Monthly Archives: April 2012

Wild Life Pictures – Michigan Red-tailed Hawk

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Wild Life Pictures – Red-Tailed Hawk Michigan

I find that the best times to capture wild life pictures are early in the morning or early evening just before sunset. Interesting lighting effects can introduce striking highlighted effects on bird plumage. See wildlife photo of Red-tailed Hawk full wing spread.

Wild Life Pictures - Red Tailed Hawk - Michigan Photography by Ike Austin

One afternoon basking in the early warm rays of the setting sun, my attention was drawn toward the resident young Red Tailed Hawk born just several weeks earlier. The young Red Tail hawkling had been squawking incessantly for the past several days; it hadn’t quite figured out how to catch it’s own food, I found this to be an opportunity to capture some raw wild life pictures.

For several weeks, the young Red Tail Hawk squawked for it’s mother to come and feed it; you could almost hear… “Feed Me” in all those raspy repetitive calls for momma. On one rather humorous occasion, trying to sneak pass her young offspring, the mother made a mad dash to travel across the wetland from one set of tree tops to the other side of the wetland. She was not quick enough as the young Red Tail hawkling caught a glimps of his mother and ratched up his hunger calls and took off like a bolt of lighting toward her direction to catch up to mother Read Tail; what a set of wild life pictures or video that would make.

Wild Life Pictures - Red Tailed Hawk Michigan

Wild Life Pictures – Red Tailed Hawk

As the sun was preparing to make its final lazy descent, the young hawkling made a verticle dive off the branch straight down toward the ground like he had done so many times before only to come up empty handed or discovered after he had flew back to a branch to enjoy a meal, he had only grabbed and returned with a lump of empty grass. Photo of full Red-Tail.

 

Red-tailed Hawk Michigan

Automatic Knives – Red-tailed Hawk

 

Not this time; this time the young Red-tailed hawkling had stood his ground, this time he did not bounce around, he did not squawk, he was focused as never before. This aerial predator instincts kicked in, he was up against a super prey that could inflict serious harm if it decided to fight back and resist the aerial attack. He gripped it with all of his might this time and then spread his wings and lifted the prey skyward to get it to a branch for an evening dinner–this group of images became one of my favorite series of wild life pictures.

Wild Life Pictures - Red Tailed Hawk Michigan

Wild Life Pictures – Red Tailed Hawk

I was amazed to see that it was not a fierce prey at all; but, rather a small frog.  The way Red-tailed was acting, you would have thought he had caught a rabbit or squirrel or something.

Red-tail was on his way to becoming a true predator, later that same summer, I spotted Red-tail Hawk circling high above in the cloudless blue sky, silent, looking down, ready to fall like a bullet upon unsuspecting prey.

I guess Red Tail learned that silence, not squawking for momma, was the way to survive in the wild life of the wetlands.

As Red Tail Hawk rose with his bounty, I managed to capture a couple of wild life pictures of a young predator in action.

Nature Photograph – The American Indian Red-tail of Nobility – A Tribute

 

Redtailed Hawk Michigan

Resources:

Migration and Wintering

Michigan Department of Natural Resources 

Whitefish Point Raptor Migration Observatory, learn more… DNR Michigan Res-tailed Raptor Migration

Check the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for Redtailed Hawk Michigan migrations, Learn More… DNR ohio.gov Redtailed Hawk

 

Red-tailed Hawk Michigan – Places of Interest

Michigan Huron-Clinton MetroParks

Check out the Michigan Lake Erie official website for park details. Learn More … Lake Erie Metropark

Check out the Michigan Kensington official website for park details. Learn More … Kensington Metropark

 

 

 

 

 

nature photography - michigan

Nature Photography – Michigan by Ike Austin

Nature Photography by Ike Austin – Birds of Michigan Series
Photography that is Therapy for the Soul 

Michigan Bird by Ike Austin
Michigan Bird photo by Ike Austin

National Geographic

Editors’ favorite submissions to the 2011 photo contest

 

Nature Photography – Michigan Osprey

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Osprey

Nature Photography – Michigan Osprey
One Early Morning in a Michigan Metro Park

I went Osprey hunting several weeks ago, based on the historical patterns that the return of the Osprey’s was imminent after a long winter.

The early morning air was crisp and chilly to my hands and also it seemed to had an operational affect my camera equipment. There was a slight mist on the water’s surface and off in the distance the mist became a transparent milky white that appeared to be sandwiched between the bare tree tops and the water; seagulls circling low to the water’s surface disappeared as they  darted in and out of the thick white mist.

Osprey Spring Arrival in Michigan

My wait wasn’t long before my camera equipment was swung into action. A large shape of a bird in flight was heading my way with a trail of squawking seagulls chasing close behind. It was the infamous Osprey, the Osprey had upset the other birds of the lake with it’s massive and intimidating flight.

Michigan Osprey

Michigan Osprey

Arrival of the Michigan Osprey 2012

Osprey – Magnificent Bird in Flight

The Osprey broke through the distant fog, coming in low barely skimming the water’s surface. With’in seconds it was swooping upward expanding its wings, and extending it’s razor sharp talons outward in full spread–looking like a hand full of automatic knives, then hovering and simultaneously maneuvering itself downward into the nest.

With an almost biblical appearance, the Osprey’s approach and landing maneuvers is always a sight to behold. First, one is captivated by those extended wings of the Osprey, the seemingly various poses this bird appear to orchestrate just for the camera–it’s almost as though this bird is performing at it’s best for the audience of wide eyed admirers. The Osprey never seems to disappoint the many spectators and photographers that come to visit young and old alike.

This particular Osprey brought a new branch to the nest, look’s like the branch was being used as a crowbar on her mate (Bird, Fulcrum, Lever). Was this a female Osprey using a tool trying to get her lazy mate out of the nest to go hunt for some fish?

 

Michigan Bird - Osprey Royalty Photo by Ike Austin

Michigan Bird – Osprey Royalty

After settling down into the nest. The majestic Osprey makes a surveillance of its domain, it carefully looks around from atop it’s throne; if there is an Osprey couple occupying the nest, what a royal looking pair they make, both looking very regal as they often sit side by side like two statuettes overlooking a kingdom together. Another Michigan Osprey Nesting Pair.

Mating Osprey Pair

Osprey Mating Pair - Michigan Bird

Kensington Osprey Mating Pair – Michigan Bird

 

Osprey Three Siblings Michigan Birds

All The Spring Loving Paid Off! Osprey Three Siblings Michigan Birds

 

Osprey Gold Michigan Birds - Photo by Ike Austin

Osprey Catch of the Day! Michigan Birds – Photo by Ike Austin

Predatory Birds of Prey – Michigan

Osprey at Sunrise

As the male Osprey (on of several predatory birds of prey in Michigan) returned one morning basking in the golden rays of the rising sun with a large coy fish, he let out a loud piercing shriek. It was as though he was shouting to his three young juveniles now all staring upward as he did get their attention; look at me, see what a large fish I have, I will not be dropping this one off in the nest, it is still alive and to big for any of you, now watch where I take the fish to eat it!

The male Osprey (one of the largest raptor birds of prey) then proceeded to fly overhead pass his offspring to a branch far off in the distance where he would first make sure the prey was dead and then help himself to an early morning meal. Thereafter, he would return to the nest with fish nuggets for his trio of anxiously waiting juveniles.

View a couple of more Oprey photo’s below.

Osprey-Attack-michigan - Photo by Ike Austin

Osprey-Attack-michigan – Photo by Ike Austin

 

 

Osprey-Hang Glide-michigan - Photo by Ike Austin

Osprey-Hang Glide-michigan – Photo by Ike Austin

 

Osprey Automatic Knives Michigan Birds - Photo by Ike Austin

Osprey Automatic Knives Michigan Birds


About the Osprey

Nature Photography – Michigan Bird Identification
Photo Taken: Kensington MetroPark

Group: Hawks and Egales
Name: Osprey
Pandion Haliaetus

Appearance:
The Michigan Osprey is a long 4′-6′ wingspan, black and white plumage, long skinny legs, and long powers intimidating talons.

Adult: Color is black and white

Juvenile: More grey-ish brown in color

Flight Characteristics:
Extended wings in flight and typically ride thermal drafts similar to large raptors. The Osprey will glide over the surface of water until it reach it’s nesting place.

Habitat: The Michigan Osprey prefers open grasslands, lakes and wetlands.

Nesting: Osprey will construct a rather large mounded nests made of branches and twigs of various sizes. They can be spotted high in the tops of trees, man-made platforms in parks and amazingly, high on top of 300′ foot high cell towers.

Incubates 2-4 yellowish eggs for appx 38 days. Younglings go in flight in about 50 days from day of birth.

Mating Habits: The Michigan Osprey mates for life.

Off Spring: (Juvenile) as with most larger birds.

Feeding: Fish.

Call: Series of low-high whistles.

 

About the Photography

nature photography - michigan

Nature Photography – Michigan by Ike Austin

Nature Photography by Ike Austin – Birds of Michigan Series
Photography that is Therapy for the Soul 

Michigan Bird by Ike Austin

Michigan Bird photo by Ike Austin

 

 

National Geographic
Editors’ favorite submissions to the 2011 photo contest

 

 

 

 

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Resources:

Osprey Sightings

Michigan Department of Natural Resources 

Check the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to Learn More…

The Department of Natural Resources requests help from wildlife observers to report any sightings of osprey in southern Michigan, particularly in the Maple River area (north of St. Johns,) and in southeast Michigan (Oakland, Wayne, Macomb and Livingston counties.) Report Osprey sightings here at DNR.

Birding Associations and Organizations

This Weeks Honorable Mention:

Osprey Watch of Southeast Michigan (OWSEM)
Purpose: Osprey Watch of Southeast Michigan (OWSEM) is a volunteer organization.  Our goals are to help the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) in their efforts to restore the Osprey to Southern Michigan and to educate the public about this very special raptor.… Read More Here… http://www.owsem.org/

Membership Required: N

Informative Website Information: Y
Year Long Events: Y
Active Birder Blog(s): Y
Active Reporting: Daily
Informative Rating: 8

Osprey Nesting Endangered – Cell Towers

Read more here…

Nature Photography – by Ike Austin

Nature Photography that is Therapy for the Soul

ThirdSon and the River’s Sky
images of birdsThirdSon and the River’s Sky

 
  • As a kid, I spent an enormous amount of time down by the river. I was drawn like a magnet to the many sounds of nature that filled the air-the tides rumbling ashore, the faint call of seagulls echoing in the distant background. I would remain there all day under the pretense that I was fishing. I would walk the shores for miles, moving from one spot to the next. I later discovered that the sky above this river was alive. 
    Read More Here

Michigan Birds – Sun and Darkness are Variables

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Michigan Birds – A Lesson Learned in Jimme’

I was standing one early morning facing the rising sun. Suddenly, a creature that was calmly gliding upon the surface of the water attracted my attention, it came to a complete stop and from a completed stationary position… exploded vertically straight up out of the water into the air. The being–I say being because an exchange of wisdom had taken place during this incident, in the forest of Jimme’ things look like animals but they are not.  This was no ordinary Mallard Duck like the one’s back at home where I come from.

Mallard Duck Michigan

Mallard Duck Michigan

All other flying beings that I had witnessed required a long run-way for a good running start to get air-born. This being was able to launch itself straight up into the air from a liquid substance, mind you just minutes before, the being was submerged under the water and not drowning. So, from under water, to the water’s surface, into the air and burst into sustained flight to go from one end of the forest to the other side in seconds. Traveling over many ground ridden obstacles it was able to avoid.

“You wonder,” the being said to my mind as it flew pass me, how I am able to not be handicapped by the three mediums–water, air and ground. Read More Here … Michigan Mallard Duck

Therapy to the Soul Photography by Ike Austin

 

ThirdSon and the River’s Sky
images of birdsThirdSon and the River’s Sky

 
  • As a kid, I spent an enormous amount of time down by the river. I was drawn like a magnet to the many sounds of nature that filled the air-the tides rumbling ashore, the faint call of seagulls echoing in the distant background. I would remain there all day under the pretense that I was fishing. I would walk the shores for miles, moving from one spot to the next. I later discovered that the sky above this river was alive. 
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