November 25, 2018 by Mike Powell
I have been seeing increasing numbers of scaups off of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, but they stayed in the deep water, so I never managed to get a close look at them.
I think they are Greater Scaups (Aythya marila), but there is also a chance that they are the similar-looking Lesser Scaups (Aythya affinis). The differences between the two species are subtle enough that I do not feel at all confident in distinguishing between the two. The white stripe behind the bill indicates that the one in the first image is a a female. I think the one on the left in the second photo may be an immature female and the one on the right is almost certainly a female.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Aythya affinis, Aythya marila, Canon 50D, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 2 Comments »
November 24, 2018 by Mike Powell
Recently I have been seeing flocks of American Robins (Turdus migratorius) throughout Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Growing up, I used to think of the appearance of robins primarily as a harbinger of spring. Where I live now, however, I see robins during most of the year.
Earlier this week during a period of the morning when the light was exceptionally beautiful I was searching desperately for a subject to photograph when I spotted this handsome robin in a bare tree. The branches of the tree were fascinating in their shapes and they became an important compositional element in the three images that I included in this posting.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged American robin, Canon 50D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, robin, Tamron 150-600mm, Turdus migratorius, Woodbridge VA | 5 Comments »
November 23, 2018 by Mike Powell
Because of our recent snow and cold weather, I was a little shocked on Wednesday to spot an Eastern Comma butterfly (Polygonia comma) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This butterfly is a real beauty, but I fear that is may well be my last butterfly of the season.
Earlier in the autumn, this butterflies were a perfect match for the foliage. Now, however, most of the leaves have fallen and are dried up, which makes this butterfly’s muted tones stand out as bright and vibrant.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Polygonia comma, question mark, Question Mark butterfly, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 9 Comments »
November 22, 2018 by Mike Powell
As I was observing a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) earlier this week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, something seemed to catch its eye and without warning the eagle took off into the air.
I was a little slow in reacting, but managed to capture an in-flight shot. The image you see is framed just as I took it. I was already partially zoomed out at 375mm on my 150-600mm, but that was not wide enough to capture the full wingspan of the eagle. When the action happens so quickly, it is hard to simultaneously track the moving subject and use the zoom—it is a bit like trying to rub your stomach and pat your head at the same time.
The second shot shows the eagle just before the takeoff. I like the tension of its body position and and the intense focus of the eagle’s eyes.
The final shot was taken before the other two and gives you an idea of how the eagle was perched as I approached it. There were a lot of branches surrounding the eagle and I tried to move slowly and cautiously to get a mostly unobstructed shot.
For those of you in the United States celebrating today, I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving Day. It is good to pause and reflect on all the blessings in our lives, not just on the one day each year that is set aside for doing so. I thank all of you for your continuous support and encouragement for me as I share my photography and my life in this blog. Over the last six years it has become part of my daily life and I consider many of you to be a part of my extended family.
“In everything give thanks.”
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, Thanksgiving, wildlife | Tagged Bald Eagle, Canon 50D, eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Thanksgiving 2018, Woodbridge VA | 10 Comments »
November 21, 2018 by Mike Powell
I love the tranquility of the early morning, especially when I am alone with nature. It fills me with a sense of inner peace and helps me to slow down and appreciate better the world around me.
It is difficult to convey that inner feeling in a single photo, but this image of an Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) from last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge comes pretty close. The bluebird was perched on some reeds in the middle of a marshy field. There was no way that I was going to be able to move closer, but I was ok with that. I focused on capturing a sense of the bird and its autumn environment and I am pretty happy with the way that the shot turned out.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged bluebird, Canon 50D, Eastern Bluebird, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sialia sialis, Tamron 150-600mm, tranquility, Woodbridge VA | 14 Comments »
November 20, 2018 by Mike Powell
The colorful fall foliage has mostly disappeared and the natural world seems increasingly drab. At this time of the year, even tiny touches of bright colors are welcome, like the patches of yellow feathers on this Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) that I spotted recently at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
On many of the Yellow-rumped Warblers that I see, the yellow markings seem pale and faded. I was really struck, though, by the intensity and saturation of the yellow on this particular bird. Yellow is one of those colors that never fails to lift my spirits, even when delivered in tiny doses.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Setophaga coronata, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, Yellow-rumped Warbler | 6 Comments »
November 19, 2018 by Mike Powell
This past weekend I spotted a Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) while exploring Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I tend to see this little diving waterbird only a few times a year and often it is so far from the shore that I am not able to capture a decent shot.
This grebe was within range and I watched it dive and resurface multiple times, hoping it would turn toward the sun so I could see its amazing looking red eyes trimmed with gold. Eventually my patience was rewarded and it turned in the proper direction.
The second image is merely a closer crop of the first one that gives you a closer look at those fantastic red eyes. Wow!
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Horned Grebe, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Podiceps auritus, red eyes, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 6 Comments »
November 18, 2018 by Mike Powell
Yesterday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge I spotted this bright yellow warbler. Amazingly, it is actually called a Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia). There is sometimes a mismatch between the appearance of a bird and its official name, so I have learned that common sense does not always help in identifying a subject.
I was quite shocked when I first caught a glimpse of this little bird. The bright yellow on its body really stood out among the more muted tones of the fall foliage. I don’t know the normal dates for this warbler to be present, but I suspect that this is really late in the season for it to be around still.
We had several inches of snow this week and nighttime temperatures have dropped below the freezing levels. Most migratory birds, I suspect, have already passed through our area on the way to warmer spots.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Setophaga petechia, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, yellow warbler | 10 Comments »
November 17, 2018 by Mike Powell
When I spotted a small bird hanging from a branch, I zoomed in with my telephoto lens and discovered that it was a Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata). I could also see that there were numerous clusters of poison ivy berries on the branch, so I waited to see if I could capture an image of the warbler grabbing a berry.
The warbler turned its head away from me when it pulled the berry from the cluster, but fortunately turned back in my direction with the berry still visible in its mouth. I was really happy to get the shot and the warbler seemed to be berry contented.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, poison ivy berries, Setophaga coronata, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, Yellow-rumped Warbler | 3 Comments »
November 16, 2018 by Mike Powell
I am not sure what is so special about the small pond in Kingstowne, a suburban development not far from where I live, but every year about this time a group of Ring-necked ducks (Aythya collaris) shows up and generally spends the winter there. There are not too many other local places where I find this particular duck species.
I know that Ring-necked ducks are diving ducks rather then dabbling ducks like Mallards and I wonder if the depth of the water in the pond is the determining factor in their decision. I am always happy each year to see the golden eyes, striped bills, and odd-shaped heads of these Ring-necked ducks.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Alexandria VA, Aythya collaris, Canon 50D, Kingstowne, Ring-necked duck, Tamron 150-600mm | 6 Comments »
November 15, 2018 by Mike Powell
Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus), the most colorful woodpeckers in our area, prefer to eat ants and other insects. Now that the weather had gotten colder and insects are scarcer, they have switched their diet to include more berries and seeds.
Earlier this week I spotted this male Northern Flicker (males have moustaches and females do not) foraging among the clumps of poison ivy berries in a tree at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The photos give you a sense of the wonderful colors and patterns on the body of this incredible bird.
I didn’t get to see the insides of the wings of this particular flicker, but Northern Flickers on the East Coast have beautiful yellow-shafted feathers on the underside of their wings and tails. On the West Coast, Northern Flickers have red moustaches and red shafts on the underside of their wings and tails.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, flicker, Northern Flicker, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, poison ivy, poison ivy berries, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodb | 7 Comments »
November 14, 2018 by Mike Powell
Leaves are now falling from the trees, making my walks though the woods increasingly crunchy. I feel like I am announcing my presence to all of the birds as I approach them. This little Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) lifted its head for a moment to check me out, then returned to its foraging among the fallen leaves, probably having decided that I did not represent a threat.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, fallen leaves, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Setophaga coronata, Tamron 150-600mm, warbler, Woodbridge VA, Yellow-rumped Warbler | 3 Comments »
November 13, 2018 by Mike Powell
Although Pied-billed Grebes (Podilymbus podiceps) swim like ducks and dive like ducks, it only takes a quick look at one to see that they definitely are not ducks. The shape of the bill and of the body are quite different from those of a duck. I’ve always found the overall look the Pied-billed Grebe to be so unusual that it looks almost cartoonish to me.
I spotted this grebe yesterday in a small suburban pond not far from where I live. This little bird repeatedly was diving underwater. presumably in search of food, though I never saw him catch anything. If you look closely at the photos, you can see droplets of water on the body of the grebe and, in some cases, on his face.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 50D, Grebe, Kingstowne, Pied-billed Grebe, Podilymbus podiceps, Tamron 150-600mm | 3 Comments »
November 12, 2018 by Mike Powell
It’s sometimes said that the camera adds pounds to a subject, so maybe these Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronata) that I saw last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge are not quite as chubby as they appear at first glance.
I was trying to be funny, but it actually is true that the focal length of a lens can affect the features of a subject. Most of you have probably seen how a fish-eye lens can make a face look bloated in the middle and stretched out on the edges. Other lenses can produce less dramatic effects. Generally it is believed that you get the most flattering portrait of a human subject with a lens of 85mm to 135mm. Here’s a link to an interesting article at businessinsider.com that shows a series of images of a face that were shot with lenses from 20mm to 200mm.
In this case, I think the birds are taking advantage of the abundant food sources while they are still around. Some of these warblers may be continuing their journeys southward, but others may choose to spend part of the winter with us.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Humor, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, round warbler, Setophaga coronata, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, Yellow-rumped Warbler | 7 Comments »
November 11, 2018 by Mike Powell
What’s the price of freedom? Today in the United States it is Veterans Day, a day we set aside to honor all of the selfless men and women who have served and continue to serve in our armed forces, often enduring considerable sacrifice and separation for our common benefit.
In many other places in the world, today is celebrated as Armistice Day and 2018 is special because it marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, the war that many hoped would be the war to end all wars. The world is still a dangerous place and military forces, I believe, are a necessary element in ensuring national security.
I served for twenty years in the United States Army, so this posting is as much personal as it is patriotic. I have lived through periods of time when veterans have been reviled and other times when they have been honored.
I hope that you can join me today in thanking and saluting all veterans for their service and it is my sincere prayer that your sense of gratitude will continue long after the parades are over and the celebration are completed.
(I spotted this Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and since it is one of the symbols of the United States, it seemed appropriate to feature the Bald Eagle in this posting.)
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Army, Birds, Nature, Patriotism, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Bald Eagle, Canon 50D, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Veterans Day, Veterans Day 2018, Woodbridge VA | 10 Comments »
November 10, 2018 by Mike Powell
Downy Woodpeckers (Dryobates pubescens) are the smallest woodpeckers in North America. They more than make up for their lack of size, however, with their inexhaustible energy. Their constant motion makes them fun to watch, but a challenge to photograph.
I spotted this male Downy Woodpecker earlier this week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. How do I know that it is a male? The males of this species have a little patch of red on the back of their heads and in each of these photos you get a small peek at the red on the head.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Downy Woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens, male Downy Woodpecker, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Picoides pubescens, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, woodpecker | 4 Comments »
November 9, 2018 by Mike Powell
During a recent morning walk at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, I came across some spiderwebs in the fields that glistened in the sunlight thanks to rain the previous night. Many of the webs were only partial webs and I wondered if perhaps the torrential rain had ripped them apart.
Light was mostly coming from the front, which made it a little tricky to get a correct exposure, but that kind of backlighting is the reason why the webs are visible.
The backgrounds were different for the different webs and most of the time I had to deliberately underexpose the images to have the webs “pop,” which meant that the backgrounds looked really dark. I was thrilled when I managed to capture the first image below with a background full of autumn colors.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Arachnids, Art, Nature, Photography | Tagged autumn, Canon 50D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, spider web, spider webs, spiderwebs, Tamron 150-600mm, webs, Woodbridge VA | 10 Comments »
November 8, 2018 by Mike Powell
Nuthatches are curious little birds. Most of the time that I spot one, it is climbing head first down the trunk of a tree.
Earlier this week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, however, I spotted a hyperactive White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) in the upper branches of a tree. In a series of corkscrewing motions that reminded me of a female gymnast on the uneven parallel bars, the nuthatch made its way up and down and around each of the branches.
If I were an Olympic judge, I would award the acrobatic nuthatch a score of 10 for its brilliant performance.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Nuthatch, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sitta carolinensis, Tamron 150-600mm, white-breasted nuthatch, Woodbridge VA | 1 Comment »
November 7, 2018 by Mike Powell
Some days the birds seem to keep their distance from me, so I do my best to capture modest images of them in their environment, like this Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) that I spotted in a field last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
I hesitated a little about posting this image, but I kept coming back to it when I thought about the shots that I wanted to share. I could enumerate technical reasons why this is a somewhat flawed photo, but there is something about the mood of the image that I find appealing. In the end, I decided to follow my basic approach of posting images that I like and letting others decide for themselves how they feel about the shots.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged bluebird, Canon 50D, Eastern Bluebird, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sialia sialis, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 22 Comments »
November 6, 2018 by Mike Powell
A small flock of Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) was active last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. They stayed high in the trees, but I did manage to get this shot of one of these distinctive and very cool-looking birds as they foraged among the plentiful berries.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Bombycilla cedrorum, Canon 50D, Cedar Waxwing, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 3 Comments »
November 5, 2018 by Mike Powell
When I entered Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge early one morning last week, a layer of ground fog was hanging over the fields, giving the landscape an eerie feel that somehow seemed appropriate for the Halloween season.
As I made my way to the water’s edge, the skies brightened a bit and the fog seemed to lift a little. I was filled with a peaceful and serene feeling as I enjoyed the early morning moments with a Great Blue Heron in the distance.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Language, Nature, Photography | Tagged Ardea herodias, Canon 50D, Canon SX50, fog, Great Blue Heron, morning fog, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 9 Comments »
November 4, 2018 by Mike Powell
As I rounded a curve on a trail at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge one morning last week, I spotted a fierce looking Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) almost directly overhead in a tree. I wasn’t sure if the eagle had seen me, but when it looked down and glared at me, I realized it was quite aware of my presence.
In several earlier postings I have mentioned that this is a tough time of the year for spotting birds, because most of the leaves are still on the trees. Often I can hear birds, but I can’t see them. It turns out that the leaves on the trees can also hide me from the birds sometimes. I think that is how I ended up almost directly below this eagle, forced to shot upwards at a somewhat uncomfortable angle.
It wasn’t long before the eagle decided that it had had enough of me and it took off. Alas, I was not able to capture any in-flight shots, but I am definitely happy with the shots I managed to get of the perched bald eagle.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Bald Eagle, Canon 50D, eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 17 Comments »
November 3, 2018 by Mike Powell
Several years ago, I received some advice that I continue to follow to this day. I was told that if a vulture is circling overhead, as this one was doing earlier this week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, make sure you move from time to time.
When I first spotted this vulture, I was a little confused. It looked like a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), but the bird lacked the distinctive red head that I am used to seeing on a Turkey Vulture. After doing a little research I learned that juvenile Turkey Vultures have an ashy-gray head that transitions to red as they mature.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Cathartes aura, juvenile turkey vulture, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600mm, turkey vulture, vulture, Woodbridge VA | 5 Comments »
November 3, 2018 by Mike Powell
It’s fun to remember the carefree days earlier this year that I spent hunting for dragonflies. Fellow dragonfly enthusiast Walter Sanford recently did a posting about a location where I photographed a Sable Clubtail dragonfly, one of the rarest species in our area, a place that he christened “Powell’s Place” after he too visited it and found a Sable Clubtail.
Be sure to check out his posting and I encourage you also to explore his blog for some amazing photos and information about dragonflies and other wild creatures.
walter sanford's photoblog
A single Sable Clubtail dragonfly (Stenogomphurus rogersi) was spotted perched alongside a small stream located in Fairfax County, Virginia USA.
I nicknamed a segment of the stream “Powell’s Place” in honor of Mike Powell, my good friend and photowalking buddy, who spotted the first Sable observed at this part of the stream. “Powell’s Place” is located downstream from Hotspot No. 1, where the stream re-emerges from an underground concrete pipe.
This individual is a male, as indicated by his indented hind wings and terminal appendages. Some dragonflies tend to be creatures of habit, returning to the same spot day-after-day. Perhaps this is the same individual spotted by Mike. Who knows?
I like the juxtaposition of complementary colors in the first photo.
12 JUN 2018 | Fairfax County, VA | Sable Clubtail (male)
The next photo shows the dragonfly perched deep within a shaded hidey-hole.
View original post 74 more words
Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Powell's Place, Sable Clubtail, Sable Clubtail dragonfly, Stenogomphurus rogersi, Walter Sanford | 8 Comments »
November 2, 2018 by Mike Powell
Are you a risk-taker? How often do you go out on a limb?
If you were a Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) you literally would be doing it all of the time. I love the texture, color, and shape of the branch so much that this image is as much about the branch as it is about the bird—that is the primary reason why I did not crop the image any closer.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, out on a limb, Setophaga coronata, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, Yellow-rumped Warbler | 8 Comments »
November 1, 2018 by Mike Powell
As the early sunlight pierced the foliage at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, it created a magical world, filled with visible rays of light in the misty morning air.
The word “breathtaking” is perhaps overused, but it perfectly describes my physical reaction when I came upon this scene as I was walking a path that runs parallel to the water of Occoquan Bay. I knew that the light was coming from in front of me, so I wasn’t really expecting to take any photos until the path curved a bit and the sun was in a better position.
I marveled at the visible rays of sunlight and wondered if there was any way that I would be able to capture the incredible scene in front of me. My 150-600mm lens was affixed to my DSLR and even at 150mm, there was no way I could use it to capture the “big picture.”
Fortunately I have taken to carrying my Canon SX50 camera that has a zoom lens that goes all the way from wide angle to super zoom (an equivalent angle of view of 24-1200mm). I was able to frame the image as you see in the image below and the camera did a decent job in rendering the scene.
It is moments like this that keep me going out in the early morning, traipsing the trails at a time of the day when many folks would prefer to be sleeping.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Art, Autumn, Landscape, Nature, Photography | Tagged Canon SX50, magical, morning mist, morning sunlight, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, rays of sunlight, Woodbridge VA | 12 Comments »
October 31, 2018 by Mike Powell
I never got around to posting a shot of my final Halloween Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis eponina) of the 2018 season, so today seems an appropriate time to do so. I spotted this tattered beauty on 29 September at Ben Brenman Park, a small suburban park not far from where I live in Alexandria, Virginia.
Happy Halloween!
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Dragonflies, dragonfly, Halloween, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Alexandria VA, Ben Brenman Park, Canon 50D, Celithemis eponina, Halloween, halloween pennant, Halloween Pennant dragonfly, Tamron 180mm | 7 Comments »
October 31, 2018 by Mike Powell
Sometimes it is better to be lucky and to react quickly than it is to be skillful and systematic. As I was tracking a Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) recently at Occoquan Bay Wildlife Refuge, it suddenly took off.
In and of itself, this was not unusual, because these small birds are in almost constant motion, weaving their way in and out of the vegetation. Instinctively I snapped off a short burst of shots. I thought I had missed the shot and the empty frames at the end of the sequence indeed showed that I was a bit late in reacting.
However, one of the initial shots was this fun image that shows the warbler raising its wings to prepare to provide propulsion while its feet are still attached to the branch. I was shooting in aperture-preferred mode, which meant that the camera chose the shutter speed. There was enough light that the shutter speed of 1/1600 froze most, but not all, of the bird’s motion.
Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to take off into the air like this little warbler, free to fly off to new destinations in search of new adventures?
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Setophaga coronata, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, Yellow-rumped Warbler | 4 Comments »
October 30, 2018 by Mike Powell
I read the newspaper this morning before I looked at the photos I took yesterday. This image of a Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge seems to reflect my innermost feelings at this moment about the senseless slaughter of innocents in Pittsburgh.
My heart goes out to all of those mourning their losses.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, mourning dove, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, pittsburgh, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA, Zenaida macroura | 8 Comments »
October 29, 2018 by Mike Powell
It’s hard to ignore a red head. No matter whether it is on a human or a woodpecker, it simply attracts your eyes. I spotted this handsome male Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) last week at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
You might wonder why this woodpecker is not called a Red-headed Woodpecker. That name is reserved for a woodpecker that has a completely red head. For comparison purposes, I am attaching an image from 2016 of a Red-headed Woodpecker. If you’d like to see more shots of the Red-headed Woodpecker, check out the 2016 posting Red-headed Woodpecker in late January.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Canon 50D, Melanerpes carolinus, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 6 Comments »
October 28, 2018 by Mike Powell
There are not a great number of dragonflies still around in my area, and those that are present can sometimes be really hard to spot. That was definitely the case with this beautiful female Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum vicinum) that blended in almost perfectly with the fallen leaves and other debris on the ground at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge this past week.
I initially spotted this dragonfly as she was flying and watched her land, but I couldn’t see her at first. Once I saw where she was, I had to back off, because I was shooting with my 150-600mm zoom lens that has a minimum focusing distance of almost 9 feet (270 cm).
Autumn Meadowhawks are only 1.2 to 1.4 inches in length (30 to 35mm) and spotting the tiny dragonfly from 9 feet away was a challenge to me and to the focusing system on my camera. I think that I was pretty much at the extreme end of the resolving power of the lens when I took this shot, i.e. it is tough to capture a subject with any detail that is much smaller than this.
I have already had to scrape frost from my windshield a couple of times this autumn, so the number of insects will inevitably continue to decrease. Past experience has shown me, however, that Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies are hardy survivors and I expect to continue to see them for another month or so.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Insects, Nature, Photography, wildlife | Tagged Autumn Meadowhawk, Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly, Canon 50D, female Autumn Meadowhawk, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sympetrum vicinum, Tamron 150-600mm, Woodbridge VA | 4 Comments »
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Mike Powell 