Wildlife – Page 9 – Circadianreflections Blog

An Otterly great morning on the Slough

June 18, 2012June 18, 2012Posted in California, Nature, Photography, WildlifeTagged CA, Canon, Elkhorn Slough, Fitness, Moss Landing, Moss Landing California, Outdoors, Photography, Powershot2 Comments

I went kayaking for the first time Sunday morning in Elkhorn Slough which is in the Monterey Peninsula in a sleepy little coastal hamlet called Moss Landing here in California.
This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was out here on a Pontoon boat with a Photography group last year. My friend Dali and I both signed up for the Basics Course at Kayak Connection which is located right on the Slough .The red kayak behind the blue one was mine for morning. She’s sleek, quick, and her number is KC58. I had the good fortune of having a great instructor who got me through the basics in just 3 hours.

While we were practicing how to go straight, and proper paddle position I got close to Dali so I stopped , and thought to pull out my camera for a quick photo of him gliding through the water in his yellow kayak.

After learning how to paddle straight, turn, stop, and go backwards, and learning to quickly steer clear of obstacles with a maneuver called the “J move” it was time to venture further into the slough. We rowed out toward the mouth of the harbor when two male otters came to play. They were so close to me. One swam under my kayak and started knocking his clam on the underside of my kayak to crack it open. It was so exciting! Just look how close this one was to me.

Our guide Courtland told us this Otter’s red tail tag meant he’d been released from the Monterey Bay Aquarium for being too familiar with humans. Evidently he’s still quite fond of humans. He showed no fear of us at all. He was swimming right up to our kayaks and looking in, and all around them for food I think. This is what I wanted to experience while kayaking.

It was an exciting day! Dali and I are both stoked and looking forward to getting out on the water again!

Canon Powershot SD750, SanDisk Digital Film

Otterly delighted! (toddlohenry.com)
A Clever Bird (gauweiler.net)

They dance!

May 17, 2012May 17, 2012Posted in Nature, Nikon, Photography, Travel, WildlifeTagged Birding, Clark Grebes, Courtship, Mating Dance, Nature, Nikkor, Nikon D700, Oregon, Photography, WildlifeLeave a comment

I’ve been a bit behind working on my photographs from my trip to Oregon to see Clark and Western Grebes do their Spring mating courtship and Dance. I’ve still not transferred my files from my laptop to my PC where I do my processing and editing, but I have finally finished some.

By the last morning of our trip I still had not taken any photographs of the Grebes dancing that I liked. I had nearly given up hope of getting any really good photos as they tend to be very shy; keeping themselves pretty far from shore which really tested the limits of my focal range of 300mm + a 2x Teleconverter which gave me an effective range of 600mm. It wasn’t far enough!

We decided to go back once more before leaving for home. After spending 2 mornings on the pond we learned they’re awake and most active beginning about 8AM and settling down by 10AM, so arriving just before 8AM we set up in our favorites spots and waited for them wake up. About half past 8AM this is what I saw and captured with my camera…

The Visual Connection

After a quick sizing up one after the other dipped their heads in the water and then flung the water off!

I feel the tension rising as both were totally oblivious to anyone or anything around them. They only saw each other as they flung the water over and over again. This went on for a full minute!

and suddenly they were up gliding across the water in perfect synchronization!

The sound of the beating water was the only sound I heard. It was marvelous, and thrilling to watch. I feel very blessed to have seen it, and to have shared the experience with good friends.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 300mmVRII + 20eIII TC =600mm| Tripod| Wimberley Sidekick

In medias res

May 10, 2012May 10, 2012Posted in Birds, Nature, Nikon, Photography, WildlifeTagged American Robin, Birds, Birds in the Wild, Grebes, Klamath Basin, Nature, Nature Photography, Nikon, Nikon D700, Photography, Spring, WildlifeLeave a comment

I’ve just returned from Oregon. I was on a birding expedition with some friends who are also photographers. We spent a couple of days in the Klamath Basin looking for Clark and/or Western Grebes doing their Spring mating ceremony and dance or what the Scientist call “rushing”. We were successful finding them as well as several other birds; some familiar and others new, and it was neat to see many birds I know and see only when they Winter near me in and the Pacific Flyway in their Spring Breeding plumage.

Yesterday morning I was following this male Robin around trying to take his photo when he caught up with the female and I happened to press the shutter catching them “in medias res”.

“I wander the long road home seeking tomorrow.” ~Anon

April 30, 2012April 30, 2012Posted in Birds, California, Nature, Nikon, Photography, WildlifeTagged California Quail, D300s, Nature Photography, Nikon, Wild birds2 Comments

“I wander the long road home seeking tomorrow.” ~Anon, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

Via Flickr:
Copyright © 2012 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

At last! These little guys are so darn skittish and quick that I’ve failed for years to get a crisp photograph of one.
I got lucky recently while out in the country one morning and got several good photos…well worthy enough to share anyway. “)

Don’t you love their fancy head adornment?

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 70-300mm VR f4.5-f5.6

Good Fences make Good Neighbors

April 20, 2012April 20, 2012Posted in Birds, California, Nature, Nikon, Photography, WildlifeTagged Breeding Season, California, Cattle Egret, Great Heron, Nature Photography, Nikkor, Nikon, Nikon D300S2 Comments

More photos of the Great Heron, and Cattle Egrets in breeding plumage, and nesting.

The Cattle Egret doesn’t look impressed by the Great Heron’s nest-building.

Yin and Yang

A Graceful landing

All photos taken with a Nikon D300s mounted with a Nikkor 70-300mm VR lens| Hand-held

“You never listen to me!”

April 19, 2012April 19, 2012Posted in Birds, California, Nature, Nikon, WildlifeTagged California Nature and Wildlife, Cattle Egret, D700, Nature Photography, Nikkor 70-300mm VR, NikonLeave a comment

“You never listen to me!”, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

The most animated and noisy birds breeding and nesting in this rookery were by far the Cattle Egrets.
They were very amusing to watch.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 70-300@ 300mm| f11| 1/800 sec| ISO 500| Manual Priority| Hand-held

Spring, Nature,and the Great Egret

April 16, 2012April 16, 2012Posted in Birds, California, Nature, Nikon, Photography, Travel, WildlifeTagged Birds, Breeding Season, CA, D300s, Great Egret, Heron, Nature Photography, Nikon, Photography, Santa Rosa, WildlifeLeave a comment

I spent a morning last week in Santa Rosa watching Egrets, and Herons, building nests, tending nests, and trying to attract a mate at a Rookery right in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. Mothers walked their children to school right under them, and traffic flowed on both sides of the street, and the Egrets and Herons were largely oblivious to all but themselves. Great Egrets nest in colonies so there are many, many birds in the trees.

The city is trying to give them some space so they blocked off one lane on each side of the street for a block or so sparing passing cars from being pelted with falling debris, and guano. The street under the Eucalyptus trees they’re nesting in is messy.

In the past when I’ve watch a Great Egret they’ve been very still, quite, and focused on hunting their prey, or I’ve startled them and they’ve flown away. That wasn’t the case on this morning though. The activity scarcely stopped.

Neither did the noise. In breeding season there is quite a lot of squawking, and screeching, and talking. In fact I found them very funny, and amusing. I laughed out loud many times listening to them.

There were many sorties by the male to gather just the right branch to build and strengthen the nest. He will seriously work on attracting a mate once this task is complete. The female lays 4-5 pale blue eggs which take 3-4 weeks to incubate. Both the male and female parents incubate the eggs, and feed the chicks.

During the breeding season the male Great Egret grows long tail feathers which he raises and spreads out . I’ve read their plumes were once prized for making ladies hats and they were nearly hunted to extinction.

…and he undulates his long neck, and lifts his head toward the sky to try to attract a mate.

It was a wonderful experience observing this behavior up close, and I have more photos to share in the coming days of Great Egrets, Cattle Egrets, and Night Herons.

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 70-300mm VR

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