February | 2024 | Mike Powell

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Archive for February, 2024

Turkey Close-up Portrait

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Meleagris gallopavo, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, turkey, Wild Turkey, Woodbridge VA on February 29, 2024| 7 Comments »

As I was walking along a trail on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I happened to glance to my left and was shocked to see that I was almost face-to-face with a Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo). This turkey, along with several of his friends, was foraging in the underbrush and apparently had not heard me approaching. I immediately stopped in my tracks, fearful of scaring the turkeys away and contemplate my next steps.

Should I try to move into another position for a better shot? Should I zoom out and try capture the turkey’s entire body that was mostly hidden in the vegetation? The clock was ticking and I knew that the turkeys would soon sense my presence.

I had a pretty clear view of the turkey’s head from where I was standing, so I decided to go for a portrait close-up portrait shot. I carefully focused on the turkey’s eye and was happy to be able to capture quite a bit of detail in a profile shot when the turkey turned his head to the side.

In a funny way I felt almost like I was looking a mirror, because the turkey had a lot of wrinkles and hairs sprouting out of various parts of his head, features that have become increasingly noticeable for me as I have gotten older. When I was younger, I don’t think I realized how much hair would eventually be growing out of my nose and ears.

After I had grabbed a few shots, I move on quietly down the trail and the turkeys continued their foraging .

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Catching a fish

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Ardea herodias, Canon 7D, Great Blue Heron, Great Blue Heron fishing, head feathers, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 28, 2024| 5 Comments »

The tide was going out on Monday when I spotted a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) in the shallow waters off of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The heron was walking slowly, stopping periodically as it scanned the water, patiently searching for prey. I decided to stop, wait, and watch the heron.

I know from long experience that herons are very patient—it is hard to remain constantly alert for extended periods of time, hoping to anticipate the moment when the heron will strike.

On this occasion, I was able to capture some of the action when the heron plunged its head into the water. Time seemed to slow down as I waited to see what, if anything, the heron had caught. As you can see in the first photo, the heron’s catch was a modestly-sized fish. The heron flipped its head to the side to reposition the fish—herons swallow fish headfirst in a single gulp. The final photo shows the fish’s final repositioning in the heron’s long bill. A split second later the heron tilted it bill upward and the fish disappeared from sight.

As I looked a these three photos, I was struck by the way that the heron’s long head feathers moved around as it twisted and turned its head. That little detailo revived distant memories of the 1970’s when I had long hair—I remember flipping my head from time to time to keep the hair out of my eyes.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Vigilant eagle

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Bald Eagle, Canon 7D, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, vigilant eagle, Woodbridge VA on February 27, 2024| 10 Comments »

Yesterday was a beautiful day, with blue skies and temperatures soaring above 60 degrees (16 degrees C). I visited Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and was thrilled to have multiple sightings of Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).

One eagle seemed particularly vigilant, keeping careful watch over the entire area. Initially the eagle was mostly hidden from view by the heavy vegetation, but eventually I found a visual tunnel that gave me a mostly unobstructed view of the majestic eagle.

Photographing bald eagles can be quite challenging—the extreme contrast between the bright white heads and the dark bodies means that I have to choose the exposure for the image carefully to avoid blowing out the highlights in the head or losing the details of the body in the shadows.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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More eagle gyrations

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Bald Eagle, Bald Eagle in flight, Canon 7D, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, subadult bald eagle, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 26, 2024| 2 Comments »

The last few days I have been really busy and have not had a chance to get out very much with my camera to capture new images. I went over the shots from my visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and decided to post some more shots of the subadult Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) that I photographed as it flew about, twisting and turning in the air above my head.

Previously I posted a shot of the eagle with outstretched wings (the 20 February posting was called Eagle Gyration). Today’s posting shows the same eagle in a number of other positions. I am always intrigued by the way that birds use their wings and tails in combination to move in the desired direction. Eagles make flying seem so effortless.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Shells on the shore

Posted in Art, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, duck hunting, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, shells, shotgun shells, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 24, 2024| 2 Comments »

The waterside trails at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge are often flooded by tidal surges and littered with debris when the waters recede. Some of the debris, like driftwood, snail shells, and clumps of vegetation is natural, but much of it is manmade.

During a recent visit to the refuge, I was shocked to spot a different kind of shel than I am used to seeing—there were multiple used shotgun shells at one location. In some earlier postings I have noted that there are multiple duck blinds in the waters off of the wildlife refuge and during certain seasons I have seen and heard duck hunters using these blinds.

I assume that these shells floated in or were carried in by the tide from one of those duck blinds. (Do used shotgun shells float?) Hunting is definitely not permitted on the grounds of the refuge, with the exception of several days a year when the refuge is closed and deer hunting, which is part of the “deer management program,” is permitted. I am not a hunter, but recognize that there is an overabundance of white-tailed deer in our area that poses a threat to both humans on the roads and to the deer themselves, who may struggle to find food.

I tried to capture these images of the shell as artfully as possible, but the juxtaposition of the natural and manmade elements in the photos is nonetheless jarring for me, considering what the shells were designed to do.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Single leg pose

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Ardea herodias, Canon 7D, Great Blue Heron, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, one-legged pose, single leg pose, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, yoga on February 23, 2024| 9 Comments »

How good is your balance? This morning I was reading an article in AARP magazine about measuring your fitness level and one of the tests was a one-legged balance test. I tested myself and was able to hold the pose for only a few seconds. Yikes!

A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) that I spotted on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge would have aced the test. The heron seemed to be perfectly stable as it relaxed in an open area adjacent to a small pond while standing on a single leg. It was a cold morning and I suspect that the heron’s other leg was tucked under its feathers to conserve body heat.

As I get older, I have become more conscious of the need for balance in all areas of my life. When I worked for the federal government a lot of lip service was given to the importance of “work-life balance,” but the sad reality was that few of my co-workers achieved that sense of balance—most of us, myself included, tended to be workaholics. Retirement has provided me a lot more freedom to use my time in a way that attempts to balance my physical, mental, spiritual, relational, and creative needs. It’s a constant juggling act, but I’m working on it.

In the meantime, I think I would do well to emulate the Great Blue Heron and practice my one-legged pose some more.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Nesting eagles

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Bald Eagle, Bald Eagle couple, bald eagle nest, Canon 7D, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, nesting eagles, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 22, 2024| 3 Comments »

When I watched a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) fly into a nest on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I was not sure if it was occupied. We have reached the time of the year when the eagles at this refuge begin to sit on their eggs, but I did not know if the process had begun at this small nest that was used for the first time last year. As you can see in the first photo, the nest is only about as wide as the eagle’s outstretched wings.

After the eagle had landed and settled down, the body of a second eagle appeared from within the nest. I never did get a good look at the second eagle, because it kept its head down as it made some adjustments in the nest while the newly arrived eagle waited patiently to take over nest responsibilities.

One eagle flew away and the remaining one sank lower from view as it spread its body to cover the eggs. The nest is quite shallow, though, so I could still see the top of the eagle’s head most of the time. Occasionally the eagle would raise its head a little and I was able to capture a few shots like the final one here in which the eagle was looking up into the sky, wondering perhaps when its mate would return to the nest.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Departing chickadee

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged birds in flight, Canon 7D, Carolina Chickadee, chickadee, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Poecile carolinensis, Sweet Gum, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 21, 2024| 3 Comments »

I raised my camera to my eye when I spotted a Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) extracting seeds from spiky Sweet Gum balls on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. As I pressed the shutter release, the chickadee took off and I captured this fun photo of the departing little bird.

I really like the way the head is tilted upward and how the tiny claws are still extended. Most of all, though, I love the way that I was able to capture the feather details in the extended wing.

Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good—this was definitely not the shot that I thought I was taking.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Eagle gyration

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Bald Eagle, Bald Eagle in flight, Canon 7D, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, subadult bald eagle, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 20, 2024| 7 Comments »

It takes about five years for a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) to develop into adulthood and acquire the bright white heads and tails that we generally associate with this species. When they are young, the eagles have dark feathers and beaks and during the intermediate years their feathers have a mottled appearance.

Yesterday I watched a subadult eagle flying about in the skies over Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Judging from its coloration, I’d guess that it was about three to four years old.

The eagle put on quite an aerial show for me, twisting and turning in an amazing display of aerial prowess. I was particularly impressed by the way that the eagle would stretch wide its wings and flare its tail as it changed directions, as you can see in the photo below.

When an eagle or any other raptor is moving about like that, it is quite a challenge to track it and keep it within the frame. Suffice it to say, I have quite a few shots in which the eagle is partially cut off at the edge of the frame or occasionally is completely absent from the photo.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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First daffodil of 2024

Posted in Flowers, Nature, Photography, spring, Winter, tagged Alexandria VA, daffodil, first daffodil, first daffodil 2024, iPhone 11, joy, wonder on February 19, 2024| 10 Comments »

Nature moves in seasonal cycles, constantly changing as plants and creatures appear and disappear. At this time of the year I begin to look for signs of spring. The calendar tells me that I have another month to wait, but nature does not always follow the manmade calendar.

As I was walking to a craft store on Saturday I was delighted to spot this solitary daffodil poking out of the ground, already in bloom. I snapped this quick photo with my iPhone to record the moment, my first daffodil of 2024.

Whenever I record the “first” photo of any subject, whether it is a completely new one or the reappearance of a familiar one, I am happy to capture whatever photo I can. Later, when I have a second chance, I will worry more about artistry and technique. At that first moment, I am content to immerse myself in joy and wonder—the photo is of secondary concern.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Red-bellied Woodpecker

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Melanerpes carolinus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 18, 2024| 4 Comments »

Most of the time when I see a male Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), its head is buried in the shadows or is turned away from me as he feverishly pecks away at a tree. Last Wednesday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, however, I spotted a Red-bellied Woodpecker in the open at a distant tree and he accommodated me by presenting his head in profile, allowing me to capture this image.

I really like the way that you can see his striking red cap so well in this photo, as well as the beautiful black and white markings on his back.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Something to crow about

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, Winter, tagged American Crow, Canon 7D, Corvus brachyrhynchos, Corvus ossifragus, crow, fish crow, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 17, 2024| 2 Comments »

I see and hear crows quite often when I am walking about at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Frequently there are large, noisy flocks of them moving about as a group. In my area, there are two types of similar-looking crows—the American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and the Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)—and I reluctantly admit that I have not yet learned to tell them apart.

This past Wednesday, which happened to be Valentine’s Day, I spotted a single crow all by itself atop a broken-off tree. Apparently it had not been able to get a date for the special day or perhaps, like me, it preferred spending some peaceful moments alone.

I was happy to be able to capture some details of the crow’s eye in this shot. Quite often the eye blends it with the dark feathers and looks like a black, featureless hole.

Have a wonderful weekend.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Sneaking up on eagles

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Bald Eagle, Bald Eagle couple, bald eagle nest, Canon 7D, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 16, 2024| 4 Comments »

Have you ever tried to sneak up on a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)? Given the eagles’ superior eyesight and quicker reactions, they almost always detects me before I can get within camera range and often my first indication of an eagle’s presence is when I see it flying away from me.

As many of you know, there are several eagle nests at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and this is the time of the year when eagles begin nesting in them. The roads are blocked in the area surrounding one of the nests, so it is hard to get a good look at it. The largest nest, though, is set way back in the trees, but is visible from one of the main trails, which remains open.

During a visit to the refuge on Wednesday (Valentine’s Day), I noticed through the trees that both members of an eagle couple were perched atop the nest. Male eagles are often smaller than the females, so I think that the eagle to the left in the first photo is a male. I was still a long way from the nest when I captured that first photo, but experience has taught me that it is best to capture a “record” shot, before trying to get closer for a better one.

I continued down the trail in the direction of the eagle nest doing my best to walk near the high vegetation at the edge of the trail that blocked the eagle from seeing me and, alas, prevented me from seeing the eagle.

I know where the spots are where there is an open view of the nest and I prepared myself as I approached the best one. As I stepped partially into the open and raised my camera, one of the eagles took off and I captured the second shot below. As I was trying to track that eagle in the air, the second one took off too and I watched as they both flew away over the waters of the bay.

Before long, the eagles should be sitting on one or more eggs in the nest. The nest is quite deep and high up that it is almost impossible to tell if there is an eagle in the nest when they are incubating the eggs. The members of the couple rotate the responsibility for sitting on the eggs and I have been lucky on a couple of occasions to see the “changing of the guards.” Perhaps I will have that same good fortune this year.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Downy Woodpecker in February

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Downy Woodpecker, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Picoides pubescens, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, woodpecker on February 15, 2024| 3 Comments »

Yesterday I traveled to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, my favorite local place for wildlife photography, for the first time in over a week. Things were kind of slow and most of the birds that I spotted, primarily scaups, ruddy ducks, and buffleheads, were out of range in the deep water. There was a good bit of sunshine, though, that lifted my spirits and helped to compensate for the scarcity of subjects.

As I walked along the trails, I heard this Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) before I was able to spot him. He was hammering away on a branch and had his head lowered and mostly to the side. I kept my camera trained on him and eventually he raised his head and I was able to capture this image of him that I really like. The shot provides a good look at the large claw on his foot that helps him grip the branch and it also shows how he uses his tail to give him additional leverage.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Boys chasing girls

Posted in Birds, Nature, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Hooded Merganser, Hooded Merganser duck, Lophodytes cucullatus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Valentine's Day, Woodbridge VA on February 14, 2024| 3 Comments »

At this time of the year male Hooded Merganser ducks (Lophodytes cucullatus) do all that they can to attract the attention of potential mates. They may go through elaborate displays or simply chase after the females, as the two males in this photo appeared to be doing. It is often hard to read the body language of birds, but both females seemed to be sending the clear message that they were not interested (or were playing hard to get).

It struck me that many human males go through similar gyrations in their efforts to attract the attention of females of the species, particularly on this day, when thoughts turn to romantic love.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Foraging Sparrow

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, foraging, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, white-throated sparrow, Woodbridge VA, Zonotrichia albicollis on February 13, 2024| Leave a Comment »

No matter what the conditions or location, I can usually count on seeing sparrows foraging in the underbrush. I spotted this handsome White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) during a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I really like the way that I was able to capture his intense focus as he surveyed a spot right in front of him for a tasty tidbit.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Trees and shadows

Posted in Landscape, Nature, Photography, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, forest, Prince William Forest Park, shadows, Tamron 18-400mm, trees, Triangle VA on February 12, 2024| 7 Comments »

Most of the photos in my most recent blog postings were captured during my hike last week at Prince William Forest Park, which was a break from my usual wildlife-focused images. It is time to hit the trails again after this brief respite, but I thought I would conclude this mini-series with a final photo from the hike.

Many of you know that I love shadows and I was really struck by the tree shadows falling across the trail during the early stages of the hike. The photo gives you an idea of the size and density of the forest in which I was immersed. This trail was wide enough to serve as an emergency access route, but the majority of the trails that I traversed later in the day were significantly more narrow. The trails were pretty well defined and there were painted blazes on the trees, which were particularly useful when trails crisscrossed each other.

I grew up in New England and memorized a number of poems by Robert Frost. One of his most famous poems is entitled “The Road Not Taken.” Somehow the opening words of that poem always come to mind when I am hiking on forest trails, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth…”

In this case, however, the pictured road is the road that was taken. That day, I stuck to a familiar path, though I am prone to wander and love to explore. Who knows what I might discover beyond the next twist of the road.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Along the creek

Posted in Language, Nature, Photography, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Prince William Forest Park, Quantico Creek, Tamron 18-400mm, Triangle VA on February 11, 2024| 3 Comments »

There is something special and soothing about the sound of flowing water. During my hike last week in Prince William Forest Park, I spent much of my time following Quantico Creek and listening to the different noises that it made as it moved through the varying landscapes.

The terrain I traversed was hilly and the elevation diagram below from my GPS software shows the ups and downs of my hike. From the area where I parked my car I had a rather steep descent to the creek. The first photo was my first view of the creek and gives you an idea of its size. Although the water appears quite still, it was moving towards the dam shown in the second photo that was only a short distance downstream.

To get to the next section of the creek, I had to climb up and over a ridge before beginning a long descent to a series of small cascades, one of which is shown in the penultimate photo. I followed the creek for a while as it continued to flow downhill, gradually flattening out a bit and giving me views like the one in the final photo.

Eventually, I turned around and headed back toward my car, partially retracing my steps and then taking a more direct and steeper route. During the three hours or so that I was on the trails I did not see another person. It is a little selfish, I know, but I prefer not to share my nature experiences with others. I like to proceed at my own pace, stopping whenever I choose, immersing myself in the beauty of nature, reviving and refreshing my soul.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Tiny forest birds

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Baeolophus bicolor, Canon 7D, Carolina Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Poecile carolinensis, Prince William Forest Park, Regulus satrapa, Tamron 18-400mm, Triangle VA, Tufted Titmouse on February 10, 2024| 1 Comment »

I had low expectations for capturing images of birds when I set out for a hike this past Tuesday at Prince William Forest Park. I knew from past experience that I was unlikely to see very many birds as I walked up and down then hill at the park and alongside the streams. The birds that I was lucky enough to see or hear were likely to be hidden high in the trees, outside of the reach of the lens that I was carrying. Normally I shoot with a 150-600mm lens, but it is a bit heavy to tote around for hours on end and instead I carried my 18-400mm lens, a lighter and more flexible lens that allows me to take wide-angle and telephoto shots.

I did manage to capture a few photos that I am sharing here. The first one shows a Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa), an elusive species that is one of the smallest birds in our area. I tried to track this bird as it moved about and was happy to get a shot when it poked its head between some branches.

A Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) was also playing a combination of hide-and-seek and peekaboo with me. I captured the second photo below when the titmouse poked its head out from behind a tree trunk.

The final photo shows a Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) that perched briefly almost directly overhead. This image has the cleanest composition of the three shots, but does not really give you a sense of the environment in which I found the little bird.

Some days it is nice just to commune with nature, to hear the sound of the rustling leaves and the babbling brooks, to observe the light and the shadows. Any photos that I do manage to capture are simply a bonus.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Crossing the water

Posted in Landscape, Nature, Photography, Winter, tagged bridge, Canon 7D, Prince William Forest Park, Quantico Creek, Tamron 18-400mm, Triangle VA, two-board bridge, walkway on February 9, 2024| 4 Comments »

Prince William Forest Park is the largest protected natural area in the Washington D.C. metropolitan region at over 13,000 acres (53 sq km). As its name suggests, it is is a heavily wooded area that is criss-crossed by numerous streams and creeks, most notably Quantico Creek.

There are over 37 miles of hiking trails in the park and this past Tuesday I walked a little over 6 miles (10 km) along some of my favorite trails. I knew that I would not see very much wildlife, but I really wanted to stretch my legs on a beautiful, sunny winter day. Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, where I most frequently go to photograph wildlife, is part of a flat, coastal plain, but Prince William Forest Park is hilly—according to my iPhone I climbed the equivalent of 19 flights of stairs that day.

Some of the trails at Prince William Forest Park get mucky after a rain and I encountered two-board walkways like the ones in the first and last photos below at several spots while wandering about in the park on Tuesday. There were also some small bridges across streams (see second photo) and one larger bridge across Quantico Creek (see third photo). It really enjoyed checking out all of the different means that were in place to assist hikers in crossing wet areas and photographing subjects that are not my “usual” ones.

Prince William Forest Park is administered by the National Park Service and is wonderfully maintained. The trails are kept clear and are well-marked. I visit it most often in the spring, when wild flowers begin to appear on the forest floor and dragonflies start to emerge. If my memory serves me well, the earliest that I have seen dragonflies in my area was around the beginning of April, so I am waiting patiently for that time to come as we move through winter.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Sparrow in the thorns

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Prince William Forest Park, sparrow in the thorns, Tamron 18-400mm, thorns, Triangle VA, white-throated sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis on February 8, 2024| 3 Comments »

How do birds decide where they will perch? As I was reviewing my photos from a little hiking trip on Tuesday to Prince William Forest Park, I was shocked to see that a White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) was perched in some prickly vegetation and was almost literally surrounded by thorns. I had encountered similar thorns earlier in the day and can attest to the fact that they are sharp.

I could not help but notice how closely the claws on the bird’s tiny feet resembled those thorny protrusions.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Unseated

Posted in abstract, Art, Photography, Winter, tagged abandoned chair, Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, unseated, Woodbridge VA on February 7, 2024| 4 Comments »

The waters off of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge are affected by the tidal surges of the Potomac River. As a result, trails that run parallel to the water are sometimes inundated with water, which leaves behind driftwood and other debris when the waters recede.

Last Thursday one of my favorite trails was still flooded and an abandoned chair caught my attention. The broken plastic lawn chair was sitting upright in the shallow water, partially covered in vines. What was it doing there? Where did it come from?

I focus on wildlife and nature subjects most of the time, but will photograph almost anything else that attracts my eye. In this case, the chair seemed to be telling a story of sorts, having an almost metaphorical significance. The image has an almost abstract feel to it and I love the ripples and reflections in the water and the contrast in the shapes and textures of the natural elements in the photo versus those of the manmade chair.

Yes, I know that this is kind of a quirky image, but I like it and decided it was worth sharing.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Sparrow and water

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Melospiza melodia, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, song sparrow, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 6, 2024| 3 Comments »

When I spotted this Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) last Thursday poking about in a mass of floating vegetation in a small pond last Thursday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I decided that I wanted to get a shot of it. That proved to be quite a challenge. The bird kept its head down and was blocked by the vegetation most of the time.

I kept waiting and shooting in vain and worried that the sparrow would eventually fly away and leave me empty-handed. Finally the bird starting moving toward one end of the vegetation and was almost in the open. I got ready and when the sparrow limited its head momentarily, I was able to capture the kind of image that I had imagined at the start.

I like the way that the sparrow is framed by the vegetation and the water that is visible throughout the image. I am not sure what it had in its mouth, but the sparrow had apparently found some kind of tasty tidbit. The partial reflection of the bird in the water was an added bonus.

It is not rare for me to imagine shots when I am out with my camera and it is really cool when I manage to bring those imagined shots to life.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Red-bellied Woodpecker

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Melanerpes carolinus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, woodpecker on February 5, 2024| 3 Comments »

Red-bellied Woodpeckers(Melanerpes carolinus) are one of the most common woodpeckers in my area. I catch glimpses of them often as the move about in the trees, but I rarely manage to get a clean shot of one. I remember when I was first began to photograph birds and was super excited to spot the bright red heads of these woodpeckers. I mistakenly assumed that they would be called Red-headed woodpeckers, but I was wrong—Red-headed Woodpeckers are completely different species.

I was always a bit confused by the name of this species, because I never managed to see the woodpecker’s “red belly.” In the second photo below, you can see an orangish tinge in the lower abdomen area that I guess may qualify as a “red belly,” but that is a bit of a stretch.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers spend a lot of time probing beneath the bark of trees for insects. If you look closely at the first photo, you can see the woodpecker at work with its bill. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “A Red-bellied Woodpecker can stick out its tongue nearly 2 inches past the end of its beak. The tip is barbed and the bird’s spit is sticky, making it easier to snatch prey from deep crevices. Males have longer, wider-tipped tongues than females, possibly allowing a breeding pair to forage in slightly different places on their territory and maximize their use of available food.” Wow!

Things are warming up a bit and it was delightful to walk about in the sunshine at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge last Thursday. I decided to leave my heavy coat in the car and wore just a hooded sweatshirt with a long-sleeved thermal shirt underneath. Spring is coming, but I suspect that we will have a bit more winter weather before then—here in Northern Virginia February often has the most severe weather of the winter.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cardinal portrait

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Canon 7D, Cardinalis cardinalis, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 4, 2024| 12 Comments »

Photography does not have to be complicated. Sometimes all it takes is a well-executed image of a common subject in a simple composition.

If I were working as a portrait photographer for humans, I could choose an appropriate backdrop and set up studio lighting. I could instruct subjects on poses and position them carefully, shooting a variety of poses so that I would have multiple shots from which to choose the best ones. If I did not like a particular expression in a shot, I could reshoot the portrait until both the client and I were happy.

Life is much different for a wildlife photographer. I have to work with the available light and environment. Subjects are often skittish and uncooperative. I often have only a single chance to get a shot and may not get a second chance.

I feel blessed when things work out and I am able to capture simple portraits, like this one of a male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) that I photographed last Thursday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I took multiple shots of this cardinal when I spotted his bright red feathers, but in almost every one of them, the cardinal was looking away. Finally, the cardinal looked toward me for a brief moment and I was able to get the shot.

It is certainly not a perfect shot, but it is a pleasing little portrait of this handsome bird and I am happy that I was able to capture the moment. For me, photography is primarily about capturing and sharing the beauty that surrounds us, a beauty that too often we ignore, because it is uncomplicated and unspectacular. As the old Shaker folk song reminds us, “Tis a gift to be simple.”

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Huge eagle nest

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Bald Eagle, bald eagle nest, Canon 7D, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 3, 2024| 4 Comments »

Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge are increasingly spending time in and around existing eagle nests. It probably won’t be long before eggs are laid and the eagles begin to sit on the eggs.

On Thursday I spotted an eagle perched high in a nest while its mate kept watch from a nearby tree, as you can see in the final photo. This eagle nest is huge and is by far the largest one at the wildlife refuge. The nest has been used for many years and each year the eagles seem to add another layer to it. It was very easy to spot this eagle, because its bright white head was sticking prominently out of the nest.

When the eagles begin incubating the eggs, however, they hunker down in the deep nest and it is usually impossible to know for certain when they are present. During that period of time I will sometimes watch and wait, hoping to be there for the “changing of the guard,” when one member of the couple takes over duties from the other, but I have been lucky enough to be there only a few times when that happened. Otherwise I have to wait for the eaglets to get big enough to poke their little heads out of the top edge of the nest.

On another part of the refuge, barriers have now gone up to protect the nesting eagles at that location. That nest is adjacent to one of the trails, whereas the large nest pictured here is far enough away from the trail that the authorities do not seem to think that the eagles require additional protection.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Walking heron

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Ardea herodias, Canon 7D, Great Blue Heron, Great Blue Heron fishing, heron, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on February 2, 2024| 14 Comments »

Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) often stand still for extended periods of time when fishing. I consider myself to be quite patient, but most of the time a heron’s patience exceeds my own and I will move on before he has made a strike to catch a fish.

Sometimes, though, herons will walk slowly through the water, carefully lifting their large feet to create minimum disturbance in the water. That was the case last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, where I spotted a heron slowing making its way through the shallow water—the waters in the Potomac River area are influenced by the tides and it was near low tide when I was observing the heron.

I captured this fun little image just as the tips of the heron’s visible foot cleated the water. If you look closely, you will notice that he claws on the heron’s visible foot were just touching the water. (I love to play with words, so you could say that the heron was “just scratching the surface.” Sorry.)

The angle at which I took the shot caused the heron’s two legs to blend together, so that it looks almost like there are two legs coming out of a single knee. The reflections further confuse the viewer, because it is not clear where the legs end (especially the back leg) and where the reflections begin. The net result, I think, is a positive one, prompting the view to linger longer on the image in an effort to resolve the visual confusion—many viewers scroll through photos really quickly and it is a real plus when something about an image causes them to pause for a moment and examine it more closely.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Kingfisher in action

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter, tagged Alexandria VA, Belted Kingfisher, birds in flight, Canon 7D, Huntley Meadows Park, kingfisher, male Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon, Tamron 150-600mm on February 1, 2024| 4 Comments »

Belted Kingfishers (Megaceryle alcyon) are one of my nemesis birds. They are small and fast and incredibly skittish. I see (or hear) them quite often, but I am rarely able to get a decent shot of one.

I spent a good amount of time last Friday at Huntley Meadows Park observing a male Belted Kingfisher trying to catch a fish. He was perched on some kind of board sticking out of the water and repeatedly dove into the water and returned to the same post. Eventually he caught a fish, but, alas, flew away with it before I could get a shot of him with his catch.

Unlike an eagle that grabs a fish with its talons without submerging itself, a kingfisher dives headfirst into the water, creating a big splash. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “When it spots a fish or crayfish near the surface, it takes flight, dives with closed eyes, and grabs the prey in its bill with a pincer motion. Returning with its prize, it pounds the prey against the perch before swallowing it head first.”

I was perched on am observation platform some distance away, but had a clear line of sight to the kingfisher. Over time I was able to capture some relatively sharp shots of the kingfisher in action. The first shot is my favorite—the kingfisher was rising up out of the water, surrounded by water droplets, after what appeared to have been an unsuccessful attempt.

The second photo shows the kingfisher on its perch. I am not sure why this board was sticking out of the water, but noted several similar boards nearby. The subsequent images show the kingfisher in various stages of action. I was fortunate that the kingfisher made several attempts, sometimes diving to the left and sometimes to the right, so I had multiple chances to get shots. Actions shots are a tough, but fun challenge. The kingfisher would take off without warning and after it dove into the water, I was never sure exactly when and where he would reemerge.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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