Sunrise: The Most Beautiful Time of The Day

 

For many of us the day begins without notice.  For some the new day arrives before their alarm clock sounds while others are already at work, busy with the day's activity.  For me the latter is the case for five days each week so when the weekend arrives being up and out before the dawn becomes a high priority.  While some will argue the case for evening being the most beautiful time of day it is difficult to make the case for evening when comparing it to the incredible beauty of a dew-soaked mid-spring morning.

 

The above panoramic image was created by merging 14 vertical photos capturing approximately 180 degrees of view.  The individual photos were shot with a Canon 6D, 24mm-105mm lens set at 24mm,  F7.1, 1/320, ISO 160

Tranquility ?

 

What could be more tranquil than a spring evening on a small rural Pennsylvania farm? 

 

I took this photo while making my evening rounds.  Dad loved his cattle and even though both of his hips and one knee had to be replaced over the past decade he still took care of the day to day chores tending to his herd of 25-35 cattle.  With his passing in February a decision had to be made as to the future of his herd. After discussing it with my brother, Willard of Pa Wildlife Photographer, and my wife I decided that I would continue the tradition with only minor downsizing of the herd to take place later this year.  The downsizing will be necessary to provide more land for increased wildlife food plots.  As for now the herd has been increasing with the spring calves still arriving periodically.   

 

As tranquil as the meadows seem one needs only to step to the edge to find some little predators just now beginning to explore their new world.  There is no doubt that they and their parents eliminate any chance for tranquility in the life of their prey living nearby. 

 

With each passing day the little foxes ventured farther and farther away from the den.

 

 

Checking out every nook and cranny

 

And engaging in playful roughhousing

 



 

This fox pup retreated to the one of the den entrances when I approached a little too close for comfort.  From the safety of the den the little fellow watched me intently and unmoving for better than five minutes before dropping below ground for good.

 

Since this series was photographed the fox pups have disappeared.  As they were regularly leaving the den for extended periods of time I don't know I am just missing seeing them or if they have moved to a new location.  This was my first time locating and being able to photograph an active fox den making it one of the high points of my spring.

Catching Up

 

I noticed last evening that it had been nearly two weeks since I last updated Country Captures.  This year has proven to be very busy for me but busy or not it is time to do some catching up here.

 

Across Pennsylvania hunters were up and out early in hopes of calling in a big tom this morning as today was the opening day of the 2014 spring gobbler season.

Most of the year wild turkeys are just big black birds but when they puff up into full strut with the sunlight lighting up their colors they are sight to behold.

 

And this big fellow really lit up when the early morning sunlight hit him.

 

 

With turkey hunters in the woods my attention turns elsewhere.  Today I began the day checking out some of my favorite crappie spots.

And later spent some time photographing some solitary sandpipers.  While checking on the cattle last evening I noticed that a number of solitary's were feeding in a wet area along side of the pasture.  With better light this evening I returned and was able to photograph three of them as they bathed. 

 

Checking in on the fox den I was delighted to find the pups outside.  When I closed in as close as the fence would allow three of the pups sat on top of the den watching me closely.

 

However they soon relaxed and went back to playing.

 

With the light all wrong and the distance a little on the long side it was impossible to get truly great shots but it was still a thrill to watch the little canines.

Foxey Tails

After spotting the fox den in one of our hay meadows last Sunday morning and photographing them from long range in the afternoon I had no more sightings of the family.  Willard was able to video them from long range on Monday but the foxes failed to appear the remainder of the week.  Foxes are reportedly quick to move their family if they feel threatened and I was beginning to believe that this was the case.

 

With that in mind, yesterday morning with the intention of using my truck for a blind, I parked about one hundred yards from the den just as the day began to break.  As the sky lightened the spring bird chorus filled the air, Canada geese and whitetail deer arrived in the meadow to feed, but no sign of activity around the fox den could be seen.

 

As the sun began to touch the treetops on a distant hillside I spotted what I though was a squirrel race from the edge of the woods into a grassy opening and back again into the woods.  A few minutes later it happened again.  Since this didn't seem consistent with squirrel movement and what I was seeing was some 300-350 yards distant I trained the binoculars on the area to get a better view.  Imagine my surprise when in a moment I spotted a little fox pup racing into the meadow to join other pups already there! 

 

 

At that distance photography was out of the question so I knew I must move closer.  Hoping that the truck would be less alarming than a human form I drove from the hay field into the pasture that adjoined the woods where their new den is located.  From about 125 yards I was able to photograph the pups with one of the adults.  At that distance neither adult seemed to care about my truck as long as I stayed inside. 

 

 

After photographing from that position for 15 minutes or so I decided to make one more move in hopes of getting even better photographs and this time moved the truck within about 50-60 yards of the den.  This was too close for the adults as they slowly moved away into the woodlands and all but two of the pups went into the den.

 

However only a few minutes elapsed until another pup reappeared.

 

 

And soon others began surfacing as the pups resumed their rough-house playing oblivious to my presence.

 

Watching these little foxes play reminded me of how much animal babies are alike for their play was very similar to that of domestic pups and kittens.

Sadly I had very little time to spend with the pups until other obligations called me away.  When I hit the truck starter the pups disappeared into their burrow moving with near lightening speed.

 

Wildlife Welcomes Spring

 

On a recent frosty morning I was able to photograph a male Red-winged Blackbird as he perched on a grassy hummock singing lustily.  The males always are the first to arrive late each winter with the females arriving later.

 

Noticing a large mound of bare dirt that appeared in one of our meadows as the snow was beginning to melt I assumed that a woodchuck had reopened an existing burrow.  Although I often looked in the direction of the burrow I had not spotted any animals using it.

 

This all changed Sunday morning when I noticed a red fox disappear only to remerge a short time later followed by a fox pup.  While I had no luck photographing them at that time I returned in the afternoon to find the young foxes cavorting about the den when a adult lay nearby.

 

After shooting a few images at long range (over 200 yards) I tried to close the distance.  The adult quickly noticed my approach and began moving off followed by one of the pups.  After the adult stopped for a few seconds the pup turned back to the den and the entire group of pups disappeared underground.  Although I waited for over an hour they did not return leaving me with only the long distance photos.

At one of the cattle watering holes a killdeer stood stock-still hoping to go unnoticed. 

 

And a snapping turtle lays basking in the bright afternoon sunshine.

Vernal wetlands are teaming with life now and the singing of various frogs and toads fill the air with the beautiful song of spring.  The photo above is of a wood frog eggs mass while a wood frog itself is shown below.

Springtime has Everyone Running and Leaping

Whether wild or domestic, after a long winter, Spring is SOMETHING TO GET EXCITED ABOUT!

 

UP UP and

Away!

 A pair of three week old heifer calves frolic in the warm sunshine.

Their pair-bond may not last long but hopefully they will remain on the farm for years to come as they are destined to replace some of the older brood cows in the current herd.

While the cattle must remain within the fences the deer cross over easily. 

And no matter whether the fence is three foot high or six foot they nearly always use minimal effort, barely clearing the top strand during their jump.

 

Snipe Hunting Anyone?

As a kid growing up I heard stories about people being taken on snipe hunts as a practical joke.  Snipe were supposed to be some elusive bird, animal or whatever.  A snipe hunt occurred during the night with the victim trying to catch the mythical "snipe" in a burlap bag.  As the stories went the ending of the hunt would occur when the perpetrators would abandon the unwary victim deep in the dark woods.

 

While I was very familiar with hearing the "snipe hunting" stories, I was not familiar with the real thing; the Wilson's Snipe.  Some years later, perhaps in the mid to late 70's I remember spotting a bird I did not recognize at a spring where the cattle watered on our family farm.  Looking it up in a bird ID guide I found that I had spotted my first real snipe!

 

As the years passed I learned that snipe could be found nearly every year probing the wet pasture land surrounding the spring during late March and early April.  With that in mind I began watching for their return as the snow melted this year, intent on photographing the wary little birds.

 

As I was making my rounds on the farm Saturday a snipe flushed from near the spring, signaling that they had once again returned.   With nice weather both Tuesday and Wednesday I spent some of each evening working my way within photographic range with a John Deere Gator.  I had learned from past experience that they were much more tolerant of the Gator than they are of a man on foot.

 

As I would approach the birds would hide, and believe me when I say that with their camouflage they can disappear in open spots where it would seem absolutely impossible for a bird of their size to hide.  Once within range, with the tripod set up on the gator's deck, and the engine shut off it would be only a matter of 5-10 minutes before the birds would begin to make a few furtive test moves.  As I waited, remaining motionless, their nerve increased quickly and within a few more minutes the entire flock would be busy running about, preening, or probing the mud for tasty morsels.

 

The following are some of the better shots from the two evenings. 

 

 

Blending In

 

A yearling deer lies in a grassy meadow.  The deer's coat, now faded to a light tan, blends in perfectly with the faded browns of last year's grasses and fallen leaves.

 

 

A look back at early November reminds one of how bright and vibrant the deer's winter coats were when they were first growing in.  A glance at the deer's surroundings also reminds one of the vibrant colors of the vegetation at that time of year.

 I find it remarkable at how well wildlife is adapted to survive in their natural environment.  These two photos illustrate one example of how the whitetail deer changes with the season to be able to blend into the background and pass unnoticed.  

Weather is Slow to Warm but Wildlife Photography is Heating Up

 

So far this spring has seen below normal temperatures with a snow storm brushing by us to the southeast yesterday.  Even though the warm-up has been slower than normal and the thermometer only reached 32F today, migrant birds are showing up everywhere. 

 

This evening, as I made my rounds on the farm, a large flock of robins were hoping about the pastures.  Saturday afternoon I spotted my first phoebe for the year, last evening the seasons first woodcock and this evening a pair of wood ducks on the creek where it borders our farm.  Unfortunately I was unable to bring the camera into play in each instance.

 

 

While I have not been able to capture any strutting photos lately, the turkey activity is escalating. 

 

Soon the hens will become receptive and the wild turkey mating season will begin in earnest.

 

 

 

Stepping in Spring

 

A crow caught in mid-stride

 

With the change of seasons underway I like to think I caught the crow "stepping into spring".

 

While the fields are still mostly brown, down on the farm, the new calves are arriving regularly.

 

 

And the fast moving killdeer are busy running about the pasture

 

With the wet areas showing the first green growth of the season

 

Yesterday I heard the wood frogs calling for the first this spring and today spotted a meadow lark and a wood duck pair.  While snow is in the forecast for Tuesday there is no doubt that the change of the seasons is underway.