outdoorswithcamera

This Morning’s Moonset

I drove up Snowbowl Road and managed to arrive at the top of the road just in time to get my camera out, steady it on top of my car, and shoot. That was 5:19 a.m. Tomorrow morning’s moonset should be at 6:01. Ample time to plan, get the tripod and camera ready, shoot some…

jwilce

September 30, 2020

#colors, #digital cameras, #moon, #nightsky, #northern Arizona, #outdoor photography, #photoblog, #photography, #photonarratives, Arizona, Canon EOS Rebel Cameras, Digital single lens reflex cameras, Moonrises, Moonsets, Mountains, outdoor photography, rural America, San Francisco Peaks

Cosmos
Wing Flapping Displays As Agonistic Behavior

I introduced this series of posts addressing “agonistic behavior” with the following definition, from the Wikipedia article on the subject: “The term has broader meaning than aggressive behaviour because it includes threats, displays, retreats, placation, and conciliation.” This post highlights wing flapping by ducks as an example of agonistic behavior that is clearly not fighting (but could…

jwilce

September 19, 2020

#bird photography, #digital cameras, #FlagstaffArizona, #northern Arizona, #outdoor photography, #photoblog, #photography, #photonarratives, #wildlife photography, #wings, agonistic behavior, animal behavior, Arizona, bird photography, bird photos, Canon EOS Rebel Cameras, Digital single lens reflex cameras, outdoor photography, wildlife photography
Agonistic Behavior: Small Vs. Large Once More

One clash, two photos— Red-winged Blackbird Harrassing Great Blue Heron on banks of Francis Short Pond. In the first, the blackbird passes by the heron. In the second, the heron seems to me more worried. Once again two species clash, and once again the smaller seems to have the upper hand— or at least it…

jwilce

September 18, 2020

#bird photography, #digital cameras, #FlagstaffArizona, #northern Arizona, #outdoor photography, #photoblog, #photography, #photonarratives, #wildlife photography, agonistic behavior, animal behavior, Arizona, bird photography, bird photos, Canon EOS Rebel Cameras, Digital single lens reflex cameras, herons, outdoor photography, wildlife photography
The Agoni(stic) And the Ecstacy (Or Not): Bird Vs. Mammal

Juncos are fairly tough birds. They hiss and click if you unwittingly get near their nests. So if they can challenge humans, ground squirrels may well appear to them to be relatively easy to chase off. That is the way it seemed a month ago when two juncos challenged a rock squirrel in our front…

jwilce

September 18, 2020

#bird photography, #digital cameras, #FlagstaffArizona, #northern Arizona, #outdoor photography, #photoblog, #photography, #photonarratives, #wildlife photography, agonistic behavior, animal behavior, Arizona, bird photography, bird photos, Canon EOS Rebel Cameras, Digital single lens reflex cameras, outdoor photography, wildlife photography
“Agonistic Behavior” Among Birds: More Than Just Fighting

A useful introduction to the term “agonistic behavior” is found here,” from Wikipedia—”Agonistic behaviour is any social behaviour related to fighting. The term has broader meaning than aggressive behaviour because it inecludes threats, displays, retreats, placation, and conciliation.” My camera and I see it all the time, from our bird bath to clashes in the (relative) wild. I have documented such…

jwilce

September 16, 2020

#bird photography, #digital cameras, #FlagstaffArizona, #northern Arizona, #outdoor photography, #photoblog, #photography, #photonarratives, #raptors, #wildlife photography, #wings, agonistic behavior, animal behavior, Arizona, bird photography, bird photos, Canon EOS Rebel Cameras, Digital single lens reflex cameras, outdoor photography, wildlife photography
Motion Blur Photography #3: Flock of Geese

You have noticed by now that there are two connected ponds on the Old Walnut Canyon Road (the road that leads to Walnut Canyon National Monument) that attract a variety of waterfowl as well as ospreys, bald eagles, and swallows. Once again I turn to my cache of photos taken there for another favorite— the…

jwilce

September 15, 2020

#bird photography, #digital cameras, #FlagstaffArizona, #northern Arizona, #outdoor photography, #photoblog, #photography, #photonarratives, #wildlife photography, #wings, animal behavior, Arizona, Behavioral synchrony, bird photography, bird photos, Canon EOS Rebel Cameras, Digital single lens reflex cameras, outdoor photography, wildlife photography
Motion Blur #2: Photographing American Avocets in Flight

I live hundreds of miles inland from the Pacific, but late in August, Flagstaff was visited by a flock of American Avocets. As you saw in my first Motion Blur post, the technique produces some cool effects. (By the way, like yesterday’s post, this shot was taken at the Old Walnut Canyon Road Ponds. I…

jwilce

September 14, 2020

#bird photography, #digital cameras, #FlagstaffArizona, #northern Arizona, #outdoor photography, #photoblog, #photography, #photonarratives, #wildlife photography, #wings, Arizona, bird photography, bird photos, Canon EOS Rebel Cameras, Digital single lens reflex cameras, outdoor photography, wildlife photography

#northern Arizona, #Shorebirds, Avocets, Flagstaff, Flocking behavior, Motion blur photography, Nature photography
Motion Blur: Photographing Birds in Flight

I have been working on lessons taught by Lisa Langell a month ago in a webinar hosted by Arizona Highways Photoscapes. In particular, I am still very much working on my skills in shooting and editing photos intended to be partially blurred. I intend to show you what I mean in more posts in the…

jwilce

September 13, 2020

#photography

#Shorebirds, Motion blur photography, Winged flight
Gray Fox In Our Neighborhood

A few weeks ago, on back to back days, I had magical encounters with a gray fox, which was standing on one of the huge boulders adjacent to the Cheshire Pond (Cheshire Park). My wife and I had last seen one in our neighborhood about 16 years ago! I took this photograph during the first…

jwilce

September 11, 2020

#northern Arizona, #photography, #wildlife photography, animal behavior, Arizona, outdoor photography

Family Canidae, Mammals, Open spaces, Public parks, Suburban wildlife, the "dog" family
A doe and her fawn

I know that gardeners are not always fond of deer making an appearance, since it can involve pretty much decimating at least one plant the deer find tasty. Putting that aside, however, watching a doe who has been visiting our boulder-filled back yard (and the plants my wife has worked so hard to nurture) for…

jwilce

September 4, 2020

#photography
Rock Squirrels

On September 1, my wife called me to the window to come and see a “rock squirrel party.” Rock squirrels (Otospermophilus variegatus ) are the little rodents that we first met when we moved to our current home in Flagstaff, Arizona—and were a bit mystified. The genus otospermophilus is a group of ground squirrels. Our…

jwilce

September 4, 2020

#photography
Red-tailed hawk in Claremont, CA

A week ago my wife and I visited my home town, Claremont California. Whenever I go there I prioritize taking a walk along Thompson Creek. As we walked, something caught my eye—a hawk on a 15-foot-high eucalyptus branch. I began to photograph what was apparently a red-tailed hawk. The next thing I know, another hawk…

jwilce

September 3, 2018

#accipiters, #bird photography, #California, #digital cameras, #hawks, #outdoor photography, #photoblog, #photography, #photonarratives, #raptors, #wildlife photography, #wings, animal behavior, bird photos, California, outdoor photography, wildlife photography
Waterfowl on Frances Short Pond (Flagstaff)

It’s been a frightfully warm winter, but not so warm as to completely melt the ice on our fair city’s beloved municipal pond near a couple of our public schools. Frances Short was an “educator and city councilperson” in Flagstaff. (For more information, click here.) The pond and its immediate environs are home to waterfowl…

jwilce

December 28, 2017

#bird photography, #digital cameras, #FlagstaffArizona, #northern Arizona, #outdoor photography, #photoblog, #photography, #wildlife photography, animal behavior, Arizona, bird photography, bird photos, outdoor photography, wildlife photography

#Arizona, #birds, #publicspaces, coots, ducks, Flagstaff, mallards, municipal parks, waterfowl
Male Red-Winged Blackbird Puffs Himself Up Before Vocalizing

See my newly posted video of a male red-winged blackbird. It’s pretty fun to watch him puffing himself up like a bagpipe and then producing his own piping call.

jwilce

July 11, 2017

#photography
Spring (or at least nest-building material) is in the mouth

It’s always nice when I discover that my camera has seen more than I did when I took a shot. That has happened lately, as spring gets ready to turn to summer, when I see “Well well, the little creature seems to be building a nest!” (Of course I am also very aware of seeing…

jwilce

June 4, 2017

#bird photography, #digital cameras, #northern Arizona, #outdoor photography, #photoblog, #photography, #wildlife photography, animal behavior, Arizona, bird photography, bird photos