Early Fall Nature Photography

(click for larger image)

What a beautiful day! I had a little time to some nature photography this morning before work. I confess I haven't been doing all that much digiscoping lately. Sometimes it's simply more fun to observe birds (nature, too) and not worry about lugging the spotting scope and tripod around. In case you were wondering, most of the bird images appearing in my blog in the past few months are recycled from past seasons.


Outdoor Studio for Digiscoping

Since my Nikon Coopix 995 is starting to drop a few pixels, I decided to switch to the Coolpix 8400. I set up at one of my "outdoor studios" about 15 minutes before sunrise and birds were already zipping around in the dense habitat. This is a spot I often return to - it's been so productive, especially during the fall...many images in my digiscoping gallery were taken right here.

I saw (and heard) Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Common Yellowthroats, White-throated, Lincoln's and Song Sparrows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Eastern Bluebirds, even a Wilson's Warbler. I don't chase them down in order to get a photograph – I line up on a particular zone and wait. After several minutes, the birds begin to adjust to my presence and go about their business. In the limited time I had, the only bird to pop up on one of the pre-selected perches was this Song Sparrow:


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I'm still reluctant to retire the 995, but I suspect it's time to move from one discontinued digital camera to another one. I think I could get comfortable with the 8400 and make it my primary digiscoping camera.


Painted Lady (click for larger version)

All images © 2007 Mike McDowell

Birds Can "See" Earth's Magnetic Field

Yesterday I saw my first Dark-eyed Junco of fall. With migration being fairly steady throughout the night, there are sure to be more this morning. Many readers sent me the following story, which is pretty interesting stuff:

Birds Can "See" Earth's Magnetic Field

"Scientists already suspected birds' eyes contain molecules that are thought to sense Earth's magnetic field. In a new study, German researchers found that these molecules are linked to an area of the brain known to process visual information. In that sense, "birds may see the magnetic field," said study lead author Dominik Heyers, a biologist at the University of Oldenburg."

Link: Full article from National Geographic

Dark-eyed Junco © 2007 Mike McDowell

Porsche 911 Demolition

1010 Girls in Bikinis for World's Biggest Swimsuit Shoot

It was a sea of skin, peroxide and fake tan — over 1000 women in bikinis descending on Bondi Beach in an attempt to beat a world record that didn't actually exist.

The event, organised as a promotion between Cosmopolitan Magazine and Gillette, aspired to set a Guiness World Record for the "world's biggest swimsuit shoot".

A blend of 100 paid models and many more volunteers — mostly more interested in the free $120 goody bag than the notion of creating history — gathered in the sun.

In keeping with Guinness protocol, an achievable but challenging goal of 300 babes in bikinis was set to be officially recognised.

After early jitters from event staff, a late rush of girls pushed the attendance to an impressive 1010.

Sparrow Season

White-crowned Sparrow

My blog about reducing long-distance trips to observe birds apparently inspired a discussion thread on the Wisconsin Birding Network – how fascinating. But now it's time to set that aside and get back to birding as more sparrows pour into southern Wisconsin during the night - we're nearing the apex of migratory sparrow season.

This morning at Pheasant Branch I found my first White-crowned Sparrow of fall – a beautiful adult. I was birding with Sylvia and she thought she had heard it singing before we saw it, but I missed the song because I was concentrating on wren chatter from just behind us. Turning around, we were treated with an extremely close-up look at a Sedge Wren perched in thicket just a few feet away...so close we could see it blinking even without binoculars.


Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow

By now Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows should be at Nine Springs, arguably one of the most beautiful sparrows anywhere. I doubt I'll ever best the photographs of them as I was able to get last fall, so I'm not even sure I'll try. Dottie and Sylvia have never seen a sharp-tailed sparrow, so we're thinking about taking a trip there this weekend to try and find them. It can be very tricky. Nine Springs is often crawling with Song and Swamp Sparrows. Every LBJ (little brown job) that shoots out from the vegetation deserves a look through binoculars...just to be sure. Scanning and landing on a Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow is an annual superlative experience I have seldom missed.


Swamp Sparrow

All images © 2007 Mike McDowell

Painful Menstruation

TV host pukes on the air...

Fishing Adventures In Thailand

407 lb (185 kg) Arapaima - The biggest predator fish ever caught on rod and line in the history of Southeast Asian angling











































Sources: anglingthailand.com