Tag Archives: tule

Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Crane Quartet, Fog

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Crane Quartet, Fog
Four sandhill cranes walk thorugh shallow water in front of a larger flock on a very foggy morning.

Crane Quartet, Fog. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Four sandhill cranes walk thorugh shallow water in front of a larger flock on a very foggy morning.

As you can imagine, quiet and lonely places have their practical appeal these days. If I’m going out to photograph, especially if I’m driving somewhere, right now I tend to pick a time and place where there won’t be a lot of other people. Out in the middle of nowhere, at the end of a long pre-dawn drive in incredibly dense tule fog seems to do the trick quite nicely!

I’ve often wondered what it must be like to be a bird in a place such as this where the tule fog frequently forms in the winter. This fog is usually not very deep, and I’ve driven through tule fog so thick I could barely see the roadway, but if I looked up I could see stars and morning clouds overhead. I would think that these birds could easily lift off and emerge into sunshine on such a morning.

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: Birds, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

The Cranes Dance

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The Cranes Dance
A group of “dancing” sandhill cranes in early morning light.

The Cranes Dance. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A group of “dancing” sandhill cranes in early morning light.

This photograph is a companion to another that I shared a couple of weeks ago of this same group. It was early on a morning of thin fog, and the first direct sunlight had not yet arrived. As I worked my way slowly along a levee the view of this group of cranes appeared as I passed by some tall reeds. I stopped to watch and photograph. Mostly the birds were quiet, but before long they became more active, eventually taking off and flying away.

For a few minutes before their departure they engaged enthusiastically in the ritual “crane dance.” A group of cranes will assemble and the rise briefly into the air with a flapping of wings and a little hop, and just as quickly land again. Several birds in the group were alternately bending their heads down low, as the crane at the right, and jumping up wards. A few moments later the group took to the air and departed.

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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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: Birds, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Wetlands Cranes, Dawn

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Wetlands Cranes, Dawn
A flock of sandhill cranes at a wetland pond at dawn.

Wetlands Cranes, Dawn. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A flock of sandhill cranes at a wetland pond at dawn.

This group of sandhill cranes was “hanging out” along wetland ponds earlier this autumn, standing quietly in the soft light of a foggy morning. These noble birds are found across vast areas o f America, and at this time of year they visit more southerly locations. When I go out to photograph migratory birds, one of the things I look forward to every time is opening my car door when I arrive before dawn and hearing the distinctive call of the cranes.

From looking at a lot of bird photography (and reading some of the descriptions of it) you might think that it is a thrill-a-minute, non-stop action endeavor. You would be wrong. The reality is that much of the time is spent not photographing the birds! There’s the pre- and post-photography drive to get to these places and home again, usually done in darkness. Then there are often some very busy moments right around sunrise and sunset. Between those times there is a lot of quiet sitting and waiting, wandering around trying to find the birds, napping (!), snacking, followed by more wandering and waiting. This is not necessarily a bad thing. In a world full of constant demands and stimulation, the slow and quiet times with these birds can be restorative.

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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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: Central California, Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

The Perch

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The Perch
A hawk perches on the topmost branch of a wetland copse beneath Central Valley autumn sky.

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.

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.