Nature Photography (Formally Spring is in the Air)

[stargatedalek]

Those are some very nice shots indeed you guys!

I'll have to go through my photos and see if I have anything worth sharing, I have a feeling most of them will be of feral birds though.

[Gwangi]

Yes I did ask for, but I'm glad I did, you have some great shots there. That bullfrog is a beast! And it's always fun to see a mudpuppy. I actually caught one myself years ago while dip netting for fish, didn't have a cell phone or camera at the time so no picture unfortunately. Would love to see a hellbender but they're scarce around here, will have to take a field trip I guess. I have A LOT of frog pictures I have to share. Actually if you look on the first page you'll see a bunch of pictures of spring peepers, wood frogs and American toads that I took a few springs ago. I think you'll appreciate them.

Stargate, please DO post some pictures, even if they are feral birds. How exactly are they feral though?

Great to see this thread finally getting more activity, Radman would have loved it. I'll post some more later, it gives me an excuse to go through all my old pictures.

[stargatedalek]

Feral as in introduced species or wild species that have adapted to become completely reliant on people, namely pigeons and a few starling species, but there's also a small population of feral ducks (peking duck I believe) and peafowl, but these are isolated and probably aren't reproducing.

I checked my photographs and was rather shocked, other than a bunch categorizing my figurines there were next no none, I have a feeling everything from more than a few years ago got saved in strange places amongst photos I know nothing about. I do however have lots of photos from my trip to Monterey Bay aquarium (not sure if they are really applicable here however). The only local ones are a few of some chickens/ducks from a local tourist farm/tea house (and only a few of those I have uploaded on hand).

These are from last summer, a mother hen and her chicks, more of them are uploading right now so expect more in a few minutes (also some of the other chickens and ducks).



These are a few choice pictures from the rather large gallery of pictures from Monterey Bay, perhaps I should get around to making a thread for a whole bunch of these someday. I only just realized I only uploaded about half the photos worth.

[Doug Watson]

Feral as in introduced species or wild species that have adapted to become completely reliant on people, namely pigeons and a few starling species, but there's also a small population of feral ducks (peking duck I believe) and peafowl, but these are isolated and probably aren't reproducing.

I checked my photographs and was rather shocked, other than a bunch categorizing my figurines there were next no none, I have a feeling everything from more than a few years ago got saved in strange places amongst photos I know nothing about. I do however have lots of photos from my trip to Monterey Bay aquarium (not sure if they are really applicable here however). The only local ones are a few of some chickens/ducks from a local tourist farm/tea house (and only a few of those I have uploaded on hand).

These are from last summer, a mother hen and her chicks, more of them are uploading right now so expect more in a few minutes (also some of the other chickens and ducks).

We have a local petting farm/tea house/restuarant as well called the Valley View Farm it is actually part of a working farm but I used to take my daughter there when she was young so she could feed and pet the goats, pigs, horses, emus, deer, cattle, rabbits, alpacas, IIamas, pheasants, ducks, geese etc. She loved it and I really miss taking her there, Great place for city kids to get close to animals and find out where their food comes from.
I love your photos from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, we were there years ago but I never seem to get good photos like that. I have better luck in the wild.

[Doug Watson]

Actually if you look on the first page you'll see a bunch of pictures of spring peepers, wood frogs and American toads that I took a few springs ago. I think you'll appreciate them.

I love your toad shots especially that guy up on his tippy toes. Its funny I don't think I have taken any shots of toads (digital anyway). There used to be an annual migration through my yard but I haven't seen them for a couple years now. Always loved toads, lots of character and of course I kept a few when I was a kid. They seemed to like their chins tickled.

[Gwangi]

My previous residence (where those toad shots were taken) was near a "migration route" as well. During the late summer you would see lots of tiny toadlets hopping around the lawn. Made mowing the lawn a bit stressful. But the swamp I photographed those in were right behind the house. Always enjoyed hearing them in the spring. I have tons of pictures of wood frogs breeding, I still need to post some of those.

Stargate, I do know what feral means, I was just wondering what you were considering feral. The photos of the aquarium are great, but probably best posted in another thread since they're not technically wild which is what this thread is for. Speaking of which I have tons of pictures from the New Jersey Aquarium and Philadelphia Zoo...I might post those...some day.

[stargatedalek]

I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to imply you didn't know what feral meant. I was clarifying what I considered made an animal feral, since I know sometimes it varies person to person.

[Gwangi]

I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to imply you didn't know what feral meant. I was clarifying what I considered made an animal feral, since I know sometimes it varies person to person.

That's alright, no harm done. And if I came across as snippy it was not my intention.

[stargatedalek]

That's alright, no harm done. And if I came across as snippy it was not my intention.

Don't worry, you didn't come across as snippy

Here's some more of the chicks, and some of the ducks too. Sorry for so many but they were just so photogenic that it was to select just a few.

[Gwangi]

They remind me of the ducks I had growing up. We had a magpie duck and a moscovy who bred and produced nine babies. The mother was friendly which meant the babies were friendly. I loved those ducks. They would roam all over the street I lived on, eat at the neighbors bird feeders, a couple even left for the wilds and lived at the beaver swamp across the street! When I have the land for it again, I'll get ducks and chickens both.

[stargatedalek]

That sounds wonderful! I've always wanted a duck or gamebird, but they take so much training to keep as indoor pets, not that it isn't possible (especially with a few breeds of chickens which are actually bred as indoor pets).

[Gwangi]

That sounds wonderful! I've always wanted a duck or gamebird, but they take so much training to keep as indoor pets, not that it isn't possible (especially with a few breeds of chickens which are actually bred as indoor pets).

I actually had a couple house chickens a few years ago. They would stay in the cage until I got home from work and we would let them out in the yard. At dark they would come back on their own, peck at the door and walk straight into their cage. They were clicker trained too. Loved those birds. We lived in a trailer park at the time and they were popular with all the neighbors. We moved a couple summers back though and set up an outdoor pen for them and a predator got them, most likely a fox. We were crushed needless to say, such awesome pets. Gertie and Georgia, you can find a picture of them on the first page of this thread.

[Doug Watson]

We had a goose growing up. Ottawa has a farmers market in the downtown and every Easter they would sell chicks and baby rabbits. When she was full grown it was just like having a big white attack dog. It would chase strangers and dogs out of the yard but was just fine with us. It was probably in the plans from the start but I guess we kids weren't in the loop but the goose eventually ended up on the dinner table. so much for our poultry.

[Doug Watson]

Here is part one of my bird shots all from Ontario. The neat thing about this exercise is I have found shots that I forgot I took.

First we have some dinosaur eggs or Eastern Kingbird eggs to be exact.


Dinosaur babies or Eastern Kingbird again.


Gwangi, when I said I had never seen a Green Heron hunting off a log I forgot I had taken similar shots (but not as good) of one hunting from a rock.  It came up empty on this attempt.


This Barred Owl was having a morning snooze on a fence post during a snow fall.


The next three is a sequence from Algonquin Park showing a Great Blue Heron catching a Bullhead.


Got him.


This heron either through instinct or experience knew the Bullheads spines were not going to go down easy so it worked on each one grabbing it and then snapping it like a whip to break the joint.


A Great Blue Heron at the point of lift off.


A Great Blue Heron in flight.


A Mallard in eclipse plumage taking off. On second thought I think this is a Mallard/Black Duck Hybrid.


Canada Geese in flight.


Some Double-Crested Cormorants.


Another Double-Crested Cormorant.


Some Common Mergansers

[Gwangi]

Beautiful pictures Doug, I particularly like the shots of the barred owl and cormorants. The kingbird nest it nice to see, I've seen Eastern kingbirds but I've never seen a nest. Blue herons are always a treat to see as well, especially in action!

[Doug Watson]

Beautiful pictures Doug, I particularly like the shots of the barred owl and cormorants. The kingbird nest it nice to see, I've seen Eastern kingbirds but I've never seen a nest. Blue herons are always a treat to see as well, especially in action!

Thank you, most of the Kingbird nests we see are in branches that overhang the water like the one with the babies. The one with the eggs was in a hollowed out top of a stump out in the water. The nest was only about three feet above the water. The eggs hatched and the babies eventually flew away.

[Gwangi]

I guess I should post some dinosaur pictures too.

American Coot


Ring-neck Pheasant




Eastern bluebird


Tufted Titmouse


Yellow-rumped Warbler

[Gwangi]

Beautiful pictures Doug, I particularly like the shots of the barred owl and cormorants. The kingbird nest it nice to see, I've seen Eastern kingbirds but I've never seen a nest. Blue herons are always a treat to see as well, especially in action!

Thank you, most of the Kingbird nests we see are in branches that overhang the water like the one with the babies. The one with the eggs was in a hollowed out top of a stump out in the water. The nest was only about three feet above the water. The eggs hatched and the babies eventually flew away.

Sound similar to red-winged blackbird nesting, except they build their nests in tufts of reeds and grasses, but it's low to the ground and often over water.

[Doug Watson]

I guess I should post some dinosaur pictures too.

Beautiful shots, are the pheasants wild?

The Kingbird nests that are in the overhanging branches are usually about 5 feet or higher above the water that is why I found the one in the stump so unusual. But it worked for that pair.

[Gwangi]

I guess I should post some dinosaur pictures too.

Beautiful shots, are the pheasants wild?

The Kingbird nests that are in the overhanging branches are usually about 5 feet or higher above the water that is why I found the one in the stump so unusual. But it worked for that pair.

Worked for your pictures too! Yes, the pheasants are wild. I used to live at a place adjoining a large field where they lived and they were frequent bird feeder visitors. I have lots of pictures of the males, hens and even some juvenile birds too. I should point out that they're not native however and their success in the wild is aided in a large part by the local government releasing a large number of birds into the wild every year.