National Wildlife Refuges in California – Page 2

Monochrome Madness 2 45/52: Willows

February 17, 2016February 17, 2016Posted in Black and White Photography, Fine Art, Landscape Photography, Monochrome Madness2, National Wildlife Refuges in California, Photography, TreesTagged Black and White Photography, California Wildlife Refuges, Landscape Photography, Marshes, Marshlands, Monochrome Madness2, Nature, Photography, Trees, wetlands, Willow Trees6 Comments

Here we are at week 45 of Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 2. It’s hard to believe I’ve been posting in this group for almost a year already! Time has raced by with just 7 weeks to go until this year of Monochrome Madness 2 comes to an end.

For this week’s entry I’m in California’s unspoiled marshes in the wildlife refuges surrounded by grass, reeds,creeks, ponds, and the willows.

Some of the Willows look like shrubs, and others like the Black Willow stand tall. Until I started photographing these trees I had no idea there were so many types of Willow Trees.

To see all this week’s entries to Leanne’s Monochrome Madness 2 click here.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 28-105mm| Hoodman Digital Film| PS CC 2015 & On1 Photo 10

More to come…

Red-tailed Hawk 2

February 16, 2016February 15, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Birds of Prey, Hawks, National Wildlife Refuge, National Wildlife Refuges in California, PhotographyTagged Birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Birds of Prey, Macro photography, Photography, Red-tailed Hawk, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge16 Comments

This Red-tail is from a couple of weeks back. My friend and I were birding in San Luis National Wildlife Refuge and nearing the end of one of the auto-routes when we spotted it high in the tree. I was driving and didn’t think I’d get a decent photograph of it because it was on the passenger side of the car/road, and climbing over the console and gear box wasn’t something I wanted to do.

Red-tail Hawk

We had the route nearly to ourselves so I thought I’d pull the car caddy-whompus across the road and shoot leaning into the passenger seat. I was able to get several images of it before another car came up and I had to move.

It is striking isn’t it with its white cap and that gaze?

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2015

Loggerhead Shrike

February 15, 2016February 15, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, National Wildlife Refuges in California, PhotographyTagged Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Loggerhead Shrike, Photography, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge21 Comments

I have only seen this bird a handful of times, and managed to get an image even less.

This Loggerhead Shrike was on the fence bordering the Tule Elk Paddock as you enter the Refuge. This one was pretty accommodating and let me take its photo for a couple of minutes.

Loggerhead Shrike

Coming around to the end of the auto-route in the Refuge was this Loggerhead Shrike perched on a dried plant in the Tule Elk paddock. It was pretty far away and behind a wire fence. This is cropped in a bit. I wondered if it wasn’t the same Shrike I’d seen when I first entered the Refuge? I’ll never know but am thrilled to have seen it!

Loggerhead Shrike

This was an exciting start to my day of birding.

Nikon D300s| Nikon 200-500mm VR| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2016

More to come…

Monochrome Madness 2 44/52 Late Afternoon Merced Marsh

February 10, 2016February 10, 2016Posted in birding, Birds in the Wild, Black and White Photography, Monochrome Madness2, National Wildlife Refuge, National Wildlife Refuges in California, PhotographyTagged Bird Photography, Birding, Birds in the Wild, Black and White Photography, California Pacific Flyway;, Monochrome Madness2, National Wildlife Refuges37 Comments

MM2 Late Afternoon Merced Marsh_3000593

My friend Dali and I went out to Merced National Wildlife Refuge last week-end and found oh, so many Snow Geese, and some Lesser Sandhill Cranes along with the usual suspects. We were photographing some of the Snow Geese and other birds in the nearest marsh when all of the sudden the noise level escalated and the birds took to the air!

The squawking, screeching, quacking, and honking was so loud you couldn’t hear yourself speak! It was pretty neat to see and hear. We’re not sure but, we think a Hawk, or Coyote spooked them.

This is my entry to Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 2. To check out all the entries this week click here.

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Delkin Devices Digital Film| PS CC 2015 & On1 Photo 10

More to come…

Ring-necked Pheasants

January 27, 2016January 27, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, birding, Birds of North America, National Wildlife Refuges in California, Photography, Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, Sacramento Valley, CATagged Bird Photography, Birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, National Wildlife Refuges, Ring-necked Pheasant, Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge29 Comments

I don’t see these birds too often, and seeing two together last Saturday was very exciting!

Ring-necked Pheasants

It was a challenging image to make. I was in the backseat, the birds were in front of us; we were on an auto-route only in a National Wildlife Refuge, we had to stop a good distance from them to keep them from dashing off too soon, the driver’s mirror was in the way, and the back windows only rolled down halfway or a tad less. Why are manufacturer’s doing that? GRRR!! There should be a way to roll them down completely!

I had removed my shoes earlier to be able to sit with my legs tucked under me to get more height to shoot down on birds that were near the shore edges, or grassy levies and it helped to get me over the challenges of shooting this pair from the car.

The sound of my shutter clicking spooked the pair and off they flew!

I can’t tell you how pleased I am to have one keeper image of the pair together!

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Lexar Professional Digital Film| hand-held from a car| rental lens- san jose camera & video

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