March 13, 2025 by Mike Powell
When does spring begin? If you use the meteorological calendar, spring begins on the first of March in the Northern Hemisphere. Most folks here in the United States, though, consider that spring begins with the vernal equinox that falls on 20 March this year.
I look for other signs that mark the beginning of the new season. Yesterday, for example, I saw a few blooming daffodils and crocuses, some of the first spring flowers to appear, and I also spotted some buds starting to open on trees.
On Tuesday, I spotted my first Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) of the season at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, a sure sign that spring will soon be here.The osprey in the photo was vigorously tearing into the flesh of the fish, stopping periodically to call out to another osprey. I wasn’t sure whether the other unseen osprey was a competitor or a mate, but suspect that it was the latter. A short time later, the osprey flew away to an elevated nesting platform, where I spotted three ospreys that appeared to be sharing the freshly-caught fish, as you can see in the second image below.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, first osprey, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 7 Comments »
March 11, 2025 by Mike Powell
I do not pay too much attention to the statistics that WordPress provides about my blog, but I could not help but notice this morning that, according to the “official” statistics, I have now had over a half million views since July 2012 of 5,33p posts. Wow! It’s a bit of a mystery to me how exactly WordPress counts those views, so I am not sure if the stats are fully accurate, but those numbers indicate a lot of effort on my time.
More than that, though, those statistics reflect an incredible amount of support and encouragement from so many of you. Thanks to all of you, whether you have followed my photographic wanderings for a day for for years. The second image below is a screen shot of the overall statistics for the blog this morning.
As you may have noticed, I have slowed my pace of posting a bit over the last six months as more of my free time has been increasingly devoted to other interests and activities. I’ll be keeping up with the photography blog, though, at least a few times a week and quite possibly more frequently than that as the weather warms up.
During a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I captured this shot of a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) in action. Most of the time these herons thrust their bills violently in the water in attempting to catch fish, but this one was doing so much more gently that normally. The water level was low because it was lot tide and the heron may have been trying to pluck a small fish out of the water. On this attempt, though, he was not successful, but the heron’s open bill made for a nice photo.
I thought about posting one of my “best” images for today’s blog entry, but decided instead to continue my habit of posting recent images that appeal to me. As many of you know, I am generally content to post photos of everyday creatures to highlight the beauty that surrounds us all of the time if we slow down and take the time to observe it. Beauty is everywhere.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Ardea herodias, Canon 7D, Great Blue Heron, Great Blue Heron fishing, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 20 Comments »
March 10, 2025 by Mike Powell
During a recent visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge I caught a glimpse of bright red deep in the vegetation. I was pretty sure that it was some kind of woodpecker, but I wasn’t absolutely sure. I maneuvered around a bit and managed to determine that it was a Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus).
I was happy to capture this image that shows the head of the woodpecker clearly, even though most of its body is partially hidden. This gives you an idea of the kind of view I often get when I am out with my camera. Some photographers might not even try to get a shot of the subject under these circumstances, but I will give it a shot most of the time. Often my shots are blurry, but sometimes I get a decent shot that I like, like the one in this blog post.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
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 | 1 Comment »
March 7, 2025 by Mike Powell
As the weather has warmed up and the sun has started to shine a bit more brightly, Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) have emerged from the mud at the bottom of the ponds at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. These turtles used whatever objects they could find to pull themselves out of the water and bask in the sunlight. Sometimes their shells are washed clean of mud, but, as you can see in the final photo, some of the turtles were still covered in mud when I photographed them last week.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Nature, Photography, Reptiles, turtle, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, Chrysemys picta, Eastern Painted Turtle, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, painted turtle, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 5 Comments »
March 6, 2025 by Mike Powell
It is still a bit early for trees to be budding with new growth, so birds like this little Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) have to be content to forage for seeds among the dried up vegetation from the previous growing season. Last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge I spotted this chickadee that seemed to have struck the jackpot—there was an abundance of dried seeds on the tree on which the bird was perched.
The chickadee had to bend and stretch a bit to reach the seeds, but, as you can see in the second photo below, it had some success in finding food. Before long, spring will arrive and lots of fresher food should appear for the birds, including insects. Chickadees are omnivorous, but like most birds that stay with us during the winter, their diet is mostly a vegetarian one when the weather gets cold and most of the insects disappear.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, Carolina Chickadee, chickadee, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Poecile carolinensis, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | Leave a Comment »
March 5, 2025 by Mike Powell
Most of my recent photos of Double-crested Cormorants (Nannopterum auritum) has show the birds taking off. Indeed, cormorants tend to be quite skittish and react quickly when they detect my presence. Last Wednesday, I spotted a cormorant in the waters off of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge that was so focused on repeatedly diving under that the did not notice me.
I was really happy with the photo that I captured of the cormorant, especially the way that it shows the bird’s beautiful rippled reflection. You may note that the cormorant is really low in the water, with most of its body submerged. As I noted in a recent post, cormorants’ feathers are not completely waterproof and can become waterlogged. For that reason, cormorants need to periodically come out of the water and stretch out their wings to dry them.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged cormorant, cormorant reflection, Double-crested Cormorant, Nannopterum auritum, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Woodbridge VA | 1 Comment »
March 3, 2025 by Mike Powell
I see Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) quite often at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, but generally they are far away from me. Last week, however, I was lucky to get close enough to a heron to be able to capture a portrait-like image of the big bird. How did I do it?
The heron was standing in the waters off of the shore of the refuge and was mostly hidden from view by the vegetation. I was walking along a trail parallel to the water and discovered a little break in vegetation that gave me a clear view of most of the heron. I twisted and turned my body, trying to make sure that no branches were blocking my view and zoomed in with my telephoto lens. I had to wait a little while and eventually the heron lifted its head and turned to the side, giving me a perfect profile pose.
Some wildlife photographers are always searching for new species to photograph, but most of the time I am content to photograph the same species over and over, capturing the changing seasons and environments in which I find these beautiful creatures.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Ardea herodias, Canon 7D, Great Blue Heron, heron, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, portrait, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 9 Comments »
March 2, 2025 by Mike Powell
This past Monday I spotted some Double-crested Cormorants (Nannopterum auritum) in the waters off of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and once again they took off immediately, even though I was quite a distance away from them. Fortunately I anticipated that this would happen and was able to react quickly enough to capture the action. The second photo below shows the way that cormorants bounce across the water, leaving a trail of small splashes, to gain the speed needed to lift off from the water.
The first photo, my favorite of the two, depicts the cormorant on its last bounce, making final preparations for takeoff with its feet just barely in the water. I really like the position of the extended wings in this image and if you zoom in and look at the face, you will get a look at the brilliant turquoise eyes of the cormorant.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Nannopterum auritum, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 2 Comments »
February 28, 2025 by Mike Powell
I was delighted on Monday to photograph this male Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) duck in good light, which allowed me to see the beautiful purple-green iridescence on its head. Male Buffleheads have a large white patch that wraps around the back of their heads that makes them easy to identify from a distance. It is rare, though, for me to be close enough and in the right light to see the beautiful head coloration.
Buffleheads are small, large-headed ducks that migrate to my area of Northern Virginia during the winter and I often see some of them during my visits to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. During the summer, Buffleheads breed near ponds and lakes in boreal forest and aspen parkland of Canada and Alaska, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Bucephala albeola, bufflehead, bufflehead duck, Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 7 Comments »
February 27, 2025 by Mike Powell
Every year in the late winter and early spring I try to keep an eye on the nests of Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Several of the locations with nests that were used last year apparently are not being this year, but I have repeatedly observed eagle activity at one very large nest at the refuge.
On Monday, I spotted one eagle perched on the edge of that nest and another eagle in a nearby tree keeping watch over the nest. Does that mean that some eggs have hatched? Who knows? The nest is so deep that it is impossible to see what is going on inside of the nest. I watched the nest for quite a while, hoping I might see a tiny head pop up over the edge of the nest, but a baby eagle never appeared
I will continue to monitor this nest and a couple of other potential nesting sites and, with a little luck, may catch a glimpse of some eaglets in the upcoming weeks.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Bald Eagle, Canon 7D, eagle, eagle nest, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 2 Comments »
February 26, 2025 by Mike Powell
On Monday I spotted this tiny Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) as it spiraled its way up several trees alongside a trail at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This little bird was somewhat frenetic in its movements, often disappearing behind the trunk of the tree, but somehow I managed to track it. As you can see from the photo, the creeper blends in well with the tree bark, so movement is key to detecting the bird.
I was happy to capture an image that shows off the creeper’s distinctive bill so well. Brown Creepers use their slender, downcurved bills to probe into crevices and pick at loose bark in search of insects. From what I have observed, creepers almost always move upwards in a tree, while nuthatches seem move only downwards.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged brown creeper, Canon 7D, Certhia americana, creeper, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 1 Comment »
February 25, 2025 by Mike Powell
The warmer weather yesterday was a welcome respite from our winter cold—temperatures rose above 50 degrees F (10 degrees C) and it is supposed to be even warmer today. During a lengthy walk at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I was delighted to spot this tiny Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) on a tree with some visible buds.
Such signs are starting to appear—I can’t wait for spring to arrive with new growth, new colors, and new life.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, Golden-crowned Kinglet, kinglet, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Regulus satrapa, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 1 Comment »
February 22, 2025 by Mike Powell
The weather this past week has been cold and windy, so I have not been able to get outdoors very much this past week. According to the weather forecasts, things should warm up next week, so hopefully I will be a bit more active.
When I last visited Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge a week or so ago, I captured this image of what I believe is a Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia). The little bird was perched on the bare stalks of some unidentified vegetation, which permitted me to capture an uncluttered shot—most of the time I see sparrows foraging on in ground in the cluttered underbrush.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, Melospiza melodia, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, song sparrow, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 1 Comment »
February 19, 2025 by Mike Powell
This past Friday I photographed this Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge in stealth mode as it attempted to sneak up on some potential prey. At other times, the heron walked through the water with its head held high. It was a fun little photo session for me, though I suspect that the heron wished it were more successful in catching some fish.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Ardea herodias, Canon 7D, Great Blue Heron, Great Blue Heron fishing, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, stealthy heron, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 2 Comments »
February 15, 2025 by Mike Powell
I never get tired of photographing Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), like this one that soared by me last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The eagle made minor adjustments to its wings and tail to maintain its speed and direction, but it mostly seemed to be enjoying itself without exerting much effort. I couldn’t help but think of the Steve Miller Band and its well-known song “Fly Like an Eagle” from the 1970’s.
“I want to fly like an eagle
To the sea
Fly like an eagle
Let my spirit carry me
I want to fly like an eagle
‘Til I’m free
Oh, Lord, through the revolution…”
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Bald Eagle, birds in flight, Canon 7D, eagle, Fly Like An Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Steve Miller Band, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 8 Comments »
February 13, 2025 by Mike Powell
Last Friday I spotted a Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) in the waters off of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. As I was bringing my camera up to my eye, the cormorant suddenly took off and I captured a couple of shots of the action. I was shooting almost directly into the light, so the bird is almost a silhouette, but I was happy to capture some of the action. As you may be able to see, the cormorant initially runs across the surface of the water to generate some momentum before it takes to the air.
When I went searching for the Latin name, I was a little surprised to see that it had changed. The Double-crested Cormorant used to be considered part of the genus Phalacrocorax, but, according to Wikipedia, a 2014 study supported reclassifying it and several other American cormorant species into the genus Nannopterum. The International Ornithologists’ Union reportedly adopted this change in 2021.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Nannopterum auritum, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 5 Comments »
February 12, 2025 by Mike Powell
I was thrilled to capture this shot of a tiny Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) during a visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge last Friday. Normally I see Tufted Titmice flitting about high in the foliage, but this one came down closer to the ground for a moment. As you can see, I was shooting through branches, but I like the feeling that the photo somehow conveys of entering into the private world of this little bird.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, titmouse, Tufted Titmouse, Woodbridge VA | 8 Comments »
February 10, 2025 by Mike Powell
Last Friday I was walking slowly along a trail that runs parallel to the water off of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge when I noticed a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) doing the same thing. Most of the time when I see a heron, it is in the water, though occasionally I have spotted one perched in a tree. It is highly unusual for me to see one on dry land, but this heron seemed to strolling down the path, taking in the sights.
I slowed down a little to maintain my distance from the heron and managed to capture this shot as heron was lifting its long toes to take another step. Eventually the heron became aware of my presence and quickened his walking pace a bit until he reached an opening to the water and flew away. What a fun little encounter with the heron!
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Ardea herodias, Canon 7D, Great Blue Heron, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, strolling heron, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 12 Comments »
February 8, 2025 by Mike Powell
When I first spotted this bird in the water on Tuesday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I thought it might be a Northern Shoveler, because of the enlarged shape of its bill. I zoomed in with my long 150-600mm telephoto lens to try to confirm the identification and decided that it instead looked more like an immature male Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) with some kind of mollusk or snail in its mouth.
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website, “Lesser Scaup eat primarily aquatic invertebrates such as mollusks, insects, and crustaceans, but they also eat aquatic plants and seeds.” However, I am not very good at distinguishing Greater Scaups from Lesser Scaups and immature birds make identification even harder, so I am not all that confident that I have correctly identified this bird.
As you can tell from the photo, the it was windy and the water was quite rough that day, so the birds on the bay were bobbing up and down. I decided not to crop this image any closer in order to give you a sense of the choppiness of the water.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Aythya affinis, Canon 7D, Lesser Scaup, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, scaup, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 2 Comments »
February 6, 2025 by Mike Powell
As I peered through the thick vegetation on Tuesday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I spotted the bright white head of a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perched on a distant tree above what may be a new eagle nest. Some of the nesting sites that eagles used in previous years are empty this year and none of the roads at the refuge appeared to be closed. I have been searching diligently for indications of new nests and am hopeful that this one is now being actively used.
I suspect that there is also nesting activity at the large eagle nest shown in the second photo below. The nest is so large and deep, however, that it is impossible to tell for certain if an eagle is currently sitting on eggs inside.
Spring is a time for new life and for new growth and I am hopeful that I will spot some baby eaglets in these two nests in the upcoming months as spring draws near.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Bald Eagle, Canon 7D, eagle nest, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 3 Comments »
February 4, 2025 by Mike Powell
Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) are quite common in Northern Virginia, where I live. Most often, though, I get a only a glimpse of one when I hear it loudly singing. Carolina Wrens often seem to bury themselves in the low vegetation and it is hard to get an unobstructed view of one.
Last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I spotted a Carolina Wren as it was moving about and manage to track it. I attempted to take a lot of shots of the little bird, but most of them were blurry or had the head hidden by branches. There are a lot of branches (and shadows) in this photo too, but I was fortunate enough to be able to focus on the wren’s eye.
I really love the warmth of the colors on the wren’s body and how well it blended into its surrounds. The color palette is minimal, with mostly varying shade of brown, but the little green bits add some visual interest and give rises to hope that the bleak days of winter will eventually be replaced by the new growth of spring.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, Carolina Wren, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Thryothorus ludovicianus, Woodbridge VA, wren | 5 Comments »
February 1, 2025 by Mike Powell
In the midst of all of the chaotic turmoil swirling in my country, I feel a need to post an image reflective of the inner peace that I am seeking at this time, a peace that seems so elusive during this challenging time. This past Monday I encountered this Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) as I was walking along one of the trails at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
The dove was part of a small flock that I inadvertently flushed as the birds were foraging on the ground. Most of the doves flew away, but this one perched in a nearby tree and I was able to capture this peaceful portrait.
Here in the Washington D.C. area we are all in mourning for those who died when a helicopter collided with an airplane over the Potomac River. I hope and pray that we all can use this time for support and sympathy for those who lost loved ones in the accident and not for launching accusations or blame on either end of the political spectrum. “To everything there is a season…A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4)
Best wishes to all for a blessed month of February.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, dove, mourning dove, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, Zenaida macroura | 9 Comments »
January 31, 2025 by Mike Powell
This Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) had its neck extended so much on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge that it reminded me of a giraffe. The mind can sometimes make weird associations.
We have finally made it to the end of January. What a crazy month it has been in so many different ways.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Ardea herodias, Canon 7D, Great Blue Heron, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, reflection, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 8 Comments »
January 30, 2025 by Mike Powell
Throughout this winter, I have been trying to capture an image of Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis), a tiny bird that spends the cold season in my area. As described by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Winter Wrens hop and scamper through the understory moving more like a mouse than a bird as they investigate upturned roots and decaying logs for food. These energetic birds often bob their entire bodies as if doing squats while they nervously look around in the forest understory.”
I have occasionally caught glimpses of Winter Wrens, but they have invariably moved away before I could get a shot. These wrens are really elusive as they scurry about among the tangled branches and leaves and my camera has struggled to focus on them, choosing instead to focus on the surrounding vegetation.
On Monday, I finally managed to get a shot of a Winter Wren, after tracking it through the brush for almost 15 minutes. It is definitely not a prize-winner, but I am pretty confident that I achieved my goal. Parts of the bird are hidden by branches, but I think helps viewers to better understand the environment in which this little birds are found.
Now I have a new challenge—to get a better shot of a Winter Wren. That’s part of the cycle of being a wildlife photographer, celebrating small achievements, but always believing that I can do better. That’s why I return again and again to the same places, always watching, always waiting, wildly optimistic that new opportunities will present themselves.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Troglodytes hiemalis, Winter Wren, Woodbridge VA, wren | 5 Comments »
January 29, 2025 by Mike Powell
I photographed this raccoon on Monday (27 January) as it foraged in an open water area of a small pond at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Although the weather was considerably warmer, i.e. above the freezing level, the water in the small interior ponds and in the shore areas was still almost completely frozen over.
I couldn’t tell for sure if the raccoon had any success in finding something to eat, because I was quite a good distance away from it. It was fascinating nonetheless to watch the raccoon at work, repeatedly dipping a paw into the frigid water.
The second image below provides a much clearer view of the raccoon’s face, but there is something about the body and head position in the first photo that appeals to be a slight bit more. What do you think? Do you have a preference for the first photo or the second one?
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in animals, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, frozen foraging, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Procyon lotor, raccoon, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 15 Comments »
January 23, 2025 by Mike Powell
Many of the trails were still covered in snow (but passable) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge when I visited the refuge after a recent snow storm over a week ago. Much of that snow is still on the ground and the temperatures continue to be well below the freezing level. Fortunately the weather forecasts predict warmer temperatures next week so eventually the snow will begin to melt away..
On the day of my visit small groups of Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) were feverishly foraging for tasty tidbits in the bare patches in the trail paralleling the water. In most of my shots the sparrow’s head was buried in the vegetation. Occasionally, though a sparrow would momentarily lifted its head to check me out, as I captured in the final image.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, Melospiza melodia, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, snow, song sparrow, sparrow in the snow, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 2 Comments »
January 21, 2025 by Mike Powell
When I visited Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge last week, the sky was mostly blue, with patches of clouds to add additional visual interest to the landscape photos that I captured. The first photo shows one of the ponds at the refuge that is fed by the tides of the Potomac River.
In other parts of the refuge, though, the ice covering the waters of the bay on the shore served as a stark reminder that winter is far from over. Today, for example, the temperature is currently 18 degrees (minus 8 degrees C) and it may be even colder tomorrow. Yikes!
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Landscape, Photography, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, iPhone, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, winter, winter landscape, Woodbridge VA | Leave a Comment »
January 20, 2025 by Mike Powell
I spotted this cool-looking Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) last Monday in a sycamore tree at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Cooper’s Hawks usually have an upright posture and long tails, which help me to distinguish them from the Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks that I see more frequently.
However, Cooper’s Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks are quite similar in appearance, so it is always a bit of a gamble for me to try to make a call. In this case, some more experienced birders in a Facebook forum confirmed my tentative identification.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Accipiter cooperii, Canon 7D, Cooper's Hawk, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 2 Comments »
January 18, 2025 by Mike Powell
Golden-crowned Kinglets (Regulus satrapa) are among the smallest birds in our area of Northern Virginia at about 4 inches (10 cm) in length. These tiny songbirds are also extremely fast and frenetic and they move about high in the trees.
I spotted a Golden-crowned Kinglet this past Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge on a rare January day with blue skies. When I am tracking kinglets, I usually shoot in short bursts, hoping to capture a moment when the birds are stationary. I often ended up with blurry shots of the back of the head of this kinglet and sometimes the bird moved so quickly that it was already outside of the frame by the time I clicked the shutter.
The favorite two images, as you can see below, show the little bird in motion. In the first photo, the kinglet seemed to hover momentarily as it flitted about among the branches. In the second image, which I cropped significantly, I captured the moment when the kinglet pushed off from one branch and flew downwards towards another prospective perch. I just barely managed to keep the kinglet in the frame—in the original image the kinglet is in the lower third of the image, with its extended wing almost touching the bottom edge.
Patience and persistence helped me get this image, along with fast reflexes from lots of practice. To be honest, though, I must admit that luck played a significant role my success.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, Golden-crowned Kinglet, kinglet, kinglet in winter, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Regulus satrapa, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 4 Comments »
January 16, 2025 by Mike Powell
This handsome Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) posed momentarily for me during my visit earlier this week to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. It was unusual for me to be able to get such an unobstructed shot of a bird. Although the leaves are gone from the trees, most of the birds at this time of the year seem to forage within the vegetation where my view is often partially blocked by branches.
I am reasonably sure that this is a Hermit Thrush, though I do not see this species very often, so it is possible that I am mistaken in my identification. Let me know if you think that I have misidentified this bird.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, Catharus guttatus, Hermit Thrush, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 5 Comments »
January 15, 2025 by Mike Powell
Many of the trails were still covered in snow (but passable) on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, so I finally went trekking with my camera. Sparrows were feverishly foraging for tasty tidbits in the bare patches in the trail paralleling the water, including these White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis), one of my favorite winter birds.
These little birds were in constant motion, but it was a lot easier to track them when they were on the ground than in the trees (and I had a long telephoto lens). It was, however, a challenge to capture a moment when the sparrow’s head was not buried in the debris or pointed away from me.
These images may not be as impressive as ones of larger birds, like bald eagles, but I am nonetheless pretty happy to have captured these moment with the sparrows in the snow.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Canon 7D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, sparrow, sparrows in the snow, Tamron 150-600mm, white-throated sparrow, Woodbridge VA, Zonotrichia albicollis | 6 Comments »
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