Jun

30

Bear Spray

Shot of the Month  Posted by / 0 comments

Shot of the Month – June 2024

Brown Bear, Alaska (2551)

“Wow”

“Whoah”

Audible gasp.

When I show this photo to someone these are some of the “typical” responses.  And I have to be honest, they are sweet, sweet music to this photographer’s ear.  These exclamations are the audible clue that we have an image that is perhaps a bit special.  An aural sign that I have captured an image that gives a hint of the awe-inspiring beauty that can be found in nature.

Not surprisingly the dramatic impact of side lighting helped transform this shot to gasp-worthy stuff.  The spectacular water highlights convey a sense of action and give this static shot a sense of motion and chaos.  Even though we can’t see much of the brown bear as he shakes off the water after a recent dive for a fish, the shot is a visual winner.

I photographed this Brown Bear at Katmai National Park in Alaska.  You can read more about brown bears here:

Brown Bear?

Keystone Krisis

When the action started I managed to take 12 shots in quick succession but I liked the first one best, as shown above.  The next frame in the sequence is ok, but I prefer the head tilt in the first shot:

Brown Bear, Alaska (2552)

After the shake-off the bear continued to walk across the river and the backlighting produced this nice rim-lit shot:

Brown Bear, Alaska (2622)

Perhaps I have stumbled across my “signature” shot – the “Spin Cycle” as I originally captured with this moose years ago:

Moose, Maine (6963)

Click the button to read about how this shot happened Spin Cycle

It is always fun catching Mother Nature working her magic alchemy with a bit of water, dramatic lighting, and a charismatic beast.

 

Until next month….michael

 

Click here to see my post about the power of backlighting:  Back for the Drama

 

 

 

Nikon Z9, Nikon 80-400mm (@350 mm), f/5.6, 1/1600 sec, ISO 900, EV -0.333

May

31

Agama Again

Shot of the Month  Posted by / 1 comments

Shot of the Month – May 2024

Mwanza flat-headed rock agama (7720), Serengeti NP, Tanzania

Wow, look at this guy!  Now, THAT is how you make an entrance in style!  This splashy, multi-hued fellow is a Mwanza Flat-Headed Rock Agama (MFHRA) – his name is almost as long as the list of colors covering his body.

There are about 30 species of agama lizards (in the family Agamidae for you science types) with most found across Africa though you can find a few in southeastern Europe and central India.  The MFHRA is found in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya.  I photographed this flashy stud in Tanzania.

Based on this photo it is hard to believe that Agamas are usually adorned in brown or gray.   Each year the drab males transform into this cacophony of color during the mating season to dazzle the females and win a mate.  Check out the range of colors on this bold male.  At his head, we start with shades of dramatic pinks and oranges.  His upper torso is primarily colored in orange.  Then we transition to shades of blue on the lower body, tail, and legs.

Mwanza flat-headed rock agama (7720), Serengeti NP, Tanzania

Like all reptiles the MFHRA is covered in scales, and in this case, very colorful ones at that.  The scales are made of alpha and beta-keratin (Our fingernails and hair are made of keratin).  Lizards often live in hot, arid climates and the scales help trap moisture inside the body and sometimes can be used like a suit of armor, protecting the body from bites and scrapes.

Mwanza flat-headed rock agama (7670), Serengeti NP, Tanzania

Did you notice those crazy-looking toes/fingers???

Agamas are active during the day and dine primarily on insects though they will eat eggs of other lizards and occasionally feed on grass, berries, and seeds.  The Mwanza flat-headed rock agama lives in semideserts and can often be found basking on rocks or kopjes.

You can read more about agama lizards, and their silly behavior, in my post about a Red-headed Agama (shown below) that I photographed at the Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya.

Click the button:   Attitude a la Agama

Yeeees, I know.  It seems that the Red-headed agama can also have orange-colored heads.  Go figure…

 

Until next month….

 

 

 

Sources:

Wikipedia (Reptile Scale)

Wikipedia (Mwanza flat-headed rock Agama)

Wikipedia (Agama Lizard)

Britannica (Agama Lizard)

Scale (zoology) Wikipedia

The Role of Scales on Reptiles and Fish

 

Nikon Z9, Nikon 100-400 mm (@ 310 mm), 1/640 sec, f/10, ISO 2200, EV +1.0

Apr

30

Poor Polly

Shot of the Month  Posted by / 1 comments

Shot of the Month – April 2024

Yellow-collared Lovebird, Tanzania (8456)

This month we visit with the gorgeous Yellow-collared Lovebird (YCL).  I photographed this small group of birds in the Tarangire National Park in Tanzania.  The YCL, also known as the masked lovebird or the eye-ring lovebird is a small type of parrot.

There are about 410 species of parrots and most are found in tropical and subtropical parts of the world.  Parrots have strong curved beaks, an upright stance, and clawed feet.  Of this large group of birds, only nine are in the lovebird genus.

The YCL is a colorful explosion of greens and yellows with a black head, bright red beak, and white eyerings.  Lovebirds get their name from their affectionate ways.  You can often find them sitting together for long periods as they get, well, all luvvy-duvvy with their mate.   They are very social birds, very affectionate, and form strong monogamous pair bonds.

Humans are fascinated with Lovebirds, and their parrot brethren, and they are popular pets.

Sadly, humans are loving these birds to death.  How bad could it be?  Let’s break it down:

  1. One-third of all parrot species are threatened with extinction due to the pet trade, hunting, habitat loss, and competition from invasive species.
  2.  As of 2021 about 50 million parrots (half of all parrots on the planet) live in captivity (cages) with most being pets in people’s homes.  Every year over 16 million parrots are traded in captivity.

    Fischer's Lovebird (17)

    Fischer’s Lovebird

  3. The Fischer’s Lovebird (looks just like the YCL but with an orange head) was the most trafficked bird species in the world through the 1980s and not surprisingly their population plummeted 30%  since the 1970s.  Only 200,000 to 1 million birds remain in the wild.
  4. Somewhat encouragingly many countries now forbid the trade of exotic birds.  The US was the largest importer of wild birds until 1992 when it finally passed the Wild Bird Conservation Act (WBCA).  The European Union didn’t pass its ban on importation of wild-caught birds until 2007!  Despite these efforts, the illegal trade of parrots and other birds is still thriving.  For example, approximately 2 million Fisher’s Lovebirds were captured in the wild and traded illegally between 1976 and 2016.  Lovebirds are often given as Valentine’s Day gifts…sigh….
  5. Finding it increasingly difficult to secure wild birds the pet trade industry shifted to breeding birds for the ever-growing demand for feathered pets.  Think puppy mills, with all the horrors that go with that, but for birds.  Industrialized operations often house hundreds of birds in rows of barren cages and deplorable living conditions.  Parrots are highly intelligent and such conditions can cause the birds severe mental and physical impairment and trauma.
  6. Parrots can be very affectionate and cute when young but if not raised and trained properly can become aggressive and may bite causing serious injury.  After a few months, many buyers find the demands of caring for a bird to be too much leading to parrots being surrendered and rehomed FIVE times before finding their final home or dying prematurely from neglect and abuse.  Parrots require an enormous amount of care, attention, and intellectual stimulation to thrive and many owners are not ready or able to meet these demands leading to traumatic lives for the parrots.

    A common problem is that large parrots that are cuddly and gentle as juveniles mature into intelligent, complex, often demanding adults who can outlive their owners, and can also become aggressive or even dangerous. Due to an increasing number of homeless parrots, they are being euthanised like dogs and cats, and parrot adoption centres and sanctuaries are becoming more common.   Parrots do not often do well in captivity, causing some parrots to go insane and develop repetitive behaviours, such as swaying and screaming, or they become riddled with intense fear. Feather destruction and self-mutilation, although not commonly seen in the wild, occur often in captivity

Lovebirds and parrots have complex dietary, social, intellectual, and emotional needs – placing them, often alone, in a barren cage, for 10-80 years (some parrots can live a LONG time) is cruel and unusual punishment.

“Polly want a cracker?”

F*&$ that!  Polly wants to be left alone.

 

Until next month…..michael

 

Sources:

Animal Welfare Institute – Bird Trade

Freedom for Animals (Blog: LOVE BIRDS? IF YOU DO, LEAVE THEM IN THE WILD!)

Wikipedia – Parrot

Wikipedia – Yellow-collared Lovebird

 

Nikon D5, Nikon 600mm, 1.4 TC (850 mm effective), f/5.6, 1/500 sec, ISO 280,

Mar

31

The Serengeti

Shot of the Month  Posted by / 1 comments

Shot of the Month – March 2024

Lion, Tanzania (1791)

Above we have a classic scene captured on the plains of the Serengeti, the place of legend and lore for wildlife lovers around the world.  A trip to the Serengeti is on many a bucket list for wildlife aficionados.  And many lucky enough to make that “once in a lifetime” trip now seriously ponder if they can make it a “twice in a lifetime trip” as the draw to this magical place is overpowering.

Having lived in Africa for many years I had the good fortune of being able to visit “the Serengeti” on multiple occasions and it is always on my list of potential places to visit again.  For the uninitiated, let’s break it down.

Where is it?

This wildlife mecca is found in Tanzania and Kenya, in East Africa.

What is it?

The Serengeti ecosystem is a geographical region spanning the Mara and Arusha Regions of Tanzania. This region is made up of a diverse habitats including riverine forests, swamps, kopjes, grasslands, and woodlands.  Over 30,000 km2  (11,583 mi2) of this area is protected by a collection of national parks and reserves.  Almost half of that area (about 14,750 km2 or 5,695 mi2) is part of the Serengeti National Park.  Other protected areas nearby include

  1. Ngorongoro Conservation Area (8,292 km2) (3,202 mi2)
  2. Maswa Game Reserve (1,415 km2) (546 mi2)
  3. Grumeti Game Reserve (410 km2) (158 mi2)
  4. Ikorongo Game Reserve (600 km2) (232 mi2)
  5. Loliondo Game Control Area (6,200 km2) (2,394 mi2)

In southern Kenya, the northern tip of the Serengeti is protected by the Masai Mara National Reserve (1,510 km2) (583 mi2).

Serengeti Plains?

A large portion of the Serengeti ecosystem is a vast, flat, open plains, covered mostly in grass.  This open grassland covers the entire lower third of the Serengeti NP.  Plains are described differently depending on the climate they experience:

  1. Grassland (temperate or subtropical)
  2. Steppe (semi-arid)
  3. Savannah (tropical)
  4. Tundra (polar)
Sunset, Serengeti (017)

Serengeti Sunset

The vast expanses of grass in the Serengeti are therefore referred to as the Serengeti Savannah as it falls in equatorial (tropical) Africa.  The Serengeti Savannah receives enough rainfall to support grass and some trees, but not enough rainfall to support a true forest.  Trees tend to be scattered here and there across the plains.  A savannah is a vegetation zone between a tropical rainforest and a desert.  The area experiences a strong contrast in weather – the rainy season is intense with lots of rain, followed by extended periods of high temperatures and no rain.

While the Serengeti is the most well-known in Africa there are also savannahs in Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia.

What makes it special?

The Serengeti has the largest concentration and diversity of wildlife on the planet.  By the numbers:

  1. The Serengeti is home to the “Great Migration,” the largest movement of animals in the world.  Each year over two million wildebeests, zebras, and antelopes traverse the grasslands (1.3-1.7 million wildebeests, 200,000 zebra, 500,000 Thomson and Grant’s gazelle) as they follow the rains in search of greener pastures and water. The Serengeti is home to an incredible diversity of herbivores that include cape buffalo (30,000), African elephant (7,500), giraffe (4,000), black rhinoceros (200), warthog (15,000), eland (7,000), waterbuck (3,000), topi (27,000) and many others.
  2. The Serengeti is famous for its collection of large predators that include lions (3,000), leopards (1,000), cheetah (250), and spotted hyenas (7,500).
  3. Africa’s “Big 5” can be found in the Serengeti.
  4. Bird lovers can find over 500 species of bird life in the Serengeti ecosystem.

 

No other location on the planet can match the sheer scale, density, and diversity of wildlife found in the Serengeti and it has been voted the top “Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.”

If you are up for an adventure definitely consider a visit to this magical place.

A black and white version for that old-timey look:

Lion, Tanzania (B&W) (1791)

 

Until next month…..michael

 

A few more scenes from the Serengeti:

Leopard!

Circle of Life

Giraffe at Sunset

 

Sources:

Wikipedia (Serengeti)

Serengeti National Park

Savanna Biome: Climate, Locations, and Wildlife

Wikipedia (Plain)

Difference Between Savanna and Grassland

 

 

 

Nikon Z9, Nikkor Z 100-400mm f/4.5 -5.6 VR S (@100mm), 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 64, EV -0.33

 

 

 

Feb

28

Tending Toward Success

Shot of the Month  Posted by / 0 comments

Shot of the Month – February 2024

Bighorn Sheep (6864)

Each fall bighorn sheep rams gather at the National Elk Refuge in Wyoming (located just next to the Grand Teton National Park) in hopes of mating and passing along their genes to the next generation.  Alas, only the largest and strongest rams earn the right to mate and often will have to fight other rams for dominance.  These battles involve smashing those massive horns into each other with great force until one adversary relents:

Bighorn Sheep (1980)

But even after these brain-numbing battles, the victorious ram’s work is not done.  Oh, no, far from it.  Now the ram must court the females and stay by their side until one goes into estrus.  He must be absolutely relentless in his surveillance.  If she climbs up a mountain, he must follow.  She goes back down, down he must go.  He must fight off any male that approaches her.  Day in, day out.  Hour after hour.   This behavior is called “tending” and is the most successful strategy for winning over a mate.   Ewes are most receptive to tending males.  (Sage female readers nod their heads in agreement…)

Some males may try a “blocking strategy” to keep a female from reaching the areas where rams are tending ewes.   Other males fight a tending male but the ewes are usually not receptive to this approach.  (More nodding among the readers….)

Once a female goes into estrus chaos ensues.  The dominant male will chase her and attempt to mate but she will not give in so easily.  She often spurns all suitors and forces the males to chase her for extended periods.  She is testing the males to identify the strongest to ensure that only the best genes are passed on to her offspring.   At times multiple rams will chase the ewe.  As a ram was trying to copulate with a female I have seen other males dash in and head butt the male to break up the act.  So rude!

Two males in pursuit of a female:

Bighorn Sheep (2451)

In this scene, eight males watch over a female! (she is the one at lower left in the image)

Bighorn Sheep (9179)

In the first image, I panned my camera to track the running sheep and used a slow shutter speed to blur the background.  This is a high-risk technique – if my panning motion does not exactly match the speed of the running animals we end up with a blurry mess.  Even if I get the panning right, the animal’s movement may still be at an angle that does not produce a pleasing image.  Hundreds of attempts may only create one or two acceptable shots.

Or none.

The key is to keep shooting and taking as many images as possible with the hope that a few will work.

The panning blurs out the background and creates a lovely oil painting effect.  The blurred feet of the sheep convey speed and give a sense of the pursuit and energy of the chase.

 

As you may have gathered, procreation for bighorn sheep is not for the faint of heart.  Each fall a ram must endure a grueling gauntlet of battles and tests of patience and stamina that can last for months.  All this to earn a few brief moments with an ewe and the possibility of passing on his legacy.

 

Until next month…

 

 

Sources:

Bighorn Sheep (Wikipedia)

 

Nikon D5, Sigma 150 mm – 600 mm (@ 600 mm), f/14, ISO 100