Tag: illinois

Autumn Photography in the Shawnee – 2022

landscape, WGNSS Field Trips

The following images were taken during the WGNSS Nature Photography Group’s trip to Garden of the Gods (GOTG) and other locations this past April. This group is currently being led by Miguel Acosta. If you are interested in joining us for one of the group’s monthly outings, please see details at http://www.WGNSS.org!

Late autumn colors on a mirror lake.

Many thanks to the photographers we met on the trail at Bell Smith Springs Wilderness who tipped us off to a spectacular mirror lake in the Shawnee. Miguel and I stopped at this location before heading back to St. Louis. The peak fall colors were obviously passed but this place screams potential and I hope to get there again next year. We had really nice conditions for this type of photography, with cloudy skies and winds which weren’t too bad. We could have found a few more compositions but the rains came and the winds got worse so we called it a day.

A different composition from the same scene as above.

The waters here were not as calm as to be desired for our purposes, but using polarizer and neutral density filters allowed us to get long shutter speeds that helped to lessen the effects of any wind-blown ripples on the water’s surface. All images in this post from this location were taken with shutter speeds between 20 and 30 seconds.

A wind-blown mirror lake

In the photo above the wind was starting to move pretty quickly across the wider portion of the lake. Using a shutter speed of 30 seconds allows the ripples created to appear with a more painterly appearance.

Monkey face with star trails

During this weekend trip, some of us enjoyed the camping experience while others chickened out and stayed at hotels or cabins. Similarly, some of us stayed late at GOTG to do a little astrophotography. Well, I should say that I stayed late. 😉 After my friends nabbed a couple of quick Milky Way images, they headed back to their air conditioned rooms and I was left by myself to work on the photo seen above. This photo was made by combining 213 30-second images in the computer to build the star trails with the iconic “monkey face” and other rock formations that GOTG is known for in the foreground.

This was a great weekend of friends, photography, hiking and camping.

Peregrine Falcons 2022 Season – Part 4

birds, Peregrine Falcons - 2022 Nesting Season, wildlife, wildlife photography

Unfortunately, the story of the family in this nesting season has an unfortunate, and uncertain ending. At least, I do not know the final outcome of everyone. In early June, we had heard that the father was struck and killed by a vehicle on the River Road, within a few hours after Miguel and I left for the day. Our next opportunity to visit was a few days later. This was devastating news, obviously. In this species, both parents are critical in providing for the chicks and ensuring the best chances of successfully raising the entire brood. Still, with mom being a great provider and at least one, or potentially two, chicks capable of flight, we had good hopes that she could finish raising 1-3 of the chicks successfully. Once fledged, the parents still need to provide for the chicks for another 6-8 weeks until they are capable hunters. It would be a long hard struggle, but we had high hopes she would do her best.

Then more unfortunate news found its way to us. Another male had moved into the territory. At first this seemed like it might be good news, potentially someone to help mom complete the job of raising the brood. But as time went on, he seemed to be getting very aggressive with both mom and the chicks. He thwarted the mother’s attempts at bringing in food and harassed the chicks relentlessly every time they took to the air. Miguel and I visited for a number of hours over a few day period during this time and the number of successful feedings we observed were pitifully few – seemingly not enough for the chicks to complete their growth and perhaps move with mom to a different territory. We ended our observations around this time. I have heard through second hand accounts that mom was seen with two or three chicks flying away from the territory, so maybe there was a happy ending but I do not know.

A rare look of all four chicks in the same frame, waiting for a meal
Wing exercising with a sibling taking notes
Waiting for a feeding
Feeding itself
The new male
The new male leaving his perch
Feeding from mom
The eldest chick in flight
The new male

Peregrine Falcons 2022 Season – Part 3

birds, Peregrine Falcons - 2022 Nesting Season, wildlife, wildlife photography

In this post, mom continues to provision the chicks with freshly caught birds. The chicks are beginning to try out their wings and are on the verge of fledging.

Mom soaring above the nest area
Mom soaring above the nest area
A chick trying out its wings
Three chicks hanging out
Feeding time
Mom moving the remains of a likely pigeon carcass
Mom near the trees, heading to the nest
The parents sometimes allowed Turkey Vultures to soar near the nest but had no patience at all for eagles or hawks
More wing exercises
The remaining set shows mom bringing in a Mourning Dove that she continues to dispatch on the wing!

Peregrine Falcons 2022 Season – Part 2

birds, Nesting Birds of Missouri, Peregrine Falcons - 2022 Nesting Season, wildlife, wildlife photography

Unfortunately, we didn’t have an opportunity to get back to the nest site until late May. When we returned, we found the parents were busy raising four already good-sized chicks. The photography was challenging. We had to contend with the too-speedy traffic of the river road that lied between us and the bluff face where the nest was located and the heat distortion that this blacktop created. There is also the issue of trying to photograph the fastest vertebrate on the planet.

Most often mom would take responsibility of feeding the chicks directly. Dad was primarily the hunter and would drop off prey. Here dad takes some time to piece the prey and feed it to the hungry chicks.
Dad brings a Baltimore Oriole (future Peregrine Falcon) back to the nest.
As typically done, dad would bring the prey back to a spot along the bluff and call for mom. Here mom has just picked up the Oriole and will take the bird to a new spot for processing.
Mom removes feathers from the prey bird on a bluff platform away from the nest site.
Mom begins feeding the impatient chicks.
I suppose at a point of diminishing returns, mom would often take the remains of the carcass away from the nest and would pick the remains to feed herself.
Mom soaring with remains of Oriole.
The female’s favorite perch was this dead cedar that provided great looks at the nest and everything above. The parents would sometimes put up with Turkey Vultures soaring near the nest, but would chase away any Red-tailed Hawks or Bald Eagles. They especially hate eagles getting too close to the nest.
Mom has spotted some large bird that has strayed to close to the nest and is about to give them the business.

Peregrine Falcons 2022 Season – Part 1

birds, Nesting Birds of Missouri, Peregrine Falcons - 2022 Nesting Season, wildlife, wildlife photography

Miguel and I spent a few hours in the spring and early summer of 2022 photographing a pair of Peregrine Falcons in Madison County, IL during their nesting season. In this first post, the photos were taken in March. There were likely no eggs in the nest at this point and the pair was bonding by the male bringing in food for the female and the two soaring the skies of their territory. It wound up being a pretty dramatic nesting season. Lots more pics to follow.

The male adult Peregrine Falcon sporting identification bands he received while he was in the nest.
The female Peregrine Falcon was not banded.
The male brings a freshly caught Meadowlark, making obvious vocalizations to make his intentions known.
The female picks up the prey and flies to another perch to feast on the nuptial gift.

Spiranthes ovalis – Another Look

macro, Missouri's Orchids, native plants
Spiranthes ovalis erostella. This variety of S. ovalis is primarily self-pollinated, hence the weak and withered flowers.

Pete and I had both seen Spiranthes ovalis erostella prior to this outing in late September in Pope County, IL, but we both agreed that this was the finest specimen we had seen of what is usually a small and insignificant plant with a puny inflorescence.

Spiranthes ovalis (lesser ladies’ tresses orchid) is typically found in open, woody habitat and particularly likes areas where disturbance has limited competition and opened access to light.

Chasing Waterfalls in the Shawnee

landscape, Uncategorized

Following a rainy period this spring, Casey and I visited a few spots in the Shawnee of southern Illinois. Some of these spots are well known, but can be difficult to visit. Another location is not nearly as well known, but easier to get to. The Shawnee really does canyons, large rocks and water features well. This is but a small sample of what can be found there.

White-tailed Deer Rut of 2020

wildlife, wildlife photography

A ten-pointer posing for a portrait.

The rut of 2020 turned out pretty well for me. I was able to get to my favorite place for this type of photography five or six times. I tried for a few more days, but weather and flooding caused me to change plans. I didn’t get any high action shots, but I am happy with the portraits I got of some of the larger bucks in this herd.

This smaller eight-pointer has an extra antler growing.

White-tailed bucks will often drool in the heat of the rut.

This “wide eight” knew somebody was watching but never did find me.

A buck looking for just the right scent on the breeze.

This guy thinks he found the one. He chased her into the bush and beyond my sight.

Waiting on the edge of the dance floor.

This location was not the greatest for fall colors, but I lucked into a couple of interesting environmental portraits.

I lucked into this guy walking under the nicest colored tree in the area.

The class clown.

My favorite portrait of the year.

Here’s looking to bigger and brighter in 2021.

-OZB