Category Archives: Nature Photographers

nature photography

Wood Duck – Michigan

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Wood Duck – Michigan, Nature Photography

Aix Sponsa

 

The question is answered…

 

Wood Duck Michigan

Wood Duck Michigan

 

Wood Ducks and Creation

If Creation were racist—as all religions on Lower Earth secretly hope—the plumage of this Wood Duck would be all one solid color.

Instead; there are colors of brown, beige, blue and teal,
speckles of burgundy, red, and black, solid greens, with strips of white, patched together, making one quilt of a sight.

For those true sons that have eyes to appreciate, to see more beauty in diversity.

“Plumage of many colors,” “coat of many colors,”
“people of many colors,” represent a deeper truth – Dialog With Nature.

Nature is the unedited word of  “the God” of creation.

—ThirdSon, Quilts by Nature 

Wood Duck

Wood Duck

 

 

Nature Photography – Michigan Bird Identification

Photo Taken: Kensington Metro Park, Michigan

About the Wood Duck

Aix Sponsa

Appearance: The Wood Duck is a colorful bird. At times the Wood Duck is very skittish and glides near the edge of lily pads, along the rim of grassy wetland, and watching for the slightest movement or  something out of place that wasn’t there before. Other times the Wood Duck can stare you down with those large red eyes. The Wood Duck like most ducks is a swift flier. Wing span can can extend to 3-4 feet.

Adult: Male is multicolored, its covert and wing bars quilted with vivid patches of plumage with bright metallic feathers on its head.

Flight Characteristics: Swift and quick wings in flight and typically flapping their wings as they rapidly lift and fly off. Wood Ducks prefer open wooded marshes, and wetlands.

Mating Habits: The Wood Duck start courtship during the fall and winter at migration spots. The female Wood Duck selects her mate and are usually monogamous for life.

Migration: Fall migration southward, the Wood Duck returns to northern regions early spring.

Nesting: Will construct a nest open tree cavities as high up as 50 feet. Incubates 10-12 pale white eggs for appx 25-35 days. Young are generally shown where to find food(vegetation and nuts) and gain independence in as little as 30-35 days.

Off Spring: (Called Ducklings)

Feeding: Day hunter. Some diet food includes; vegetation, nuts, and grasses.

Call: Very low squeaky sound.

 

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 

 

For an interesting, imaginative, new awareness view about life and attitudes… read the book below.

ThirdSon and the River’s Sky
images of birds

 
  • 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 long river shores for miles, moving from one spot to the next (from bridge to bridge – Ambassador to Bell Isle). I later discovered that the sky above this river was alive. 
    Read More 

 

 

 

 

 

Birds Photography Night Heron

 

 

Visit the photo gallery to request prints, photos or screen savers you feel you particularly enjoy.
Nature Photography By Ike Austin

Michigan Birds Dialogue with Nature

The decisions of one, affects all—ThirdSon and the River’s Sky

Exquisite Art

 

 

Ancient of Days – Snapping Turtle – Michigan

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Of Ancient Days, I happened upon this being…

Ancient of Days

 

Ancient of Days - Snapping Turtle

Ancient of Days

 

 

Appearing in the forest of Jimme’ at the edge of the southern province, I happened on what I could best describe as the living ancient of days, the old one, the one who slowly… expressed itself…saying…”I am very, very old, and, very, far away.”

I slightly turned, tilting my head, and narrowed my eyes to the thinnest slits so I could covertly peak to see if anyone was standing nearby; but, nobody was present.

After a long enough pause the being continued speaking… “‘I hear you”, it said to me in a low, slow, drawn out voice.

Then, there was a spell of silence.

 

Old Snapping Turtle

Old Snapping Turtle

 

I stood in astonishment because I could see the bi-present being right in front of me, yet, I felt a great distance unlike ever imaged, an incomprehensible gulf between me and the entity other consciousness. The ancient being was here in my presents and at the same time its second consciousness resides elsewhere (as I’ve said, in the mystical forest of Jimme’ powerful beings often present themselves as inconspicuous forest creatures.)

 

The bi-present entity knew of my personal turmoil and concerns over the past several days and spoke directly to my mind saying…

“Nature is the mind and the mind is Nature.

Nature can be in turmoil, or calm.

But, it is the calm that heals the body.”

I took this to mean…
It takes a period of time, maintaining three things in sustained condition to germinate a healthy seed/soul; heat, light, and moisture; any one element in scarcity, instantly the seed is ill-fated.

Within a few moments after this most inspiring dialogue with nature began, I sensed the presents of the ancient one diminish.
The turtle, then raised its head higher and spoke one word saying… “Archie!”

I interpreted that word to be related to…”remember the daystar.”

 

Nature is mind, mind is Nature
Calm images of Nature held in the mind, are healing the soul.

The mind that holds scenes of Nature, germinates healing the body.
—ThirdSon and the River’s Sky

Nature Photography – Michigan Flicker

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Nature Photography – Michigan Flicker

Flicker the Bird – Speckled, Multi-Colored, Michigan Wetland – Brown, White, Red, Black and Tan
Colaptes auratus

Michigan Northern Flicker – Gold Finger

The Michigan Flicker is a true multi-colored, patterned bird. The Norther Flicker has a dash of red on the back of the head, a swatch of black patch on it’s upper chest. Speckled front with black dots all over, with a splash of white on the end top of the tail. With sandy brown color near the upper crown, a strip of sportsman black just beneath the eyes.

 

Northern Flicker Michigan

Michigan Flicker  – Gold Fingers

 

Michigan Flicker – But the most attractive color of this bird is the gold underside covering the entire mantle and tertials from the tip of it’s wingtip to the primary tip projection of it’s tail. Golden under tail coverts, gold colored greater coverts on the edge of the wings, median coverts where a golden slate colored shade of glitter, the greater primary coverts, the marginal, lesser, median, and greater coverts all different shades of gold, gold, gold.

Michigan Flicker in Flight

Michigan Flicker in Flight

 

The Northern Flicker is a summer Michigan wetland bird. This Flicker is mildly photographed bird. It is most recognized because of it’s speckled plumage and rather loud chitter chatty mating call early in the spring.

Michigan Northern Flicker

One hot early July summer afternoon I spotted a Northern Flicker darting across a wetland to eventually land on an extended tree branch. The day was clear and sun shinning bright; a great condition for capturing vivid elements of bird plumage color. During the early spring the Michigan Flicker will perform a series of loud mating calls followed by a rather rhythmical mating dance. This ritual will continue for several days with other male Flickers competing for the females attention. One one occasion I saw two Flickers locking talons as they spun around in a brief aerial dance. The Flicker will carve out a rather large hollow nest within an old dying tree. This is a very active bird that must remain ever vigilant, because the more numerous European Startling is in abundance and will try to steal the Flickers nest every chance it gets.

Northern Flicker Michigan

Michigan Flicker  – Wetland

Michigan Flicker Younglings

The Female Flicker, works in cooperation with the male. Both birds engage in house hold choirs and parenting the young. The birds take turns gathering food and returning to the nest. I was also fortunate to capture a shot of three young Flickers being feed by regurgutation. The three younglings still have about a couple more weeks before they are ready to fledge.

Northern Flicker Nesting

Michigan Flicker Younglings

 

 Michigan Flicker Parenting

I was able to get a couple of good shots that clearly displayed what look like a rather stylish red t-bone located on the back of the Flicker’s head. I had to quickly decide and go-ahead and snap some close shots (something is better than nothing) before the bird fly off.

Northern Flicker - Woodpecker Michigan -

Michigan Flicker – Birds of Michigan – I am Flicker

Michigan Flicker in Flight

The above shot of a Northern Michigan Flicker may not be the best photo, but I did manage to capture the bird in one of it’s many house cleaning flights.

Northern Flicker - House Cleaning

Northern Flicker – House Cleaning

Lessons Learned From Birds of Nature

The Michigan Flicker is a very vigilant bird, it has to be, the bird is under constant threat from other birds that are relentless in stealing the Flickers nest. During the feeding season, the Flicker is busy house cleaning, you can see the bird carrying numerous carefully wrapped waste sacks from the nest. What is most interesting, the Michigan Flicker will not just throw the waste out the nest to the ground. It is apparent that this birds has enough intelligence to is aware or possible threats; the bird seem to realize the presents of excrement might signal a hostile predator that a nest is occupying this particular tree. So, interestingly enough, this excrement is carried a considerable distance from the nesting location.  View more photo here…

Northern Flicker Wetland

Northern Flicker – Carrying egg.

 

View other Michigan Birds Here… Michigan Birds.

About the Michigan Flicker
Nature Photography – Michigan Bird Identification
Photo Taken: Kensington Metro Park
Group: Wood Pecker
Name: Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus

Appearance:
The Michigan Flicker is a 12-13 inch bird with, black speckled plumage front and back, the male is distinguished with a war paint black eye strip just below the pupil., or what might be considered the malar stripe area of the birds face.
Adult:
Color is majority beige and black, female is same color..
Flight Characteristics:
Jittery quick wing beats, several flaps then pause and a slip dip when in flight. The Northern Flicker is an average flier in terms of in flight speed.
Habitat: The Michigan Northern Flicker prefers parks, lakes and wetland areas.
Nesting: Flicker will construct or hew an open cavity nest inside old dead trees. A large cavity is created in preparation to contain several offspring.
Nest Location:
Nests are located 10-40 feet above the ground.
Incubates 5-8 (several white perfectly shaped round eggs for appx 12-14 days (2 weeks).
Mating Habits: The Michigan Flickers mates for extended periods.
Feeding: Seeds, insects (mainly ants), berries and some nuts.
Call:
Mating season; a s series of elongated rhythmical squeaks, which includes an bobbing up and down head motion.
Regular Season: A quick rapid series of chirps.

This Weeks Honorable Mention
Associations that we feel provide real value to the birding community.

Detroit Audobon Society Website
Purpose: To promote awareness and protection of the environment through education, research and advocacy Mission Statement and Code of Ethics… Read More Here… Detroit Audubon Society (link)
Membership Required: Y, $Donation/yr.
Informative Website Information: Y
Year Long Events: Y
Active Birder Blog(s): Y
Dialogue With Nature Informative Rating: 8

Michigan Bird Atlas
Michigan Flicker: Research and statistics, abundance and population. Read more here…

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

nature photography - michigan

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

Michigan Birds

 

National Geographic

2011 Editors Choice Winning Photo

Birds Photography Night Heron

National Geographic 2011
View Entry on NG website… NG Contest Winners
To purchase Photo Art… DayStarBooks Gallery
To Purchase the I can Make It Fine Art Print… Dialog With Nature

 

 

 

Michigan White – White Winter Wonder Wetlands

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Michigan’s White Winter Wetlands Covered in Snow

Ike Austin – Photography that is therapy for the soul

 

“Michigan White” –  Winter Wetlands Covered in Snow

White skies, white trees, white bark, white branches, white bush, white shrubs, white cattails, white grasses, white woody plants, white plants. White landscape, white evergreens, white maples, white oaks, white dogwoods, white black spruce, white forestry.  White meadow, white sedge, white bogs, white fen, white rushes, whites edges, white rivers, white lakes, white streams. White lowlands, swales and dunes, white basins, willows, white berry, white prairie, white sand. White floodplains and white islands.  White water, white ponds, pure white snow, pure white scenery, now that’s pure in its visual form, that’s nature’s definition of pure white, now that is “Nature White.”

A fresh quilting of white snow is a sight that  can capture your attention. If you are lucky enough to be standing in the right place, and just happen to be facing the right perspective, you may experience a feeling of presence, a presence of a higher form of life.

 

Pure Michigan

Winter White Wonder Wetlands of Michigan

 

The pure white snow, clean fresh air, untouched by mechanical disruption… and only then will…..the soul, when it engage pure silence, is recharged —ThirdSon and the River’s Sky

 

Lesson’s from Nature

There are times I nearly loose faith in mechanical man who actions change the pure snow to dirty-white. Then, after encountering a scenery of white purity, as defined by nature, in the form of pure white snow, facing unblemished white landscapes, my faith is renewed. Despite the stress that will proceed our personal lives, we are encouraged at such a site, because nature confirm’s that we can, and we will renew. And being newly reinvigorated, we return once again to pure white thought of an unpolluted mind.

Nature Speaks in Season

Nature speaks in spring, nature speaks during summer and fall, nature speaks in winter. Nature speaks during the falling snow, yes, Nature Speaks in Silence.

Beauty of Nature White 

Nature has a lot to say about true purity, nature has its own definition of white, to learn the true meaning, one must quiet the soul to hear the silence that speaks to the mind. Blanketing the landscape in white manna, that glides down from heaven called snow,  to replenish the wetlands, rivers, lakes and streams, and for a few standing close, their minds are renewed, their souls replenished by white winter wetlands, layered in a white quilting of snow.

Many snowy covered wetlands present an opportunity to provide needed therapy to the soul and at the same time, take your breath away with the white beauty that adorned the landscape with each of its white individually custom shaped white pearls that drift down slowly from the winter sky, each taking their place landing on a branch, a twig, a stem of a tree.

 

Wetlands in Michigan

White Winter Wonder Wetlands

Michigan Department of Natural Resources 

Check the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for Michigan Wetland Management, Learn More… DNR Michigan.gov Wetlands

 

 

nature photography - michigan

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

Birds Photography Night Heron

National Geographic 2011 Ed
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 

Raptor Bird of Prey – The Redest RedTail

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Raptor Bird of Prey – The Redest RedTail

Buto Jamaicensis

The Redest RedTail

Hawk Talons looks more like natures version of Automatic Knives for this large raptor bird of prey. The Red tailed hawk is one of Michigan’s favorite bird of prey hawks.  The mature redtail looks almost powerful. the chest can appear protruded & robust and if you are fortunate to get a closeup look at an open set of those claws or technically known as talons , the sight will leave you with an impression of futility for those unfortunate enough to get snared by those talons hydraulic death grips. Check out these MONSTER TALONS on this Michigan Red-tailed Hawk!!!

The Michigan Red-tailed Hawk is single mindedness in it’s pursuit and is non-distracted by other birds that seek to antagonize the Michigan raptor bird of prey while enjoying a meal.

 

Raptor Bird of Prey - Michigan Red-tailed Hawk

Raptor Bird of Prey – Pair of Predators – Red-tailed Hawk

 

 

nature photography red tailed hawk

Redtail of the Redtail Hawk closeup

 The Red, Robust Raptors of Michigan

nature photography - michigan

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

Birds Photography Night Heron

Michigan’s Blue Heron – Most Photographed Michigan Bird

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Michigan’s Blue Heron
One of the Most Photographed Birds in Michigan 

The Michigan Blue Heron is often photographed as a silhouette, as a main foreground photographic subject, artist painted rendition, residential signage or photographed and submitted as contest entries.  The Michigan Blue Heron in one of the most prolific photographed birds in Michigan, this rather large bird is seen in many Michigan Metro Parks, State Parks, open wetlands, farmlands, near rivers, lakes, even an occasional roadside spotting.

 

Keen Eyesight and the Michigan Blue Heron – Eye of the Heron

Not much is written about the keen eyesight of the Blue Heron.  However, on rare occasions, during my many years of bird observation, I once noticed  a Blue Heron staring almost straight up looking up into the what appeared to be an empty clear blue sky.  I knew the Blue Heron had to be watching something so I really focused and low and behold, their was in fact the tiniest black dot gliding upon the thermal drafts.  I aimed and looked through my 400mm lens and sure enough it was a Michigan Bald Eagle soaring high above.  If I may guess, I think that the eagle was at least a mile high in the sky; it was only a dot to the naked human eye. Much is written about the eagle’s keen eyesight, but after observing the Blue Heron, it wouldn’t surprise me if he is almost equal in bird vision.

 

Vigilance and the Great Blue Heron

Another trait I’ve noticed about the Blue Heron is it’s vigilance.  This bird will fly in, land and remain stationary almost motionless for several minutes. The Blue Heron will observe everything in it’s immediate area just to be sure that no predators are lurking about.  Only after safety is confirmed does the Blue Heron start it’s traditional fishing routine.

 

Michigan Blue Heron

Michigan Blue Heron – Keen EyeSight

 

Nature Photography – Blue Heron, More Photographs

 

nature photography - michigan

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

Birds Photography Night Heron

Nature Photography – Michigan Cooper’s Hawk

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Nature Photography – Michigan Cooper’s Hawk

One Early Morning in one of the Michigan Metro Parks…

I went on my traditional weekend walk in the park several weeks ago. There appeared to be an unusual amount of predatory Cooper’s Hawk activity this Michigan fall season. This particular morning the air was crisp with a stillness that created a relaxing silence. There were many small birds darting about off in the distance as well as near my position. The low muffled sounds of leaves occasionally blown about on the ground with a few dis-colored ones falling, circling in an unpredictable pattern drifting to the ground.

Cooper's Hawk - Michigan Birds

Cooper’s Hawk – Michigan Birds

Darting about, there were, blue jays, wood peckers, Chickadees, and Nuthatches, sparrows-all kinds, red cardinals and grey slated juncos… the forest was teaming with bird activity and profusion. There was also a large Dule of Morning Doves frantically moving about on the ground in search of food. Life is easy for these birds and all is safe and worry free in the forest, or is it?

Cooper’s Hawk in Michigan
Before I could react the doves suddenly burst into flight, in an instant they were all air-born implementing full evasive escape maneuvers. All of the others birds followed suit; within a fracture of a second the quite, peaceful serenity had been disrupted.

A large shape of a bird in flight was bulleting across the wetland heading straight for the panicking flock of different specie of birds. It was the infamous Cooper’s Hawk, this predatory stealth attack was achieved without the Cooper flapping its wings. The hawk’s sneak, rapid approach had startled the landscape of serenity.

He quickly maneuver in and out, swerving and curving around shrubs and trees with blinding agility and speed. As fast as the Cooper’s Hawk arrived he disappeared.

Cooper's Hawk dive, glide, strike

Cooper’s Hawk dive, glide, strike

The scenery now still and barren of activity. After a few moments of searching, I saw him sitting motionless like a statue on top of a small protruding branch sticking about two feet from the ground. He had not caught any prey, by design? perhaps this was just a practice drill of which I have witnessed the Cooper Hawk engaged on other occasions.

Michigan Cooper’s Hawk
Flight of the Michigan Cooper’s Hawk 2012
Cooper’s – Arobatic Bird in Flight

I wondered how the predatory Michigan’s Cooper Hawk glided such a long near linear angle and distance without flapping his wings and arrive at its destination target with such speed and force; this distance traveled had to be at least three hundred feet and the hawk did not start from atop a hundred foot tall tree.

Coopers Hawk - Nature Photography

Coopers Hawk – Nature Photography

After a few moments, the Cooper Hawk spun and darted to the right, wings fully spread (just enough to not collide with tight enclosed shrubbery; but expanded enough to speed out into the open, only about one feet above ground with a quick zig and zag he was gone again.)

Cooper's Hawk Michigan Bird

Cooper’s Hawk Michigan Bird

Instantly I began searching the sky and surrounding area, I spotted the Cooper’s Hawk rising from an obscure camouflaged back drop, onto the tip of a tree branch. It now perched, looking about, in meditations of lessons learned about it’s potential prey it had just intimidated. But this is a restless bird, only after a couple of minutes (unlike a Redtailed Hawk that will sit is one spot for hours) the Copper’s Hawk makes another unpredictable left-spin-dive split second dive off the branch and downward toward the ground.

Coopers Hawk inflight 180 Michigan Birds - Photo by Ike Austin

Coopers Hawk inflight 180 Michigan Birds – Photo by Ike Austin

This time when the backdrop of tree branches camouflaged his plumage, he went totally stealth and I could not keep up with his wing flaps, curves, spins, dives… seconds later, where he is now… I could not find.

Cooper's Hawk Michigan

Cooper’s Hawk Michigan Birds

 

Cooper's Hawk In Flight

Cooper’s Hawk In Flight Michigan Bird

Note the more rounded tail in this photo, this is one sure indicator that this is a Cooper’s Hawk vs a Shark Shinned Hawk that has a more square tail as seen in some of the photos on this page. Can you spot the difference?

 

Cooper's Hawk Michigan Nature Photography

Cooper’s Hawk Michigan Nature Photography

The Michigan Cooper’s Hawk is one of the most adverse predators in the Accipiter family. These birds glide through forest trees and grasslands with the ability to often track and snatch prey in mid flight.  Michigan birds and nature photography are capturing wild life in everyone’s backyard.

 

About the Cooper’s Hawk
Nature Photography – Michigan Bird Identification
Photo Taken: Lake Erie MetroPark
Group: Hawks and Eagles

Name: Cooper’s Hawk
Accipiter Cooperii

Appearance:  The Michigan Cooper’s Hawk is a long 3′ to 4′ wingspan, dark brown  plumage on it’s back along the scapular and mantle areas. skinny legs, and long small talons, small beak. typical yellow ring cere found on most hawks; but with a rounded tail or primary tip projection and a stronger contrast between the head cap and crown (it is this rounded tail feather that mostly distinguished the Cooper from the Shark Shinned Hawk.)

Adult: Color is dark brown with spotted front of orange and white plummage.

Juvenile: More tan-ish brown in color.

Flight Characteristics:  Quick flapping wings in flight and typically extended glide attributed with most raptors. The Cooper will fly from tree to tree over a large area until it spots an appropriate target to hunt

Habitat:  The Michigan Cooper’s Hawk prefers open grasslands, lakes and wetlands.

Nesting: Cooper’s will construct nests made of branches and twigs of various sizes. They can be spotted high in the tops of trees located about 25-60 feet above the ground. Incubates 3-5 bluish eggs for appx 36 days. Younglings go in flight in about 50 days from day of birth.

Mating Habits: The Michigan Cooper do not mate for life as the Osprey does, Cooper’s will raise one brood per season.
Off Spring: (Juvenile) as with most larger birds.

Feeding: Songbirds, doves, and small rodents.

Call: Series of low elongated whine like sounds.
About the Photography

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

 

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

 

Lessons Learned – Dialogues in the Forest of Jimme’

Nature Speaks – Nature Photography, Therapy for the Soul – Everyone can Hear

Nature Speaks  – Through Birds – Therapy for the Soul

Michigan Bird – Mallard Duck – Sun and Darkness Dialogue

Michigan Bird – SandHill Crane Ancient Feet Dialogue

Birds of Michigan – Great Horned Owl Dialogue

Birds of Michigan – Great White Egret Dialogue

Birds of Michigan – Green Heron Dialogue – One Strange Sunset in Jimmie’

– ThirdSon and the River’s Sky

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

 

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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Photography by Ike Austin – Birds of Michigan

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Birds of Michigan – Birds Eye View

There is a sense that he who rules the skies, rule the land.

In visiting the many Michigan Metro Parks over the past thirty-five years, and walking the many off the-beaten-path nature trails, I witnessed some of my most interesting sightings of nature and a plethora of birds of Michigan.

The birds of Michigan and nature has not disappointed, even against the onslaught and wholesale destruction of over seventy-five percent of Michigan wetlands, nature rises above the occasion delivers a visual spectacle for all who visit her and wish to be enlightened.

The birds still dart, sore and glide across the skies keeping a watchful eye upon the earth and it’s less than faithful stewards below, and to some, with a slight tip of their wing, and looking at me with the eyes of a man, they covertly signal their sign of approval… I quickly snap a shot to freeze the precious moment of this rare invitation of acceptance to later gain deeper insight into the many mysteries of birds and nature.

One early morning deep in one of the hidden forests I visit, one gigantic bird glided pass my position where I stood at the edge of steep drop-off, this birded looked to be hundreds of years old an big and long as a the box car of a train forty to fify feet in length.  He passed me in total silence, we made eye contact, I heard him speaking…

“Whomever destroys his own habitat and that of others… What is man?” —ThirdSon and the River’s Sky

Birds of Michigan

Whomever destroys his own habitat and that of others... What is man?

Nature Photograpy That Brings Therapy to the Soul – I hope these photos serve your health the same.

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Nature Photography By Ike Austin