forestgnome
New member
After a kick-tail hike on Mt. Jefferson I spent some time low and easy on the Rob Brook Trail and some nearby logging roads stalking wildflowers and wildlife.
This nice cow calmly posed for background for the meadow sweet early in the morning...
I'm trying to develop a style of capturing things in a way that is accentuated by surroundings that tell a story.
Anyway, the RBT was nice and quiet on a misty Sunday. These nice blooms are on a plant that looks like a wild pea. ID help?
Is this a juvenile Downy or Hairy woodpecker?
Common St. John's Wort...
I was surprised to see a pair of Bicknell's thrushes at this elevation. They were gathering food for a nearby clutch. I didn't see the nest, but as I do with these endeangered birds, I just try to watch and don't go to the nest. I don't mind experts doing it, but I just chill and watch.
I hung out with them for about an hour and then they must have settled in because they weren't to be seen.
Continuing along, I saw a huge Barred owl swoop from a perch and fly to another perch at the edge of a small clearing. Recently, an owl had led me to a nice moose jawbone and I wondered what might this one lead me to. The I saw this huge old log laying in a bed of moss and ferns. The log had fallen naturally and it was huge and completely covered in moss. It was beautiful. As I enjoyed it and considered an angle to take a pic I felt a sharp prick on my calf. Looking down, I saw a few bees on my leg. Bad owl! I ran back to the trail and found one bee still on my leg. He was wacked and layed stunned for a moment.
I hiked another mile or so on old roads, then on the way back out I heard the whining of baby owls in the same place where I saw the owl.. It sounded just like the whining of an eaglet I saw on Lake Umbagog. I don't know if owls lead danger away from babies as spruce grouse do, but that may have been the case. I could hear two owlets whining for mama. Then one started flying toward me, a few yards at a time, until it perched right in front of me.
It just looked at me and looked around. Here he is scatching his ear..
Then it started whining again...
closeup...
I was resting and just watching it when it suddenly flew right at me, but it had seen a creature behind me on the ground. It flew right over my head and hit the grass and grovelled around for a moment but came up empty-handed, then flew back up to another perch, and then whined for mama. Soon it will be able to catch it's own dinner.
happy trails
This nice cow calmly posed for background for the meadow sweet early in the morning...
I'm trying to develop a style of capturing things in a way that is accentuated by surroundings that tell a story.
Anyway, the RBT was nice and quiet on a misty Sunday. These nice blooms are on a plant that looks like a wild pea. ID help?
Is this a juvenile Downy or Hairy woodpecker?
Common St. John's Wort...
I was surprised to see a pair of Bicknell's thrushes at this elevation. They were gathering food for a nearby clutch. I didn't see the nest, but as I do with these endeangered birds, I just try to watch and don't go to the nest. I don't mind experts doing it, but I just chill and watch.
I hung out with them for about an hour and then they must have settled in because they weren't to be seen.
Continuing along, I saw a huge Barred owl swoop from a perch and fly to another perch at the edge of a small clearing. Recently, an owl had led me to a nice moose jawbone and I wondered what might this one lead me to. The I saw this huge old log laying in a bed of moss and ferns. The log had fallen naturally and it was huge and completely covered in moss. It was beautiful. As I enjoyed it and considered an angle to take a pic I felt a sharp prick on my calf. Looking down, I saw a few bees on my leg. Bad owl! I ran back to the trail and found one bee still on my leg. He was wacked and layed stunned for a moment.
I hiked another mile or so on old roads, then on the way back out I heard the whining of baby owls in the same place where I saw the owl.. It sounded just like the whining of an eaglet I saw on Lake Umbagog. I don't know if owls lead danger away from babies as spruce grouse do, but that may have been the case. I could hear two owlets whining for mama. Then one started flying toward me, a few yards at a time, until it perched right in front of me.
It just looked at me and looked around. Here he is scatching his ear..
Then it started whining again...
closeup...
I was resting and just watching it when it suddenly flew right at me, but it had seen a creature behind me on the ground. It flew right over my head and hit the grass and grovelled around for a moment but came up empty-handed, then flew back up to another perch, and then whined for mama. Soon it will be able to catch it's own dinner.
happy trails
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