Photo of the Week 2022-05-09

 

Getting a decent shot of a Belted Kingfisher has been on my list for a while ...

 

' Mrs. Kingfisher '

 

... not any Belted Kingfisher, one of those that continue to intrigue me with their "piercing rattle" out over the shallows of Hay Bay.

I first heard the call of a Belted Kingfisher years ago, long before I began recognizing it again during my time outdoors at our cottage on Hay Bay and even that was some time ago now. Fast in flight and quick to bolt from their perch, I had mostly just kept an ear out for that familiar sound, then tried to spot that darting movement over the water and along the shoreline.

With spring fully arrived, so had the resident Kingfishers a short while ago. Late one sunny afternoon, with water levels much lower I managed to get out on the rock and approach the area where one had been stopping to perch while making the rounds looking for dinner. There wasn't much "cover" to hide my careful approach and after spooking this female from her perch a couple of times, she returned for a brief portrait session. I managed a few decent frames, this being a significant crop from the original frame but now I want better ...

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-03-08

 

Always on the lookout for wildlife as I travel to and from Tobermory, this time of year has my "eyes peeled" for snowy owls. I usually see at least one, sometimes more. But last week, as we drove out of the hot spot for owl sightings, I was about to take a break from scanning the area to either side of the highway when I noticed something large perched in a tree.

 

Nicely perched, this bald eagle was close enough for me to park roadside and shoot from the vehicle without disturbing it too much. Though it is quite evident that it knew I was there, I did not approach any closer than other passing traffic and got what shots I could without causing it to fly off.

 

I make a point of describing how I approached photographing this magnificent bird because I've seen first hand how others with camera (I hesitate to call them photographers) are far too careless and disruptive in their approach. It's not just about getting the shot. It's about capturing a genuine wildlife moment with as little stress to to the subject as possible.

 

note: these images are 35% crops from the original captures, even with my 7DII, EF100-400 II and 1.4x Extender for a effective focal length of ~900mm

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2014-12-15

A chance meeting Saturday morning at the Tobermory Farmer's Market Christmas Sale led to some great intelligence for my wildlife photography. While there, I heard two people talking about the number of Snowy Owl's in the area. I interrupted the conversation, introduced myself and listened intently. Another person entered the conversation and the next thing you know I had a plan for Sunday morning.

I left the cottage in the dark before sunrise with the weather heavy.  The morning light was very dull making it necessary to bump up the ISO for decent exposure settings but I was treated to a sighting within minutes of reaching my intended location. A male Snowy was perched on a fencepost a hundred or so metres out in a field so I pulled the vehicle over, grabbed a few quick images, then sat back and poured some hot tea from my thermos to wait.

Eventually he moved on to a utility pole, across a field and then courteously perched on a dead tree stump making for a perfect environmental portrait setting. Fortunately, I was able to get relatively close access from a local dead-end county road and make a number of images, but still from a fair distance.

sitting pretty

I managed to see 2 other Snowy's in the same area, but distance and crappy light remained a challenge preventing me from making any better images.

I'm going to have fun getting to know these beauties this winter.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2012-06-11

The second leg of travel to Northern Ontario and facility inspections for work had me driving from Kenora to Red Lake to visit 3 sites. I set out at 7:00 am and it was early evening by the time I left the last facility to head back to the hotel. Although it meant that it would be after 10:00 by the time I was back at the hotel, there was the possibility of seeing some wildlife in the evening hours with good light.

Driving on Hwy 105, I expected the usual moose and deer, but hoped for something different. I had seen a couple of eagles soaring overhead during the day and was on the lookout for one perched in a tree. This Bald Eagle obliged me by perching near the ground on some recently cut brush of the roadside embankment. Luckily there was a place to pull over and I walked up the shoulder of the hwy about 50 m slowly getting closer and snapping off a few exposures. The eagle got skittish and flew off so I went back to the car and had just resumed driving when I saw it again just down the road. It was perched in a better position and this time let me get close enough to get some good images..

perched

Moments after I made the exposure for this image, the eagle spread it's wings and flew off having tolerated my presence long enough. What a great encounter.

DJE