Enjoying the Quiet - 14 Aug 2009
Ore Creek Wetlands, Livingston, Michigan, US
Aug 13, 2009 6:00 PM - 6:10 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
1 species
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Aug 13, 2009 6:00 PM - 6:10 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
1 species
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
I woke Friday morning and saw a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird buzzing around the garden off the back deck (Thank you, Jane!). A Baltimore Oriole was chattering away in one of the large Silver Maples across the street.
Central Lake, MI, Antrim, Michigan, US
Aug 14, 2009 7:30 AM - 7:40 AM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments: Yard
2 species
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Aug 14, 2009 7:30 AM - 7:40 AM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments: Yard
2 species
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
After breakfast at Brother’s Restaurant, we took a drive up to Fisherman’s Island State Park. Forecasts called for mid-80’s and we expected bright sunshine. However, clouds ruled this morning, so I suspected that digiscoping opportunities would be minimal. I was wrong!
We arrived the south picnic area (the end of the road at the State Park) and parked. Anyone familiar w/ the park will recognize the large wooden bridge over the small brook that empties into Lake Michigan just a short walk from the parking lot. I walked the small path alongside the stream and flushed a Green Heron from the water’s edge. The bird flew up into the large pines alongside the trail and perched for several minutes as it evaluated my presence. Despite slow shutter speeds at ISO 400 (1/30 sec.) I managed a couple keeper shots using the monopod.
The heron then flew across the stream to another pine tree and perched again in the open. I grabbed a few more shots before it took off for the deep woods.
Walking down to the beach I found myself alone. With Robin asleep in the car I had the place to myself. Skies were cloudy, and there was a minimal breeze, but it was wonderfully comfortable. The lake was like glass, and the stillness was quite infectious. I espied a tiny green frog on a small cobble at the end of the stream and grabbed a few shots with the D300. It didn’t seem to be alarmed by my presence, so I plopped down in the sand and decided to digiscoped it from about 18 feet (which is about as close as I can physically focus w/ the Zeiss 85T*Fl and 20-60X zoom eyepiece).
I spent several minutes digiscoping the frog at various magnifications of both the scope eyepiece and the Coolpix P6000. To judge image sharpness I used the self-timer to avoid any undo vibration. I’ll post results on my Digiscoping Blog shortly…
Before leaving, I found a lovely yellow dragonfly resting atop one of the many sedges at the marsh’s edge. It stayed long enough for me to set up the scope and take several digiscoped images. Now if anyone can help me identify it I’d be very grateful. The best I could come up w/o field guides and a poor internet connection was a Sympetra sp.
With birding very quiet (I didn’t want to wander far from the car) it was quite a nice change to spend a few quiet minutes just watching the minnows swim in the vernal ponds and the frogs feeding on unwary insects that landed inches from them.
The heron then flew across the stream to another pine tree and perched again in the open. I grabbed a few more shots before it took off for the deep woods.
Walking down to the beach I found myself alone. With Robin asleep in the car I had the place to myself. Skies were cloudy, and there was a minimal breeze, but it was wonderfully comfortable. The lake was like glass, and the stillness was quite infectious. I espied a tiny green frog on a small cobble at the end of the stream and grabbed a few shots with the D300. It didn’t seem to be alarmed by my presence, so I plopped down in the sand and decided to digiscoped it from about 18 feet (which is about as close as I can physically focus w/ the Zeiss 85T*Fl and 20-60X zoom eyepiece).
I spent several minutes digiscoping the frog at various magnifications of both the scope eyepiece and the Coolpix P6000. To judge image sharpness I used the self-timer to avoid any undo vibration. I’ll post results on my Digiscoping Blog shortly…
Before leaving, I found a lovely yellow dragonfly resting atop one of the many sedges at the marsh’s edge. It stayed long enough for me to set up the scope and take several digiscoped images. Now if anyone can help me identify it I’d be very grateful. The best I could come up w/o field guides and a poor internet connection was a Sympetra sp.
With birding very quiet (I didn’t want to wander far from the car) it was quite a nice change to spend a few quiet minutes just watching the minnows swim in the vernal ponds and the frogs feeding on unwary insects that landed inches from them.
Fisherman's Island SP, Charlevoix, Michigan, US
Aug 14, 2009 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.4 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Mid 80's today, cloudy then clear
1 species
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Aug 14, 2009 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.4 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Mid 80's today, cloudy then clear
1 species
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
