photoartflightTundra Swans Fly-By
Posted on January 18, 2019
Getting around to working on more of my images from Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Here are some of the Tundra Swans we saw at the refuge. Most of the time they were far out in pools along the Wildlife Drive. But occasionally we saw some fly by giving us an opportunity for some flight shots. These were on an overcast grayish blue sky day. The higher up the Swans were flying seemed to be a little bluer sky. Because of the gray day I had to raise my ISO higher than I usually use to get a shutter speed fast enough to stop the wing movement.
Pair of Tundra Swans in Flight – 400mm, 1.4x teleconverter
Higher Flight of Tundra Swans – 400mm, 1.4x teleconverter
High Flight Of Snow Geese At Blackwater NWR
Posted on January 2, 2019
We went for 2 days to photograph at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, Maryland. Early in the morning, along the Wildlife Drive on the second day we saw a huge flock of Snow Geese flying out under a heavy cloud cover. They were quite high and took a few minutes for the waves of them to pass by. Probably 500 to 700 (or more) passed by in multiple waves.
14-140mm lens @ 14mm with Olympus OMD Mk1
Blackwater NWR Sunrise
Posted on August 13, 2018
The featured Sunrise image is a series of horizontal images stacked vertically to get more of the colorful clouds and sky at sunrise. Five images shot at 12mm, aligned and blended together manually in Photoshop with soft edge masks. This view is not far from the entrance on the Wildlife Drive looking out over The Little Blackwater River.
6 images, horizontal, overlapping & combined manually in Photoshop for final image
The image below is around the corner from the featured & above image, by the Observation Platform, looking out at the Blackwater River.
Great Blue Heron Flyby
Posted on August 8, 2018
While I was photographing a Great Blue Heron off in the distance, this closer one took off and flew by right in front of me. I was using a slower shutter speed because I had my lens stopped down more than usual because of the distance and wanted more depth of field, so the wingtips of this Heron show some blurred movement. Thought it was still interesting and liked the movement of the wingtips.
Great Blue Heron In field before taking flight
Great Blue Heron Takeoff
Colorful Morning Sky At Blackwater NWR
Posted on February 14, 2018
A still colorful morning sky after the sun had come up. This was from along the Wildlife Drive at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge Maryland. I was going to do a series of images for a panorama, but then decided it was better as 1 image.
A Walk At The Tubman Road Trail
Posted on March 19, 2017
These are from a walk at the Tubman Road Trail at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge outside of Cambridge Maryland a few weeks ago. Many times when we go to Blackwater NWR, we stay on the main drive through the Refuge. Last time we went to see what was happening at the Tubman Road Trail. Our previous trip around Christmas, we were surprised to see how large the trees have grown from their reforestation program from a tornado years ago, but it was very quiet for wildlife. The trail is about 2 miles long and goes through fields, forests & marsh areas, giving a wide variety of photo subjects. From birds, animals, reptiles, butterflies (+bugs), landscapes and nature still life images.
It was late Winter so it was a little quite for wildlife, but on previous visits we photographed Eagles, hawks and a variety of other birds. It is also nice for just the walk to see what you can find. We only went down to the first series of ponds to check things out and then returned to the Wildlife Drive for the Snow Geese.
The featured image is one of the ponds a little into the walk. It is three vertical shots, handheld, assembled in Photoshop, 14mm with a m43 camera. The ponds are getting harder to photograph because the bushes are getting taller, obstructing part of the view.
Pond next to parking area, 3 shots, 14mm, m43 camera
Another pond on the other side of the path.
Many times you can see Woodpeckers & Flickers along this area. One tree here used to have a Flicker nest.
A wider view of the above pond
Another view of ponds
A view down the path near the entrance
Pinecones
You have to watch for exposed roots along the path, but they sometimes look interesting.
Pond from further down path
Tree Root Still Life
Pine Needle Still Life
Tundra Swans Flying Off at BWR
Posted on March 9, 2017
A group of Tundra Swans flying off after a large group of Snow Geese took off in mass, disturbing the Swans that were off to the side of the Snow Geese at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. The Swans took off and flew to an area farther away from the Snow Geese where it was quieter.
Tundra Swans Flying By
Posted on February 23, 2017
There was quite a bit of photo opportunities with the Tundra Swans also at Blackwater NWR. It is a very large refuge, but most of the photo ops for large groups of birds, either on the ground, in the water or flying are along the Wildlife Drive or Tubman Trail. They frown on stopping on any of the public roads within the Refuge. We sometimes ride through just because you can usually see quite a few Eagle nests from the road. There are many trails, but have limited sky views because of the thick concentration of trees. The refuge includes more than 28,000 acres of rich tidal marsh, mixed hardwood and loblolly pine forests, managed freshwater wetlands and croplands. There are also a couple of boat launching paved areas off the main roads in the Refuge with views of trees off in the distance that Eagles roost in. If you wait there you might get a few somewhat close flybys, but it usually takes a while. Or if you have really long lenses (800mm with teleconverters) you might get some shots in the trees. At this time of year, if you are lucky or have long lenses, you might see the small group of American White Pelicans flying. Usually they are just in a small group floating in the water fairly far out. Most people probably would not notice them. In the warmer months there are larger numbers.
It is interesting to see the different wing patterns/positions as a small group fly by. If close enough the sound of there wings flapping is really cool!
Snow Geese TakeOff At BWR
Posted on February 22, 2017
It was a Good Day for Snow Geese last weekend at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. This image is just a quite small section of the flock taking off. I was using a 400mm lens with a 1.4X teleconverter so with the Snow Geese not that far away, I was only getting smaller areas of the huge wave of Snow Geese taking flight. I had not seen them there for quite a few years. So when I saw large amounts on the Blackwater bird count list we went to see what we could find. There was a huge gathering on Snow Geese right off the Wildlife Drive. Actually one of the largest flocks I had seen at Blackwater. It was interesting in that when they took off in mass, they kinda went up mad a circle and landed again. So we saw about 4 or 5 “Lift-Offs” in a couple of hours.
7 Image Panorama Sunset At Blackwater NWR
Posted on January 25, 2017
This is a 7 image capture of a sunset at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Handheld series with 7 overlapping images shot with a 400mm lens with a 1.4X teleconverter. I was photographing birds flying through the colorful sunset, going to roost or settle down for the evening, but the sunset was so colorful, I tried a quick series to capture a enough images for a panorama. Then a tried a couple of vertical panorama setups. Ending with just some detail sections.
Two image vertical panorama, 400mm with 1.4X Teleconverter
Two image vertical panorama, 400mm with 1.4X Teleconverter
Sunset @ 400mm
Dusk @ 400mm w/1.4X Teleconverter
Sunset @ 400mm w/1.4X Teleconverter
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