Middle Creek Blizzard

After two false starts where Middle Creek plans had to be scrubbed, finally Willard and I were able to make the pre-dawn drive east on the Pa Turnpike to the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area today.

 

Snow goose numbers were estimated at 30,000 this morning by PGC personnel which is a considerable drop from Friday's number of 55,000.   While 30,000 is not an impressive number for Middle Creek at this time of year it is an impressive number of birds when you happen to be in just the right position.

Where to land?

 

Trio Fly-by

 

I will be posting more from today's shoot in the near future but for now I need to grab some much needed rest.

Odds & Ends

Not having neither the time or the energy to put much thought into a post, I decided instead to share some unrelated photos.

I was a little surprised to see Great Blue Herons building nest during my early March visit to Middle Creek.  The rookery was too far away from the road to allow great shots and getting any closer was unlawful so I had to be satisfied with what was available.  Shooting with the 600mm lens I could see from viewing the camera LCD that the shots were soft.  Resorting to manual focus and using live view at 10x zoom the resulting images were sharper.

These mallards may look no different than your friendly everyday park ducks but they fully understand the dangers that humans present.  The nearest hen has already spotted me and at the first click of the shutter they exploded into the air. 

This crow seems to understand that I mean it no harm but gaging from the intent stare it isn't entirely trusting either.

Middle Creek Tundra Swans

While Snow Geese are the main late winter attraction at Middle Creek the Tundra Swan migrations is impressive as well.

The swans estimate the day of my visit was pegged at about 5000.  Here a group of swans lifts off at dawn for a day of foraging.

These graceful birds have since moved on; the memory of my wonderful day with the swans lives on in digital files. 

A First: Gadwalls

My recent trip to Middle Creek resulted in being able to add another species to my photo archives.

A flock of Gadwalls were feeding in a pothole near the road. Not overly concerned about the nearby viewers and photographers, they approached near enough for decent photography. These images were captured with the Canon 600mm F4, at ISO400,f4,1/750.

From their actions they had more than migrating and feeding on their minds as a group of males pursued a single female relentlessly.

This particular shot was my favorite from the encounter.

Visiting Middle Creek

 For those interested in waterfowl, Middle Creek is an geat place to visit in late winter. Many waterfowl species stop here during their move northward providing the opportunity for viewing and photography. Snow geese are perhaps the most famous migrants as they are present here in huge numbers if you select the right time for your visit. The PGC website contains a wealth of information for visitors.  If you are considering your first visit do yourself a favor and spend some time checking it out. To do so simply click HERE.

Middle Creek waterfowl can be accessed from both public road and by roads only open seasonally; the details are listed on the website.  This photo was taken at a good spot along Hopeland Road, the visitor center is visible in the background.  Open year around the public road allows access to a number of good locations.  A variety of birdlife utilize the pothole shown here providing good viewing and photographic opportunities. 

Hopeland Road is also an excellent spot for early morning flight shots as this flock of Tundra Swans demonstrates.

Turning towards the lake, the location is excellent for sunrise shots as well as silhouette shots at dawn.

Willow Point is accessible by a short walk from a parking lot and is strategically located for waterfowl viewing.  The snow geese frequently raft nearby during the night making it a good place to greet the dawn.

Willow Point is the one place where close-up encounters with snow geese are quite common.

During your visit pay close attention to the signs.  Visitors are restricted from most of the area to avoid unduly alarming the wildlife.  Restricted areas are marked both by signs and a single strand wire.  Make sure you stay on the correct side of the wire to assure that your visit will remain pleasant.

The self-guided driving tour, open seasonally, puts you into areas where the waterfowl feed as well as giving access near to the lake and a few potholes.  Sights like these look good in photographs but to be there and experience it is absolutely incredible. 

Middle Creek is not a place to capture close-up waterfowl photos, the crowd control is much to restrictive for that, but it is a great place to visit and the best place I know of to experience the incredible numbers of waterfowl during migration. 

Blizzard of Snows: Middle Creek WMA

Middle Creek Dawn

A mixture of Canada Geese, Tundra Swans, and assorted ducks rest on the lake while skiens of Snow Geese pass overhead.

While the sun was still hidden behind the eastern hills the Snow Geese rose from the lake in unison.

Willard and I visited Middle Creek Friday, 3-2-12.  The PGC estimate placed the snow goose count at 65,000 - 70,000 birds and cautions that the birds may be moving on at any time.  If you wish to view this amazing annual spectacle you should do so as soon as possible and check the latest reports or call ahead if you have far to travel.

The synchronized flight of thousands of geese is an amazing sight to behold. 

For a more in depth read check out the excellent information found in Joe Kosack's PGC news release.

SNOW GEESE MAKE MIDDLE CREEK SPARKLE EVERY SPRING

Middle Creek Ringers

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.

Wrapping up Middle Creek

Snow Geese

 Click on this image to get the full impact of a clear blue sky filled with snow geese.  This shot was made with the 24-105 lens set at 50mm

Tundra Swans flying high overhead made for a striking image

Two duck species that I seldom encounter in my local area posed here in the same Middle Creek image, two Black Ducks along with an American Wigeon.  These were among the mixed flock feeding on the pothole near the visitors center.

This may complete my series of Middle Creek posts as I am nearing the end of processing the images from that mornings shoot.  Trying to shoot as much as possible during the spring migration and keeping up with processing the images has proven difficult but I have enjoyed nearly every minute of it.  And besides for me that is what it is all about; enjoying natures beauty and sharing it with you my appreciative visitors.

Middle Creek Casuals

As dawn breaks Willard stands at the ready with his 500mm waiting for passing geese while his daughter Amy scans the lake with her binoculars.  An unknown photographer can be seen in the background.

Later, at the field where the geese were feeding, Willard focuses the 500mm in for some landing shots

A panorama created from a set of three images depicts the scene that lay before us better than individual images ever could.  Photoshop CS5 makes stitching panoramas incredibly easy.

I captured this series using the Canon 30D and 24-105mm lens

Middle Creek in Flight

The Middle Creek Snow Goose migration is now a memory but I still have a few images to share from our morning.  I captured this image during the morning lift-off.  The sun was still low in the sky partially lighting the undersides of the geese's wings.

Snow geese circling the preparing to land

A large flock of a few thousand geese gathered in a field along the roadside.  Photographers and observers gathered as well watching the incredible drama unfold.  I have read how difficult these birds are to hunt as they do not decoy well and spook easily when they notice the least thing amiss.  Perhaps that is so but in this spot the birds amassed without concern of the onlookers gathered nearby.  Did they know they were in a protected zone?  Probably so.  I have also read where the average age of the geese is about eight years so I would guess that that is plenty of time for them to learn where the safe spots lie along their journey.

Lift-off

At one point about half of the flock lifted off, circled around, landing in a different part of the field to resume their feeding.  No photograph can do justice to the incredible sight of so many large flying birds in such close proximity.  I shot with both cameras using the 24-105mm on one and the 100-400mm on the other.  This shot with the 100-400mm shot at 400mm is my favorite.

Snow Geese are not the only attraction of Middle Creek as this Canada Goose demonstrates making an early morning fly-over.

Middle Creek Snows and Collateral Damage

This lone goose flying low is one of my favorite images from the day at Middle Creek. 

I didn't realize until I was reviewing the day's shoot that I had photographed a goose wearing a neck collar

Cropping in tight allows one to read the identifying number.  These collars are used by researchers as a means to identify individual birds from a distance.

Wildlife managers are concerned that an overabundance of snow geese will harm their Arctic breeding grounds and possibly the aquatic vegetation of their wintering areas, the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic coastal marshes.  In light of this concern spring hunting seasons with liberal bag limits allow hunting along their spring migration route.  During our Middle Creek visit shotguns could be heard firing frequently nearby.

This goose, photographed at a pothole near the visitor center shows signs of injury, note the blood stains on its uplifted wing.  A trend I noticed was that a goose sighted alone typically showed signs of injury.

We located this goose standing along the roadside appearing disoriented.  When I stepped from the car it immediately took flight.  Bloodied from a shotgun blast the bird was taking no further chances with humans.  With thousands of miles yet to fly birds like these last two have little chance of survival.  They will most likely either die of their injuries or fall prey to predators. 

Middle Creek: Snow Geese Flight Shots

With the goose exposed properly in this photo the glare off the water completely blew out all detail.  Even with the blown out area I still like the shot

A large flock of Snow Geese were gathering in a roadside field.  When we arrived there were already thousands on the ground and during the next few hours the geese arrived continuously.  Their arrival afforded opportunities for both flight and landing shots.  I catching a goose with its wings "just right" took a combination of skill and luck.  I felt that I was perhaps lacking in the skill department so I made up for it by shooting hundreds of shots hoping luck would make up the difference.  Considering that lighting angle, wing position and body pose, and background was constantly changing as the geese wheeled in for landing I wasn't disappointed in the least when over 90% of my shots were rejects.  

In reality I was looking for one great landing shot and with this one I consider that I nailed it.

A goodly number of dark phase snow geese were mixed in with the normal white birds.  I didn't manage to capture any good landing images but was pleased with this shot as a pair circled low overhead prior to landing.

Since ice-out I have been having the time of my life photographing migrating waterfowl.  For incredible numbers of waterfowl late winter at Middle Creek is difficult to beat.

Mona over at Montana Girl asked in a comment if I am enjoying my new camera.  Yes Mona I sure am, the Canon 60D is proving to be everything I had hoped it to be and I'm very glad I was able to get it in time for the spring waterfowl migration.  My old 30D still has a job to do though, with a 24-105mm lens attached it is hanging around my neck ready for those shots that do not require the long glass.

Middle Creek Tundra Swans

The first rays of the morning sun falls across Tundra Swans awaking to a new day

Tundra Swans stop in at Middle Creek on their way northward to the summer breeding grounds.  It was estimated that somewhere around eight thousand were present during our recent visit.

Shortly after sun-up the swans began flying off the lake.  The sun was still low in the eastern sky lighting these birds from below when I captured this flight image.

The low angle sun causes this tundra swan to glow as it passes over my position

Tundra Swans gracefully coming in for a landing

Middle Creek, located in Pennsylvania's Amish Country, is an excellent place to visit during late winter.  The incredible flocks of waterfowl are a sight to behold.  Tens of thousands of snow geese, thousands of Canada Geese, thousands of Tundra Swans and numerous duck species abound providing photographic opportunities galore.  Middle Creek is an excellent location for flight shots however it is not particularly note worthy if close-up waterfowl images are your goal. 

Middle Creek is managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission with waterfowl hunting in mind.  Numerous shooting blinds are located in the fields surrounding the shallow water lake but no such accommodation are provided for the casual visitor or photographer.  Visitors are restricted from nearly all of the management area except for a narrow area along the roadways.  This area is clearly marked with a single strand wire fence forming the line one is not allow to cross.  With only a very few exception potholes and other waterfowl habitat is out sight or out of reach of even the longest telephoto lenses.  The few exceptions that do exist occur along the road where viewers and photographer congregate.  Even this limited people pressure results in the waterfowl moving away from the people requiring the use of long telephoto lenses to acquire a photograph that even remotely resembles a waterfowl portrait.   

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