Page 1
December 30, 2010, The Pink-footed Goose Expedition, Knoydart, Nova Scotia My alarm woke me at 5AM. Well actually I was already awake! By 5:40AM I was out the door on my Pink-footed Goose Expedition with a little hoped for pastoral photography in the Musquodoboit Valley, as well. The sky was clear over Portuguese Cove but when I reached Mount Thom I could see overcast skies in the area I was headed, but at least the sun was rising. I arrived at the reported location, the organic milk farm at Knoydart, Nova Scotia. I immediately found a group of 30 geese and the Pink-footed Goose in the field beside the barn. I set up my telephoto lens behind my car but soon found that the wind was causing too much camera shake and I was getting cold in the -7C temperatures with the added wind chill effect. So I resorted to the tried and true bean bag approach! I put away my tripod and took my 15 pound lens and camera into the car and then turned the car around. I rested my equipment on the bean bags which were on the partially opened window and so was able to view the birds in comfort. The Pink-footed goose was too far away for quality photos but I did obtain a bunch of record shots. After about 20 minutes the flock lifted off and flew further up the hill and dropped out of sight. There was no way to go after them so I left and returned home on one of my favourite cross country routes; New Glascow to Route #374, then to Trafalgar, a right to Dean and over to the Musquodoboit Valley, down Route #357 to Meager then north to Wyse Corner and route #212 back to Highway 102. January 5, 2011, Owls and Woodpeckers at Oakfield Provincial Park, Nova Scotia I arrived at Oakfield Provincial Park about 8:45 AM in search of Owls and Woodpeckers in the mature forest of this park. Immediately after parking at the park gates I heard a Pileated Woodpecker calling nearby. I met this bird on the central trail of the park after about five minutes but I couldn't focus my camera due to intervening branches and the perilous searching required when trying to get a bird into the viewfinder at 840mm. Further down the trail I found a Barred Owl and it did pose for a time although it was in shadow and my fresnel lens assisted flash only appeared to make matters worse as the bird was now in both light and shadow. I continued down the trail and found a Downy Woodpecker and at least two White-breasted Nuthatches. It's a delight to find White-breasted Nuthatches in their woodland home and not trusting on bird feeders. I was not happy with my Barred Owl photos but I will return and try again after a heavy snow fall. The prospect of owls and snow laden branches is an enticement. I left for home at about 10:15AM and stopped off briefly at Sambro Harbour and Sandy Cove but there was little activity, except for a rapidly departing CCGS Sambro rounding Bull Head Light. There is some storm surge damage at Sambro Head, Nova Scotia. The sunrise the previous morning was memorable thanks to the moon and venus overhanging a departing freighter at Chebucto Head. January 7, 2011 Rediscovered Canada Warbler Photos From Two Years Ago, Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park, Nova Scotia Yesterday under bright sunny skies I decided to try and get some good seal pictures at Duncan Reef, so off I went with my big lens to the look-off point at Duncan Reef. This is the first time I've taken my 600mm F4 lens and gimbel head and tripod down the perilous trail to the reef due to the great care that must be exercised toting such heavy equipment down such a steep and rocky bluff. But,...I stupidly forgot to check the tides and it was too high, so no seals! I did get some excellent photos of ice falls. The highlight of my day was when I was downloading the images to my computer and discovered by accident that I had protected a series of photos from two years ago, something I do not remember doing. The photos were all of Canada Warbler(horizontal frame) and Canada Warbler(Vertical frame). I've never had any training in photography so I learn as I go along, particularly as it pertains to editing. Some of the images I've posted were throw away two years ago because I didn't know how to use all the facets of the editing programs I had on hand, so these are all re-edits. A little bit of summer in winter, and my favourite Nova Scotia nesting warbler. January 17, The Search for the Elusive Northern Lapwing, White Point, Nova Scotia Once again my slumber was disturbed by the gentle musings of CBC FM radio at 5AM. I fed the cats, then the birds, and was out the door and motoring by 5:40 AM in search of the elusive Northern Lapwing. I overestimated the driving time and arrived at the described location, the White Point Golf Club, with photo gear in hand at about 7:40 AM, a full ten minutes before sunrise. There were no birds visible anywhere so I walked slowly toward the drainage ditch and suddenly both birds, the Northern Lapwing and the companion Killdeer sprung out of the ditch and landed about 100 metres from my location. I suspect they were roosting in the ravine possibly under one of the foot bridges. I stopped immediately and did not proceed any closer to the birds. My 840mm lens shuttered when I triggered the camera by hand at a ridiculous 1/125 second, F7.1. These parameters absolutely quaranteed fuzzy images so after about five minutes I stopped up to F5.6 to allow 1/500 second, and then rumaged around in my kit for a remote cable release to reduce the camera shake. Unfortunately that is when both birds lifted off, the Killdeer headed upstream and the Northern Lapwing headed towards the sea in the direction of the lodge. My opportunity was lost but the sun was about to rise! The drainage ditch was almost completely frozen so foraging here was probably not on the agenda for these birds in any case. They likely started their snooze in above freezing conditions and woke up at -11C, quite the shock I'm sure. If they don't leave this area for another location with open water, and if the temperatures rise again, they may return here. Another visit is warranted. January 20, Sandhill Crane in the Snow, Falmouth, Nova Scotia After our weekly breakfast together I dropped off Laura in downtown Halifax at 8AM and motored to the described location near Falmouth, Nova Scotia. I arrived just before 9AM and the Sandhill Crane was exactly where it was reported, as of yesterday. The bird was a long ways off at the back of a corn field, a field about 60 metres wide at the road to perhaps 500 metres deep. The sun was in my camera lense's face as usual but at least it was bright. Shooting over 400 metres of snow produces a lot of image movement due to rising vapours so the best I could manage was yet another record photo, but it is a special record photo, a Sandhill Crane in January and in snow. It was unlikely that the crane would move any closer to the road so I headed home satisfied with what I had. January 21, Birds Along the Coastline of the Chebucto Peninsula, Nova Scotia I arrived at Duncan's Cove at about 9AM for a hike down to Duncan's Reef, a hike more for the heart than for the wildlife, but the wildlife is nice too if they are there and this morning was a good one for birds. The activity at Duncan Reef itself was slow due to the high tide but I did meet a small flock of 30+ Bohemian Waxwings on the trail. They don't linger for long so you have to be fast to photograph this bird. My next stop was Sandy Cove's beach and this was a delight. There was a mixed flock of Horned Larks, Snow Buntings and one resident Killdeer. On a couple of the Horned Lark photos you'll see the prime feeding stew they are feasting upon. It's this steaming stew of kelp, sea weeds, flotsam and sea life that makes this place so attractive to birds. I was told that the National Research Council placed their aquaculture research station here just for that reason. There is a peculiar mix of tide and current that provides a rich habitat for sea life, and hence the birds. The rest of the route from Duncan's Cove to West Pennant was less eventfull save for Common Loon and Common Merganser. But no trip is complete without a bird from our back yard in Portuguese Cove, Ring-necked Pheasant. The white spots in the photographs, both in the background and on the birds, are snow flakes. January 24, Photographing the Common Loon at Sambro Harbour, Nova Scotia The Common Loon is a wary bird and not easy to photograph from shore. In winter this magnificent bird is in its grey winter plumage, and often as not, fishing on a grey sea, and as it was yesterday under a grey sky. Laura and I resorted to car birding in the -18C conditions and chose to drive the shoreline circuit from Ketch Harbour to Sambro Harbour. Just before the Sambro Harbour fish plant there is a small cove that is a favourite of many birds. I spotted a Common Loon fishing here and turned around to see if I could get suitable conditions for a photograph or two. The car is not an effective blind against this bird so I used my most successful technique. I parked and waited for the loon to dive and since they often spend considerable time under water I made my move. I leapt out of the car and moved as close to the water as possible and hoped the loon would surface nearby so I could get the coveted full frame shot, in this case with my 300mm lens and 1.4X extender. It did surface nearby and although my shots were not full frame the cropping and enlarging lost little detail. This was my only success for the day although we did see Snow Buntings and one Killdeer at Sandy Cove. Here's a shot of Sambro Island from this morning, a visual testament to the cold. Yesterday evening, just before total dark, one of our cats alerted us to something on the outside front window sill. I just got a glimpse of a wing dangling down briefly so I went outside for a better look and a bird fluttered and crashed into the foundation plantings. I search for it without luck but spotted it shortly thereafter in a nearby tree. It was an American Goldfinch and in distress, probably from starvation. I'd hoped to catch it and give it comfort for the night but it ended up staggering into the front rain gutter. It was obvious I wasn't going to catch this bird so I wished it well and went inside. This morning the same bird was all fluffed up and feeding at the sunflower seed tray and niger stack. It was the only goldfinch around with such an appetite so I'm positive it's the same bird. It fed continually all day and looked much improved. I was a happy camper! January 26, Black Guillemot at Sambro Harbour, Nova Scotia After breakfast with Laura I motored to Oakfield Provincial Park in search of Owls. I spent almost two hours in treacherous conditions due to snow over ice on the trail. The only owl response I got was to a Long-eared Owl call, but the response was a series of rasps and screeches that could easily have come from a Barred Owl which responds to almost anything or a Great Horned Owl. Nonetheless the possibility of a Long-eared Owl in this forest is intriguing! I took the long route home and spotted Black Guillemots at the south end of the "T" shaped pier at Sambro Harbour. I was surprised, as was the bird, when a Black Guillemot landed on the end of the pier. It promptly left after seeing me but there were two others fishing in the water nearby. One Black Guillemot was singing or calling a plaintive whistle that was very pleasing to my ear. Unfortunately all the birds were back lit which destroyed any detail in the images. It's always best to photograph them off the north end of the pier but you get what you get! As I returned I spotted Hooded Merganers near Sambro Head. Although they were not close to shore they were surrounded on three sides by ice and the image appealed to me. At home in Portuguese Cove, a Brown Creeper visited briefly. They are a frustrating bird to photograph. I managed to get the tree in perfect focus but not the eye of the creeper, a mere fraction of an inch further away, a testament to the lack of field depth of a telephoto lens, even at 420mm. January 28, Sambro Island Sunrise, Nova Scotia I was awake 5:45AM well before my alarm was to sound. Why does that happen? I had lots of time this morning so I motored to the gates of Crystal Crescent Beach Provincial Park at 6:45AM to witness and record the sunrise over Sambro Island. This is an annual ritual for me but it is often a bust as offshore cloud banks almost always hide the sunrise even on supposed clear days. Fortunately when photographing the sun over Sambro Island this is less of a concern. I set myself up at the board walk at the second beach thinking this would be the best vantage for the sunrise and also because I could use the railing to steady my camera since I chose not to tote a tripod this morning. I laid out three lenses; 420mm telephoto, 50mm prime and 15mm fisheye. Switching between lenses is tricky since the sun's disc rises in seconds. The series of photos of the Sambro Island Sunrise is a study in how these three diverse lenses capture the moment, with each lens setting its own mood. After sunrise I checked out the third beach and then hiked the ridge over to Mackerel Cove's beach. Here there were three Killdeer and one Red Knot. I have very little experience with full winter plumaged Red Knots and Sibley's, The Sibley Guide to Birds, was no help since it had the plumage all wrong. Check the throat and chest patterns from my photos against the drawings in The Sibley Guide to Birds. Interestingly Peterson's, Eastern Birds, had it right. I stopped at Sambro Harbour to see what I could see and the joint was jumping. There were at least 12 Common Loons and 20 Black Guillemots. I have not seen a Dovekie out here this year, yet. At home in Portuguese Cove a Brown Creeper passed to within three metres of my living room window but as I opened the window the bird flew to a farther tree. Next time! January 29, Eagle Watch, Sheffield Mills, Nova Scotia Laura and I left on our annual eagle watch at 7AM in order to arrive early and obtain a good place. So mutch for plans since by the time we arrived the place was full of people, scopes and telephoto lenses. I set up my equipment and we waited but like last year the eagles simply sat in the trees and looked at the lookers, probably well fed due to the mild winter and the numerous chicken farms in the area. I obained some distant photos, class them as birds in habitat photos, and we left after a couple of hours. The highlight of the trip and the area is the abundance of Horned Larks this year. They are everywhere and although not cooperative they can be photographed. I'm not satisfied with my photos but for some reason my camera was set at F16 and the captures were at 1/2000 second to 1/2500 second, fast enough for a perched or sitting bird but too slow a shutter speed at 840mm for these guys that were constantly on the move. January 30, Butcher's Falls, Nova Scotia I had business in New Glascow this morning so after completing it I chose to return to Portuguese Cove by a cross country route; New Glascow to Lorne, Glengarry Station, Eastville, Upper Stewiacke, Butcher's Falls, South Branch, Middle Musquidoboit, Elderbank, Route #212 and then to highway #102 and return to Portuguese Cove. Butcher's Falls has always been a favourite of mine; easy to get to get to, yet it has a personality that changes with the seasons. The Butcher's farm used to be across the road from the waterfall but it is long gone and precise instructions are needed to find this place now. The waterfall is mostly frozen so the views are limited to white on white. I used my 28-135mm zoom lens and my 15mm fisheye lens to capture the images. February 4, 2011, My Last Trip to Sheffield Mills, Nova Scotia for the Eagle Watch As usual I was up and about at 5:30 AM in order to have sufficient time to arrive at Grand-Pre for sunrise. The day was setting out to be a mix of sun and cloud but very cold. I arrived at Grand-Pre as planned to search unsucessfully for a reported Sandhill Crane but I did capture the sunrise with my 15mm fisheye lens. The rule of thirds cannot be applied to this lens since the horizon must be in the centre of the frame, otherwise the lens correction needed to eliminate lens distortion will lose a lot of frame. After visiting Grand-Pre I left for Sheffield Mills and arrived there at about 9AM. After a relatively short wait the eagles descended from the trees and mobbed the offerings. The whole affair was over in about twenty minutes but I fired off about 150 frames in this short time, 41 of which can be seen here. It was most successfull eagle photo shoot ever! |
When viewing photos use your web browser's back arrow to return to this page.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
