Deer Crossing (The Story Behind the Image)

Over the decades I have been blessed more than I deserve with interesting wildlife and scenic outdoor observations. Yesterday a very brief interaction occurred that I will remember for a long time.

As I was driving to a training, fog was rising over the fields and river steam was lifting above the Cedar River. Such conditions are…

DSLR vs Compact Camera Challenge

In my never-ending quest to push technology to its limit as I attempt to reduce the equipment or the weight of the equipment I carry in the field, today I completed a comparison test of capabilities between my DSLR and a compact camera. When I found worthy compositions during my hike I shot photos using both cameras. At home I then edited both in a similar manner. My goal was to see if I could produce comparable images with the compact camera that I can with the DSLR. That was many words to say I compared camera outputs.

As expected, the compact camera image quality did not quite measure up to the DSLR. However, if I would not have had the DSLR images to compare to, the files produced by the compact camera would have been…

Not the Red Oak Leaf

This morning a friend of mine showed me a picture of perfect, vivid red oak leaf she found and photographed at Cedar Bend Park. She had other pics too, but the oak leaf was really pretty and proved to be an inspiration for my own hike today before it rained.

My expectations did not include a nice oak leaf, but I would have…

Artistic Autumn Color While Standing in the River

Without intent I made three pictures that, with a bit of artistic editing, appear less like photos and more as paintings. An interesting detail about this process was that my efforts were just to “play” with a little point and shoot camera. I was standing in the river, in chest waders, and decided to experiment with compositions. The experimenting continued as I edited the files. The results follow.

Is That A Bird in Your Pocket?

Today was another day with hours spent at the healing spot to the north. While a family member was undergoing tests, I had about 45-minutes to occupy my time. I could have parked myself in a chair and watched people go in and out, or I could prance my way downstairs and out in the small flower garden area to look at what blossoms remain. Prance downstairs and out was what I did.

As I studied the various blossoms still looking quite vibrant (how do they do that after frost?), movement to my left caught my eye. At first I thought a mouse had made a run for it, but no, a small bird in the sparrow family was out bouncing around in the limited area patio.

You guessed it… my attention switched from blossoms to chasing the bird with my camera (not literally). Since I was testing out a “new to me” point and shoot camera, I was not quite as successful with images as I might have been with my big Nikon lens and camera body. Still, I did manage to record an image or three (maybe more).

I was not able to discern if this field sparrow was injured - likely from a window strike - or was it just very comfortable with people being in close proximity. That answer I do not know and never will. What I do know is I was ready to pick it up to evaluate it if it came close enough to catch.

When I explained this to my family member they asked “What were you going to do with it?” I suppose, had the bird been injured, I would have kept it in my pocket to take to a rehabber since I had nowhere else for it.

Imagine me walking around Mayo Clinic with a bird in my pocket. What if it cheeped? What if it got out of my pocket? Perhaps Mayo can do miracles for humans, but birds… maybe not.

This incident did remind me of the time I found and caught a smooth green snake and kept it in my pocket during lunch. That is a story for another time.

Things That Impressed Me Today

During my wandering today I found a couple of things that impressed me enough for photos.

Impression 1 - Segment A of Sweet Marsh is full of water. There isn’t any water running out of Segment A, but the pool is full. Without much rain filling the various segments of the marsh has taken some time, but it is happening. I will check on Marten’s Lake when time allows. Maybe that too is full.

Impression 2 - The swamp and red oak leaves are brilliant right now. Their color is so vivid that I had to stop to document it (to share here).

Another Look After the Peak of Fall Colors

For several hours today I invested time in photographing some of the last of fall fungi in the timber along the Wapsipinicon River. My memory card contained a variety of fungi species - some familiar and some maybe not. As I drove away from the trailhead, the attractive white bark of quaking aspen - a few still carrying leaves fluttering in the wind - caught my attention. My post for today switched from fungi to aspen aerial images.

Initially I composed many views looking nearly straight down from one hundred feet or so in the air. The images recorded from this vantage point were acceptable and did capture a different look at what remains of fall colors.

Mini Flash Mob - Emotions and Tears Flowing - How Great Thou Art!

Today at the healing place to the north a family member and I experienced a miniature flash mob with a powerful impact. The experience was amazing. Allow me to explain.

The two of us were sitting in a lounge area near the cafeteria when I heard the piano being played in the main lobby on the Subway Level…

Nature Therapy Along the Wapsipinicon River

Each day I try to spend at least a few minutes in the outdoors. Frequent “nature therapy” has been relaxing, rejuvenating… just healing for my soul.

When I am out in the timber or on the river I almost always have a camera with me, as was the case today when my destination was the Wapsipinicon River in Bremer County.

The most interesting observation for the outing occurred when I spotted a whitetail doe bedded down along the edge of the river. As I slowly approached, she did not jump up to bound away. Eventually I noticed a second doe that had seen me and was standing on alert. My photos of her featured that doe peaking at me through the woodland brush.

Even after the standing doe ran off with her tail flashing, the bedded doe remained on the ground. Many long seconds passed - maybe a half a minute or more - before the bedded doe looked around and spotted me. Up she went and soon she was running away to her place of safety.

Color at Hartman Reserve/Hartman Bluff State Preserve

The autumn colors were very vibrant this morning at Hartman Reserve/Hartman Bluff State Preserve. Time did not allow me to wander too long, but I was there long enough to shoot some photos.

What Was That Stuff?

For a short time this morning (not long enough), water drops fell from the sky. I am hearing that dripping was called rain, but it has been so long since it rained that I have forgotten what it looked like. Yes, it rained, but not nearly enough.

After the rain I explored in front of our cabin a bit. Following are a few views of what I enjoyed. (The autumn colors are quickly disappearing, but there are still some reds, oranges, and yellows decorating the landscape.)

I Forgot About the Woodland Management Project

After much too much time has passed (measured in years), today I hiked the Wapsie Island Access along the Wapsipinicon River east of Tripoli. Somehow I completely forgot about the Woodland Management Project undertaken several years ago to improve the timber stand. The project included the removal of a sizeable swath of trees to open the area for desirable tree species. This project not only improves the timber, but also enhances wildlife habitat.

When you are hiking in old river bottom timber and suddenly (unexpectedly)…

No Need to Say It, But We Need Rain

This past week I made the disappointing decision to pull my fishing boat out of the river in front of our cabin. At best we have maybe eight inches of water… maybe. In the main channel of the Wapsie there is more water depth, but I still bumped the bottom with my lower unit every now and then last week. So, the boat came out and I miss that option for exploring already.

Conveying a Theme Without Details

The summer of 2024 has been so very interesting. For the first time since I was ten or eleven years old I have more freedom than ever before. Retiring early has been liberating beyond what I could have imagined. Yet, due to health issues, my wilderness wandering has been non-existent because of stringent…

Opposing Travels

One of my images of Comet A3 tonight included an unexpected aircraft heading in the opposite direction. Since I was shooting with a wide angle lens, the two sky travelers are small in the image, but they are both there!

Photographing What I Cannot See - Comet A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) - Step-by-Step Instructions

Again tonight I photographed Comet A3 in the western sky. To my unaided eye the comet was not visible. All indications are the comet should be visible (perhaps with assistance) for some time yet. I did eventually find and photograph what I could not see in tonight’s night sky.

Since there may be others wanting to photograph the comet, I thought I would share my process for finding and photographing it. There may be other techniques… this is what I did.

2. Determine when the comet…

A Special Place

Along the Wapsipinicon River is a very special place to me… a simple spot where I can clear my head, sort my thoughts, exercise my muscles, and leave a better person.

Often my visits to my special place include time on the river in a boat, canoe, or kayak. Other times I am happy to sit quietly along the Wapsipinicon River bank where I listen to and watch birds, fish a bit, or study the landscape through the lens of a camera.

Some may wonder what my attraction to the Wapsipinicon might be. That answer comes easy for me - the Wapsie is a river I can connect with… where I can paddle, I can fish, I can shoot photos, and I can even ice skate on in the winter.

While I “take” from the river by way of activities, today I want to give back. Through a few photos recorded early this morning - including one that I digitally painted - I hope to share with you the beauty of this special place. The autumn steam swirling from the river enhanced the autumn appearance.

I hope you too may sense some of what I enjoy about the Wapsipinicon River.

Split Seconds in Autumn Time

Following the winds of this past weekend and even some today, I hiked a couple of locations to take in the beauty that is autumn. Most trees have not hit the “brilliant” phase or their leaves were blown off recently. Still I found ample photo opportunities that showcased autumn in Iowa. I will share some here.

Traveling With Family

Memories... Our day was intended to be a memory making day and it was... oh how it was.

Our group traveled to reminisce and remember, to enjoy fall colors, to explore faith and commitment, and to strengthen our family bond. Our emotions ran the gamut from joy and laughter, appreciation, solemn reflection, fear and concern, and relief.

Memories - We made them.

Don't Follow Me

Whether I was walking, on the water, or driving today, you did not want to follow me. I stopped several times when I saw things that interested me.

Quaking Aspens in Autumn - This scene was right along a much-traveled highway with moderate traffic. The lone yellow tree in the sea of green caught my attention. Then as I studied the view, I imagined how this might be what it looks like now on some mountain range. Yes, I am using my imagination, but it works for me!