The last time I was at Harriman was in autumn when Sue and I made this video of "Photography Questions and Answers".  This time out we found a totally different park, specifically one that was covered in snow and ice.  While we didn't make another video, we did have an adventure which you may find humorous.   While driving slowly along the quiet mountain road just after sunrise, I saw these massive icicles.  Normally I would pull over, get out and set up my tripod.  Unfortunately there was no where to pull off.  I quickly surveyed the scenario and figured I could take a few quick shots while stopped in the middle of the road.  I grabbed my 70-200, checked my mirrors and confirmed there were no other cars anywhere.  If there was any traffic I would not have even attempted it.  I hopped out quickly and gasped at the beauty of the scene.  I was just about to bring the camera to my eye when I heard Sue panic and say "Ummm... WHY is the car ROLLING???".  I should have mentioned that I drive a stick shift and in my haste failed to throw on the e-brake and we were on a hill with a slight downward grade.  Luckily I was able to hop back into the moving car Dukes of Hazzard style and stop it.  It's amazing how things like that seem to happen in slow motion.  After that little bit of drama I apologized profusely and made the shot above.  Camera settings at f10, 1/125, ISO 500.   

Wishing all of the athletes the best of luck as they compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.   Below is an image from Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies.  It's about 530 miles away from the site of the games.  This particular spot is called Moraine Lake, and is also referred to as the "Valley of the Ten Peaks".  It was taken at sunset, and you can actually see the last light of the day hitting the peak in the upper left.  Amazingly enough, the water really is that color.  Definitely one of the most photogenic lakes I've ever been to.  This was taken a few years ago with a Canon 10D, and a 4 stop grad ND filter.  Camera settings were: 17mm, f22, 1 sec, ISO 100, tripod mounted.

The light doesn't always cooperate, but why not make the best of it?  Shoot anyway, and you just may squeeze off a few nice frames.  Found these Brown Pelicans on the beach near the Suncoast Bird Sanctuary in Florida.  They are wild, but hang out near the sanctuary since they get an occasional free fish. 

 

Snapped a quick iPhone pic of this sign.  Perhaps they would all be covered in Canada?

 

 If you find yourself near Tampa, check this place out!  Their staff and volunteers are clearly "for the birds".  Follow this link for more info.

 

 

Here are a few more shots from our adventure in the mangroves.   Both were taken with the 70-200 f2.8.

 Little Blue Heron

Great Egret

Kayaks are a great way to get close to birds without spooking them.  Of course it can be difficult to operate a camera while trying to maneuver your vessel, but with a little practice it's quite possible.  My preferred kayak lens is the 70-200 f2.8.  I can hand hold it, and shoot wide open to achieve a fast enough shutter to freeze any boat motion.  I always focus on the eyes of the subject.  As my photographer friend Beth Green always says,  "The eyes are the window to the soul, and are therefore a critical part of the portrait".   I find the same thing to be true with wildlife photography.    

 

I love New York, but Florida sure has its fair share of swagger.  Going from a frosty 25 degrees to shorts and a t-shirt was well worth the price of airfare alone.  In between visits with family I managed to squeeze in a sunrise bird shoot.  Just outside of Fort DeSoto State Park, Sue and I found these nesting Bald Eagles.  I used a 400mm lens mounted on a tripod.  Aperture was at f5.6, Shutter at 1/3200, ISO at 640. While New York has an incredible variety of avian life, Bald Eagle sightings are not too common.  Watching this male and female build their nest was one of the highlights from the trip. 

 

Each September in Japan, fishermen emerge from their dwelling with a secret mission. Their goal is to capture and sell exorbitant numbers of female dolphins. They will be used by resorts for tourist attractions like "swimming with dolphins." Others will be placed on display in tiny aquariums, and viewing tanks. Any creatures deemed unsalable are crudely slaughtered.  Photos and video are strictly prohibited in this area.

Enter the filmmakers from the documentary, "The Cove."  Using high-tech Navy Seal type tactics, conservationalist Ric O'Barry and his team were able to set up remote cameras to gather evidence.  They eluded militant authorities in order to complete their mission.  Success however, was nothing to celebrate as the footage is sobering.  It's an arresting sprawl of convulsing creatures fighting for their final breath. In a wicked sea of murderous red, the air hangs heavy with the smell of death. Audio recordings play to reveal the dolphins shrill chorus of terror as they anticipate their demise.

Why am I sharing this? 

As Emily Dickinson wrote in her poem:

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching;
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

These filmmakers risked their lives to capture the footage, and create this documentary. They strongly believe that increased public awareness will help to cease the killing.  I was profoundly affected by this film, both as a photographer, and citizen of the planet. In the video below Ric talks about how you can help save these Dolphins.  

UPDATE: THE ORIGINAL VIDEO WAS REMOVED FROM YOUTUBE.  Here is an alternative: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Oq8xuqkVH8

I have also gone ahead and filled out the petition below.

"The Cove" is available on Netflix, as well as from Amazon.

Sue and I took an evening stroll along the west end of Jones Beach to watch the first sunset of the new year.  The clouds had ideas of their own, and blocked the sun pretty well.  Nevertheless, we kept walking and eventually came to a long jetty that juts out into the ocean.  The tide was coming in and the strength of the waves kept building.  While I was looking through the viewfinder a renegade wave soaked my feet.  That's just part of the deal with nature photography.  Whether I fall in a stream, get rained on, or hit by a wave, I rarely have dry feet.  Meanwhile, Sue spotted several Horned Lark, and over a hundred Purple Sandpipers.  She also identified Common Eider, a Red Throated Loon, and Atlantic Brant.  A great day for bird watching!  I used a long exposure to capture this, my first shot of 2010.  Here's hoping for many more in the new year!

Camera settings: 17-40mm at 34mm, f11, 1 sec, ISO 100, tripod.

 

Camera settings: 400mm lens at f8, ISO 200, 1/640th, Fill flash through umbrella at camera right, tripod.

My thanks again to the Volunteers for Wildlife for the great work they do, and for letting me photograph their animals!  To see what they're up to, check them out on twitter. 

Despite the hospitals best efforts, not all of the patients are able to be released into the wild. For example, "Therese" the Eastern Screech Owl pictured above, has a badly injured right eye after colliding with a building.

"Solomon", the beautiful Barred Owl below was injured in an automobile collision, and suffered from a fractured wing. His wing was surgically repaired by a veterinarian. Although the rehabilitation center had planned to release him after the surgery, it was then discovered that he was blind in his left eye. As owls rely heavily on their keen vision to hunt for prey, he was found to be unsuitable for release to the wild. Although once found on Long Island in large numbers, Barred Owls have been seldom seen here in recent years due to a lack of suitable habitat.

There are also birds that have been imprinted by humans, and have never learned to hunt, or fend for themselves. Taylor the Red Tailed Hawk is one such example. He was confiscated by the Department of Environmental Conservation from a citizen who intended to illegally keep him captive. A trial ensued, and the DEC requested he remain at their center. He could not be released to the wild because he had become too accustomed to humans.