Cal Poly Nights

Cal Poly Nights, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Night settles in over San Luis Obispo, California.

The Lens Goes Back; But I Keep the Photos

While we were at Shenandoah River State Park last weekend, I posted about our quick trip to Skyline Drive to test a 300mm prime lens (post here).  At the time, I was leaning towards keeping it, but still had some concern about the inflexibility of a single focal length lens.  So, today we went to the Smithsonian National Zoo for another photo-shoot. I got some great photos, but I also proved to myself that I would be frustrated without the ability to change the focal length on the fly; especially important when I am unable to increase the distance between myself and my subject (which is a very likely scenario on a wildlife-focused trip we will be taking in July).  I also couldn’t justify the expense of the lens.  After all, I do little more with my photos than post them in online galleries and the blog.

So, after a long and difficult decision-making process, this most excellent lens is going back.  I can think of at least two avid photographers who, if they read this post, will think I’m nuts.  But I have to do what’s right for me.

I have another plan of action in place that I think will give me the best of both worlds — great photographs at a more reasonable price and a simpler (and lighter) camera bag.  I hope to test my plan when we take the Phaeton out for Memorial Weekend.

In the meantime, here are some of my favorite shots from the zoo photo-shoot.  I wish they were photographs of wildlife in their natural habitat, but I needed a captive audience — no pun intended — to finish my testing before the deadline for returning the lens came and went.

(Speaking of returning the lens: kudos to B&H — a photographer’s ultimate toy store — for their prompt service and no-hassle return policy.  We’ve been using them for years to order our photo/video gear.)

Giant Panda
not sure if this is mei xiang or tian tian, but either way I can tell you that there was no
“mating action” during the recent estrus period.  so, Mei Xiang has been artificially inseminated;
we’re all anxiously waiting to hear the pitter-patter of mini panda paws later this year.

Grevy’s Zebras
somehow B&W seemed an appropriate treatment for this, my second favorite of the zebra
photos from this shoot.  I posted my favorite in the viewfinder.  Take a look; I think you’ll like it.

Sumatran Tiger
I believe this is Guntur, born may 2006 here at the zoo; his name means thunder.

this young male is one of the lion cubs that was born in .
[baby photo album and video footage here.]

Brotherly Love

Orangutan
we watched batang (female) use the overhead o-line — orangutan highway, if you will — to
join two other orangs in this yard.  I captured this shot as she mischievously stole a treat
from kiko, the zoo’s adult male orangutan.  Just look at the expression on her face!

Left: Black-Crowned Night Heron
Approx. 200 pairs of wild night herons stop over at the Smithsonian zoo to nest each year.
this is one of those wild herons.

right: surveying its domain from a high perch, this peacock lives in the free-flight aviary.

Wattled Cranes
The chick, born March , is a bit blurry, I’m afraid, but I just had to include it here.
[balancing myself and the camera on tiptoes is not ideal for wildlife photography!]

Flamingo with Egg
this flamingo rose just in time to give us a peek at its egg before sitting back down on it. 
the flamingos at the zoo lay their eggs in may-june; chicks hatch a month later.

Wood Duck ducklings
I was just in time to see the ducklings at feeding time; they were a blur of activity, but I
did manage to get one or two shots of lone ducklings in focus.

Grouse
[I believe; if I am wrong, please correct me by leaving a comment]

Using the burst mode on my camera, I came away from this shoot with 641 pictures.  Not all were good, of course.  And many of them were duplicates.  I’ve whittled them down to 48 pictures.  If you’d like to see the ones I did not include in this post, click here to visit my online gallery.

Council Bluffs Bike Paths Open

This week, we got the word that CB was planning to open the
Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge Saturday morning. With that came the plans to open the levee trails. Levee trails will be open during daylight hours only.
I was looking forward to check out the trails and take a few photos. This morning John and I headed out for Sunday Morning Ride. From Panera Bread, we rode the new section of the Veteran's Memorial Trail to Lake Manawa Trail. Detoured down to the river to see the level.
On over the Indian Creek bridge. I had ridden to the bridge last week, so know how full the creek was. Stiff headwind greeted us as we rode up Indian Creek. At Hwy 92, I was surprised to see that the water level had dropped enough to ride under the bridge. (see photo) Even the trail had been cleaned!
Smooth sailing (pedaling) on over to the Western Historic Trails Center. Its still some time before the water will drop enough to ride on past the Trails Center. Short visit with Dewey. Time to pedal back to Panera so John can get home and mow the lawn.
OH, I should say something about the weather. Cold front came through yesterday. Our ride this morning was done under sunny skies, temperature in the mid 60's, and a stiff NW breeze. Glad I had long sleeves and a jacket for the ride. Cool for Labor Day Weekend.

Island Steam

First light over the Susie Islands on a -13 degree morning. During early winter Lake Superior is still carrying a lot of warmth from the summer and fall seasons. As the cold arctic air flows over the waters of the lake in early winter, the cold air clashes with the warmer air radiating from the lake and creates large amounts of steam. When the sun breaks the horizon and illuminates the steam it makes for one of the most awe-inspiring scenes a person can witness on the big lake.

A Very Pretty Garden

The houses in our little village are a complete mix of styles and sizes. So are the gardens.

Our own garden is a mixture... some pretty areas, lots of vegetable and fruit growing areas, dog friendly areas, and dog-free child-friendly spaces. Definitely practical rather than decorative!

One garden which I pass regularly on my dog walking route is very beautiful and belongs to a friend of ours.



How cute is that little island!

It has a table and chairs and a lamp, I have no doubt that young Harry will be desperate to play 'pirates' there next time he visits.



She has a great eye for detail, which even extends to the grassy lane outside the garden which is only ever traversed by (dog)walkers and the occasional tractor.

A bench is provided for the weary to rest a while!

Lazy game cam

The game cam is triggered by heat, so when the air is warm there's not much action. These photos are from the last two months.

We thought this was a fox at first, but it's a reddish coyote instead. Here's how you tell the difference: Foxes have black "leggings" and ear tips, and white tips on their tails.¹

Other than bobcats, I think turkeys are my favorite game cam find. We get most pictures of them on dark cloudy days.

I love this photo of their tailfeathers! I'm always excited to find turkey feathers on the ground, but finding them still attached to the turkey is even better.

The weeds might be getting too tall for good critter pictures.

It looks like this deer has a tick in her ear.

The weeds are definitely getting too tall for good critter pictures.

Extreme close-up... the deer can evidently hear the trigger mechanism, and are more curious than you'd think.

Dang. The only spotted fawn game-cam picture ever, and he's already exited the frame.

Not-so-wild Deere and Bush Hog.
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¹You can look at the Red Fox wiki if you don't believe me.

Life in Rural Lincolnshire

I hold my hand up right now and declare that I do not support fox hunting, however, I do love the spectacle of the horses, hounds and the hunting pink jackets.





This post is not about the rights or wrongs of hunting, nor is it about the problems caused by foxes, I am simply reporting on my day.





I spent a couple of hours digging another vegetable bed - one whole one! So that is three done, so far. By then it was time for our lunch and a welcome break.

I became aware that I could hear horses so I nipped out to the front, to be greeted by this sight. Disappearing into the distance was the hunt. I watched them go with mixed feelings - wishing the foxes well, and the horses and hounds a safe return.

I resumed my digging and some time later these two stragglers came, separately, into the barley field. The darker one seemed happy to amble around sniffing here and there, the other one was desperate to find his way back to the pack - long since gone.

The hunt clattered back down our road, disrupting the postman's round and causing havoc with the tractors which frequent the narrow road.

I heaved a huge sigh of relief as I had been waiting for them to go away so that I could walk up the road to visit Arnold - Toby would have had a fit of the vapours if he'd been faced with meeting so many strange dogs.

However, the hunt hadn't finished as they came back through and gathered at the old railway bridge while someone was dispatched to find the stragglers. I wonder if they lose many hounds that way.

I took the opportunity to walk the couple of hundred yards up the road to visit the old horse, Arnold. He was a little distracted as he kept listening out for horses and hounds, but he was more than happy to have a hug and some treats. While I was with him I spotted these hens - I think one of the stragglers must have scared them up onto their hen house roof because I haven't seen them up there before.On the way home I was fortunate to find a little patch of white violets.