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Bright red birds

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Cardinalis cardinalis, Haemorhous mexicanus, House Finch, male House Finch, male Northern Cardinal, Northern cardinal, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on May 22, 2024| 7 Comments »

The bright red color of this male House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) really caught my eye last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. For a split second I thought it was a cardinal until I looked more closely at the bird, it was clear that it was a different species.

Later that same day I spotted an equally bright red male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) that seemed quite pleased with whatever treat it had found. I think it may be plant material, but I can’t exclude the possibility that it is some kind of insect.

From a photography perspective, it is really helpful when a bird is this boldly colored and makes no effort to blend in with its surroundings, especially at this time of the year when there are so many leaves on the trees.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Warbler and nest box

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, warbler, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, nest box, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Prothonotary Warbler, Protonotaria citrea, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on May 8, 2024| 6 Comments »

Most warblers nest either on the ground, in shrubs, or in trees, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website, but the Prothonotary Warbler and the Lucy’s Warbler build their nests in holes in standing dead trees or may use nest boxes when available. On Monday I was delighted to spot a Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge checking out a nest box from the outside and eventually from the inside too.

The nest box is old and may have a leaky roof, but the warbler seemed happy to have found it. The real estate market is tight in Northern Virginia right now and finding any place to live is difficult. After a short stay on the roof, the Prothonotary Warbler flew away and made an aerial approach from the front, perching at the entrance for a moment before entering the nest box.

I obviously could not see what was going on in the box, but periodically I could see flashes of yellow as the warbler moved about inside the box. Perhaps there are already eggs in the box. The warbler stayed inside the box for about five minutes before it poked its head out of the entrance and began to look around, as you can see in the final photo. I was hoping to capture a shot of the bird exiting the nest box, but it left more quickly and unexpectedly and I missed the shot.

I will be checking this spot out during my next visits to the wildlife refuge, hoping that I will be lucky enough to see some baby warblers.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Summer Tanager

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Piranga rubra, Summer Tanager, Tamron 18-400mm, tanager, Woodbridge VA on May 7, 2024| 9 Comments »

This colorful bird was a long way away yesterday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and I assumed it was a Northern Cardinal, but I decided to photograph it anyways. When I was reviewing my photos, I was shocked to discover that it was an immature male Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra), a new species for me. Truth be told, I was not very certain what kind of bird it was, so I did some searching on-line and came up with the correct answer, as confirmed by some experts in a birding forum on Facebook.

I will take photos of anything that catches my eye, knowing that many of them will not be “keepers.” I will take photos of subjects that are really familiar and those that may be rare or unique. My general rule is to take a lot of photos, following what I call the Law of the Wild West, i.e. “Shoot first and ask questions later.”

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Female Red-winged Blackbird

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Agelaius phoeniceus, Canon 7D, female Red-winged Blackbird, Fort Belvoir VA, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, red-winged blackbird, Tamron 18-400mm on May 6, 2024| Leave a Comment »

I spotted this beautiful female Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) poking about in the marshland vegetation last Thursday at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge. As is the case with many birds, the name of the species matches the coloration and/or features of the male, but not those of the female, e.g. this Red-winged Blackbird is not black nor does it have red wings.

I had my first encounter with a female Red-winged Blackbird in June 2012, a few months before I started this blog. I remember well my initial difficulties in trying to identify the bird and my shock in learning that it was a blackbird—I assumed it was a sparrow of some sort. In September 2012, I posted some photos of that bird in a blog entry entitled “Intense bird.” I encourage you to click on that link and make your own judgment about the degree to which my photography “style” has remained consistent over the years.

In 2012 I was just starting to get serious about photography and my dear friend and photography mentor Cindy Dyer had lent me a Nikon D300 and a Tamron 180mm macro lens that day. I fell in love with that lens and quickly purchased one for my Canon, the brand that I mostly use. The Tamron 180mm macro lens remains one of my favorite lenses.

It was quite enjoyable to watch this blackbird last week exploring the vegetation protruding from the water. She would perch on some rather small stems, appearing to flare her tail to maintain her balance, as you can see in these photos, occasionally calling out to a male blackbird that I could hear, but did not see.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Another Prairie Warbler

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, warbler, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Prairie Warbler, Setophaga discolor, Tamron 18-400mm, warbler, Woodbridge VA on May 4, 2024| 7 Comments »

I don’t know how much longer the migrating warblers will be in my area, but this past few weeks I have been trying to get outside with my camera as often as I can, hoping to be able to photograph these colorful little birds. On Tuesday I spotted a Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) in the patient and patiently tracked it as it moved about.

The first photo was a bit of an anomaly, because the warbler momentarily gave me an unobstructed view when it jumped to a high branch. The second photo gives you a much better idea of the typical challenge I face, with the warbler barely showing itself from behind the wall of foliage. Fortunately, I reacted quick and got a shot that is one of my favorites of this warbler season, which has been my most successful one to date.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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May Day warbler

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, spring, warbler, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Prothonotary Warbler, Protonotaria citrea, Tamron 18-400mm, warbler, Woodbridge VA on May 2, 2024| 6 Comments »

Prothonotary Warblers (Protonotaria citrea) are probably my favorite warblers. I just love their brilliant yellow plumage that seems to glow. Many warblers have touches of bright yellow, especially during the spring breeding season, but the Prothonotary Warbler outdoes them all and is almost completely covered in yellow.

I spotted this little beauty yesterday (1 May) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I initially caught sight of the warbler as it was flitting about in the foliage. I would see flashes of yellow as it foraged, but could not get a clear look at it. All of the sudden the warbler flew across the trail and landed in a bush, momentarily give me a clear shot.

Quite often I strain my neck when trying to photograph warblers, a phenomenon that is colloquially called “warbler neck.” It is so common that the Audubon website has an article entitled, “A Birder’s Workout Guide for Preventing Warbler Neck.” I was very fortunate in this case, though, that the bird was perched below eye level, so I was able to capture a lot of detail without harming my neck, detail that is often hidden when I am shooting upwards at a sharp angle.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Warbler and Sycamore

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, warbler, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Setophaga dominica, sycamore, sycamore seed pods, Tamron 150-600mm, warbler, Woodbridge VA, Yellow-throated Warbler on May 1, 2024| 4 Comments »

I spotted this spectacular Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge as it perched amidst the hanging seed pods of what I believe is a sycamore tree. I love the round shape and texture of the seed pods and the warbler was much more in the open than he was when he was hidden amidst the foliage.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Indigo Bunting

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Indigo Bunting, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Passerina cyanea, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on May 1, 2024| 4 Comments »

Yesterday I spotted several Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. It is probably more accurate to note that I heard the buntings before I actually saw them. Unlike recent warblers that I have photographed that seem to hide behind the leaves while they sing their songs, Indigo Buntings like to fly to the top of the trees in order to be seen and heard.

I really like the basic description of this species on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website:

“The all-blue male Indigo Bunting sings with cheerful gusto and looks like a scrap of sky with wings. Sometimes nicknamed “blue canaries,” these brilliantly colored yet common and widespread birds whistle their bouncy songs through the late spring and summer all over eastern North America. Look for Indigo Buntings in weedy fields and shrubby areas near trees, singing from dawn to dusk atop the tallest perch in sight or foraging for seeds and insects in low vegetation.”

The bird in the third photo has mottled feathers and may be in the process of molting, but I think that it is another Indigo Bunting. The only other species in our area at this time of year with equally brilliant blue feathers is the Blue Grosbeak. It is a little hard to tell, but it seems to me that the bill on the bird in this photo is too small for it to be a “grosbeak.” UPDATE: Some more experience birders in a Facebook group say that this Indigo Bunting is immature and/or in the process of molting, while others say this is a Blue Grosbeak.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Scraggly Yellow-rumped Warbler

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, warbler, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Setophaga coronata, Tamron 150-600mm, warbler, Woodbridge VA, Yellow-rumped Warbler on April 30, 2024| 5 Comments »

I don’t know if this Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) that I spotted last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge was in a transitional plumage stage, but it looked awfully scraggly to me. The colors on the warbler’s face and body were mottled, but the yellow patches on its chest helped me to identify it as a Yellow-rumped Warbler.

I feel very fortunate when I am able to get any shots of a warbler. The trees are now covered in leaves and I can’t help but feel a bit of frustration when I can hear all kinds of birds singing, but can’t spot them. That’s the reality for a wildlife photographer—sometimes all I can do is watch, listen, and wait patiently, hoping that a subject will come into view.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Ospreys take over eagle nest?

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, eagle nest, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on April 29, 2024| 1 Comment »

There is one extremely large eagle nest (plus one or two smaller ones) that I monitor each year at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Earlier this year I spotted a lot of eagle activity around that nest and I assumed that the eagles would be nesting in it.

However, recently both members of an eagle couple were spotted on the outside of the nest and ospreys began to display a lot of interest in the nest. I assume that means that the eagles were not successful in incubating eggs, but I do not know for sure what happened.

Last week I photographed an osprey in the nest and captured a few shots of it. The osprey looks absolutely tiny in the nest and the nest is far larger than the typical ones that osprey use.

I will continue to keep an eye on the nest and see if I eventually see some baby ospreys there. The big challenge is that the nest is so large and deep that osprey (or eagles) are not visible when they are sitting on eggs.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Singing Prairie Warbler

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, warbler, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Prairie Warbler, Setophaga discolor, Tamron 18-400mm, warbler, Woodbridge VA on April 28, 2024| 3 Comments »

This male Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) was signing loudly and proudly when I captured this image on Thursday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I just love the way the little bird tilts back his head and sings with all of his might, seemingly putting his entire body into the effort.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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White-eyed Vireo

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, singing vireo, Tamron 150-600mm, vireo, Vireo griseus, White-eyed Vireo, Woodbridge on April 27, 2024| 3 Comments »

I was absolutely thrilled to capture some shots of this White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) on Thursday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. It was a cloudy, overcast day and it seemed like the vireo was mostly in the shadows, which caused the first and last images to look a bit drab. Fortunately, though, I was able to catch the bird mid-song in the first shot, which definitely added some visual interest.

In many ways the second shot is my favorite of this set, even though the body of the vireo is partially blocked by the foliage. Somehow the colors in this image seem brighter and more true to life. In all of the shots, I really like the way that the light eyes of the subject pop, giving the vireo a very distinctive look.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Kingfisher in flight

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Belted Kingfisher, birds in flight, Canon 7D, kingfisher, kingfisher in flight, Lorton VA, male Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon, Occoquan Regional Park, Tamron 18-400mm on April 25, 2024| 9 Comments »

On Monday at Occoquan Regional Park, I was thrilled to capture some shots of this male Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) as he flew by me overhead. Kingfishers are really skittish and quite often I am aware of their presence of these speedy little birds when I hear their rattling call as they fly away from me. This kingfisher, however, flew across my field of view, which allowed me to track it and focus on it as it passed.

How do I know this is a male kingfisher? Normally male birds are more colorful than their female counterparts, but that is not true for Belted Kingfishers—females have a chestnut-colored band across their chests that the males do not have.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Red-breasted Mergansers

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Mergus serrator, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Red-breasted Merganser, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on April 23, 2024| 1 Comment »

I spotted these cool-looking ducks last week in the waters off of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Some research and help for on-line experts helped me determine that these are Red-breasted Mergansers (Mergus serrator), a duck species that I do not see very often. I really like the spiky hairdos and long bills of these ducks that give them a distinctive punk vibe. I kept hoping that they would swim closer to shore, but, alas, they drifted farther and farther away, so I could not capture any close-up images.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cooperative Osprey

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged birds in flight, Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Osprey, osprey fishing, Pandion haliaetus, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on April 20, 2024| 4 Comments »

An Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) raised a wing as it flew by me on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, displaying the fish that it had just caught. There are quite a few osprey at the refuge at this time of the year and it is not uncommon for me to see one clutching an osprey in its talons. However, it is rare that I am able to get a good look at the prey, because it is often hidden by the osprey’s wing movements.

Normally I attempt to capture shots of birds in flight with my longest lens, a Tamron 150-600mm. At this time of the year, though, I am just as likely to want to photograph butterflies and dragonflies as birds, so most of the time I keep my Tamron 18-400mm lens on my camera that lets me focus on a much closer subject. I sacrifice a bit of reach by using this lens, but, as you can see in the image of the osprey captured with this lens, it can produce good results even when fully extended. I encourage you to click on the image to see the feather details of the osprey and the details of the hapless fish too.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Late season eagle mating

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Bald Eagle, Bald Eagle couple, bald eagle nest, Canon 7D, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, mating bald eagles, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on April 18, 2024| Leave a Comment »

As many of you know, I keep an eye on several eagle nests at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge at this time of the year, waiting with hopeful expectation for the birth of new eaglets. In one nest that is relatively small, the adult Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is now sitting upright, rather than hunkering down over the eggs to keep them warm. I suspect that there is at least one eagle baby, but I have not yet seen any tiny eagle heads pop up over the edge of the nest.

I am not sure what’s happening with the much larger eagle nest. I had assumed that the eagles were sitting on eggs. However, on Tuesday I watched as an osprey perched on one of the trees supporting the nest and buzzed a nearby perched eagle. Several other photographers have reported seeing osprey actually sitting in the eagle nest.

As I observed the nesting area on Tuesday afternoon, two eagles in a tree overlooking the nest briefly engaged in what looked like mating behavior. Was an earlier nesting attempt unsuccessful? Are the eagles going to make another attempt to have babies this season?

It is a bit late in the year for the eagles to begin nesting, but I think there is still time for them to do so. Normally this process begins earlier in the year before the ospreys have returned, so there is no competition for the nest. Although there appears to be competition now, I would put my money on the eagles, which I believe are larger and stronger than the osprey.

I will continue to monitor the nesting situation. There may be more drama there this spring than in previous years.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Yellow-throated Warbler

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, warbler, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Setophaga dominica, Tamron 18-400mm, warbler, Woodbridge VA, Yellow-throated Warbler on April 16, 2024| 8 Comments »

Each spring a lot of colorful warblers pass through our area on their northward migration. Most of them stay for only a short time, so it is a hit-or-miss proposition for me to find them. This is also the time of the year when the trees are budding, flowering and pushing out new leaves. All of this new growth is beautiful, but it makes it even harder for me to spot the little birds as they flit about, often at the tops of the trees.

Yesterday I was thrilled to spot this Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) high in a distant tree at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Initially my view of the colorful little bird was blocked by the vegetation, but I bent, twisted, stretched, and leaned in all directions and was eventually was able to get a clear view of the warbler.

My eyes are really active during the spring as I look up to try to find birds and look down to search for dragonflies. I manage to observe lots of cool things, but suspect that there is so much more going on that I do not see or notice.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Louisiana Waterthrush

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, warbler, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Louisiana Waterthrush, Parkesia motacilla, Prince William Forest Park, Tamron 18-400mm, Triangle VA, warbler on April 15, 2024| 1 Comment »

Last week I spotted this bird hopping about in a small creek in Prince William Forest Park. The bird was in constant motion and I could not get close to it, so I was was not able to get a really good shot of it. I vaguely remembered seeing a similar bird a few years ago in the same location, so I checked my old blog entries and determined that it might be a Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla). Several more experienced birders confirmed my tentative identification in a Facebook group for birding forum.

Despite its name, a Louisiana Waterthrush is actually a warbler, not a thrush. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology website provides the following overall description of the species:

“The ringing song of the Louisiana Waterthrush, in cadence so like the rushing streams that are its home, is one of the first signs of spring in eastern North America. Its brown plumage and bold streaking help explain why this member of the warbler family has the word “thrush” in its name. At all seasons, this species stays close to moving water—especially forested streams and creeks—and bobs its rear end almost constantly. In both spring and fall, Louisiana Waterthrushes are among the earliest migrant warblers.”

Several local photographers have started posting photos of more colorful warblers, so I will be keeping my eyes open for them. Leaves are starting to cover the trees, so I will probably have my usual problem of not being able to spot the little birds even when I can hear them singing.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Horned Grebe, breeding plumage

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged breeding plumage, Canon 7D, Horned Grebe, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Podiceps auritus, Tamron 18-400mm, Woodbridge VA on April 11, 2024| 3 Comments »

I was excited yesterday to spot this cool-looking Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) in breeding plumage in the waters off of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. In addition to the golden tufts that sometimes look like horns, this grebe has striking red eyes.

There were not very many birds on the water yesterday, only a few geese, cormorants, and scaups, so I was quite shocked when I saw the head of this Horned Grebe emerge from the water after a short dive. I hoped that the grebe would come a bit closer with each dive, but instead it seemed to get farther and farther away from me.

I suspect that the Horned Grebe was stopping over on a migration flight northward. Although I read that migrating grebes usually form small flocks when migrating, this one appeared to be by itself. I too like to travel alone.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Soaring hawk

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Buteo jamaicensis, Canon 7D, Prince William County VA, Red-tailed Hawk, soaring hawk, Tamron 18-400mm on April 6, 2024| 7 Comments »

Now that we have moved into April, I have begun to really search for dragonflies. On Thursday, I explored a creek in Prince William County, Virginia where I have found early-season dragonflies in past years, but, alas, I was not able to photograph any. However, I am pretty sure that I spotted a dragonfly flying low over the waters of the creek, so I am somewhat optimistic that the dragonfly season for me will soon start. The lighting was not good and the dragonfly was pretty far away, so I am not sure what kind it was, but there are so few insects flying this early in the year that the few that are in the air readily catch my eye.

While I was searching along the edges of the creek, I spotted a hawk soaring overhead and was able to get a few shots of it. I am pretty confident that this is a Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), judging from the coloration of the tail and the prominent “belly band” of darker feathers.

I was using my versatile Tamron 18-400mm lens, so I did not have the reach of the “normal” lens that I use for birds, i.e. the Tamron 150-600mm telephoto zoom lens. I have to say, though, that I am quite happy with the images that I was able to capture of this beautiful soaring hawk.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Trying to build a nest

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Osprey, osprey nest, osprey nest building, Pandion haliaetus, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on April 3, 2024| 6 Comments »

Real estate is at a premium in Northern Virginia, and new houses are jammed into the tiniest of spaces. Unfortunately, this channel marker did not appear to be quite big enough to support the nest of an osprey couple. During a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge I watched the ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) carry a number of sticks to the marker as they unsuccessfully attempted to construct a nest—most of the sticks simply fell off the sides of the marker.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Ready for takeoff

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, tagged Bald Eagle, bald eagle takeoff, Canon 7D, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sweetgum Tree, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on April 1, 2024| Leave a Comment »

This Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was partially hidden by tree branches when I first spotted during a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I tried to move as stealthily as I could to try to get a clearer view of the eagle, but the eagle detected my presence. I captured this image as the eagle was preparing to take off. The eagle flew downwards from its perch and my view was completely obstructed, so I was not able to capture any in-flight shots of the eagle.

As you can see, many of the trees in my area have buds now. I think this tree might be a Sweet Gum tree, because I can see some of its distinctive spiky seed balls still hanging from the tree.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Watchful eagle

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Bald Eagle, Canon 7D, eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on March 25, 2024| 1 Comment »

It was cool, cloudy, and windy when I visited Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge last Friday. I did not see any activity at the two eagle nests that I checked, but suspect that there was an eagle in each of them, hunkered down keeping the eggs warm.

I did encounter solitary adult eagles several times as I walked along the trails. Perhaps these Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) were the mates of the eagles sitting in the nests. Whatever the case, these eagles looked to be hypervigilant and serious, keeping a close watch over the entire area. This eagle kept its head moving a lot, so I was happy when I managed to capture this profile shot as it perched in what I believe is a Tulip tree.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Branching out

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Osprey, osprey in flight, osprey nest building, Pandion haliaetus, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on March 24, 2024| 6 Comments »

I was delighted on Friday to see that Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) have returned to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Each autumn we bid farewell to the ospreys, which are also known as fish hawks or sea hawks, and each spring we greet their return.

Unlike eagles, which use large, well-constructed nests year after year, ospreys seem content to throw a bundle of sticks together and call it a nest. Many of these makeshift homes are blown down or fall apart during the winter, so a first priority for the returning ospreys is to construct nests.

During this visit I managed to capture several photos of ospreys overhead in flight with branch in their talons. As both photos show, ospreys often grab branches at one end, rather than in the middle where the weight would be better balanced. I am amazed by the ability of the ospreys to fly so well with those long trailing branches, though I suspect that the branches weigh a whole lot less that the fish that I hope to see them catch later in the season.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Wind-whipped heron

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, Winter, tagged Ardea herodias, Canon 7D, Great Blue Heron, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on March 9, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Although it was sunny, the wind was kicking up quite a bit during my visit on Thursday to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Bird activity seemed lighter than usual. Perhaps the birds were all taking shelter from the wind,

At the far edge of a small pond, I spotted a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) hunched over in a one-legged pose. The wind was whipping around the wispy feathers on the heron’s chest, head, and back. I encourage you to click on the photo to get a closer look at the heron’s “flyaway” feathers.

Have a wonderful weekend.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Going under

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife, Winter, tagged Ardea herodias, Canon 7D, Great Blue Heron, Great Blue Heron fishing, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA on March 6, 2024| 6 Comments »

It is hard to anticipate when a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) will strike. Herons have an amazing amount of patience and will often stand stationary for extended periods of time and then without much warning they will strike swiftly and violently.

Last week I was fortunate to be able to capture a sequence of shots of a heron in action at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I was amazed at how deeply the heron plunged its head, neck, and upper body into the water, creating quite a splash in doing so.

It seemed like the heron kept its head underwater for quite a while, but my sense of time is sometimes distorted in these kinds of situations. In any case, I impatiently waited for the heron to lift its head, anxious to see what it had caught. The heron slowly lifted its head and eventually it became clear that it had caught nothing but water. It may be my imagination, but I seem to see a mix of disbelief, dismay, and disgust in the heron’s expression in the final photo.

Undeterred, the heron returned to fishing and I moved on down the the trail, undoubtedly happier with my “catch” than the heron was with his.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Parent and child?

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

It is always cool to capture an image with multiple birds of the same species, especially when they are at different stages of development. This past Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge I spotted two Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perched next to each other in some distant trees.

The larger eagle on the left was clearly an adult, with a white head and yellow beak. This eagle had its head raised and was calling out loudly. In similar circumstances in the past, it appeared to me that one member of a couple was calling out to its mate. I am not at all sure if that was the case this time.

The eagle on the right is quite a bit smaller than the adult. I cannot see all of its markings, but I would guess that it is about two to three years old—it takes almost five years for a bald eagle to mature.

Was this younger eagle related to the adult? Perhaps it was a parent-child relationship. For some reason I imagined a teenager that had left home to live on its own and then decided that it wanted or needed to move back in with its parents.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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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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