Craigspics

Back Yard Photography

I thought I would post a couple more pics of the song birds in my back yard. I seen this young sparrow feeding from it's Mother near the feeder just outside the bay window, about 20 minutes later it flew over to a perch which was only a foot and a half off the ground and fell asleep. So I had to catch that shot as the sun was setting, about 15 minutes after that it flew over to the bird bath, which I refill every day, and I got it drinking the water. One thing I found strange was just after I took the photo of it drinking the mother kept perching next to the chick and would fly into the chick as it would fly a few feet away and then perch again in the same spot and do it again. I'm guessing the mother was afraid of the chick falling in and was trying to push it away from the water, although it's not deep at all the chick has only been flying for a few days now, maybe the mother was just being a mother and keeping it from all harm.

Peregrine Falcons

We made a visit to the Falcons on the ambassador Bridge a few weeks ago. I only got a few shots but I was lucky to catch them feeding. All four falcons were doing well that night on July 3, two adults and two chicks, although I have read since then, on the Canadian Peregrine Foundation ( Windsor- Ambassador Bridge) by Dennis Patrick, Site Co-ordinator CPF, whom we had the pleasure to meet last year at the Hawk Festival (Holiday Beach) that the female chick Named; Lady Gaga had to be put to rest July 11, 2011. She had a fractured leg and after surgery to repair the leg they also found fractures in both wings, which were beyond repair.

It was sad to read this when only about a week before we were watching them fly around. Now there are three Falcons.

If you want to keep updated on the Falcons, the page above have daily posts givin by Dennis Patrick and his wife Gwen.

My Niece Lori (Low Key Photograph)

Amhersburg Sunset

Song birds in my back yard

I got a few song bird photos when I got home from work on friday, June 17. As soon as I walked in the door I sat down behind my camera when I seen a bluejay perch right outside the window. After that I seen this sparrow chuck with it's mother, then a cardinal. So the back yard is working out pretty well for song birds.

The Weekend

This past weekend I just had to get out and take photos. Saturday did not work out so well, we got to such a late start. One thing lead to another and by the time we got on the road it was around 6:30 in the evening. I like to start around 5:00, But we did end up having a nice drive, Sunday we started earlier and first I thought we would check Morton terminal area for deer. I decided to do one drive through and if we see nothing we will go somewhere else and that's what happened, I know if we had stuck around there they would turn up, but I kinda wanted to do something else for a change. So while we were just about to leave that area I thought would go on the other side of that bush, down off of Sprucewood Dr. and seen a railroad crossing that I thought was kinda neat because it did not have any railroad crossing arms or lights. So I took a photo of that,

Then we headed straight up Front road and through Amherstburg Ontario, and decided to go to holiday Beach. We have not been there since last year and it was a free pass day so we said why not. We drove around and then went to the hawk tower and there was absolutely nothing around. It was cold that day and cloudy and I thought I would look around from the top of the hawk tower and still seen nothing.Wow, Last year at this time there were butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, toads, snakes, blue heron and so on, but today nothing. So we decided to take a walk around the pond and as we walked we could here this loud bird like noise I never heard before. As we got closer it moved further away but I did take a few shots of it, it was a Common Gallinule and had very bright orange and yellow legs and beak,

As I was ready to give up on this bird and start walking I noticed this munching sound right behind me like something was eating lettuce or something, so I turned around and took one step over and right in front of me was this Muskrat one foot away from me. So I tried to take a photo with the lens I had on the camera but the light was to low for hand held so I walked back over to were my tripod was and changed lenses, the tripod would have been to high up and I did not have time or did I want to scare it off so I walked back over and laid on the ground and he was only 2 feet in front of me , Michele came over and took a few shots with her camera and this thing did not even care, it just kept eating the tall grass as we took photos,

I have heard that they are vicious fighters and have been known to attack humans without provocation. But he was looking right at me and did not even run away.

So of course to end the day I just had to get another sunset photo and it come out pretty cool.

There are still quite a few deer out there. The males antlers are starting to grow out, they are feeding all of the time. I have been trying to get close to them and I have but, the ticks are insane! Friday after work I thought I would walk through a field were I had seen some deer grazing, on the south side of Broadway, west of the dog park. There was an old trail were the grass was low and I walked for about 10 minutes until I got close, one buck actually started to approach me out of curiosity. then I turned back, I don't want to stress them at all. I actually like non stressed natural photos. So I was out there for about 45 minutes and Michele and Nick had went up southward from the hydro tower and back approx. 10 minutes. when we were all got back at the car we found a tick on Michele, we just brushed that one off. later we went home and I had some work I wanted to do fixing my fence and by the time I had come in I needed to go to bed and totally forgot to check for ticks, we were so tired. And wow the next day I had one on my back and one on my stomach and she had one on her back and on her leg, I had to remove them with tweezers. Nick had none. We both started taking antibiotics that day, I'd rather not wait for the flu like symptoms they say to wait for before going to a hospital and they prescribe antibiotics anyway for Lyme Disease. That night before going to bed I thought I would check the bed, so I went through all the sheets and sure thing I found one. That's the price you pay for not doing a tick check when getting home and I knew this. But I never said wildlife photography was easy either. The next couple of days I just stayed on the road like before. It's alittle more diffacult with all the vegatation, getting a clear shot.

I was cutting my grass last weekend and this large toad had jumped out from in front of the lawn mower and I almost did not see it. So I put him in a container so I could finish the lawn and later photographed him and released him in behind my house were he came from.

I found it difficult to identify this guy, Fowler's toad or American toad, it's hard to know exactly.

I have only been able to get a few shots of the deer lately. Early mourning or late afternoon are the best times because that's when they move out from cover, and now that the foliage has fully grown, it's difficult to get shots in dim light and with all the rain we have been getting, forget it! So here are the couple photos I did get and I really like these low light shots, I actually got a day were the sun was setting and found some deer.

Looking into the sunset

Deer Hunting

I found out that the area out near Morton Terminal, some call it Brighton Beach, Dog Patch, or even Yawkey Bush. It will be no more, after around August 2011. The new bridge Project will be starting soon. So I have decided to take advantage of the area, before it is gone.

Now before I continue, I'd like to mention, if anyone plans to visit the area, there are security all over this area and the city of Windsor has hired them to keep people out of the prohibited areas. There are signs stating it is private Property. Or you can even ask security where not to enter, they are more than willing to give any information you could need about the area, just ask.

Now I'm starting to go there as often as possible during the evening when the sun will be setting, It is the most populated area of deer that I know closest to Windsor, one Guard had said they counted 23 deer one day and every time I drive down Broadway I can see them grazing. So I want to take advantage of this large deer population and photograph them, so far I have gotten a few photos but they are not what I'm looking for yet, so I'm going to enjoy this as much as possible trying to get that photograph until this area is gone. I did hear that the deer and wildlife will be relocated but I don't know when, where or buy who, so I don't want to give any false info.If I do hear of anything I will let you know here in newer posts.

Here are a couple photos so far.

Michele's Shot

One day I had come home from work and I was sitting on the couch, Michele was watching the birds landing on the new perches we had just put in the yard the weekend before. I was tired, the lighting outside was dull and I new I would have plenty of opportunities when I was rested and able to enjoy it better.

The camera was already sitting in the window and set up, so she asked what to do so I explained what to turn on and how to focus, I usually use manual focus, I like to focus on the eyes. She had pre focused on the perch and within a few minutes she had already taken a photograph that I think is pretty awesome, I had not even taken any shots like these yet since we had just put up the new perches a few days before. I'm still amazed because the aperture was 6.3 at 420mm and as soon as this little chipping Sparrow landed on the perch, she took the shot.

Now when ever I do this I would use an aperture of say f8, pre focus on a branch and use a remote as not to shake the camera at all, and yes even with a tripod, there still is camera shake at close focusing, it is the number one reason if a shot is on the soft side, it is because of camera shake. She did not use a remote, she just pushed the button and most people that first learn do not realize when they press the button they shake the camera, You have to squeeze it smoothly. The optical Stabilization in this lens is pretty good though. So I have to say she passed her first wildlife photography class with flying colors,well actually perched colors.

Downy Woodpecker

Today I got a few shots of one of the Downy Woodpecker's that are always in my yard, this is the male.

I came home from work and the sun was finally out today, it was low and it back lit nicely. I always use fill flash, just enough to add a catch light in the eyes and it brings out detail in the feathers. I love to watch these birds especially if I smear some suet in the cracks of trees or perches, I can set up my shots pretty close this way.

Wildlife Habitat

Well, I've started to create a wildlife habitat in my back yard. Since we have a double lot and I love the size of it. It will be a slow process since I work full time but I have already planted a few small snags (dead trees) for perches and have started to take some photos of song birds. This summer I will be focusing on song birds mostly. I thought I would post a few pics now. These are just basic shots, but this summer I hope to get some really good ones.

We have had four feeders and a suet feeder in the back yard since last September and we have kept them full the whole time, I cannot believe how much these birds can eat, but once you start you cannot stop because they rely on this food through the winter My goal is to attract as many species as possible and so far we have got close to 20 different species of bird.

So it will be a bit of work but I love wildlife, it has always been my favorite with photography and how much it relaxes me to sit out in the middle of it especially in your very own yard.

Last Summer 2010

I thought I would post a few pics from last summer (below) that I liked and played with in photoshop.

John and John playing pool in my uncles basement in London,On.


Toronto,On. When we went to the zoo. This was the one corner of the room of the motel we stayed at, I love all the different patterns in this small area.

This is our dog Brandy, I thought I would add the tear drop(photoshop), cause she looked so sad in this shot.

Nick pumping gas

The Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team. This flying tribute to the veterans of World War II has been flying for many years with decades of experience behind them.

Winter

I know it's been awhile since I've posted any pics. Winter is not my time of year, although it can produce amazing photos, if your willing to wander out in the cold to get them.So I did a few times. I had to have some photos to show for this winter.
I usually visualize the shots I like to get and then go for it, so I'm not out long. 90% of the time I get what I visualize, but it depends on how I feel, if I'm getting cold I find myself rushing, and I get sloppy,so I like to do it quickly. What I mean by quickly is that It"s done with confidence without stopping, I get out of the car and with my camera already on a tripod ready to go, I take it out of the trunk, I meter, compose, then take my shots. The reason my camera goes back in the trunk is because I like the cars interior nice and warm and that's bad for a cold camera and will form condensation, then even worse is to take your camera back out again and it will all freeze up with ice on it, so I keep it in the trunk were it is cool. I enjoy summer because I like to take my time. I can relax and enjoy all that is around me and wait for it. Winter on the other hand is more uncomfortable for me but that's not to say I don't ever do it, I'm just saying I don't do it often and there's why I have not posted much.
So here are a few shots I got so far this winter.