Tag Archives: mnwr

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

Final Approach

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Final Approach
“Final Approach” — A trio of snow geese lining up to land in a Central Valley pond.

Snow geese and Ross’s geese were my first interest years ago when I began paying serious attention to photographing birds. I had been tuned into California’s natural world for decades, but somehow I had missed the annual bird migrations, so “discovering” them was a thrill. Eventually the geese didn’t like the only thing worth photographing, and I no longer chase after them reflexively. But they still can be compelling — and there’s nothing quite like the sight and sound of thousands of them taking to the sky at once!

I photographed this trio on a late-December day when the numbers of geese were steadily increasing. There are more things to attend to when photographing these birds than you might think. Exposure can be tricky, as their brilliant white plumage can blow out in bright light or turn gray against the sky. Light needs to shine on them from the right direction or their features get lost in shadows. And, of course, you hope that the geese aren’t facing away from you! For this photograph I was in just the right spot as the birds turned toward me and into the breeze to land.

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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Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sky

Autumn Moon

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Autumn Moon
“Autumn Moon” — Clouds pass in front of the full moon in the early morning, Central Valley.

When I arrived at a Central Valley location where I photograph migratory birds on this late-November morning I was a bit disappointed to not have thick tule fog. I love to photograph in those conditions, partly because of the atmosphere they provide and partly because they often extend useful photography hours later into the day. But on this morning there was only the tiniest hint of incipient fog, and the view to the sky was rather clear.

I began by photograph ing birds before sunrise. As the sky begins to lighten the birds (mostly geese and cranes) become restless and eventually take off, often in large groups. During a pause in the passage of the birds I noticed the thinning clouds passing in front of the full moon as pink dawn light struck the edges of the clouds.

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.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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

Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Two Snow Geese Landing

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Two Snow Geese Landing
“Two Snow Geese Landing” — Two snow geese in the final moments before landing in a Central Valley wetlands pond.

The larger migratory birds often are graceful or powerful in flight, individually or in flocks. But that tends to break down in some ways as they land. They approach the ground, slow to stalling speed, crane necks forward, extend feet downwards, orient their bodies more vertically… and sometimes look downright silly at the last moment. (An exception can be the angle-like uplifted winds of geese in descending groups.) This pair is just at that moment then they transition from flight to landing.

This is a challenging moment to photograph the birds, but knowing a few tings about their behavior can increase your odds. Like airplane pilots, they come around to land facing the wind. If you can position yourself upwind from their likely landing point you get bird faces instead of bird butts. Also, at the last moment they tend to appear in front of distracting backgrounds. Here a larger aperture can blur the background, and looking for backgrounds that don’t include things that you don’t want in your photo — automobiles, buildings, power lines, etc.

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.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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

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

Red-winged Blackbird

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Red-winged Blackbird
“Red-winged Blackbird” — A red-winged blackbird perched in wetland plants, San Joaquin Valley.

I photographed this red-winged blackbird perching on wetland plants on New Year’s Day, 2024. (In this light and with the wing in this position, it is possible that it could be a tri-colored blackbird.) Anthropomorphizing animal behavior can be a mistake, but these birds always impress me as a happy bunch. Perhaps that is because their cries and their flight patterns make me happy. They also do a pretty good job of producing synchronized-flight “murmurations.”

They are not easy to photograph. They are small birds, and they fly quickly and often erratically. They hang out in vegetation and retreat to more obscure spots when you come close. And the black plumage of the male birds can lose details in a photo. (I usually over-expose them a bit to retain some detail.) A combination of quiet patience and quick reactions is required if you want to get the shot.

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.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

Scroll down to share comments or questions. (Click post title first if viewing on the home page.)

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