FROM TOO DARK TO TOO BRIGHT

A sunny day finally came along after all those overcast mornings and afternoons. Just when I got the gloomy days figured out in the camera, everything is bright - too bright, if that's possible.  Most of the birds I photographed today were high in trees and back lighted by white sky.  I threw almost all of the shots away.  I don't think there is an answer for that situation.  Use spot focusing and underexpose a stop or two is all I know.  It's no big deal because I photograph the critters in their elements and not in a cage or on a set.  Nature is what it is and one must adapt or simply screw up the picture and move on to the next one.

It was chilly on the river this morning at sun-up and it felt more like Fall than Summer. The coolness was kind of nice but, It was a harbinger of things to come.  

A pretty little spotted sandpiper brought a smile to my face.  

A black crowned night heron flew across the bow of the boat and landed just ahead of me on some logs against the shoreline.

He is an immature who has almost graduated into full adulthood.  I guess it would be fair to call him an adult.  Don't know.  He had no patience with the big white floating boat near by.

It was quiet on the river this morning.  Odd for a Saturday.  Normally there would be at least one fishing boat out here.  They would show up soon I was sure.  The beating of wings could be heard overhead and a big hawk alighted on a tree branch.  Of course, he was back lighted big time.  I almost didn't even try to photograph him but, what the heck..

He's an immature red tail hawk.  The speckles are heavy on his chest plumage.  

I was motoring up the river when he landed.  I'm sure he didn't notice the boat moving on the water or he'd have not landed.  It didn't take him long to see the color white on that boat.  White boats don't get it for wildlife photography.  Mark that down.

 He was gone in a jiffy.

I saw a mink yesterday crossing a log and couldn't get a shot of him.  I glassed the entire shoreline in that area this morning trying to discover where he was.  I need that mink in the camera to complete my collection of critters from this river.  He's the last one I need to get.  Skunks don't count.

 Very Elegant!

That's about it or today's outing.  The time went quickly as I got to meet and talk to some really nice people fishing.  I've got an urge to do one last, big, all day canoe paddle trip on this river in the canoe before Fall.  It's one thing to motor up and down a river but, it's another to paddle slowly past and into every little nook and cranny along the shoreline and through the openings in the river grass.  I'll make this happen in the very near future.

It's back on Cherokee Lake tomorrow morning.  Rain is supposed to move in late tonight so the morning may be interesting to say the least.  See you then.

Below is something I've always liked:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSprdaGol34