Photos and notes from on the road. A biologist at heart. A 'retired' network administrator and lifelong photographer. Living in Ashland Wisconsin on Lake Superior's Chequamegon Bay.
This Coyote was searching the remaining ice at West End Beach on the west of Ashland Wisconsin. At the time of the photo the Coyote was about 150 yards offshore. It eventually turned and headed northwest toward Barksdale WI.
This Eagle was luckier than the Coyote it scored the remains of a fish just 50 feet from the edge of the Hot Pond. Less than a week ago this area was covered with snow and was occupied by several ice fishermen.
As I was standing along the roadside photographing the nesting Bald Eagle. Mrs. Shutterwi spotted a large bird approaching from the west. This was one of those right place at the right moments.
Imagine this your watching a nesting eagle on a north - south road when at that very moment an west - east in flight sandhill crane pass directly overhead. Several hundred feet above. And.... your holding your camera with a 100-400 mm zoom lens.
BEFORE you watch the video below warning: This video could be and maybe should be titled the "Boy with a Toy(s)" video. The video is longer than I would usually post and is loaded with lots of video editing tricks. Some good, some bad and some poorly executed.
I am trying to dig deeper into my video editing software to learn some of the more advance features. Rather than use the "sample" video suggested I decided to use this real live example.
The "Instant Replay" at 4:38 mark might be a LITTLE over kill although it does offer some nice momentary views of an immature eagle underwing patterns as well as a great few seconds of the same eagle landing on a branch. I hope you enjoy the subject matter and ignore the amateur video editing.
For those of you that have never seen a Blue Jay and a Pileated Woodpecker in the same photo (see at 6:29 mark) watch carefully. There is a brief moment where you can compare the size difference between the two birds.
Oh! the bong, bong, bong sound you here at the 6:29 mark is my "keys in the ignition warning" in slow motion. I like it far better that way it is far less annoying. To all my fasten your seat belt readers, you know who you are. Take That! bong! bong! bong!
Here is the source of the raw footage I used.
A road trip to Herbster Wi today. Along an approximate 100 yards of County Hwy C. We saw and videotaped an adult bald eagle, immature bald eagle, ravens, pileated woodpecker and a blue jay. The eagles and ravens were competing for the carcass of a dead deer.
Remember click on any photo to see a larger version.
Adult Bald Eagle.
Adult Bald Eagle.
Juvenile Bald Eagle.
This video was taken today along Highway 63 south of Mason WI. The Eagles in this video and the photos above were watching a deer carcass along the shoulder of the road. In total there are four individual birds. Three adults and one juvenile. The last 25 seconds of video show an eagle's nest which is located along Hwy 63 south of the location where the video was taken. Note the first 66 seconds of the video has no audio. I cut it because the noise of a chainsaw in the background was annoying.
These I hope will bring you 'home again' for a minute or two.
Here is something you don't see every day. A Badger. We do live in the Badger state.
Photo by friends.
Badger State Although the badger has been closely associated with Wisconsin since territorial days, it was not declared the official state animal until 1957. Over the years its likeness had been incorporated in the state coat of arms, the seal, the flag and even State Capitol architecture, as well as being immortalized in the song "On, Wisconsin!" ("Grand old bager state!")
Otter with a bluegill for lunch. This photo was taken on Marengo Lake by Carol Seago. The pancakes and fresh home made maple syrup was great. Thanks Carol and Brian.
Redtail Hawk leaving it's perch.
Bald Eagle in the Prentice WI area along Hwy 8.
Bald Eagle in the Prentice WI area along Hwy 8.
American Kestrel along Sanborn Ave south of Ashland.
Northern Harrier hunting the fields south of Ashland on Sanborn Ave.
My wife and I were treated to a rare sight for us. First and Adult Bald Eagle perched along US 2 in Maple Wisconsin and then as we were leaving we spotted the rare sight of 10+ (we counted 13 at one point) eagles all with a few hundred feet of each other. Unfortunately the gathering was at the back edge of an 80 acre field. These shots were taken with a 400 mm lens. Still a great sight. It's starting to feel like spring is not far off.
