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Posts Tagged ‘Canon 55-250mm zoom lens’

Pecking order

Posted in Birds, Bugs, Flowers, Gardening, Insects, Photography, poetry, tagged , , , , , , , on November 11, 2012| 7 Comments »

If I were a woodpecker, I would want to be a male Downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) and slam my head into something soft as a pillow—like this cattail—and not always into solid wood. Of course, you can end up with a mouthful of cattail fibers, and not just a tasty bug.

Downy woodpecker with mouthful of cattail

Downy woodpecker on cattail

More seriously, scientists are doing research to figure out why woodpeckers don’t end up with concussions, given that they can slam their heads into wood with the force of 1,000 times that of gravity, according to an article on livescience.com. By comparison, humans can survive a force of up to G’s, according to Air Force research, though there are reports of race car drivers surviving a force of over 100 G’s. According to the article, Chinese researchers are studying the microscopic structure of the bones surrounding the brain and also the beak to try to understand how the woodpecker’s brain is protected. If you are interested in the research, an article on a website called Inkfish explains in layman’s terms the research methodology and some of the preliminary conclusions.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Soaring on the wind

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on November 9, 2012| 6 Comments »

Looking for subjects to shoot this morning, I happened to look up and saw a large bird soaring on the wind, headed in my direction. My heart raced a little as I made a quick setting adjustment on my camera, because I figured the bird with the impressive wingspan was perhaps an eagle or at least some kind of hawk.

I was a little disappointed initially when I discovered later that the bird was “only” a turkey vulture (Cathartes aura). After a while, though, the wings and feathers and the coloration started to grow on me and I realized that the turkey vulture has a beauty all its own. (In some ways I might compare it to some of the wild turkeys that some of my fellow bloggers have featured recently in their postings—suffice it to say the turkeys are not traditionally beautiful.)

I’m still working on photographing birds in flight, but it sure is a lot easier when a bird is soaring like this one, not flying at full speed.

Turkey vulture in the fall

Turkey vulture at Huntley Meadows Park

Turkey vulture soaring on the wind

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Looking into a flower

Posted in Bugs, Flowers, Gardening, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , , on November 9, 2012| 7 Comments »

When I first saw this insect, my initial thought was to wonder about its identification—I still don’t have an answer to that quandary. My second thought was that it would be cool to try to take a photo looking into the flower from just over the edge of one row of  petals, which were standing almost straight up. I’m still a relative neophyte with my macro lens, and depth of field and critical focus are sometimes real problems.

I am pretty happy with the results I achieved in capturing images consistent with my mental picture.  The first photo is the closest to what I had in mind, but I also like the position of the insect in the second photo.

 

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cardinal in the open

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , on November 8, 2012| 7 Comments »

It’s difficult enough for a bright red cardinal to hide when there are lots of leaves on a tree, but when the leaves are gone, it’s impossible.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Still blooming in November

Posted in Flowers, Gardening, Macro Photography, Photography, tagged , , , , , , on November 7, 2012| 6 Comments »

During a walk this past weekend through a local garden, I was surprised at how many flowers were still blooming (or were newly blooming). Here is a somewhat random assortment of photos of those flowers, some of which I can identify such as a zinnia and a pansy, but others are nameless beauties to me.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Female red-winged blackbird

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , on November 6, 2012| 7 Comments »

During the past month or so I have posted multiple photos of male red-winged blackbirds. The female is not black and does not have a red patch on her wings, so she may not be as easily recognized as a red-winged blackbird. I think you would probably agree, however, that the coloration of the female is very striking and quite beautiful. Here is a shot of a female red-winged blackbird on a cattail that I took this past weekend. I especially love the silvery gray beak and the gold ring around her eyes.

Female red-winged blackbird on a cattail

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Eastern Bluebird in the fall

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, tagged , , , , , on November 5, 2012| 8 Comments »

November so far have been gray and cloudy and much of the fall foliage has faded. I was therefore extra happy to see brightly colored birds today. Although I have repeatedly photographed brilliant red cardinals, today was the first day that I got a decent shot of the equally spectacular Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis).

I looked at the range map for the Eastern Bluebird and we may have them here all year in Northern Virginia. I guess that I’ll just have to wait and see.

Eastern Bluebird

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Chubby cardinal

Posted in Birds, Humor, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , on November 4, 2012| 12 Comments »

Some people claim that the camera adds ten pounds, and that seems to be the case with this female Northern Cardinal. Maybe it’s just the angle or she had fluffed up her feathers for better insulation, but it sure looks to me like she has been fattening herself up for the winter. In fact, you probably noticed that I caught her in mid-bite. I’m not sure what she is eating, but there are lots of colorful berries in the background from which to choose.

Some people claim that they eat like a bird—I hope they don’t mean they eat like this particular bird.

Cardinal in mid-bite

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cold bee on purple flower

Posted in Bugs, Flowers, Gardening, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , , on November 4, 2012| 5 Comments »

Yesterday I returned to my photographic roots at Green Spring Gardens, a county-run historic park, to shoot flowers and bugs, the subjects I started with six months ago when Cindy Dyer, my mentor and muse, helped me get serious about my photography. It was cloudy and cool (about 47 degrees F (8.3 degrees C) and I didn’t expect to see many insects active. There was quite a variety of flowers blooming, including many that have been present all summer. Perhaps when we have a hard freeze, some of them will die off, but for now they provide a blast of bright color that contrasts with the now fading fall foliage.

Bee in early November

I was surprised when I encountered this bee, the only one that I saw all day. It seemed to be moving slowly in the colder weather, but was industriously working on this purple flower. Judging from its relatively hairless abdomen, I think that this might be a carpenter bee rather than a bumblebee, though I am not completely sure about the identification.

I have always mentally associated bees with spring, but now, as I look more closely at nature, I realize that I have to question all of my previous assumptions. That’s probably a good thing for me to do regularly, and not just in my photography.

Bee working in the cold

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Follow the leader

Posted in Birds, Humor, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , on November 3, 2012| 6 Comments »

Did you ever wonder what happens if an aircraft’s radar and radio go bad? Yesterday I saw what happens when the emergency network is activated and escorts are sent out to accompany the aircraft to its final destination. In a cost-cutting measure, fighter jets are no longer dispatched, but these geese do have significant experience in long-distance flying and especially flying in formation.

Emergency escorts

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Wet and wooly

Posted in Bugs, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 3, 2012| 10 Comments »

Looking down in the water, I was a little surprised to see a Banded Wooly Bear caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella) swimming, albeit not too quickly. He would slowly undulate his hairy body for a stroke and pause, and then repeat the process. It was fascinating to see the little air bubbles surrounding his mouth and the gentle ripples produced by his movement.

This caterpillar will almost certainly overwinter in his current state and pupate in the spring into an Isabella Tiger Moth. Bugguide notes that there are normally two broods, on that pupates in the summer and the other in the following spring. I have looked at some photos of the moth and can’t help but note that the caterpillar stage is a lot more attractive and interesting.

Wooly Bear caterpillar swimming (click for higher resolution)

Wooly Bear caterpillar pauses for a breath (click for higher resolution)

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Cardinal reflection

Posted in Birds, Landscape, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, tagged , , , , , on November 2, 2012| 4 Comments »

It seemed like this beautiful male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) was posing for me on the dead log, somehow knowing that this position would provide for an equally beautiful reflection.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Looking back

Posted in animals, Landscape, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , on November 2, 2012| 7 Comments »

On a cold and overcast morning, I walked through the marsh today, heading toward a little pond area where I was hoping to see migrating ducks and geese. As I arrived at that area, I realized there was a deer in the distance near the far side of the water’s edge. I didn’t have time to make many adjustments and got off only two shots. This is the better of the two, and I like the pose of the deer, as she back at me before taking off. To give you an idea of the limited light, this was shot at ISO400, f5.6, and 1/30 second. I was at the far end of my 55-250mm zoom lens (and still had to crop quite a bit).

Early morning deer

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Abstract fall language

Posted in Art, Landscape, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , , on November 2, 2012| 1 Comment »

The leaf is back-lit and drops of dew glisten on its surface, a surface that is scarred and torn and unevenly colored with the tints of the fall. In its beautiful imperfection, this autumn leaf speaks to me in the simple, abstract language of lines and shapes, of light and color.

Abstract fall leaf

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Racing geese

Posted in Birds, Landscape, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , , on November 1, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Here’s one last photo of the geese from last weekend, possibly my favorite shot. I like the fact that it shows geese in action—the geese look like they are having a race across the water, though I think they had just landed and were slowing down. The colorful fall foliage and its reflection in the water add interest too. Somehow the picture works well for me as an autumn landscape. (Be sure to click on it to see a higher resolution view.)

Geese racing in the fall

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Dipping, dripping geese

Posted in Art, Birds, Nature, Photography, Uncategorized, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 1, 2012| 4 Comments »

Last week I encountered Canada geese twice. The first time was when a few migrating ones made a brief stop at a local marsh. The second time was at a suburban pond where the geese seem to be semi-permanent residents. I had a great time observing and photographing the geese in the latter venue and have a couple of photos this morning of geese dipping their heads into the water. I couldn’t tell for sure if they were grabbing for  plants underwater, drinking, or doing something else. Often they would submerge just their heads and blow bubbles in the water and then, as in the second photo, just let the water dribble out of their mouths.

Synchronized swimming geese

Dripping, dipping goose

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Punk rocker Cardinal

Posted in Birds, Humor, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , on October 31, 2012| 7 Comments »

It looks like this female Northern Cardinal decided to get dressed up as a punk rocker for Halloween. She has put some gel in her bright red Mohawk and adopted an attitude. Her really bright eyes and vacant stare suggest that she might be under the influence of some natural or artificial stimulant. I was not able to get close enough to see if she has any tattoos or piercings, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

Happy Halloween!

Punk rocker Cardinal

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Once more: Halloween Pennant dragonfly—the second time

Posted in Birds, Flowers, Gardening, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , on October 31, 2012| 5 Comments »

Originally posted on 25 August 2012

I am re-posting this image for three primary reasons.

  • Today’s Halloween and what could be more appropriate for an insect with Halloween in its name?
  • This is one of my absolutely favorite images and many of you may not have seen it yet (and I like the text too).
  • I’m a bit of a contrarian and want to post something beautiful today, rather than the creepy images that others may choose to post.

Happy Halloween!

Text of original post:

I remember my excitement the first time I saw a really cool dragonfly a few months ago that turned out to be a Halloween Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis eponina). He had a very distinctive look with brown spots and stripes on his wings and orange veins. That first time I was happy to get any shot of the dragonfly.

Today I think that I encountered a Halloween Pennant for a second time. I was still very much taken by his looks but I had the presence of mind to circle about a bit, trying to get a good angle for the shot. The shot below is the one that I like the best of those that I took.

As I think about it, I go through this cycle a lot. I’m so in awe and wonder when I encounter something new that photography is not my first priority. Instead I am living the experience. Maybe my photos the first time are not the best, but that’s ok for me, because living my life is more important than merely recording it in my photos. That may be why I like to go back to places a second time and then focus a bit more on getting good shots.

Halloween Pennant dragonfly (Click for higher resolution view)

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Pre-Halloween spider

Posted in Bugs, Humor, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , , on October 30, 2012| 4 Comments »

It seems appropriate to post a photo of a spider on the evening before Halloween. I was not able to get a look at the spider’s front side when I photographed it this past weekend at Huntley Meadows Park, so I can’t identify it. I know for sure, though, that I never want to wake up in the morning and have this view of a spider. With my near-sighted vision, that would mean that it was way too close to me for my comfort. Happy Halloween!

UPDATE: Thanks to the assistance of my mentor and fellow blogger, Cindy Dyer, I am now pretty sure that the spider is the orb-weaver spider Neoscona Crucifera, sometimes known as Hentz’s orb-weaver or a barn spider (though there are other spiders known as barn spiders too).

Pre-Halloween spider enjoys a snack

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Post-Sandy suburban stream

Posted in Landscape, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 30, 2012| 2 Comments »

It was still raining early this morning when I ventured out into my suburban Virginia neighborhood to see what havoc Hurricane Sandy had wreaked upon us. One big tree had fallen onto several cars, but beyond that we had escaped virtually unscathed.

Run-off water was coursing rapidly down the little stream that runs through the neighborhood as part of the drainage system. I decided to attempt to take some shots of the moving water, inspired by some awesome images that I have seen recently in other blogs. There was a railing overlooking the stream and I placed my camera on it and used the self-timer, which permitted me to take some relatively long exposures.

Here are a few of the images that I produced. I still have a lot to learn about taking these kinds of shots, but I like some aspects of these initial efforts.

Suburban Virginia stream after Hurricane Sandy

Post-hurricane run-off in suburban Virginia

Runnymeade stream

 

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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T’ai chi geese

Posted in Birds, Humor, Inspiration, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , , on October 30, 2012| 9 Comments »

This morning, we continue to assess the damage from Hurricane Sandy here in the Washington, D.C. area, mainly downed trees and flooded roads. Perhaps we can draw inspiration from these geese, who are engaging in a rarely seen version of t’ai chi, seeking to achieve balance. This ancient martial art can be practiced on land or in the water—the water variant is especially appropriate for a time of reflection.

T’ai chi goose

Water t’ai chi—a reflective pose

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Pittsburgh Steelers caterpillar

Posted in Bugs, Humor, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, Sports, tagged , , , , , on October 29, 2012| 12 Comments »

This past weekend I came across a caterpillar that I had never seen before.  Its black, yellow, and white markings somehow made me think of the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL team that wears those same colors. For now, I am referring to it as the Steelers caterpillar, though, of course, it has a “real” name.

I’m having trouble identifying it—it may be a Smartweed caterpillar, also known as a Smeared Dagger caterpillar (who makes up these names?), although it seems to be lacking the red coloration in the hairs that I see in most photos. If anyone can make a positive identification, please let me know. Who knows, maybe the Steelers need a fuzzy new mascot?

Pittsburgh Steelers caterpillar

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Geese bath time

Posted in Birds, Humor, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , , on October 29, 2012| 2 Comments »

It looked like it was bath time for the Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) in a local pond and they seemed to be having fun playing in the water (and occasionally stopping to groom themselves). The geese were exuberantly beating the water with their wings, creating giant clouds of water droplets. It reminded me of trying to give a bath to a two year old child, who splashes almost as much—the only thing missing was the yellow rubber duck. Some of the geese would then rise up in the water a bit and flap their wings, presumably to dry them, and then get soaked all over again. Perhaps they were following the instructions on the shampoo bottle, “Lather, rinse, and repeat.”

I managed to get a couple of fun shots in which the goose’s head is in focus, but the wings are a blur—I think the effect is kind of cool.

Splish, splash, I was taking a bath

Ruffling some feathers

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Duck pas de deux

Posted in Art, Birds, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , , on October 29, 2012| 5 Comments »

Do you have aspirational shots, i.e. images that you really want to be able to take? This past weekend I took this shot of two ducks, a male and a female, coming in for a landing in the water, with reflections of the fall foliage in the water in the distance. This is the kind of shot I aspire to shoot, for both technical and artistic reasons. I didn’t manage to produce a great image during this first attempt this past weekend at a local suburban pond, but I gave  myself something to shoot for, a future goal. With practice and good fortune, I hope to be able to produce a better image. In the mean time, I’m happy with my initial effort at shooting synchronized duck dancing.

Duck pas de deux in the fall

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Bird silhouettes before the storm

Posted in Art, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , on October 28, 2012| 7 Comments »

The skies were dark and overcast early this afternoon as we awaited the hurricane that was likely to bring rains and winds, though we are probably not directly in its path. The birds in my neighborhood were unusually active, so I decided to try to take some photographs of them. With few exceptions, my photos turned out to be silhouettes, because the existing light was too weak to illuminate the birds against the backdrop of the sky. I like the effect, however, and decided to post some of these silhouettes. The first one, my favorite, was a shot in which the bird started to take off just as I pressed the shutter and I like the result better than if I had captured him on the branch. Some of the other images show birds in flight or in action. Somehow they seems appropriate for a stormy day (and I can hear the wind and the rain outside as I write this entry).

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Autumn robin

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , on October 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I usually think of the robin as a harbinger of spring, but the robin loses that symbolic significance during the waning days of October, or does it? Seeing the first American robin (Turdus migratorius) in the spring is an indication that the long, cold months of winter are finally ending, a sign of hope in the promise of things to come. Irrespective of the season, I need that hope, that joyous expectation in my life and the sight of a robin serves as a visual reminder that spring will come again.

Autumn robin

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Bees and a skipper in late fall

Posted in Bugs, Flowers, Gardening, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , , on October 28, 2012| 10 Comments »

Bees were one of my initial subjects when I started photographing insects six months ago. Even now,  I can’t resist snapping a few shots whenever I see them. I never expected to encounter them in late October, however, so it was a nice surprise yesterday, when I was able to capture these images of bees at work (and a skipper too).

Bee in the fall with a single flower

Bee in the fall with multiple flowers

Skipper in the fall

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Floating leaf

Posted in Art, Landscape, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , , on October 27, 2012| 3 Comments »

Life’s pleasures can be so simple, like watching a floating leaf on a sunny day as it is propelled across the water’s surface by a gentle breeze.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Duck, goose!

Posted in Birds, Humor, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , , on October 27, 2012| 4 Comments »

While I was watching migrating geese at a local marsh yesterday, one of them suddenly stretched out its wings. There was another goose right behind the one with outstretched wings and I wanted to warn him by crying out, “Duck, goose!” Instead I instinctively pressed the shutter release and got this photo. The image makes me laugh when I look at the face of the crouching goose, who does not appear to be too happy with his fellow traveler.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Unusual-looking spider

Posted in Bugs, Insects, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, tagged , , , , , , on October 27, 2012| 4 Comments »

Yesterday when I was walking the marsh, I glanced down and saw a spider web shining a foot or so above the surface of the brown, muddy water. There was a long, skinny insect on the web and my first thought was that this was a spider’s prey, but no spider was visible. I took some photos and did some internet research and was shocked to learn that strange insect is a spider, probably a Long-jawed Orb Weaver spider of the Family Tetragnathidae. Check out Bugguide if you want to learn more about this unusual-looking spider and click on the image to see more details.

Long-jawed Orb Weaver spider

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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Canada Geese flying

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged , , , , , on October 26, 2012| 8 Comments »

A trio of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) paid a short visit today to my local marsh at Huntley Meadows Park. I suspect they are migrating, though I am not sure about that. They announced their arrival loudly and circled around before landing, so I had time to attempt some shots. I don’t have much experience in photographing birds in flight, but had limited success, as you can see in these shots. I could not get all three of them close enough to each other in the frame, so you only see two at a time. In case you wonder, the day was extremely overcast and there was not much sunlight—that is why the sky looks white in some of the photos.

This is the kind of photo that I want to be able to take, so today was good practice for me. I can tell I still need a lot of practice in tracking birds in the air.

Geese in flight at Huntley Meadows Park

Geese circling for a landing

Geese in flight during the fall

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.

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