Spring Blast Off!

The profusion and motion of birds overwhelmed the compression capabilities of Vimeo and YouTube so this link to Zenfolio gives the best representation of an up close blast off from Squaw Creek NWR this spring. I'm glad I didn't keep track of the number of hours trying to upload a technically acceptable film. I hope you enjoy: Blast Off!

Spring Sky

There may be snow on the ground but spring is here! This flight was over Squaw Creek a couple weeks ago. This weekend sandhill cranes were calling in the north Metro skies and Canada geese are everywhere. Owlets are almost ready to fledge. This image was taken while I was doing a time lapse of the clouds in the dawn light.

Wait for us

Another caption might be "Hurry Up". Photography is like life in many ways, it is all about perspective and point of view.

Spring at Squaw Creek

 I recently watched a course on filmmaking at creativelive.com and learned about different storytelling techniques. A light bulb was turned on with the realizaton that a nature story does not need to be told in a linear format. This format is aptly named the teaser format.

Wouldn't it be fun?

Would you rather fly like a bird or in a jet plane? The birds seem to do it effortlessly and without thought. If only we could try it, even if only for an hour.

A study in contrasts

There were several choices when photographing swans and snow geese. I could have shot the swans against a blue sky as they flew overhead, on the water, or taking off. Actually, I shot all of them but this image tells the story of a previously endangered species doing well as it flies over an over populated concentration of snow geese, a study in contrasts. I'm sure I could find more contrasts if I thought about it a little longer.

Migration Moon

This was the scene over Squaw Creek NWR as the moon was setting as snow geese were heading out for the morning. It was hard to keep the camera on the moon when thousands of geese were lifting off behind me. 

Technical: 500 mm lens, WB at 4000

Spring Migration

The spring migration of snow geese through Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge at Mound City, Missouri, is an unbelievable experience in both sight and sound. The spring migration tends to be shorter but with higher numbers of birds. This blastoff was between weekly counts but the last count was over 600k. Next week's count may be zero. 

Technical: 500mm lens on Canon 7D, uncropped.

The Rhythm of Nature

I like to add background music to enhance the rhythms of nature but the the rhythm of these snow geese speaks for itself and needs no improvement. I was mesmerized by their motion and rhythm as thousands of birds flew in unison. The flight took place in near darkness one morning at Squaw Creek NWR. ISO sensitivity ranged from 8000-16000, yes 16,000! Recorded with a Canon C100 using a 100-400 lens. White balance at 6000k.

Bald Eagle Dinner

I spent the the entire afternoon watching a flock of ducks and several bald eagles with no action. Suddenly about 15 minutes before sunset an eagle swooped down and grabbed a mallard. I missed the grab but hit the record button a second later to get this footage. This might be amazing to me but the background sound reminds me that is a normal day in the lives of ducks and eagles.

Technical: slight cropping of birds on ice

Morning Blastoff

I see several possible titles for this image. "Waiting for my turn." and "Waiting for breakfast." along with a couple others. About 200 eagles were at the refuge and dining well on injured ducks and geese. I like the layers showing the different stages of flight in the morning blastoff. Shutter speed: 1/20 second at f22.

Leader of the Flock

I often wonder who goes first and why. The decision seems to be made a few seconds before lift off when there is near silence followed by an organized explosion of thousands of birds taking to the air. After lift off there seems to be confusion as the birds circle repeatedly looking for a place to land.

Technical: 1/15 second, ISO 1250. WB@5500

Snow Geese Landing

Only 8,000 snow geese were listed in the weekly count but warmer weather held promise for more birds. About a hundred thousand arrived on my first morning giving spectacular opportunities. This year flight shots were taken at a slow shutter speed, less than 1/100 second, in an attempt to convey the atomsphere of thousands of geese in the air. It was also a contrarian statement since geese are usually photographed frozen in space by a high shutter speed.

Change of Plans

I arrived at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Mound City, MO, well before sunrise intent on being in place for flocks of snow geese flying in front of the rising sun. On the way in this cloud drama caught my attention and the geese were forgotten about until their voices became overpowering.  Of course by then the best light had passed for my original plan. So much to photograph and such fleeting light, the bane of photography.

Snow Geese Feeding

Snow Geese Feeding at Squaw Creek NWR from Dale Bohlke on Vimeo.
With hundreds of thousands of snow geese in the middle of the refuge it was nice of this group to be near shore for photographers.  The temperature was 62 degrees, I wonder when we'll have our first 60 degree day. Technical: Splashing water audio added in post production using Foley technique.

Before and After

Before

After

Black and white conversion of a monochromatic silhouette using the local adjustment brush in Lightroom to open the of goose and slightly darken the water.  Some days you just have to play on the computer.

Fire and Snow Geese Video

Fire and Snow Geese at Squaw Creek NWR from Dale Bohlke on Vimeo.
Last Thursday I went Squaw Creek to photograph a few hundred thousand snow geese with a blue sky as background. The drama of smoke and fire coupled with birds in the air was much more interesting than the blue sky I was expecting.

The Sentinel

I sat and watched a group of snow geese as they fed in the later afternoon light while this one watched me. It never took its eyes off me except for a quick nibble. Why does a flock suddenly burst into the air, for no apparent reason? Is one the designated guard that alerts the group? Just another one of nature's mysteries. Technical: Would the picture be better without the stick in the neck? Should it cloned out of the shot? What about all the dark spots in the water?  Sometimes nature isn't perfect.

Fire and Snow Geese

My trip to Squaw Creek NWR in Missouri was short but unique.  I arrived Thursday afternoon and found a controlled burn in progress.  The birds were quiet but otherwise unaffected.  Cinders were falling from the air as I was torn between watching the fire and the birds.  The blue sky and 62 degree temperature were a welcome relief to our Minnesota March.