For the third year in a row, I photographed a beautiful Snowy Owl in or near my native Livingston County. I have shared these images with The Times mainly so that my mom gets a surprise when she opens up the paper. This guy was extremely cooperative that morning and allowed me to photograph him from multiple angles. When given this opportunity, I try different composition techniques. Here I framed him using the cross arms of the utility pole. I was most enthused by his intrigue when my shutter activated. He was as curious of me as I was of him.
My quest continues....
Last year, I decided to embark on a “little” quest where I would document, via photographs, all of the life forms along a .3 mile stretch on the south end of my beloved Evergreen Lake. It went well and was quite enjoyable. I’m way behind on editing photographs though. I hope to catch up in the coming weeks. I’m going to continue doing this instead of limiting it to just one year. I will now call it “Life Innumerable”. There are still a few creatures who have eluded me as well as many trees that need to be documented. I will post occasional updates.
Christmas Bird Count
This past weekend I participated in the 119th annual Christmas Bird Count (though it was only my 10th). Up until 1900, hunters would go out and shoot as many birds as they could. The person with the largest pile would be declared the winner. Finally, an ornithologist named Frank Chapman decided to do a bird census on Christmas Day instead. It continues to this day and grows more each year. It is a great way to protect species and their habitats. Locally, our groups counted 59 species which was down from last year. Foul weather in November may have pushed some species out of the area. The weather was perfect! I’ve added a few images of some birds that couldn’t avoid be counted. I often get Sandhill Cranes late in December- this was a first for our count circle.
Hermit Thrush
American Bald Eagle
Sandhill Crane
Backyard Hummingbird (my last of the year)
When, I get bored, I dig around through my images and find some new ones to edit. I wanted to share this image of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird who visited my yard in late summer/early fall. I often have several hanging around for a month or so as the Trumpet Vine and Zinnias are in full bloom. You may notice the pollen on his bill (this is an immature male) as well as a white substance on his head. The white powder is simply a build up of pollen. Obviously, he has gone quite deep to find the sweet nectar that he requires to make the long, upcoming journey.
What I've recently shot
I find this time of year quite enjoyable. The sunrises are often spectacular and I don’t get bitten by bugs! I also have great luck finding owls. I found four different Barred Owls over this past weekend- photographed 2, passed on one, and had another not quite as cooperative. I also love seeing the bucks strutting their stuff. The guy I photographed had a doe nearby. I got to hear a few grunts out of him as I took a few shots….stay hidden buddy- not everyone is like me.
