Thursday, January 20, 2011

Swan Lake...acte deux...?...

How often do you get to see an actual Swan performing Swan Lake?

Let's see...where was I? Oh yeah, Swans on the frozen lake! Lots of swans...lots of ice, ice baby!

No, no, no! I said HEADS up!
Stoopid Swans...


"Swan Leg"...ha.

"Tag, you're it!...Hey, wait a second!"

Yummy! Fresh frozen fish!

Did you know that Tundra Swans like to race? It's true...really...

The American Tree Sparrows are not amused...

You can tell that these are American Canadian Geese because they fly in clumps and not v's.
Must be Republicans...they're flying right...

A butt with bling!

Monday, January 17, 2011

A "Short" intermission...

You had to know that the first shot I would get would be from the south end!

We heard that Short-eared Owls had been working the fields and marsh along the causeway to Magee Marsh(thanks Ken Keffer!). So me and the Doodles decided it was time for a stake out!

This would be a lifer for both of us and we don't believe in chasing all over for birds. Since we we're already at the BirdMobile, what the heck, let's sit in the freezing cold, in the dark and see if we can see anything zoom past! Our buddies "Hudy" parked at the opposite end of the parkway. Who ever spies the birdie first will flash their lights. Of course, they spot two at their end first and we make a bee line for them!

We could see them zooming across the fields and past the trees, but nothing photo worthy. Oh well, we got a lifer and didn't freeze to death! We had to do a U turn on the causeway to get back to the BM and while turning I thought I saw a shadow on a bird box. I drove a little closer, and there he was, posing for me...but facing the wrong way of course...Go figure...

I'm used to shooting birds off in the distance and forgot to adjust my flash up higher to better light him up.
ISO 3200 helps to get Short-eared Owls at night!

This is one of my first shots. I was desperate for evidence.
If you had any doubts about my photographic abilities...here's proof that you were probably right...
I should save this for "International Crappy Photo Day!"

Oh yeah, there was a Bald Eagle there too...