The Perch. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
A hawk perches on the topmost branch of a wetland copse beneath Central Valley autumn sky.
This little clump of wetland trees is very familiar to me at this point, since I’ve photographed in this area for several years, typically during late autumn and winter months. I like to claim I go to photograph birds (yes, it is true) — but I also go to see and photograph the atmosphere and landscape of this corner of California’s Great Central Valley. One near constant with this copse is that there is virtually always at least one raptor perched on the highest branches.
This past week I understood a bit more another reason to go to such places. During the pandemic and its attendant travel restrictions, we’re all spending a lot more time in a very localized area around our homes, and for most of us that means that we are not seeing the expansive views that place like this offer. I’ve missed the wide-open sky and the big landscapes — and even short visits are therapeutic. For many of us it isn’t necessary to travel to a faraway location and a day or even an afternoon may be enough.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.
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