Spring Migration Starting

Canon EOS 6D Mark II & Sigma 150 - 600mm f/5- f/6.3, ISO 1250, f/6.3 @ 1/1250s Manual exposure

Since the last post it has seemed like the world has changed. Covid 19 has taken hold and since I am working from home and basically self-quarantining for the time being I decided I would try and catch up and post some of my recent images. I know during my last post I had talked about wanted to make YouTube videos and I still do. After filming some test runs I realized how much work goes into editing the film. So I need to work on getting better footage, so I don't have to edit as much. With due time I am hoping to start producing good quality videos on my channel.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II & Sigma 150 - 600mm f/5- f/6.3, ISO 800, f/6.3 @ 1/1000s Manual exposure

Since my last post I have spent a lot of time out filming and photographing. Eagle season here is really coming to an end and with this pandemic I am not sure I am going to be able to travel to Maryland to go to the Conowingo Dam again. So, for now I will turn my focus to other waterfowl during the migration months here. Over the last month or so I have seen plenty of eagles due to them being on their nests. But I have not managed many good photos. However, I have been able to get some photos of many other species.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II & Sigma 150 - 600mm f/5- f/6.3, ISO 1000, f/6.3 @ 1/1000s Manual exposure

The first photo that I liked from my trips was a photo of a goose standing on the edge of the ice and reflecting nicely in the open water. I was quite happy with the image. I know that it is just a Canadian goose, so not the most thrilling subject but I just liked the way the image turned out.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II & Sigma 150 - 600mm f/5- f/6.3, ISO 1600, f/8 @ 1/1250s Manual exposure

While spending many hours waiting in eagle blinds for an opportunity that rarely came I did get some opportunities to photograph ducks and seagulls. The one day a common merganser came close to the blind and was fishing along the edge of the ice. I wish I could have gotten a little closer, but I will take what I can get. The seagull image was of the bird taking off the ice. I love the contrast of the image and the outstretched wings. I was also lucky enough to get an image of two seagulls flying together. They were circling together for some time, and I was happy to have gotten a decent photo.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II & Sigma 150 - 600mm f/5- f/6.3, ISO 320, f/6.3 @ 1/1250s Manual exposure

One of the days I got to the Bashakill Wetlands before the sun came up. I was lucky enough to spot the Mute Swan very early so I was able to photograph it during the golden hour while the sun was coming up. It turned out to be a weird morning because after the sun came up it quickly went behind clouds and started snowing. I probably spent about an hour photographing the swan and was happy with the way some of the images turned out. I always love the winter grass turning a gold color due to the early morning sun. Also, the swan was more of a soft yellow instead of the typical bright white.
I am looking forward to taking more trips soon.

Hopefully, the Covid 19 situation will end soon, and life will return to normal. Until next time, please be safe. 

Water Like Glass

Canon EOS 6D Mark II & Sigma 150-600mm f/5.0 - f/6.3 DG Contemporary Lens, ISO 400, f/11 @ 1/250s Manual exposure

Last Sunday, my brother, and I spent the evening out at the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area.  It was still raining when we arrived, but it was starting to clear off.  Within about a half an hour, it finally stopped raining.  The Bashakill had some fog that was lifting and the sky was dramatic with storm clouds.  The wind was so still that the water was like glass.  It was truly stunning.  I did not have my tripod with me, but I did manage a few handheld photographs of the landscape.  We spent some time on several trails, but none produced any opportunities.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II & Sigma 150-600mm f/5.0 - f/6.3 DG Contemporary Lens, ISO 400, f/6.3 @ 1/500s Manual exposure

Most of our opportunities came on Haven Road and from the parking area north of haven road off Route 209.  From the parking area north of Haven, I was able to photograph some Canadian Geese in flight and a pair that was content with standing out in front of us.  The water was so still that it basically mirrored them.  So, I was quite happy with the photograph that I was able to get.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II & Sigma 150-600mm f/5.0 - f/6.3 DG Contemporary Lens, ISO 640, f/6.3 @ 1/500s Manual exposure

The landscape shots that came out the best, was a shot looking towards Haven Road.  The dramatic sky coupled with the late evening hours made the picture pop.  I was happy with the way the picture turned out.  The only thing that could have improved the shot, would have been using a tripod.  I would have been able to use a 100 ISO if I had brought my tripod with me, and that would have cut down on the noise.  I guess I learned my lesson from not wanting to bring my tripod.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II & Sigma 150-600mm f/5.0 - f/6.3 DG Contemporary Lens, ISO 1250, f/6.3 @ 1/400s Manual exposure

I also managed a photograph of some fungus growing on a log.  At the time, I was not thinking that the picture would turn into anything usable.  Once I got it back and onto my computer, I was surprised with the intricate patterns.  I wish that I had taken the picture using a macro lens to really pull out the detail.  But I only took the image with my Sigma 150-600 mm lens.  I do know where the log is, and I plan on making a trip back to see if I can get better images of it.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II & Sigma 150-600mm f/5.0 - f/6.3 DG Contemporary Lens, ISO 640, f/6.3 @ 1/400s Manual exposure

With sunset approaching we had to start heading for home, but before we left the Bashakill we decided to go back and check Haven Road one last time.  This worked out well, because one of the Mute Swans was right along the road.  I was a little worried that I would scare it off, but it did not seem to mind that we were there.  I did not get out of the car, so I assume that helped.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II & Sigma 150-600mm f/5.0 - f/6.3 DG Contemporary Lens, ISO 250, f/6.3 @ 1/400s Manual exposure

Due to its proximity to the road I was able to take a lot of pictures.  I must have snapped off over a hundred photographs in a matter of minutes.  It was not doing too much, except for swimming back and forth.  It also chased off the Canadian Geese that were around, but they just swam off, and they did not really fight or anything.  Overall the trip was great, and I really look forward to the next one.  Until next time.             

Multiple Trips to the Bashakill Wetlands

Canon EOS Rebel T1i camera & Sigma 150-600mm f/5.0 - f/6.3 DG Contemporary Lens, ISO 400, f/6.3 @ 1/640s Manual exposure.

Two weeks ago, I took two trips to the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area with my brother. I was really hoping to see a lot of ducks and waterfowl that were still migrating through our area. We spent most of our time on Haven Road and on the trails around Haven Road. We were seeing a lot of different species of ducks. Mostly Mallards, Ring-necked Ducks, Wood Ducks, and Hooded Mergansers. We were also seeing plenty of Canadian Geese. I only managed a few photographs of the ducks because they were normally so far away. There were a lot of people on Haven Road walking around, so most of the wildlife kept its distance. 

Canon T1i camera & Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary Lens, ISO 800, f/6.3 @ 1/1000s Manual exposure.

After being there for over an hour, I noticed two big white birds in the water very far out in the distance. After I looked in my viewfinder I realized that they were Mute Swans. After about twenty minutes to my surprise, I noticed that they were flying towards us. They flew directly in front of me and then looped back around and flew back away from Haven Road.

Canon T1i camera & Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary Lens, ISO 800, f/6.3 @ 1/1000s Manual exposure.

I was using my Sigma 150-600 mm lens at the time, and I was hoping it would be the first time that I could test it out. To my surprise, I had a hard time focusing the camera on the swans when they flew by. I was quite upset because I thought that I just missed my best opportunity. After I had a chance to figure out what my problem was I realized that one of the slide buttons on the lens had been accidentally moved. So, the lenses operating system thought I was shooting on custom instead of the standard mode. I have not set up custom yet on the lens, so the camera was probably having a hard time focusing because the lens was not functioning properly. Some photographs were still good enough to include. I wish they could have been a little more crisp but I was still quite happy with the end result.

Canon EOS Rebel T1i camera & Sigma 150-600mm f/5.0 - f/6.3 DG Contemporary Lens, ISO 200, f/6.3 @ 1/400s Manual exposure.

I also managed to get a photograph of some Canadian Geese chasing each other. It was a long way off, but I will include the image slightly cropped in. I was also very pleased with the photograph that I took of a Red Wing Black Bird on a cattail. I really didn't think anything of the photograph when I took it but upon review of my images from those trips I was rather surprised. During those trips the Bashakill was great, and I was very happy that I was able to see everything that I did.

Canon EOS Rebel T1i camera & Sigma 150-600mm f/5.0 - f/6.3 DG Contemporary Lens, ISO 800, f/6.3 @ 1/400s Manual exposure.

We also took a shorter trip to Lake Superior State Park. I did manage to take some shots of ring neck ducks that were in the pond. They were doing their best to avoid me, but I did manage a few shots before they swam off. We also got to see a Bald Eagle do a fly over but I did not manage to get any photographs. 

Canon EOS Rebel T1i camera & Sigma 150-600mm f/5.0 - f/6.3 DG Contemporary Lens, ISO 800, f/6.3 @ 1/640s Manual exposure.

Overall the trips that we took two weeks ago were great and I was very pleased with the photographs that I was able to get. I hope everyone enjoys the photographs. Until Next Time.

Bashakill Wetlands and Black Dirt Region Trips

Last week was a fun week.  I took several trips to the Bashakill Wetlands and out to the black dirt region of Orange County.  I saw a ton of different animals while out.  In the black dirt region there were tons of Canadian geese and snow geese in fields.  None close enough for me to photograph.  Also in the black dirt region there were a lot of different species of hawks.   Red wing black birds were also plentiful in the area.  However I did not see many species of ducks.  On the way back home from Orange County I pulled over to photograph two mute swans on a frozen pond.  That almost turned out to be a mistake because a state trooper pulled me over when I got back on the road.  Thankfully he was just checking to make sure I was not broken down.  He didn't realize there were mute swans on the pond where I was pulled over.  When he realized that I was photographing the swans and he saw my camera, we had a long conversation about photography.  I’m just happy the swan photographs didn't cost me a ticket.  

On several trips to the Bashakill Wetlands I saw plenty of wildlife, which has only gotten better every week due to the ice melting.  I did get to see my first Great Blue Heron of the year.  He was hiding in the reeds which didn't make for the best photographs.  Also at the Bashakill I have been seeing some bald eagles.  I’m worried that the nesting pair near the boat launch is not going to have any chicks this year because they are not staying on the nest.  I believe by this point there should always be one tending the eggs and both have been off the nest at the same time.  I’m hoping to get out more this week and hopefully see more species of migratory ducks because last week was a slow week for ducks.  I will try and post again by the end of the week about my trips.  Hope you enjoy the photographs.  Until next time.