Category Archives: Photographs: Wildlife

Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Red-Winged Blackbirds

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Red-Winged Blackbirds
A group of male red-winged blackbirds on display in brush

Red-Winged Blackbirds. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A group of male red-winged blackbirds on display in brush.

When photographing the large and impressive migratory birds (cranes, geese, ibises) along with egrets and herons it is easy for me to overlook some of the smaller birds. To be honest, that is what I did when I first started photographing birds — my focus was virtually always on the larger specimens. But over time, and on days when the large birds aren’t around, I began to pay more attention to other no less deserving critters.

Red-winged blackbirds (and related variants) are found all over the place. In fact, I recently have a discussion with a Texas-based photographer friend in which he was extolling them. Where I go I typically spot them in groups in trees and among reeds, singing enthusiastically as the males show off their striking red patches. (There’s hardly a happier sound than a flock of these birds.) Sometimes they surprise me though — I’ll never forget one early wetlands morning when I saw veritable clouds of thousands of them arise at dawn.

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 and Amazon.

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Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Geese, Fog, Rising Sun

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Geese, Fog, Rising Sun
A flock of geese flies through winter sky above tule fog and rising sun.

Geese, Fog, Rising Sun. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A flock of geese flies through winter sky above tule fog and rising sun.

My favorite California winter conditions tend towards early mornings with thick tule fog that mutes light and sound — especially if it is cold, the surroundings are relatively natural, and birds are nearby. Every year as winter approaches I anticipate the first morning pre-dawn arrival at such a place, opening my car door, staring into the darkness, and hearing the sound of thousands of birds.

This was one of those mornings, and somewhat unexpectedly so. I watch weather forecasts in order to schedule visits when the fog appears. I had been watching for over a week, seeing endless reports of perfectly clear weather. (You may gather that such weather is what I least want.) But one evening when I checked again, a forecast now suggested the possibility of a couple of hours of early morning fog… and that was enough for me to change plans, get up hours before dawn, and give it a try. I made this photograph moments after sunrise, when the sun was barely visible though the low fog and birds flew overhead.

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 and Amazon.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Sandhill Cranes, Rural Road

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Sandhill Cranes, Rural Road
A group of sandhill cranes crosses an agricultural road.

Sandhill Cranes, Rural Road. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A group of sandhill cranes crosses an agricultural road.

Sandhill cranes can be noble birds, but they can also be downright goofy. One of the most impressive experiences I ever had while photographing birds came one evening, as the light was almost too dim to photograph. From the southeast we began to hear the characteristic call of these birds, and a moment later successive flocks of them filled this sky, with thousands of birds passing overhead before landing in nearby ponds. On the other hand, there are few things more gangly-looking than a crane trying to get itself straight for a landing!

I photographed this group at an unusual daytime hour, rather than at my more typical early morning or evening times. The small flock had collected along a levee road next to a pond, and they were mostly just standing around, occasionally shifting positions a bit. It seemed to be a quiet time for them — no flying in or departing, no “crane dance.” After an extremely foggy morning, the atmosphere was still hazy and the light soft.

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 and Amazon.

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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

White Pelicans, Fog

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White Pelicans, Fog
A small flock of white pelicans at rest in wetlands as sun rises on a foggy morning.

White Pelicans, Fog. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A small flock of white pelicans at rest in wetlands as sun rises on a foggy morning.

As I have written before, the existence of white Pelicans in California came as a surprise to me a few years ago. I was long familiar with the brown pelicans that skim along the coastal shoreline and occasionally land close-in. But I was so unaware that the white variant lives around here that the first time I photographed them — at a distance, though fog, with intense backlight — I misidentified them as another entirely different bird, making an error that seems obvious in retrospect. They are all over the place, flying over coastal bodies of water, settling on inland ponds, and more.

I spotted this group on a foggy morning in a spot where I’ve seen them many times before. Here a small group of perhaps up to a few dozen individuals often hangs out at a safe distance and, if I’m lucky, may decide to take flight and pass over my position. On this morning the smaller group was huddled close together out in the pond, partially obscured by thinning tule fog and softly light from the low-angle early morning sun.

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 and Amazon.

Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.