Swans

This is very similar to the last post here on MixedDispatch.  This time the concentration is on the Tundra Swans.  Once again in the snow, this time though I tried to stalk to a degree.  I did have 'camo' clothes, but more importantly I kept low while approaching and kept behind the small undulations in the beach terrain.  I knelt in the snow with just a portion of my upper body visible.  The other thing working for me was that some of the swans were at the neck of the creek. This is much closer to my access point, up against the road.


The shot above and to the left give some sense of the distance to most of the birds.

The swans could tell I was there, but didn't seem to mind while I was still and only on my knees.  After getting cold and wanting to leave, I just stood up to walk away and they calmly but quickly swam towards the west and away from me.









To the right of these photos (moving eastward) were another few swans and they were closer to me. The final three shots get you progressively closer.

Till next time;

Brian

I like how the different species are together (Tundra Swans, Ring-Billed Gull, Bufflehead Ducks)

Birds and Barge

So, you may be tired of this by now, but I'm not!

If I'm not at Solomons Island taking photo's it's likely that I'm around the Patuxent River somewhere nearby.  The river and Chesapeake Bay support the Atlantic Flyway, and we get to enjoy a host of birds.  Today was no different.

Today was approached a bit different.  I tried to get a little closer to the Tundra Swans by taking a short walk through a wooded area and then down towards the water.  The downside of this position is that the sun is shining toward me.  To say it another way, I'm on the north side of the waterway, while the sun is setting in the southwest.  The swans are easily spooked and the underbrush kept me from getting any nearer, so these shots are from approximately 200 yards - I'd guess.  I wish you could hear them.  They were continually talking to each other.

There's always one in the crowd that wants to 'strut.'

 There were gulls and some Plover around as well.  Learned a lesson today; could have been better served with a greater depth of field.  :( 





Did I mention it was pretty chilly?  25F or so.

 The Plover were not far from where I hid for the swans.  Eventually the temperature and wind forced me to consider 'calling it a day.'

After a short hike back to the truck, I drove the shoreline, and found more of the Bufflehead ducks.  This time, in the name of keeping warm, I stayed in the truck and did my best to brace the camera against the window frame.  In other words, no tripod, unlike the swan/plover shots.

Strafing run!

 Really happy that a few of the 100 shots worked out!  You can seen the burgundy and bit of green coloring in the head of the male, and the white cheek blush the females wear.

I saw this large boat, and wasn't sure what to make of it.  There wasn't much other traffic on the water.


The show continued with the Buffleheads.  The males are around 16 inches long, and the females just a bit smaller as you can see.

"where'd she go?  I'm talking, turn around and poof... she's underwater again!"

"Gear, down and locked;  brace for landing"

Guess what?  That large boat is a tug, and is pulling a large barge.. well as best I can figure..  I need someone with more experience on the water to verify that one!

I believe that's Hooper's Island Lighthouse between the tug and the barge.

And with that, I packed up the camera and drove home.  I saw a Bald Eagle in the diminishing light, and knew there was no way I could photograph him.  The same case for the few Cardinals I saw as well.

Thanks for joining me,

Peace,
Brian