Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge

When I lived in Syracuse NY, I was lucky enough to live close to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. If you have ever travelled between Rochester and Syracuse on I-90, you will pass by the big eagle sculpture that is part of the refuge. When I first got into learning photography, I started with birds. Birds are easy to find. You can photograph them in cities and rural areas. They are everywhere. The refuge was one of the places I would frequently visit. I would take Wildlife Drive and pass marshes, ponds, and a river to see all kinds of birds. That’s how I started my photography journey. Today I went back with a friend. It was a cold and windy and we didn’t see many birds but we did see something cool. All of a sudden two birds popped up into the sky with one chasing the other. It was a juvenile bald eagle chasing an osprey. This lasted for a few minutes as we watched and a second adult bald eagle joined in. A minute later it was over and the birds went their separate ways with no harm done. It was a sight I had never seen before and I couldn’t believe our luck. They were pretty far away so I didn’t get any pictures but this was such a great day. One I’ll never forget.

If you want to see more of my writing, check out my Substack: https://macturkphotos.substack.com/

Is it failure or a learning experience

I hope some of you checked out the video I posted on Substack, a behind the scenes of sort from a day in the field last week. The video was shot shortly after I arrived at my location. Let’s just say it wasn’t my most successful day of shooting.

This was the only “usable” shot I got and it isn’t the best shot.

American Kestral

This is an American Kestral (Falco sparverius). The picture is not great at all but it was the first time I got a picture of this bird so I will keep it for reference purposes. This happens when you’re out photographing. Sometimes you just don’t get any great shots. The key is patience and just enjoying being out in nature. If you keep this in mind, you will never have a bad day in the field.

You can see the video on my Substack at https://macturkphotos.substack.com/. There is also some additional stories about my travels. Check it out.

Back in my old stomping grounds.

I arrived back in the place I left (Syracuse, NY) last June on Sunday. We will be here for a week before heading out again. Of course I will be catching up with friends but I have a couple of photo spots I want to check out. It will be a good time.

If you have some time, check out my Substack. I posted a little behind the scenes video from last week.

Link is below or https://macturkphotos.substack.com/

It also contains some additional writing from the past few months.

Have a great week.

Photo of the Week

I was experimenting with side light in this photo for a project. I hope you like this beautiful Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) on a windy day in Syracuse, NY. I would love your feedback on the photo.

Back in the field

Finally I was out photographing early this morning and it felt so good. I went to the Wallkill River National Wildlife Preserve and it was beautiful.

Unfortunately, I didn’t see a lot of birds but that wasn’t the point. I spent a cold but pleasant morning sitting in a marsh area. I mostly got “bird on stick” photos but I didn’t care. I was outside doing what I love. Can’t wait to go back out tomorrow.

Happy Earth Day

On April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthier, more sustainable environment. It remains one of the largest civic demonstrations in history. This was the birth of Earth Day. It inspired immediate action in the United States. By the end of 1970, landmark environmental legislation was passed like The Clean Air Act, The Clean Water Act and The Endangered Species Act among others. Today, it is recognized globally as one of the largest observances, with over a billion people in nearly 200 countries participating each year. The United Nations chose Earth Day 2016 as the day to sign the landmark Paris Agreement, a major international accord on climate change.

As is normal in US politics, the government has systematically tried to dismantle these laws since their passage. The fight continues more than 50 years later and is not slowing down. You might ber thinking I’m one person, what can I do? The short answer is a lot! Simple things like recycling, planting native flowers and trees, picking up trash if you see it, and conserving energy/water. Make sure your state and federal legislators know about the issues. You may or may not be shocked at how little our legislators and their staff know about issues across the country. Make them aware. They have local and federal offices you can call, they accept emails and letters with addresses readily available. If you need help with this, I have sample scripts that I’m more than happy to share. There is legislation regarding delisting and amendments to The Endangered Species Act, regulatory rollbacks at the EPA, increasing drilling and mining of our public lands, and farm pesticide liability issues pending at the federal level. This is in addition to several issues at the state levels.

We only have this one planet to live on and we must protect it at all costs for future generations.

Scouting

I discussed how I scout new places in a prior post. I planned to come to New York several months ago, mainly to visit the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, NY. Unfortunately, it is closed to the public until 2027. I was hoping another source may be able to get me in but that did not materialize. I will talk a little about the Wolf Conservation Center later this week. Since that plan was a little up in the air I had to make a plan b just in case. Before I left Indiana, I did some cursory research on other potential photography areas. I found the Wallkill River National Wildlife Preserve. It looked interesting for bird photography so I decided I would check it out. Since I’m here for five days, today would be my day to scout out the area. I wanted to get a feel for the drive (35 miles on back roads) and pick out good areas to set up for the birds. I totally made a rookie mistake that I shouldn’t be making anymore. Although I had done some research ahead of time, I never actually went on the preserve’s website. My goal for today was to locate the preserve, get a paper map (yes, I love paper maps) and speak with someone about the best areas for photographs. If I had gone to the website, I would have seen that the preserves in this area are scheduling controlled burns this month. I also would have noticed that the visitor center is only open by appointment. Needless to say, I didn’t find out any of this information until I got there. Now this didn’t ruin my day by any means. I was wandering around an ran into a ranger. He explained the controlled burn and pointed out the area where it was going to take place. We also talked about the best areas to access for photography. In other words, I got lucky and accomplished most of what I went there for. The only thing I didn’t get is a map. So tomorrow will be an early morning as I plan to get out there for sunrise. Off to do a little more research before tomorrow.

Travel and set up day

After a great week with my girls today was a travel and camp set up day. We arrived in Wallkill, NY and set up camp. It was a long day of travel and it is COLD here. And it’s going to be colder tonight. Scout and I will be hunkering down for the night. Tomorrow will be a day to explore and get some supplies. I’m looking forward to getting back out into the field for the next few days. It has been way too long.

Here’s a photo of Scout being extra cute in the hotel room. He had a bed all to himself.

Photo of the Week

Without further ado……..

This photo was taken at the float plane airport in Anchorage AK. Additionally it was the summer solstice, longest day of the year. The shot was taken around 12:30 am, yes that is what sunset looks like on the summer solstice. I loved the way the sunset was reflecting off the plane. This was our third location of that night. I will have to share some of the other photos at a later time. I hope you enjoy this photo and get to Alaska to see that beautiful state.

Have a great weekend.

Locked in

As I sit here tonight writing this blog post, I feel a sense of accomplishment. When I come to these events, for me, it’s more about the social aspect than actually creating a lot of “stuff”. I probably spend as much time talking and meeting new people as I spend actually working on my endless list of projects. Today though, I was locked in, not only with ideas for my stuff but also coming up with ideas for things other people were working on. It always feels so good when those creative juices get flowing. I feel the same way when it comes to my photography. It is way more than just pushing the shutter when you see something. What are you trying to convey with a photo? What feelings are you trying to illicit with in your viewer? These themes run throughout both of the creative endeavors I partake in. Though it seems like I have taken a break, I feel like so much of what I’ve done, seen, and discussed this week I will be able to transfer over when I’m out in the field next week

Check back tomorrow for the photo of the week. I love sharing meaningful images with everyone.

The people you meet along the way….

I met this amazing woman by chance at a craft event (crop) we think in 2015. I’ve thanked my lucky stars every day since.

It’s always find weird how the people you need in your life somehow find you. My friend, Lori, is probably the kindest person I know. She’s smart, fierce, a kick ass business woman, mother and wife. Even before I started living on the road we didn’t get to spend nearly enough time together as we lived quite far apart. It didn’t matter because as soon as we see each other, it’s that familiarity built over the years. We could and have, sat for hours just talking about anything and everything. I cherish every moment we get to “hang out” together. It is even more special as this year our group is missing one of our most important members, Amanda. We are all doing a pretty good job of keeping it “together” and remembering all the great times we’ve had at these very tables creating and chatting.

Please don’t wait until you lose someone to show your appreciation to those you love. Make that call. Facetime your people just to say hi. You will never regret it. I would lay down my life for these ladies and their families. I hope they know how much I love them.

Today is all about Scout

Today is all about my peculiar pup.

I remember the day I adopted you. You were so painfully shy and the rescue was so loud with all the barking. I could see the stress on your face. I sat on that floor for over a half hour and you didn’t pay any attention to me. I knew at that moment that I had to adopt you. I got you in the Jeep and you cowered on the floor but when I got you home, you climbed up on the couch with me an fell asleep. I think you knew you were safe and home. It has been quite the adventure for us. You are still shy and a little weird but I couldn’t imagine my life without you. You still lie on the floor of the car when we travel but you have turned into the best travel buddy a girl could ask for. Loud noises scare you. You are not nearly as shy and even let strangers pet you. I can’t wait to see where the wind takes us next. I will love you forever buddy.

This week is different.

I travelled to the Cleveland OH area today. This wee will be different. I spend this week hanging our with my soul sisters crafting, laughing, busting chops, and there will probably be a little crying as we miss Amanda. I don’t know what I would do without these ladies. They mean the absolute world to me (John too).

Photo of the Week

Without further ado……

This is one of my very earliest photos when I was just learning. A flaconer brought her birds in for us to photograph. Meet Mama the barn owl. It was such a learning experience for me. I worked on photographing birds in flight and bird portraits like this one. I even got to hold a bird.

This photograph is from 2015, boy do I look young here. Minutes after this picture was taken, this falcon spit up its pellet. It was gross and fascinating at the same time. I hope you are enjoying the photo of the week. See you on Monday.

My favorite guy

Today I did…..nothing. That’s it. I did nothing. It was just one of those days. My buddy Scout, kept me company doing nothing. Check back tomorrow, I promise a photo of the week.

Scouting new places

Although this area of Indiana is not new to me, I have never really looked for places to photograph. When I come here, it is to spend time with family and usually for a short duration. Although I am leaving soon, I decided to check out a new location as a possible spot for bird photos. An internet search found Fall Creek Trail at Geist Dam. It is billed as the “raptor spot.” It was just a short drive so I headed out on this cold morning. The exact area that I wanted to check out was closed off but I did take the path and saw more turkey vultures at one time than I have ever seen. There were about 12 at one time perched at various locations. I saw some hawks, herons, killdeer, and crows. I heard various other birds like cardinals, blue jays, wrens, and sparrows. I even added a purple finch to my life list. It was so nice to be out in nature again for the first time in awhile. I didn’t take any pictures on this walk for a change. I just tried to breath in the nature. Step, step, breath.

When plans change.

In photography, the initial plan that you make doesn’t always work out. The weather may not cooperate, an area you want to photograph may be temporarily closed or any number of obstacles may pop up. What do you do? Basically, I regroup and re-evaluate the situation. If needed, I switch my focus to a different species or area. I treat it as a learning opportunity. You can always learn something from every experience to apply to the next time. I have some plans for a trip in a couple of weeks but I think those plans may need to change a bit. I’m preparing for plan b just in case by researching alternative locations and opportunities in the area. You just have to roll with the punches so to speak. I always remember that any day in nature is a good day in nature.

A week of prep….

I have been under the weather for a few days but this week I need to get ready to hit the road again. Next week I will be in Cleveland for a week of crafting with friends. I will be in a hotel for the week so no camping but I will need to ready to camo the following week which means getting ready now. I have to go through the camper and resupply things I’ve used. I took Scout to get his nails done today and made sure I have enough food for him. I need to finalize my taxes. I need to do laundry and get my supplies for next week ready. It will be a busy week of boring adult stuff and limited photography. I might try to sneak out midweek if I can. Fingers crossed. In the meantime here is an old picture I love.

Photo of the Week

This weeks picture is from the Salt River in Tonto National Forest. I’ve been missing the peace of sitting by the river lately. Just looking at this picture brings me calm. Have a great weekend!

Wolves - Part 2

Picking up from yesterday’s blog, it is true that wolves come with some legitimate concerns from livestock owners. The question is, are there ways to mitigate these concerns that don’t involve termination of wolves en mass. The short answer is yes. So what can be done to allow livestock owners and wolves to co-exist? Options include the hiring of range riders, specialize cowboys who live with the herd during grazing season. Deterrents like tubo-fladry, acoustic devices, and foxlights can be employed to play into a wolf’s natural wariness. Livestock guardian dogs equipped with metal spiked collars to protect them from wolf bites have proven to be effective. Changes to herd management practices like carcass removal, synchronized birthing and low stress herding contribute to less wolf kills. The point is to say the the lethal option should be a last resort. To help offset the costs of these non-lethal options, grants could be provided to ranchers who employ them. The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. It’s time to try something different.

Another source of conflict is with hunters and somewhat by extension state Fish & Wildlife Management. I’m not going to argue the merits or morality of hunting. I’ve known hunters. I’ve consumed venison. Hunting has its place and I see no need to consider anything drastic like banning all hunting. I will save the issue of trophy hunting, which I’m wholeheartedly against, for another time. It is true that wolves keep the ungulate (think elk and deer) populations in check. Except for some indigenous communities, hunting is done for sport and not for sustenance. I see no need for hunters to tag multiple animals each year and with healthy ecosystems there should be enough to go around. I want to note here that there are four states that allow for wolves to be hunted: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Even though wolves are listed as endangered, the wolves in theses states are managed at the state level and therefore don’t fall under federal protections.

Lastly, I want to address the human fear of wolves that has persisted. Attacks are exceedingly rare in healthy wolves (those that don’t have rabies). Since the year 2000, there has been one fatal wolf attack in the US (2010 in Alaska). Non-fatal encounters occur 1-2 per year and generally happen with food conditioned wolves or wolves encountering domestic dogs. Statistically speaking, you’re more likely to be killed by a vending machine than a wolf.

By now, you are probably asking what my deal is with wolves that I would rant for two days about them. They are keystone species and can help “fix an ecosystem. They are exceedingly beautiful creatures that provide a bit of mystery to the wild. They provide me with a drive to photograph them in the wild. But most importantly, I love the idea of the pack. We all should have a “pack” to get through this life we have. Provide each other with comfort and strength, encouragement and drive to reach our goals and dreams. That is truly why I love wolves and you should too.

Check back tomorrow for the Photo of the Week.

Wendy

Note: There are no pictures with these posts as I have never encountered a wolf in the wild but I hope to some day.