional backgrounds and I lost no time positioning myself to take advantage of the hazy blue ridges in the early morning light.

The time on the elk range this year was time well spent. Meeting up with old friends, making new ones and shooting with some of Pennsylvania's most dedicated elk photographers made the excursion particularly enjoyable.

The rut wasn't as frantic as I have seen during some other visits but elk numbers were quite good and some very good bulls were located. The weather was frustrating to say the least for when the sun shone temperatures soared and the elk headed for deep shade; the rest of the time it rained.......and rained.......and rained.

Interspersed between the showers and downpours were those magical moments; those moments that make getting soaked to the bone, those moments that make trudging up and down hillsides loaded down with photographic gear all worthwhile, those moments when the elk, the background, the light comes together........Click.

Bobwhite & More

2011-09-27T19:10:00.001-04:00

Back when I was a youngun running around the reverting farmland in our area, encountering Bobwhites was very common. A covey of bobwhites flushing at my feet while I pushed through briers trying to jump a rabbit would startle me to where seldom could I get off a well aimed shot. Fifteen to twenty minutes later the bobwhites would begin calling as they regrouped.

That was then. It has been many years since I seen my last bobwhite in our area. It has also been many years since the Pennsylvania Game Commission closed bobwhite hunting here as well but the population has never recovered. So you can imagine my surprise when while watching field hoping for a nice buck to appear when I noticed something moving in the grass nearby and identified it as a bobwhite.

I have no way of knowing where it came from but I would expect that escaped from a captive flock or was released. However it came to be there doesn't matter. Its appearance gave me a lifer photo.

No bucks showed up during the outing but the bobwhite and this pair of fawns more than made up for any disappointment I may have felt otherwise.

Bugling in the Twilight

2011-09-24T20:04:00.000-04:00

Photo-2010

My 2010 photo excursion during the Pennsylvania elk rut was plagued by drab gray skies and frequent showers. While the elk action and encounters were meeting my expectations the weather was making exceptional photographs few and far between. It was during the last moments of my last day, during the evening twilight that the sky took on a spectacular glow. It was during this brief time that I was able to capture the best images of the entire trip including the image of this same bull that graces the header of Country Captures taken a few minutes later.

If there was one thing this encounter taught me it was "It ain't over 'till its over"! Don't leave a good subject until it is absolutely too dark to shoot. You never know what will happen in the next five minutes.

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Bugling Time in Pennsylvania

2011-09-23T18:19:00.001-04:00

Photo-2010

Reports filtering in from Pennsylvania's elk range tell that the elk rut is in full swing

For those accustomed to the ways of the whitetail deer the experience of the elk rut is nothing short of incredible. Whereas the whitetail bucks dash about, sometimes sparring, on rare occasion fighting and all the while keeping vocalization to a bare minimum the elk on the other hand are extremely vocal, frequently observed sparring and serious fights are not uncommon. Wrap up all of these traits of the elk rut together with an easily accessible and human acclimated herd in the vicinity of Benezette Pennsylvania and you have a winning combination for an outdoor experience like no other.

Bits of Color

2011-09-21T17:08:00.001-04:00

Late summer's Bits of Color foretell the feast of hues about to unfold

Autumn

Drawing to a Close

2011-09-19T18:20:00.003-04:00

Chilly nights and cool days signal the ending of yet another summer. The grape vines are heavily laden with fruit as the leaves begin to turn brown.

Wild flowers still bloom but not with the profusion of a few weeks ago

Hummingbird visits to the feeders have dropped dramatically indicating that their autumn migration has begun.

Autumn holds much promise; promise of natural beauty far exceeding anything the other seasons can offer, but her beauty is fleeting as the cold gray days of winter rush in upon her heels. It is with some regret that I bid summer good-by but at the same time anticipate the coming autumn splendor with eagerness.

Getting Ready to Rumble

2011-09-16T19:27:00.000-04:00

Highlighted in the early morning sun a magnificent whitetail buck pauses to survey his surroundings

And moments later wages a mock battle with a bush

As the days become cooler and the hours of daylight shorten the bucks feel the irresistible urges of the coming rut

Appearing satisfied in winning the battle with the bush he poses before continuing on his way in search of more herbaceous foes to conquer; preparing for the real battles to yet to come.

I'm certain that this is the same buck posted by my friend and fellow wildlife photographer Brad Myers nearly a month ago. To see the difference the month made in the buck's appearance click HERE to pop over and take a look.

Cruise-in

2011-09-15T10:54:00.001-04:00

Shooting a car show Sunday was a considerable change of pace for one who has spent years honing their photographic skills on wildlife. Exposure and post processing presented challenges considerable different from what I am familiar with. A huge flag was used as the backdrop for the outdoor studio; made even more appropriate with the event being held on the tenth anniversary of 9-11.

The flag was hung from a crane with the bottom corners held in place with weights. One problem we encountered was when the gentle afternoon breeze blew the 500lb corner weights around as if they weighed nothing. To eliminate the problem we attached a truck to the flag's center and tied off the weights to stationary objects.

Over fifty cars and bikes were entered into the event

Flags and Harley's go together like mom and apple pie; Photoshop's tools were just what I needed to make this biker's image complete.

SNP: Revisiting an old Friend

2011-09-13T15:52:00.001-04:00

Once again early morning found Willard and I en route to Shenandoah National Park in search of Whitetail Bucks. Visiting last in mid August we were eager to get back to see what the bucks looked like without their velvet.

Locating a group of four bucks in the woods before photographic light we thought the morning was off to a good start as we waited for the day to brighten. Any thoughts of success were dashed when the bucks became nervous and suddenly burst into flight. The cause of their alarm became apparent a moment later when movement in a large oak tree caught my attention. A medium sized black bear hopped from branch to branch and suddenly dropped to the ground fleeing along the same path the bucks had traveled.

Shortly after sunrise we located a beautiful buck with a wide spreading rack and was busy photographing him when I spotted an even larger buck in the distance. After assuring myself that I had gotten some nice images of the nearby buck I hurried to catch up to the big boy as he busied himself thrashing low hanging branches.

The buck worked along the woods line sparring with shrubs and saplings seeming to enjoy tearing up the vegetation with his new antlers.

Throughout the encounter I continued to feel as if I should know this buck but wasn't able to place him until I was reviewing the images on the computer.

My first encounter was during the 2007 rut when I spent a good part of the morning with him as he stood guard over a doe. This photo of him was my very first published whitetail photo and have since always referred to him as Calendar Boy.

Meeting Calendar Boy again after the rut of 2008 I was disappointed to see his shattered rack. Disappointed that I was unable to capture a good image of his '08 rack, but at the same time glad that it was only his antler that was damaged.

Willard caught up with him for a fantastic photo session during the 2009 rut but I never caught sight of him that year and during the autumn of 2010 we both came up dry. So it was a great pleasure to meet up with him again this morning.

How you might ask do I know for sure that this is the same buck? Aside from coloration, body build and antler conformation this buck has a very unique mark that upon close observation makes him unmistakable. Check out the dark mark below the rear corner of his right eye and then review the above images.

Being able to follow an animal throughout the years is special part of big game photography. In hunting country seldom can this be accomplished but with the total protection that the National Parks afford their creatures the close observer can be rewarded with the thrill of watching particular animals mature and grow old. For the wildlife photographer documenting the aging process is perhaps the ultimate big game thrill.

911

2011-09-11T08:46:00.002-04:00

Photo - Flight 93 Temporary Memorial

A decade has passed since that fateful morning when life in America changed.

Let us never forget the people who gave their all.

"Let's Roll"

"Outahere"

2011-09-10T18:07:00.001-04:00

A beautiful pair of Whitetail Bucks hurry away upon the approach of a coyote

Shenandoah National Park, Va

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Killdeer

2011-09-08T11:04:00.000-04:00

Killdeer while commonly found on lawns, golf courses, and pasture fields also spend time along the water's edge. One morning a few days ago I was fortunate to be able to maneuver the boat close to a family group of killdeer taking an early morning bath.

A dispute erupted among the birds as can be seen here with one bird chasing another through the shallow water.

Turning the tables the chased bird suddenly stopped and displayed an aggressive posture.

And maintained the aggressive stance as the pursuing bird circled seeming to look for a weakness in its defence.

In a few moments the dispute was quickly forgotten as the flock went back to running about the mud flats in search of food leaving me with a few memorable images from a beautiful morning on the water.

Tropical Storm Lee

2011-09-07T15:01:00.001-04:00

Hurricane Irene passed to our east with only outer rain bands giving us some much needed rain and the earthquake was pretty much a non-event but Tropical Storm Lee has delivered drenching showers causing some flooding.

Some localized flooding was occurring this morning

A creek bottom cornfield is inundated as Licking Creek overflows her banks

The intersection of Leese, Bull Hill, and Creek Road is impassable

No mail will be delivered to this address today

A few inches of clearance remain under this bridge however the water is bypassing the bridge flooding out the road on the other side.

Insisting to live in a streams floodplain is not without consequences

Flooded roadway

If a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words............

2011-09-06T09:17:00.001-04:00

What is a gesture worth when you don't communicate in words?

Photographing wildlife is not without its humorous moments. I'm certain that the right-hand buck meant no disrespect as he was feeding at the moment that the other buck alerted upon seeing a coyote approaching.

Changing of the Coats

2011-09-03T19:03:00.002-04:00

With Autumn just around the corner the whitetails are changing into their winter coats.

The change comes on slowly. For the adults the reddish summer hair begins to thin revealing the new soft velvety undercoat. The adult doe pictured here has shed nearly all of her summer coat with the exception of that on her head and legs. In the coming weeks the now short soft hair covering her body will grow into the long insulating coat she will need to survive winter's cold.

The alert fawn is also showing the signs of change as its brilliant spots are fading away.

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Fog

2011-09-01T16:24:00.000-04:00

As autumn approaches the opportunity for foggy morning shots increases. Calm mornings where the air temperature is below that of the ground creates the perfect conditions for ground fog in low lying areas and even more so over bodies of warm water.

Tuesday morning was a calm 50 degrees and with the surface water temperature a warm 65 heavy fog blanketed the lake. As the sun rose in the eastern sky it reflected off of the calm surface of the waters in a surreal way.

The warming ray of the sun created updrafts that soon began wafting the fog upward, slowly exposing the encircling mountain.

But the best image of the morning came when all that remained was a low cloud obscuring the breastwall. The beauty was incredible, sky, fog and land meets water, reflecting perfectly in mirror image.

These are the moments I live for, those fleeting moments of incredible natural beauty.

Bird ID Help Needed

2011-08-30T20:36:00.000-04:00

While photographing a flock of Killdeer bathing in the shallow water along the lake shore I happened to notice a much smaller bird feeding nearby. Before I could swing to camera the mystery bird flushed along with the killdeer. Watching the flock land a couple of hundred yards away I approached them again with the boat and this time everything went my way allowing me to move into about 50 feet.

I am familiar with the spotted sandpipers and solitary sandpipers but am unsure as to the identification of this particular bird. It appeared to be alone and spent the morning hanging out with the killdeer. I would estimate the bird to be about 6" long.

In trying to identify my mystery bird the closest match I have came up with is the Semipalmated Sandpiper. If any of you can give a positive identification I will certainly appreciate it.

Whitetail Casuals

2011-08-28T18:34:00.000-04:00

Whitetail Family

Seldom does a doe and her fawns line up for a family portrait but when this family did I needed a shorter lens. I like everything about this shot except that the fawns are cropped too tight. A little more body and perhaps some leg would have greatly improved the shot.

The abrupt end of a nursing session causes a fawn to squint as it tries to avoid mom's flailing hooves.

With summer beginning to wain the deer are shedding their thin red summer hair; replacing it with a soft velvety gray hair that in the coming months will grow into a thick warm coat for winter.

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Canning Pickled Beets

2011-08-26T19:51:00.000-04:00

Nothing says summer better than the bounty of the harvest

After previously harvesting, cleaning, cooking, and skinning a wheelbarrow load of red beets; the other ingredients necessary for delicious pickled beets are arranged in the kitchen.

While the pickling ingredients simmer in the kettle

It's time to pack the jars

Packed and ready, the beets are waiting...

for the pickling brew.

Thirty minutes in a waterbath canner completes the process

Using a recipe handed down through the family we canned 35 quarts, enough to last my wife and I through two years. And of course, when some of the jars are emptied of the beets, boiled eggs will be plopped in to soak.

Keeping up a few of the traditions from my youth are important to me; traditions like vegetable gardening, home canning, freezing, and butchering our own meats. Too many people today have lost the knowledge and comprehension of where food comes from. By keeping up some of these traditions I am able to keep in touch with an indisputable fact; the fact that we all live off the land no matter how distanced we become in a world of factory farms and prepackaged food.

I recently listened as a right-wing talk show host ran our president down for a remark he had made about the environment by stating that if we followed his path that we all would soon be living off of the land. As I listened I marveled that someone so well educated, a person with a law degree, could make such an insane comment. And I wondered, could it really be that insulated from reality, living in a concrete jungle amid the most powerful people in this country, could it really be that this lady who proclaims to know what is best for America doesn't even realize that every bite of food she takes comes from the land? Can she not realize that without the land humanity ceases to exist?

Scary to say the least!

SNP

2011-08-24T18:28:00.000-04:00

Shenandoah National Park seldom disappoints the photographer seeking wildlife photos.

A healthy, human acclimated, whitetail herd provides viewers and photographers alike with ample opportunities for close-up encounters.

Long lenses however helpful are not required to capture wildlife photographs in this wildlife Mecca.

And sometimes less commonly seen wildlife will appear for a photo op.

This was one shot where the 400mm saved the day. The coyote was trotting through the meadow when it sensed a mouse or vole. Stopping momentarily it then reversed direction and bounded into the air in an unsuccessful attempt to capture its tiny prey. Fortunately I was tracking the coyote through the lens and was able to hit the remote capturing the action as the coyote burst into the air.

Lightening

2011-08-22T21:01:00.001-04:00

Shortly after full dark a thunder storm began lighting up our eastern sky. Attaching a 24-105mm lens setting the focus manually to near infinity, dialing in a F5.6, ISO 2000 and setting the mode to bulb I was ready to go. I made the following images handheld with the shutter depressed allowing the strobe effect of the lightening to make the exposure. After each bolt of lightening I released the shutter momentarily before depressing it and waiting for the next flash.

Shooting at 12800

2011-08-21T21:09:00.000-04:00

Always looking for another image I took the Canon 60D along to the Fulton County Fair. A demolition derby was the main attraction. The track lights were more than sufficient for viewing but it left much to be desired in the photography department. Trying to milk the most our of my gear I pulled up the custom function menu and activated the ISO expansion allowing shooting at 12,800 ISO. Having never used this high of a setting I really didn't know what to expect. The first image was shot with the the 100-400 lens hand held, F5.6 1/20th second.

The digital noise was very evident in the images but the noise tools in PS5 camera raw was able to calm the worst of it making these usable images. I found that a luminance setting of 70 provided the best balance between visible noise and sharpness.

The half-time show was a fun contest between three teams competing in an appliance race. The goal was to load five appliances with only 100ft of rope to secure the load and to complete a number of laps around the track. Bumping, ramming etc were perfectly acceptable tactics to defeat an opponent. I produced this image for the winning team. While lacking fine detail in my opinion ISO 12,800 created acceptable images for this type of event but probably will not prove useful in my wildlife photography.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

2011-08-20T20:12:00.000-04:00

It's difficult to pick a favorite but of the hummingbird photos I have captured this one of a female visiting the canna lily bloom is my favorite. If you haven't already visit my earlier posts from last week to see other captures of these diminutive birds in flight.

Unsuccessfully attempting to capture a mature male flashing his brilliant throat patch I did manage to photograph this immature male; note the two red spots of the birds throat. As noted by fellow blogger Tom Dorsey the males throat patch can appear black one moment and a bright iridescent red the next.

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Lakeside Captures

2011-08-18T18:39:00.000-04:00

After getting the boat launched Wednesday morning I took a moment to look around spotting this Great Blue Heron standing in the muck at the water's edge. Slowly moving the boat closer I maneuvered for an good lighting angle to take advantage of the early morning sun as it began to burn through the fog.

Spotting another Heron later I again motored in closer and was surprised to see a feeding pair of immature wood ducks as they rounded the point. After a few minutes the ducks and heron came into alignment allowing me to capture all in one photograph.

The heavy dew glistens like jewels on the grass. One duck looks for its next morsel as the other stretches is wings.

Plucking a blade of grass

And demonstrating the "Duck Step"

The pair were oblivious to me sitting nearly motionless in the shallow water with the boat rammed against a couple of stumps. Wood ducks at this location are normally very wary but with the bright sun at my back they didn't seem to notice me until they had moved some distance away.

Fishing was slow as expected. The Heron and Wood Ducks were "The Catch of the Day"

Whatisit

2011-08-17T18:25:00.000-04:00

What is it?

One hint; it's all natural.

Whitetails, Just being Whitetails

2011-08-15T19:40:00.001-04:00

A doe nuzzles her little family in the cool of the morning.

The morning was nearly cloudless promising strong harsh light once the sun had crested the horizon but before sunrise the soft diffused light was simply perfect to photograph this tender moment of whitetail interaction.

Also shot before sunrise, the fawn curiously and hesitantly approaches the big buck. Soon it was bounding off returning to its mother's protection but not before it had a sniff of the bucks impressive antlers.

A doe and her twins take time out for a short nursing session. Still photography cannot capture the frantic suckling of the rapidly growing fawns.

Nursing sessions are short, seldom lasting more than a minute or two, and usually end with the mother walking away. This hungry fawn is trying to get the last drop as mom abruptly ends the nursing.

With my background rooted in consumptive hunting I am drawn to pursuing bucks and particularly adult bucks carrying impressive headgear. However as time goes by I find myself looking more and more for opportunities to capture whitetail interaction. Fawns with their attractive spotted coats and a heaping helping of curiosity are great subjects as they interact with other deer and explore their environment.

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Hummingbird Photos: How its Done

2011-08-11T19:21:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I posted photos of female/immature Ruby-throated Hummingbirds with the promise of following with a post of how it's done. Photographing a hummer at a flower brings with it the problem of how to get the birds coming to the one flower where you are set up. Trying to chase these little speedsters around while they go from flower to flower would be a futile effort.

The setup began with a red Canna Lily placed in a mason jar set in a well lighted location. Hummers are attracted more so to red than to any other color.

Spritzing the flowers with sugar water added to the photographic appeal of the flowers and made the flowers irresistible to the tiny birds. Occasional spritzing throughout the shoot kept the flowers fresh and inviting.

After giving the hummers a couple of hours to find my single flower it was time to set up and begin shooting. Using the Canon 60D and 100-400mm lens at nearly minimum focus distance gave an acceptable image size. All photos were shot at ISO 500 and F5.6 in order to achieve a shutter speed of between 1/1500 to 1/3000. Even at 1/3000 the shutter was not fast enough to completely stop the rapid wing beats.

Below are more shots of these incredibly agile little birds. Enjoy!