Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw A Goose Fight

Goose Fight_9071.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I heard a commotion out by the beaver lodge at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. There were three Canada geese fighting. If you look closely you might be able to see two trumpeter swans just to the left of the beaver lodge. That's kind of weird. Usually the trumpters will chase geese out of the lake. I suppose they aren't yet nesting so are kind of relaxed.

I also saw a group of seven trumpters fly over towards the gravel pit. Didn't see any mammals and only saw a couple red-winged blackbirds, crows, goldfinches and one downy woodpecker.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Chickadee on Bluebird House

Chickadee on Bluebird House_8828.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Today I saw lots of chickadees at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. This one was checking out the bluebird nesting can.



This one landed on the bridge briefly.

This one stopped on a post.



Lastly, this swan hates geese, as do I. It flew over the lake and chased one goose all the way across the lake and out of sight. I'm not sure why it picked that goose.



I saw my first eastern bluebirds of the year on the west side of the AHATS in Rice Creek Regional Park.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Susans in the Sun

Susans in the Sun_DSC_5959.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

The TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area is filled with wildflowers. There is a great variety so something is blooming nearly all summer. I made this photograph on July 10, 2010 when the entire area was covered in flowers. I pays to visit the same place frequently.

I often say that I see something new everyday at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area.

Here is some Butterfly Weed. There are quite a few large clumps of this flower scattered around this small area. This shot was made on June 23, 2010.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Butterfly

Fritillary DSC_5918, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

It's going to be awhile before the butterflies reach the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area but I saw a few photos on my new Wildlife Photography Facebook Group and was inspired to post one.

This is a great spangled fritillary feeding on a  monarda (aka...bee balm) flower. It's the only one I've seen at the TCAAP WVA. This one was a little beat up. I hope it got to mate and make more.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Fiery Feather

Fiery Feather DSC_3494, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

With the change from standard time to daylight savings time, I'll be able to get out to the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area more often after work. I can't wait.

I made this shot with the D5000 back in June of 2010. I've been thinking about this crow feather for a few days and finally figured out what to do with it. I stuck it in a crack in the bridge and aligned the sunset behind it. I only wish I would have been there when the crow lost this feather. Was it a fight or some sort of molting action?

Previously Near the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Coyote Run Away

Coyote Run Away_20120102_D7K_2685.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I revisited some coyote shots from the Arden Hills Army Training Site today. Now that I'm using Ligthtroom, I wanted to see what it could do. The coyote is very backlit and the in camera shot was way under-exposed...no details in the coyote. With about 5 minutes of fiddling, I recovered some of the detail. Still not good enough for a decent print but good enough for me for documentation.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Lighting and Shelf Cloud

Lighting and Shelf Cloud-110701-DSC_9226.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

This nasty looking shelf cloud approached the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area back on July 1, 2011. There was a lot of lightning but this is the only shot I got of it. I was too scared to haul out the tripod. As a severe weather spotter, I knew it wasn't very smart hanging out where I was...outside the car, in a high spot, due to the lightning. The clouds were pretty scary looking but I didn't see any rotation or wall clouds.

I've learned so much about photography since then and hope I get the opportunity to shoot clouds like this again soon. It was tricky holding the camera steady against the bridge with a 1.6 sec shutter.