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Smooth Sailing

I found a couple of Canada geese on the kids’ fishpond. It was cloudy but the water was smooth as glass.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm VC G2, F/6.3, Auto ISO (220), ET 1/640, Focal Length 600mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Happy Easter

I was heading past the cliffs overlooking the Beaverhead River the other day and spotted the geese that hang on rocks. They always show up there this time of year. I spotted a lone goose lower down on the cliffs in a good spot for pictures. I had to take my eyes off it to get my camera ready to go. When I looked up, I lost him, completely disappeared. There was a pair further down, so I moved up closer which also gave me a better angle. I took a couple of shots, and then right above me there was honking. It was the first goose that I had lost sight of, at a much better distance and angle than before.

A very good photographer and the owner of Perfect Light and Yellowstone Camera shops Chris Balmer suggested using Auto ISO, seems to work real slick.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm VC G2, F/6.3, ISO Auto (140), ET 1/640, Focal Length 600mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Spring Flower

Seeing it is the first day of Spring I decided to post one of my favorite flowers, a meadow camas taken in one of my favorite places, Selway Meadows. I took this camas last spring.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Nikor 85mm VR Micro lens, R1C1 Close up flash kit, F/36, ISO 50, ET 1/250, Focal Length 85mm, Handheld, Vibration Reduction on

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Having a Good Time

A bald eagle I found in the Horse Prairie Valley last summer. Is it just me or does it look like he was way over served?

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm G2, F 6.3, ISO 250, ET 1/3200, Focal Length 600mm, Handheld Vibration Control on

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Sign Of Spring

Saw one of the signs of spring the other day, the ground squirrels are out and about. I couldn’t get a shot of any of them so here’s a picture of one of them along the BDC road from last year.  

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm VC G2, F/6.3, ISO 500, ET 1/2500, Focal Length 550mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Bluebells

Now that it is February, I am not getting out much. So here is a bluebell that I found in Selway Meadows in the spring of 2023.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Nikor 18-55mm VR II, Nikon R1C1 Closeup Flash Kit, F/32, ISO 50, ET 1/250, Focal Length 48mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Intense Scrutiny

A bald eagle I found near the railroad tracks along the Red Roch River Highway. I was watching for the signs that it was going to take off, it was still there on the post when I left.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm VC G2, F/6.3, ISO 1000, ET 1/8000, Focal Length 600mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Ear Flicking

I was finally able to get out into the hills. Only one pika was out, a bit farther out than I like but you take what you can get.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm VC G2, F/6.3, ISO 320, ET 1/1600, Focal Length 600mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Happy New Year

Let’s finish up 2023 on a high note. The great horned owl that Lilly flushed out of the grass, near Clark Canyon Reservoir.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm VC G2, F/6.3, ISO 400, ET 1/1000, Focal Length 600mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Merry Christmas

Our snow globe taken at night.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Nikor 18-50mm VR II, F/29, ISO 5000, ET ¼ Sec, Focal Length 29mm, Handheld, Vibration Reduction on

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Condemned

A wasp nest I found on the south end Clarks Canyon Reservoir. It was one of the biggest nests I have found. It was back in the brush, and the only way to photograph it was to get down on my side and shoot it from below.  

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Nikor 18-55mm VR II, F/4.5, ISO 250, ET 1/4000, Focal Length 18mm, Handheld, Vibration Reduction on

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Keep up YOU

Lilly enjoying a run in the snow on Coyote Creek Road. The snow and the angle of the of the winter sun in the timber made for challenging shooting.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm VC G2, F/6.3, ISO 4000, ET 1/800, Focal Length 420mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Did Someone Say Turducken??!!

A mallard drake flying along the warm spring creek along the Red Rock Highway. Happy Thanksgiving everybody.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm VC G2, F/6.3, ISO 1250, ET 1/1250, Focal Length 600mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Western Grebe

On my way back home from the Y the other day I saw this grebe swimming around the kids fishpond. It was very cooperative.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm VC G2, F/6.3, ISO 100, ET 1/800, Focal Length 550mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Happy Halloween

Lilly with the jack-o-lanterns from last year. Nothing from this year, I just got my Halloween decorations I put out last week dug out of the snow today.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 70-200mm VC G2, F/2.3, ISO 320, ET 1/1000, Focal Length 70mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Lillys Owl 2

The owl that Lilly flushed out from the other angle I was able to get to. It was watching Lilly as she went trotting by. I could always tell which direction Lilly was coming from because the owl would always get a bead on her as she came in. Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm VC G2, F/5.6, ISO 400, ET 1/2500, Focal Length 280mm, Handheld, Vibration Control on

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Lillys Owl

The only thing better than an owl picture is an owl picture with a story. Sunday, I took Lilly up to the dam to check out the Autumn leaves. It was a really nice day nice with great light for pictures. We headed north across the road straight for the cottonwoods. Just before you get to them there is a small creek you must cross. Sometimes it is dry, sometimes it isn’t. this year it wasn’t, in fact it was running near full. I was able to cross with water coming up near the top of my hip boots. Now came Lilly’s turn.  Lilly who is half Lab and doesn’t swim. She will cross if water if she can walk across, but she refuses to swim. I put my camera on dry land and headed back to help her cross over. Once she was across, she proceeded to head straight to my camera and shake off the water. As a result, I spent a bit of time cleaning the water and mud from my lens and camera. After I was done with that and cussing Lilly under my breath, we headed out checking the Autumn leaves and hoping to find some wildlife to get pictures of. We were heading to a grove of aspens that I believe has a great horned owls nest. As we approached the aspens, I was watching the treetops and branches, Lilly decided to throw caution and charged right in. Even before I could react, she flushed an owl out of the grass. Even more surprising the owl landed on a branch right in front of me. While I was reaching for my camera she charged back in and flushed another one out of the same spot. The second owl landed near the first one but not close enough to get them in the same picture. I took several shots but decided I needed to get a better angle. The second owl was a bit spooky and flew off. The first owl just stayed put and I was able to go to a different spot. The first place I tried had a branch going right across its face. I had to keep moving to the next spot. The next place was perfect, completely clear with a beautiful background of blue skies and orange leaves. I spent over an hour there taking pictures. And what was Lilly doing, she was running around the area coming back to check on me from time to time. Her route back to me usually went right under the owl. She must have done this at least a half a dozen times and the owl just watched her go by. After a bit I decided reluctantly that it was time to leave.  We headed out to the next place to cross the creek. It wasn’t as deep there but Lilly couldn’t be convinced. So, I crossed the creek, took off my camera bag and camera off (further away from the creek this time) and headed over to help her cross. About halfway over she figured out that she could just walk and took off. Climbed up on the bank shook off headed straight to camera and camera bag and shook off again. She looked so pleased with herself. I was not! We got back to the truck without further incidents, just a bit more cussing.

Nikon D500, Manual Mode, Tamron 150-600mm G2 VC, F/6.3, ISO 400, ET 1/1250, Focal Length 600mm, Handheld, Handheld Control on