Reflections of Summer: Painted Turtle

As the boat slid quietly into a small cove I spied this pretty Painted Turtle basking on a log. The lighting was good and I easily maneuvered into the best position for this reflection shot.

Many of the wildlife subjects I shoot are wary and difficult to photograph but that is not the case with the Painted Turtles. As long as one doesn’t make sudden movements or approach inside of their comfort zone these turtles are content to be the subject of many a blog post.

I’m Going Cuckoo: Yellow-billed Cuckoo that is

Prior to this spring and my foray into bird photography, I did not know that Cuckoos inhabited our area or even what they looked like.

A few weeks ago, I captured an unusual bird which my research proved to be a Black-billed Cuckoo. While reading the description of its call I realized that what I had been hearing throughout the evening was not the Black-billed Cuckoo in my photo, but rather a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. I began to notice on subsequent evenings that I was hearing the Yellow-billed Cuckoos calling frequently; thus began my search for a good photo of the Yellow-bill.

Soon I located my first Yellow-billed but I was unable to capture a good image. Since the Cuckoos tend to stay in brushy areas; catching one exposed and well lighted proved to be a challenge. During many evening forays I heard the elusive Yellow-billed and on a few occasions was able to get identification quality photos, but a good quality photo eluded me, until last evening.

My wife & I visited my favorite lake. As I was fishing I heard a nearby Yellow-billed Cuckoo calling. Soon I located the bird sitting in some low trees along the lake shore. Upon retrieving my camera from the rear deck and checking the settings, I began approaching slowly. The Cuckoo flew from branch to branch searching for caterpillars. When conditions were right I began burst firing. The photo session ended as quickly as it began when the Cuckoo flew deeper into the woods.

Reflections: Wood Duck Box

While boating around a small cove, I was captivated by the reflection cast by the wood duck nest box on the placid water. While observing this delightful reflection I began reflecting upon the history of the lake.

This lake, which has furnished me with the waterfowl shots I have been sharing for the last two months, is a man made lake. The lake is situated on lands owned by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, built and maintained by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.

Fulton County, home to many streams and creeks has no natural lakes. Thanks to the dream of Carl Jarrett, a former PGC Game Protector, and much political wrangling on his part, the 204 acre Meadow Grounds Lake became a reality in the mid 1960’s.

Carl passed away a few years ago but his legacy continues to provide habitat for wildlife and a quiet place for humans to spend many delightful hours enjoying the outdoors.

Fishing: Great Blue Heron Style

While fishing on the nearby lake Memorial Day morning, I noticed a Great Blue Heron standing along the shore. As I began my approach it flew south along the lake shore and disappeared into a small cove. This time I was able to approach to within about fifty yards before leaving cover and as usual, I set the trolling motor at its very slowest speed. To slow my approach even more I would bump the switch on and off giving it only enough power for steerage. Finally I ran up against a submerged stump and just sat quietly waiting and watching from about thirty yards away.

The Heron watched me intently once I broke cover but then found the small fish in the shallow water to be of more interest. Slowly ever so slowly she stalked her prey until with a lighting fast strike she deftly caught a small bluegill.

Spotted Sandpiper

During my early morning outing, I noticed a flock of Spotted Sandpipers running about on the earthen breastwall of the dam. Upon my approach all but two flew to a shaded area so I concentrated my attention upon the remaining birds. I adjusted my trolling motor to its slowest setting and over the next one-half hour worked these birds until they allowed me to maneuver to within a few yards.

By the conclusion of this session I had shot over one hundred images. As these birds move quickly, many were poorly posed and some blurred. After heavy deletion, I still had thirty eight images that made the grade. Of the image, this one which caught the bird with wings momentarily lifted while posed by the waters edge and it’s reflection visible in the water, stood out above all of the rest

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Early Morning Osprey

Today’s early morning encounter with an osprey produced this image plus my new header.

While I was photographing a Spotted Sandpiper, I noticed an Osprey perched on a dead snag in a nearby cove. Once finished with the sandpiper I maneuvered the boat behind cover and approached the Osprey to within about fifty yards before exposing myself. As the Osprey flew past I framed and shot frantically.

As is always the case in these fast action episodes I was left to wonder as to whether I was successful until I was able to view the results on the computer.

Morning Freshness

As the first rays of sunlight illuminate the lake shore, the fresh colors of spring create a gorgeous backdrop for the day’s activities.

Photographing wildlife and fishing are the primary reasons for me to visit a lake at first light however I never forget to pause and soak in the beauty of my surroundings.

Waterfowl; Sharing the Habitat

A Wood Duck Drake shares a warm sunlit cove with a pair of Mallards

Now that the spring waterfowl migrations are past, we are left with Wood Ducks and Mallards. Both species nest in our area and I am keeping a sharp look out for the first ducklings of the season.

Rain had soaked our area all day yesterday with skies beginning to clear as night fell. I arrived at the lake this morning at daybreak and was met with a stiff breeze and 41F temperature, not exactly ideal fishing conditions but it is my day off and I wasn’t about to miss an outing.

Fishing along the shoreline, I kept my camera handy and was rewarded with this image as I turned into a small cove around 7:30. A pair of Mallards was sharing the sunshine with a pair of Wood Ducks. I tried to capture all four ducks in the frame but the Woodie hen wasn’t about to stick around for the shot.

As a side note; Mallards when approached to closely, flush but the Woodies will typically swim to the shoreline and run into the woods before flushing if they even flush at all. I find observing the differing evasion tactics of the various species

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Mallard Explosion

A Painted Turtle looks on as pair of Mallard Drakes take flight

I must confess I did not notice the little turtle until I reviewed this capture, as my attention was riveted upon the beautiful Mallards.

As I rounded a bend in the lake shoreline the Mallards watched me intently. Once I had the camera setting readied I began closing the distance as usual running the boat at very slow speed waiting for the moment they exploded into flight.


When shooting take-off shots, it is always a difficult call as to the best combination of aperture and shutter speed. In many cases I find myself fighting for enough light but that was not the case here as the bright sun was at a high angle. I used a 1/500 sec. shutter for this shot which gave a sharp image of the duck’s bodies while still allowing a pleasing amount of motion blur on the wings.

Ruddy Duck Hens

A couple of weeks ago I encountered a Ruddy Duck drake while visiting the lake and featured him on an earlier post. This past Saturday I bumped into a flock of hens. I don’t know if the hens and drakes migrate at different times or if this is purely coincidence.

A heavy coating of pollen along with the lighting angle created the unusual appearance of the water’s surface shown in this image.

A Rare Take-Off

A Loon creates a considerable commotion during take-off. The sunlight illuminating the loon and the flying spray against the dark background created what is one of my all-time favorite wildlife photographs.

Seldom have I witnessed Loons taking flight as they usually avoid intruders by quietly slipping under the water’s surface to reappear quite some distance away a couple of minutes later.

Shaking Off, Common Loon

A Loon, finished with fishing for the moment flaps its wings

I love watching the loons whenever I am on the lake. Most times they will be calmly sitting on the water closely observing their surroundings. Occasionally I have observed them intent upon fishing and at these times I can usually approach rather closely with the boat. This was the case on this day as the loon had located a large school of small fish and had been busily engaged while I made my approach.

After the school of fish disappeared, this Loon practically stood erect on the water shaking the water from its feathers. I like this shot not only for the subject but also the colors of the reflections on the water.

Breakfast, Belted Kingfisher

While my friend and I were fishing together this morning we met another successful fisherman along the lake side.

As we watched; the Kingfisher dove from the branch it was perched on, disappeared into the water momentarily and returned to its perch with breakfast held firmly in its beak.

While I was rapidly snapping photos it flipped the fish, swallowing it head first. I noticed that it seemed to have a little difficulty finishing swallowing for it sat on the branch with its beak open shaking its head for a couple of minutes before flying off giving it distinctive rattling call.

An Image of an Awesome Morning

This past Friday evening I posted the Immature Bald Eagle that I had captured while fishing/photographing the morning of April 12th. On Saturday morning I again visited the nearby lake. Upon leaving the boat dock I headed across the lake towards the western shore. Soon I sighted a duck swimming and began my approach. After a few shots at long range the duck tired of the game and flew away. As I looked around I spotted some white in a treetop and immediately assumed it was one of the Ospreys that frequent the lake; how wrong I was! A moment later it took flight, an Adult Bald Eagle!

The eagle flew to the south end of the lake alighting in a tree top so I slowly eased my boat that way but while I was still 300-350 yards out it again took flight, flying back to the western shore and again perching in a tree. Again I gave slow pursuit. This time when the eagle flew another adult joined it flying north. As the morning progressed I did some fishing along with photographing waterfowl, including the Wood Duck on Saturday’s post. An hour or so later I rounded a small bend in the lake only to see the eagle pair takeoff again, this time alighting in a tree near the north end of the lake, a dead tree where the week before I had photographed an Osprey eating its catch.

Again I attempted to approach by motoring across the lake concealing myself from the eagles with the shoreline. This allowed me to approach to within about 200 yards. As I again came into view of the eagles I began firing and quickly they took flight.

The angle of lighting is not what I desired and the distance too far for a great image but to me this photograph represents the memories of an awesome morning spent with these beautiful raptors.

Nothing says Spring Time any better than……..

Dandelions & Bluegills

I find as the years roll by that my interest are constantly evolving. Some things that I once did with a passion are now only memories. A constant in my life has been that of my interest in and love of the outdoors.

I realize that I have not traveled nearly as extensively as some of you reading this blog. I have spent very little of my life in cities; preferring instead those out of the way places where paths are made by animals, not by man.

I have been fortunate to have traveled as far north as the Ungava region of Quebec in search of Caribou and Lake Trout. There for the only time in my life I enjoyed the serenade of the wolves while watching a fabulous display of the northern lights. I have roamed Central Ontario fishing in a number of lakes and doing some hunting as well.

I have traveled south to Florida where I have enjoyed photographing the birdlife immensely as well as visiting family. I have fished in the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. Before the cost of fuel become unbearable I frequently towed a boat to the Chesapeake pursuing the trophy striped bass and sometimes flounder.

Having experienced these other places with all of their wonders I still enjoy a day spent on a quiet lake fishing for Bluegills. The only differences today from a few decades ago is that my boat carries an electric motor instead of oars and at no time do I go without a camera, my latest interest.

Wood Duck Drake

A pretty Wood Duck Drake standing guard on a fallen log

I first noticed the Wood Duck pair as I was fishing in a small cove off of the main body of the lake. The drake with his bright plumage stood out against the soft green & brown background, the hen with her drab brown colors blended in very well. Before I could approach within good camera range they began walking through the woods. I knew the land they were on was only a narrow strip with another cove only about twenty yards away. This situation gave me hope for here they were in the shadows but the next cove caught the morning sun very well. As the Woodies passed out of sight over the slight rise I turned the boat and headed for the next cove.

As I approached I kept the boat moving at the slowest speed my electric motor allows and stayed near the shore trying to stay out of sight until I was as close as possible. Rounding a little bend in the shoreline I spotted the Drake standing high upon this log. Below him sitting on the water was his mate. The drake watched me closely and began pacing the log as I drew nearer. Finally he and his mate grew weary of my company and winged away to a less crowded part of the lake.

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First Photo Encounter, Immature Bald Eagle

During one of my morning boating excursions I had the good fortune to encounter an Immature Bald Eagle.

Bald Eagle sightings are becoming increasingly common in my area. As most know, the Bald Eagle fell prey to DDT poisoning. This along with the prevailing rural attitude of the past, many folks killed all predators on sight, including Eagles. During my growing up years, I never heard of anyone sighting an eagle.

From 1963 to 1980 there were only three known Eagle nest in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Game Commission began a reintroduction effort in 1983. Over the next seven years 88 Eagle chicks were removed from nest in Saskatchewan and placed in hacking towers here in the Keystone State. By 1996 twenty pairs were known to be nesting in the state.

Although I have sighted Bald Eagles a number of times over the last decade, this was the first time I had the opportunity to capture an image. On some issues I cannot agree with the Pennsylvania Game Commission but in the case of the Eagle I must applaud them for successfully returning this majestic bird to our skies.

Thank you PGC for a job well done!

Basking, Painted Turtles

Painted Turtles basking in the warm sunlight of a cool April day

I frequently see Painted Turtles exhibiting this behavior during sunny spring days. As turtles are cold blooded, they relish the warm rays of sunlight. When I first noticed this log it was covered with turtles basking in a line along its entire length. By the time I drew near enough for this shot, all had slipped quietly back into the water except for this pair.

A little research revealed that females are larger than males and that we are in the midst of their breeding season now. Most likely this is a guy and his favorite gal all snuggled up and quite hesitant to flee.

Lonely Little Ruddy Duck

I spied a lone Ruddy Duck male on the lake Friday morning. As I had never captured a good image of a Ruddy before I made an extra effort to approach him. I soon found this was no easy task for like a Grebe he would slip under the surface only to reappear quite some distance away.

I would have loved to have gotten closer but I am content with this image captured with the Canon 30D and a 100mm-400mm L lens.

What’s All the Flap About?

A Canada Goose stretches and flaps its wings before resuming feeding.

I played hooky from work Friday and have spent the last two mornings on my favorite lake. The spring waterfowl migrations are mostly past me now with only a few stragglers still passing through.

Today I spent more time fishing and less time with camera in hand. Nice Bluegills were popping on the surface and a little finesse with a Rapala Floating Minnow was all that was needed for surface busting hits.