William Kramer Wildlife Photography and Art Blog

Snowy Owl Success, part 2!

2012-01-15T11:06:00.003-05:00

Check out Many more photos of this owl here. Vote on your favorite!

I took a trip along the Massachusetts/New Hampshire coast yesterday sporting a rental 500mm f4 with a 1.4 teleconverter from borrowlenses.com giving an effective focal length of 700mm. With all my owl sightings recently off the beaten path I needed to prepare differently this time. All the bulk and weight of a camera setup like this makes it more difficult to access these far reaching areas. Especially the fact that I needed to carry a heavy tripod as well. With a few special coat hanger and duct tape modifications I was able to carry the whole camera and lens vertically in my back country snowboarding bag making it very easy to hike the miles that I planned.

Fortunate for me I didn't have to hike nearly as far as I thought I would. Within 20 minutes of leaving my truck at lot 7 on Plum Island I located a single, beautiful peppered Snowy Owl. This owl was very patient seemingly sleepy as the wind gusted up to 30 mph. To get a sense of how strong the wind was check out this video capture.

On my way back up the coast I swung by Rye Harbor and watched some Buffleheads, Horned Grebes, and Long-tailed ducks feed in the shallows.

More owl photos here.
-Bill

If at first you don't succeed.... ( Snowy Owl)

2012-01-08T17:42:00.007-05:00

For more images visit my updated Snowy Owl gallery.

As they say, if at first you don't succeed, try, and try again. Over the past 3 years I have spent hundreds of hours and driven hundreds of miles in search of the elusive Snowy Owl.

With an extreme fluctuation in the population of migrating birds from the Arctic, some years us New Englanders may never see a Snowy at all like in the winter of 2010. Hunger and changing abundance of prey can drive these typically far northern birds deep into the lower 48. The winter of 2011-2012 seems to be a banner year with birds reported almost every day along the coast from Connecticut-Maine.

This past weekend I headed to plum island in search of this elusive owl. I headed out before sunrise to arrive just as the sun was coming up at Plum Island, just east of Newburyport , MA. I had a plan and I was sticking to it. I won't get int to many details as I would like to try this again, next weekend, but it worked. This large adult owl was very patient and relaxed. I was able to sit on the sand and watch the owl several times as it ate a seagull, hunted the dunes, and roosted along the sea. I drove home buzzing with the excitement of finally getting photos I could " see the pupil of the eye". That is how I often measure my photos, by the crispness of the pupil of the eye. This may seem excessive, but I have learned when the pupil is clear and sharp at 100% the rest of the image with be epic!
-Bill

For more Snowy Owl Images please visit my website.

Barnacle Goose, a rare treat in New Hampshire.

2012-01-03T09:43:00.000-05:00

After a few attempts to locate this reported Barnacle goose, I found it this morning in a hay field among 300-400 Canada Geese. The pictures are not great but they leave not doubt that this rare visitor who has never been on record breeding in North America has called New Hampshire home, at least for the time being. I will attempt to capture some better photos of this guy in the next few days.

Barnacle geese spend the majority of their breeding life in places like Greenland, Norway, Svalbard, Novaya Zemlya and even an island off Russia. During migration they can be found in Scotland, Netherlands, and Germany. When they do show up in North America they are seen only in the East, from Labrador to Michigan.

They seemed a bit on the fence...

2011-12-31T17:06:00.000-05:00

We took a nice random drive tonight looking for a reported Barnacle Goose with no luck, but based on reports we sure were close! We ended up seeing 5 turkeys, male and female, roosting 2 feet off the ground on a picket fence. You just never know what your going to see, off to Plum Island tomorrow! Happy New Year!
Bill

New Hampshire Seacoast Birds 3 new ones for me!

2011-12-17T07:31:00.001-05:00

Horned Grebe

I had a chance to do a little birding on my way home from my companies monthly beach cleanup at Jenness Beach. I am happy to say I picked up 3 lifers in less than a half hour!

Surf Scoter

Last but not certainly not least! The three Images are male ( with the long tail ) and female Long-Tailed Ducks. These ducks used to be called Oldsquaw back in the day, too bad they changed it that is more fun to say...OllllddddSQuwaaaawww. The ducks are beyond beautiful and they are not even in breeding plumage.

I really enjoy seeing a species of bird for the first time, at this rate it is going to start getting a lot harder. I will have to update my New Hampshire bird list to see where I am at.

-Bill

Limited 2012 Calendars Available!!

2011-12-14T10:39:00.000-05:00

Get them while they are hot!

Sandhill Cranes pay a visit to Massachusetts!

2011-12-06T08:30:00.002-05:00

I spent nearly the entire day Sunday exploring the Massachusetts seacoast looking for birds and other wildlife. The trip didn't let me down! Based on some reports from the Mass Bird List I decided to head to Rowely first to see if I could locate the Sandhill Cranes that have been reported several times last week.

Just to note, Sandhill Cranes are very rare for this area but very abundant our in our Western states. Sunday marked the first time I have ever seen this species in person. In the birding world there is a term for this. The very first time you identify a species, this is called a "lifer". I like to make it even more certain that for me a "lifer" includes a photos to document the sighing. Many times I will think I saw one type of bird but it was actually another, as in this past Sunday I was certain that I was photographing a Northern Harrier, only to find out it was a Rough-Legged Hawk, another Lifer for me!

There were 2 Cranes in the farm field when I arrived. They were close to the road so it was pretty easy to get some nice shots without disturbing the birds. From what I can tell, they will stick around a few more days and then continue to migrate.

When birds as rare as these show up it can cause quite a stir in the nature photography world. Want to see what nearly $100,000 in camera gear looks like? You would think Paris Hilton was out there in that muddy field somewhere.

This is what the crane thought of all the attention. I'm pretty sure he felt this was his best side. Notice how he is checking to see if people are watching!

Structure Fire, Dover, NH

2011-11-04T12:40:00.000-04:00

While at work today we noticed a stream of black smoke coming out of the roof of a neighboring building, within 10 minutes it was fully engulfed in flames. Apparently the building was used to store huge rolls of rubber used when dredging the Cocheco River . This would explain the huge plume of black smoke. Our office is located on the 4th floor offering a birds eye view of the fire. Sounds like it may have been arson and they have " two juveniles in custody"

The start of the fire

Another Artistic Medium, concrete!

2011-11-03T09:08:00.000-04:00

I recently purchased a wood pellet stove to help cut fuel cost and attempt to use a more renewable resource for home heating. Part of the puzzle of installing a stove is the heat proof pad that the stove sits on. You could easily buy one at the store that sells the stoves, they are made of tile and look ok, nothing special, but they cost $400 or more.

With the recent renovations and building we have been doing at the office I was able to watch my buddy John build 2 concrete countertops and thought this would be a perfect construction method for the pellet stove. Here are a few shots I took along the way.

This first image jumps ahead many steps but I constructed the mold out of melamine, using black silicon I drew a branch pattern freehand. All the seams are filled with silicon as well then smoothed with your finger, this gives nice rounded corners when the mold is removed. The leaves are cut out of copper flashing and glued upside down to the bottom of the mold.

4 inch steel mesh is hung by wire halfway down in the mold.

Mix up some Quikrete 5000, keep it on the dry side, I used 2 80lb bags

Shovel it into the mold and smooth it out. This next step is VERY important. Rap the sides and bottom with a hammer for at least 20 minutes to get the air bubbles out, I suggest a nice Pale Ale for this part. Then let it cure for 3 days and unscrew the mold and pray.

Then I covered the bottom with some white felt to protect the floor. Finally, find a friend with big muscles ( Ryan) and drop into place.

Enjoy!
Bill

COPPER: 2 New Trees finished, Experimenting with patina.

2011-09-27T11:49:00.000-04:00

I have really been loving to work in 3D. Copper is really awesome, soft, easy to bend, and beautiful. I recently have been experimenting with patina for a large copper panel project. After some research I ended up talking to an artist in Aspen, CO who works with large scale copper projects for ski lodges and large homes. With some of his advice and lots of experimenting I am ready for the arrival of my two 8'x3' copper panels to work with..here are a few shots of the experiments.

The copper surface needs to be sanded, and then totally degreased with acetone before the aging process can begin

In a matter of minutes the copper take on an beautiful aged look.

After hours of trial and error I have been able to produce tones of aging for the project. These are small test sheets, the real 8 foot wide sheets will be used to face the front desk at the entrance to our office.
Bill

Old foxes want no tutors.

2011-09-20T07:21:00.000-04:00

I always knew fox were smart. But last night when I witnessed this behavior of this Grey Fox on my way home from work, I was really impressed. Seems like this fox ( the first Grey version I have ever photographed!) learned that when the farmer mows the field the cutting equipment prepares all sort of tempting treats.

Although he was far off I saw the fox eat 3 times in 3 locations in a matter of minutes so I can only assume that he was picking up pieces of mice and other critters that met their fate a short time ago. In fact it had looked like the farmer had just shut off the tractor and walked in for dinner.

-Bill

It worked almost too good!

2011-08-24T07:19:00.001-04:00

Last night I headed out to the Christmas tree farm to try out my new predator call. (below)

This call had been suggested to me by a buddy who had some great luck with it after only a few uses. The general idea of this call is that it makes sounds that attract predators, fox, coyote, bobcat who come in close looking for an easy meal. Because it is wireless you are able to place the speaker part up to 150 yards away UPWIND so that when the animal come in to see whats going on, you can be hidden out of sight. Unlike my old call I had to hold in my hand, this call has clear advantages. The other great part besides its very reasonable price ( about half the cost of other systems with the same set up) is the fact that you can change the sound cards for different uses, from turkey, deer, moose, elk, crows, you name it!

So back to last night. I walked quietly and slowly to the edge of the field, hung the speaker in someones future Christmas tree and backed away and hid along the edge of the field. I began a calling sequence that mimics and injured rabbit. Its a terrifying crying sound that is supposed to work amazing, sure enough in less than a minute I could hear something running through the woods headed straight for me...not the plan. I looked quickly at the spot where it seemed the animal would pop out, I crouched down and aimed my camera at the small opening. This locations was less than 20 feet away from me, in fact i did not even have to zoom in, i shot these images at 100mm.

Blurry due to his shock of seeing me.

Sure enough, withing seconds this beautiful coyote poked his head out, at the same time I hit my shutter release. I am blown away with the speed which he identified me and spun around and vanished. It was a fraction of a second, hence the blurry photo. I still feel like this was a success and look forward to trying to get more shots of one of my favorite subjects our local predators!

And that was that, keep in mind this second photo was taken 1/7th of a second after the first! That's fast reflexes!

Sharp Shinned Hawk, FINALLY!

2011-08-21T11:33:00.000-04:00

Since moving to Nottingham, NH, I have had the pleasure of having a resident sharp-shinned hawk that calls my property home. I have tried at least 5 times to get a photo of him with no luck, that is until today.

I was headed out on a nice Sunday morning scouting mission, as I pulled out of my driveway there he was, just relaxing on the wire digesting a recent meal of some sort of bird. You can see the down feathers still in his large talons ( Napoleon Dynamite reference)

From what I can tell it seems to be a sub adult, but I would be open to any other thoughts, I know they color and patterning can vary greatly depending on age and sex, then throw in the coopers hawk and you got yourself a true puzzle. My favorite resource for convincing myself what I am looking at is Allaboutbirds.org THIS link helps to identify the differences.

Enjoy!
Bill

A new tree!

2011-08-15T09:41:00.000-04:00

Still getting the hang of this but finished my second wire tree this weekend.

A new medium. Wire Trees

2011-08-09T07:48:00.001-04:00

I have recently been trying out some new ways to create art, most of the intention is to make objects for decorations around my home.

This past weekend I saw some amazing sculptures at a gallery in Portsmouth, NH made of wire and was very inspired to go out and try it right away. Last night on my way home from work I stopped at home depot and bought some copper wire. Bare in mind this is my first go at it. I must say it is very rewarding and I plan to go back to the 'depot today to get 500' more wire. ( I started with 40', this tree is 20'. ) I already feel like I learned a lot and cant wait to make the next one.

Started with this.

Although I have a lot more work to refine this tree to the way I want it to look, I am thinking about leaving it outdoors for a few weeks to let the copper oxidize...green patina would be amazing!

Let me know what you think!
-Bill

Sun Valley Photoshoot

2011-07-20T07:07:00.000-04:00

I just got back from a trip to Sun Valley, Idaho. Sun Valley is one of those places that is just so unique, and hard to get to! This time we decided to fly to Salt Lake directly to avoid 14 hours and 3 flights/ layovers. This one direct flight also entailed a 5 hour drive, but I would take that any day over more time on a plane.

This is a first round of many photos taken while there, this photoshoot was for NEMO and will probably be found in next years catalog and other places.

Thanks to Adrien, Vanessa, and of course Toby!

Barred Owl Release

2011-04-25T07:47:00.001-04:00

I was looking forward to last night for weeks. Working with members from the Center For Wildlife in Cape Neddick, Maine was invited to photograph the release of 2 barred owls that were injured this past winter by cars. The center nurses the owls back to health then using a special cage, they determine if it is ready to be released into the wild. Once they are ready to be back in nature, the owls are released as close to the location that they were found as possible. In this case the first release was in York, Maine, the second was in Kennebunk, Maine.

I met with Jane Kelly to capture the release. Although the lighting conditions for action photography were more than a challenge I learned a lot. Watching these owls fly off back to where they belong is an amazing feeling.

If you love animals and want to help support the Center that makes this kind of recovery possible, please visit their website and donate.
-Bill

Happy to be home!

American Kestrel, Great Bay NWR

2011-04-18T11:09:00.000-04:00

Now that things have somewhat settled down with my relocation, we had a chance to check out my new surroundings and go look for birds at Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Although I will miss my old stomping grounds, I am very excited about all the new areas to explore. Now that I live 15 minutes from the ocean many more opportunities are right around the corner.

Today I wanted to share these images of the American Kestrel, one of about 5 that we watched for about 20 minutes. They are very entertaining and I plan to head back to see them very soon.
Enjoy!

The Last Drive through Hollis.

2011-04-07T11:02:00.000-04:00

This morning I left my house with a little bit of sadness. I grabbed my camera bag just as I have so many times over the last 2 years living in Hollis, patted my Kitty on the head and made my way downstairs out to my truck, it was 6:45am.

Today marks the last morning for me to drive the back roads on my usual route looking for birds, or animals to photograph before having to head into work. A route I have performed over a a hundred times in the past 2 years. Although I am very excited about my move tomorrow to Nottingham, and the amazing times that await me there, I will always remember the special times in Hollis.

Although I have put a pretty substantial amount of effort and time into wildlife photography while living here 2 species have eluded me. Coyote, and Ruffed Grouse.

Sure I have had a quick glimpse of both of them from time to time I can think of a handful of occasions just after sunset, a yote has run in front of me. Similarly I'd guess I must have flushed a grouse over 50 times, never a photo, until today!

Enjoy these photos, they feel like a gift! As always, click to enlarge.
-Bill

Return of the Osprey

2011-04-05T10:56:00.000-04:00

I woke up to a very foggy morning today, every now and then the sun would just barley squeak through the clouds giving very brief glimpses of what heaven must look like. I figured this would be a good day to bring the camera on the way to work. Although I have not been shooting much recently with a very busy schedule, I figured it would not hurt to bring the camera, just in case. I have learned the hard way too many times. If in doubt, bring the camera.

On my commute to work I drive past one of those cell towers that try VERY hard to look like a pine tree. With it's awkward, stunted, comical attempt to be branches, one must wonder if it were just a regular tower would it be less of an eye sore?

Apparently this breeding pair of osprey do not mind. I spotted one of them perched on the tower and pulled over, grabbed my camera focused in to make sure it was not a hawk or a crow, it wasn't!

Today marks my first osprey sighting of the year. This is the same tower I reported a pair in last year. I can't help but wonder if it is the same pair as last year, or if it maybe one of the other 2 pairs that nested withing a 1/4 mile of this location last spring.

I had only a few minutes to watch as one of the osprey flew off, assuming it may be the male, I had a good idea he would be right back with a stick. Sure enough within 3 minutes the mature bird flew back over my head towards the nest. The size of the branch (or tree?) it was carrying was remarkable. Looking at the images I estimate 7-7.5 feet. As I continued to shoot these photos I could not believe it was actually gaining altitude with this log. Flapping hard and determined it struggled to continue its ascent.

Just as the thought of "what would happened if he dropped that spear from the heavens and it hit a car, person, or house?" I saw one leg break loose from the tree. Within a second the bird released its' over sized payload sending the tomahawk missile plummeting downwards, as it gained velocity I peaked from behind my zoom lens to look at the landing zone. CRASH! the stick smashed into the metal roof of a storage facility and exploded onto pieces. No one else saw it.

This made me wonder how often this must happen, and thought, this must lead to some unexplained happenings around the world. Anyone ever hear of a stick falling from the sky with no trees around?

Barred Owl in Rain

2011-03-07T07:45:00.001-05:00

On a rainy hike yesterday morning deep in a pine forest of Hollis, NH I startled a Barred Owl who was very low on a branch perfectly camouflaged. He flew a very short distance and landed on another branch a little higher up. Although I have seen barred owls several times in this area over the past year, I still consider them to be my ultimate find. Cameraless, I watched it for 10 minutes and marked it on my GPS.

Then I tried to determine how long it would take me to get back to my truck. My thought was, based on an experience I had last summer, Barred owls tend to stay put for long periods of time during the day. So maybe, just maybe I could hike back to my truck, drive a few miles home, get my camera, drive back, hike back to the spot with help from my GPS and get a great opportunity to photograph such an amazing animal. It worked! Forty minutes later...I relocated the owl and photographed it for about 45 more minute from 20 feet away!

checking out a small noise below

Got to be careful how you itch your ear when you have claws like that!

I was relieved and out of breath after putting in that kind of effort to get shots like these.

I even had a chance to try some HDR techniques

Thanks for stopping by, come back soon to check out some shots of the peregrine falcons I have been watching.

-Bill

New Hampshire Seacoast Birds

2011-02-14T08:29:00.000-05:00

Common Eiders

On my way home from some ice fishing in Maine I stopped by some of my favorite birding haunts. Jenness Beach, Rye Harbor, and various pullover areas with no names that I am aware of. Then I made my way down to Salisbury State beach, and headed home with a quick stop in Ipswich to see if the Red Screech Owl was still there.

Its tough to see the water over the high snowbanks making identification difficult and sometimes dangerous with traffic flying by. So I didn't stop as much as I wanted to. I had high hopes to spot the elusive Snowy owl.

After talking to a few members of the Mass Audubon I realized my fears are probably true, there will not be a huge invasion of Snowy owls this year. Seems this is a cycle based on lemming population that occurs every seven years, last year was that year.

Common Loon

Horned Grebe? (first for me is so)

Bald Eagle shot with a 85mm lens, can only imagine how nice these would be with the 400mm. doh!

Golden Eyes

Red Tailed Hawk

Crow?

Red Morph Screech Owl, round 2

New Painting!

2011-02-04T08:25:00.000-05:00

After some time off I am back at it, started this oil painting about a week ago and have been having a blast working on it. It is based on the photos I took this summer on the Nashua River. Stay tuned as I make more progress. I hope to do a short video when I paint the eyes in.

Red Morph Screech Owl

2011-01-26T07:51:00.000-05:00

The Eastern Screech owl is the only small owl in the Eastern United Stated that has ear tufts. This little owl is also the only owl that appears in two distinct colors, or morphs. Its voice is mournful and can be heard late in the evening. Very often ( every time I have ever seen one ) they are sleeping in a hole in a tree. These guys are fairly common so next time your driving or walking in the woods take notice of the holes in the trees, you just might see one!

Taken a year apart, these photos show the the two distinct color morphs

This guy is no dummy, picking the sunny side of the tree to stay warm in the frigid weather

If you didnt look up you would walk (or drive) right past this guy.

Thanks for stopping by, feel free to leave some comments!
-Bill

Winter Coyotes

2011-01-23T12:37:00.002-05:00

I went for a photo drive with fellow photographer Kevin Klasman this weekend. Our only plan was to attempt to photograph my first Red Morph Screech Owl that had been reported in Essex, Mass. Images for that attempt to follow in Part#2 of this post.

Along the way from Hollis, we made several stops including Great Meadows Wildlife
Refuge in Concord, MA. With calm winds and comfortable temps we slowly made our way out onto the dike dividing the marsh. Almost instantly we spotted a bedded coyote several hundred yards off.

Patiently we watched the 'yote only to realize he was going to relax in the warm sun and most likely not offer an opportunity for any closer shots. We were divided by the marsh and could not get any closer ourselves. After poking around a little longer we decided to head back to my truck. On the way to the truck we saw this cute little mash wren playing in the reeds.

Marsh Wren

I looked to see if I could locate my coyote call, figuring this might bring the bedded dog out for a better look, it was not in my truck.

With the opportunity to photograph this healthy mature coyote in snow too alluring to abandon, we decided to hike along the old train tracks behind where we spotted the coyote to give it one last try.
Glad we did! Click images to enlarge.

Bedded Female Coyote

Big Male spotted me very quickly, I made a hoot sound to stop him for a photo

This looks like a wolf to me

happy couple

Relaxing, waiting for nightfall to cause some trouble

Downward Yote

And one of my favorites, these people skied right past this huge male with out even noticing. Just shows, you gotta pay attention!

-Bill

Blizzard Feeder Birds

2011-01-14T07:48:00.000-05:00

Female Cardinal

Seems like the heavy snow has made the local birds less picky about the food I have been putting out! Had a great time during the last snowday experimenting with my 580exII wireless flash. Just enough for detail capture.I was stopped down - 2 3/3rds. Also grabbed a video at the end of the post to show how strong the wind was blowing.

Dark Eyed Junco

Male Cardinal

Blue Jay

American Tree Sparrow

White Winged Scoter Feeding Video

2011-01-12T17:56:00.000-05:00

Snowy trip to Gloucester

2011-01-10T08:06:00.001-05:00

I took a drive with my friend and fellow photographer Kevin to the coast in Gloucester, Ma this weekend. We were in search of some winter migrants. There are many species along the coast this time of year that spend the warmer months much further north, this late in the winter they move south offering us a look at these part-time visitors.

Given the tough lighting and constant snow/ ice it made for a great trip with 4 birds I have never seen before. Harlequin Duck, Purple Sandpipers, Ruddy Duck, and White Winged Scoter.

Our first sighting started at the Gloucester--Fisherman's Monument with some close views of the White Winged Scoter fishing near the seawall. The clear water provided great views of what happens once the duck swims below the surface.

Purple Sandpipers reacting to my presence

a seal swam by following a commercial fishing boat that had just docked at Jodfrey State Fish Pier

Ruddy Duck

These Horned Larks and Snow Buntings required the most effort to photographed, it was snowing quite hard at this point when we arrived at Cape Ann--Good Harbor Beach

Last but certainly not least, one of the main reasons we went to the Gloucester (besides the screech owl that was not present) was to find these Harlequin Ducks. I need to go back and really capture these beautiful birds with some better light! Amazing to watch them dive in unison.

Redpolls Invasion!

2011-01-05T08:01:00.000-05:00

Today during a lunchtime stroll, I photographed a group of five Common Redpolls, typically found in the northern areas of Canada and Alaska. Although the markings on the birds are subtle from afar, the detail in these photos shows stunning delicate beauty as they feed on these white birch catkins.

One reason these birds are being found so far south is that they are forced to relocate in search of food when winter sets in their northern habitats.

When I first arrived at the location, I spotted three Redpolls right away in the birches. I got my camera set up and within 2 shots they all flew off to the edge of the river out of sight. I attempted to sneak down towards the river, only to have them fly away again. At this point I decided to try later. As I returned back to my truck, I noticed they were all perched in the same trees that they started in.

Christmas Hike, bucks alive and dead, owls, hawks!

2010-12-27T08:07:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite parts about the holidays is heading back to Berlin, CT and getting a chance to go explore the woods I grew up in. This Christmas was no different and managed to squeeze a hike in every day. Seemed like each day I went out I had some great luck.

Some of the highlights were:
• Walking up on a group of 12-18 doe

• A group of 6 bucks walked right by me, the first one below was big, I managed only a few shots between the trees before he busted me and bolted off, the buck below worked with me for a bunch of shots, look close and you will see both of his antlers are broken off on the main beam.

• Nice close views of a red tailed hawk, (same one I saw on Easter)
• lots of song birds

• A GREAT HORNED OWL gave me great views when i was tracking a deer through a swamp, found lots of hair but never found the deer, i think it was shot the day before by a hunter and was never found

site of a deer kill, never found the body

Nubble Lighthouse

2010-12-20T08:28:00.000-05:00

Went for a fun drive up the coast this Saturday. After checking out a few rural towns we ended up on Cape Neddick, home of the famous highly photographed Nubble lighthouse. I had not planned to be there and was missing a critical piece of photography equipment...my tripod. I made do with a few rocks and a pair of gloves to steady my camera. Here are a few of the shots. Enjoy!
Bill

2010 Deer Photography Round Up

2010-12-10T13:44:00.000-05:00

Sure there are still a few weeks of the year left to capture more deer photos, but I wanted to share some of my favorite shots of the year so far. I captured all of these moments in New Hampshire and Connecticut during 2010. As always click images to enlarge and see detail.
enjoy-
Bill

4 Seasons captured.

2010-12-02T08:09:00.004-05:00

Living in New England has always been important to me, I feel that I belong here. Experiencing the change of seasons holds a deep almost spiritual place in my life.

With the change of seasons we see the change of our landscape. Plants sprout, bloom, and wither away, birds migrate, babies are born. Although it happens gradually over a course of weeks and months it can be made very apparent when photographed at the absolute peak of each season.

This is the second time I have attempted to record the dynamic change that occurs at locations right around us. This first set of photos was taken over the past year with summer being the most recent image captured.

This second series was taken several years back in Bethel, CT. I drove past this swing hanging from a tree every day on my way to work. After seeing it in all kinds of different light and seasons the idea popped into my head that it would be a good idea to record each season. Hope you enjoy

Images like this make an amazing Christmas gift in a single frame with 4 cut outs like this image above. Let me know if you have interest!

Red-Tailed Hawk

2010-11-30T08:31:00.001-05:00

I never, ever get tired of seeing these guys sitting above an overgrown field edge waiting for a mouse or vole to make an appearance. On the way to get our Christmas tree Sunday, this beautiful hawk let me take as many photos as I wanted from a distance of about 25 feet. Better yet I was able to share the experience with Alyson. She was also with me when we saw the Barred owl 2 weeks ago!

Click images to enlarge

Barred Owl In Black and White

2010-11-08T07:54:00.000-05:00

On a late day walk with Alyson on Saturday at Beaver Brook we spotted this beautiful very large Barred. Owl I am guessing it was a female based on the size, she allowed us to view and photographer her for over 5 minutes. What a great experience, seeing an owl feels surreal, and magical.

-Bill

PS Calendars arrive today and will begin shipping tomorrow. For more info and to purchase go here!

Woodcock!

2010-11-01T08:25:00.001-04:00

While I have seen these guys many times, ( usually just a speck flying away) I have never captured one on my camera. That all changed this weekend while doing some deer photography which went very very well!

On a side note 2011 Wildlife Portrait Calendars will start shipping this week! Check the link at the bottom of this post.

Cute little guy. There were 2 together when I stumbled across them

2011 Calendars start shipping this week!! only $10

Fall Spectacular!

2010-10-24T15:22:00.003-04:00

I have been lucky enough to photograph and enjoy some of the best peak foliage in the East ( Vermont, New Hampshire) and more recently the West, ( Utah). Here are some of my favorite shots from the past 3 weeks.

-Bill

Acworth, NH

Old Friends

Near Bennington, VT

Class 6 Road

Bennington, VT

Uinta Mountains, Utah

Kestral

Benninton, VT Fine Art show

2010-10-12T19:12:00.000-04:00

This weekend I will be headed to Bennington, VT to join artist from across the country to see my painting in the Impressions of New England art show. This nationwide annual exhibition will include images captured in paint and bronze. Seashores, rolling hills, foliage and New England wildlife will be depicted in over seventy fine works of art. Participants have included Elizabeth Apgar-Smith, Kathleen Kennedy, Gerald Lubeck, Pat Parkinson, Ian Ramsay, Carolyn Walton, and Timothy Thies.

I am super excited to be part of this amazing show, and ready to see Vermont at its finest at the PERFECT foliage weekend!

Owls, Owls Owls

2010-10-05T14:40:00.000-04:00

I had a great time this past weekend attending the live owl educational show called " Eyes on Owls" put on by Marcia and Mark Wilson. All of the owls that they featured were permanently disabled physically or mentally. Amazing to be so close to such amazing creatures.
-Bill

Eurasian Eagle Owl

Saw Whet Owl ( in focus) Eastern Screech Owl Red Phase

Eastern Screech Owl Red Phase

Snowy Owl

Fall Art Shows!

2010-09-30T10:49:00.000-04:00

2 of my acrylic paintings are now on exhibit in Bennington, Vt at the Bennington Center for the Arts. If your in the area Please stop by to check them out. Show runs September 11 - November 28, 2010

On another note, 2 photos and one painting will be showing at the Beaver Brook Association's "Forever Nature" show in Hollis, NH. Show dates are October 3&3rd. Please stop by and check out Beaver Brook, allow some time to check out the amazing trails and foliage.

Amazing Video from the BBC

2010-09-22T09:57:00.001-04:00

What an amazing experience to be able to film one of these guys up close at will. Enjoy!
-Bill

Broad-Winged Hawk Migration at Pack Monadnock

2010-09-20T08:04:00.004-04:00

Broad-winged Hawks forming a 'kettle' as they rise on the warm thermals to continue migration south

After reading Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory's amazing 3000+ hawk report from Saturday I decided to go check it out. On Sunday I headed to Peterborough and join a great group of birders from all walks of life. Although we did not see any birds for the first few hours things changed quickly!
The official counter Henry Walters posted a days total ( from 6:15am-4:45pm) of 1792 birds, 1727 of them were broad-winged hawks. An amazing experience I will not soon forget!

Lone Broad-Wing passing by.

Turkey Vulture on a thermal

2011 Calendars!!
2011 Calendars are ready for pre-order and will start shipping in 2 weeks. This 13 month calendar contains my favorite shots from the past few years. They make a great gift!

Surf and Turf

2010-09-12T20:38:00.000-04:00

2 for the price of one!

At the time I took these images earlier today I had no idea what I captured. Once
I opened these photos up on my computer I noticed this Blue Heron caught a frog AND a crayfish in once bite. As the high speed shots continued, the crayfish shook free and fell into the water. The frog became lunch. After watching this heron for about a half hour he ate an amazing 6 frogs!

Action shot

Here is a video clip from today, I still have a lot to learn about video, somehow it got cropped in to much and you loose the heron a bit. Still cool to watch!

The velvet peels..

2010-09-06T20:42:00.001-04:00

Each year the antlers of a white-tailed deer fall off and regrow. This time of year (early to mid September) the outer layer of skin and hair called 'velvet', will peel from the now hardened antler. It will appear bloody but research seems to indicate this is not a painful process for the deer because the nerve endings have turned off with the calcification. For years I have spent a lot of time trying to witness this amazing event with no luck. Things changed this year. What makes this such a rare experience is that the very small time frame when this actually happens. From my reading it seems that this event happens in 10-24 hours until all the velvet is totally peeled off. Many times the deer will eat the skin for many reasons from nutritional value, to cleaning up its own scent to help avoid predators.

Also got some great shots of this little bird which I THINK is a Black-throated Green Warbler. Cute little guy.

Lifestyle Photos

2010-09-02T10:47:00.004-04:00

Recently I have been spending a fair amount of time developing a 'style' for some upcoming life style photo shoots for NEMO Equipment. I feel like I am settling in on this saturated, high-contrast, tilt shift feel. This treatments helps convey emotion and sense of place while leaving the door open for imagination and an almost dreamlike feel. Hope you enjoy!

-Bill

Trip to Peaks Island, Maine

2010-08-22T14:33:00.005-04:00

Sunset over Portland, Maine

I took a trip to Peaks Island off the coast of Portland, Maine this weekend. While I didn't take very many pictures I think I made up for it in quality. This has become a new effort driven by the size of the files this new camera takes take less but better pictures, I can get used to this! Also saw a Black and White Warbler ( have not seen one for a few years) Great weather, friends and lobster, yes..VERY fresh lobster!

Young Osprey on the pier.

Black Crowned Night Heron, first sighting for me.

Beautiful, old sailboat heads back to port

Merlin, another first for me.

Another Osprey come in for a closer look

3 Stooges

2010-08-14T15:19:00.000-04:00

I have seen these guys a bunch recently...I call them the 3 stooges!

The good with the bad.

2010-08-02T09:58:00.000-04:00

Sometimes things happen for a reason. This weekend I dropped my camera on the pavement. Ill keep the details out. It was not a good feeling. Picking up its fractured body off the road I had one clear thought, "UPGRADE" Here is my first video. Heck I might start doing some video post regularly. Lots of new images on the way from this weekend!

Raptors, new glass.

2010-07-29T11:30:00.001-04:00

Nashua river ospreys were very active last night. Went out in the canoe with my friend Alan, also a photographer from Hollis. With wind and light being a challenge, we were still able to squeeze off a few nice captures. In fact this is one below may be my personal favorite osprey images I have ever taken.

Mother and child, adult osprey have yellow eyes, while the juveniles have a copper colored eye.

That leaves me to this morning. On my way to work I spotted a pair of redtails getting harassed by what I believe were European Starlings. This went on and on for 20 minutes. Would have stayed longer but had to get to work!

Im field testing a new lens, a F2.8 400mm with a 1.4 teleconverter. Its amazing how heavy and bulky it is. I am on day 2 of 7 that I will be using this lens. While the benefits of huge glass are very apparent in this test I did below.

On the left is my everyday wildlife lens, the middle is 'my' new one, also a 400mm, far right is the new one with a 1.4x magnification teleconverter.

Got him!

2010-07-23T10:40:00.003-04:00

After several attempts to capture a quality image of a Common Yellowthroat it happened this morning. Remaining still, I was surrounded by mosquitoes and deer flies for about 15 minutes while I waited, staring intently into a pile of tangled weeds waiting for him to come out. I could hear it, but he was being very shy. When he did come out it lasted about 20 seconds, but I was ready!
Good start to the weekend!
-Bill

Light

2010-07-21T10:12:00.002-04:00

Old equipment barn at Woodmont Orchards, Hollis NH

I've never been so obsessed with light as I am these days. I realized this the other night when the National Weather Service warned of impending doom "frequent lightning and quarter-sized hail". It was a Monday night which I planned to keep it chill and relax after a long, hot day at work. Plans changed. I had already flipped the TV on and plopped down on the couch for a particularly funny episode of Two and a Half Men when I peered to the window and saw the sky evolving into an abstract set of colors and light. Right there I decided I need to go and find the tallest hill with a nice open skyline that was close to my house. I immediately thought of an old apple farm called Woodmont Orchards. These orchards are part public land, part rundown apple orchards and part land that is about to be leased for agriculture in a creative way to save it from development. The following photos are the result of walking around for 2 hours till sunset with no mission other than to wait for moments of particular beauty and try to capture them. While the true storm missed us to the south it was a surreal, almost dreamlike experience non-the-less.

-Bill

The old abandon farm house

Lightning off in the distance

Old orchard in desperate need of pruning and love

Red-Tailed Hawk watching the approaching storm

Monday Morning Walk

2010-07-19T10:54:00.000-04:00

I tried to beat the heat today and went for a nice short walk at Beaver Brook. The open fields are nice because the deerflies don't seem to venture out into them. The indigo buntings seem here to stay, every time I walk out there I see several male and females.

Juvenile Cedar Waxwing

Common Yellow Throat

Unknown

Species seen
Indigo Buntings 6
C. Waxwings 12 (one juv PHOTO)
Yellow Throat 1 (Photo)
House Wrens 20?
Gold Finches 10
Pine warbler 3
Downy WP 1
Unknown Raptor
Unknown warblerlike bird (photo) 3-4

I would love some feedback on the unknown bird, there were at least 3 or 4 of them.

-Bill

Ben and Sarah's Wedding

2010-07-15T08:21:00.007-04:00

I was very excited when I was asked to shoot the wedding of my close friends Ben and Sarah. I'll admit it was the first time I have shot a wedding so it was a little bit nerve racking. But in the end it was an exciting experience and allowed me to check out a new part of the country I have never visited, Asheville, North Carolina. Here are a very small sampling of the images, go HERE to see a larger selection of the over 1300 images taken!
-Bill

click any image to enlarge

To view more Images from the wedding click HERE.

Indigo Buntings

2010-07-05T10:16:00.003-04:00

I went for a early walk today before the temperature reached the 90's. On my walk I was happy to be surrounded by Indigo Buntings for about a half hour. I was trying out a new lens 28-300 F3, while I like it I think I prefer my 100-400 for focus accuracy and speed in a wildlife situation.

Male and Female Indigo Buntings

Yet another Barred Owl, and Ruffed Grouse.

2010-07-01T11:58:00.001-04:00

Once again, in a matter of 4 weeks I have seen as many Barred Owls. This one appears to be young and was located less than 200 yards from the images I posted June 3rd. I will be checking the area frequently to see if it was a fluke or a regular hangout for these guys. On my way back to my truck this morning I flushed a Ruffed Grouse and blew a perfect photo opportunity, again. Next time!

Sure signs of summer all around.

2010-06-29T09:13:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share a small collection of photos taken over the last week. You know its summer when you see bucks in velvet with the growing antlers starting to fork and grow individual tines. The hay fields are growing tall and golden ready for first harvest and a mother mallard with eight, yest EIGHT chicks all in a row!

Mom leading the way o.

Nice buck in a foggy field.

Two very nice summer bucks.

Welcome summer!

2010-06-21T08:16:00.000-04:00

A few new images from the weekend. Lots of green Herons flying around, I was surprised to see them flying over my house 3 times on Sunday. Unidentifed yellow bird, any ideas?

Young Mocking bird

Not sure about this guy..

Green Heron Takes flight.

New Painting 99.9% done!

2010-06-11T08:17:00.000-04:00

A few finishing touches and its ready for clearcoat! I am really happy with this painting, I think my 'style' is finally starting to show through with no effort to do so. This frame works pretty good with it to. I'm calling this one "In the Thick of It." Its based on a deer I saw 2 mornings in a row while hiking in Redding, CT a few years ago. He remained motionless 15 feet away and blended in so well with the tangled branches and chest high goldenrod that was all around him.

A week of Barred Owls

2010-06-03T13:33:00.001-04:00

I have make no effort to hide the fact that I am slightly obsessed with Owls ( specifically Barred Owls ) I feel they are one of Mother Nature's most amazing creatures. The stoic, ghostly presence and silent flight make my imagination run wild imagining what must happen in the forest when the light fades to black.

Looking back over the last year of living in Hollis, I think of the dozens (maybe 50) of times I have driven down this little dirt road, early in the morning, 5mph, staring up into the trees hoping to get a glimpse of this bird of prey I hold so dear. Never happened.

Up until this past week I have seen and photographed only one Barred Owl in Hollis. A nice fall shot and great experience. That was it for the year, until this week.

Last Friday I was leaving my house and headed to Connecticut for Memorial Day weekend, not a mile into my drive I spotted an owl dead on the side of the road. I pulled over and examined it. I can tell it had been hit only hours earlier. After taking a few photos I dug a grave, made a cross and buried it with dignity.

Fast forward 6 days to 7:30am this morning. While on a 4 mile run with my co-worker Connie, just past the halfway point of the run, I stopped dead in the middle of the small dirt road. "Look!" 15 feet away, without a care in the world, this beautiful Barred was staring right at us. We watched it for 2 minutes and let it be. I was super excited and could not stop talking about how many times I have looked along that road for owls and never saw even a feather. With a tinge of hope about a half hour later on my way into work, I swung by the same spot camera in hand. These images are the result. Glad I checked it out!

Weekend adventures.

2010-05-24T08:11:00.002-04:00

Spent some time near the coast this weekend and enjoyed some sun and nature. Hiked around Odiorne State Park before the crowd got too big. A few new birds for me, a Long Billed Marsh Wren, and a decent shot of a Common Eider. After that headed to Maine and tried my hand at fishing for stripers in the the Salmon Falls River. Fished all day and we only landed one fish but it was a 36 inch beauty. We let it go for another day. Finally, located the fox one of my co-workers had told me about. I had to wait a little while but finally he showed himself! This little guy was a blast to watch.

Long Billed Marsh Wren

Common Eider

Spring in Hollis

2010-05-17T08:08:00.000-04:00

Had a great weekend exploring small areas of conservation land in Hollis. Looks like pretty much everyone has woken up from the winter slumber. Saved a Painted turtle that was stuck crossing the drive way at the highschool, the curbs were a bit too high for him. The weekend breeze was great for keeping the biting insects away for the most part.

Eastern Towhee

Lily Pad Abstract

Pink Lady Slippers

Painted Turtle

Black Snake

Microwaved Eggs for Breakfast?

2010-05-11T10:10:00.000-04:00

I have been watching these osprey as I drive to work at 1019 West Hollis Street in Nashua. I wonder what the effect of the strong microwaves or cell phone signals will have on not only the adults but the chicks? They seem happy. From my quick calculation using Google Earth, within 1.6 miles there are 3 active osprey nest including this one on the Nashua river.
Bill

Lincoln, NH

2010-05-09T21:22:00.000-04:00

Spent a very fun, rainy and snowy weekend in Lincoln, NH. The weather was intense, high speed winds, driving rain and lightning, with a very brief clearing around 6pm to allow us a few minutes to shoot at the nearby Beaver Pond with Mt Jim and Mt Waternomee in the background. Felt weird to be hiking in fresh snow in May as we climbed the Mount Kinsley Ridge trail on the Appalachian Trail.

Variety is the spice of life.

2010-04-30T10:23:00.003-04:00

Yellow Rumped Warbler, Hollis NH

With all the cold, windy weather I have not been out with the camera for a week or so. This morning was a nice break, sunny, warm and calm. I headed out to the Hollis/ Brookline Highschool where spring break at the school makes for a nice peaceful setting to stroll around. I was very, very happy I went there. When I first got out of my truck I was blown away by a flock of about 40 Yellow Rumped Warblers ( one of my favorite little birds, they are beautiful!), I was shooting some pictures of them when a coyote ran out into the field right in front of me. As if this was not enough, after the coyote ran off I walked a little further and noticed a duck that seemed different, I took a few shots and realized this was a new one for me. I identified it as a Blue Winged Teal. The on the way back to my truck I spotted a pair of Killdeer doign the hanky panky. Not bad for a half hour before work!
-Bill

Eastern Coyote, Hollis, NH

Blue Winged Teal, Hollis NH

Mating Killdeer, Hollis NH

Nashua Osprey Nest

2010-04-16T15:04:00.000-04:00

It was great to see this pair of nesting Osprey working so hard to construct their nest Wednesday morning. Its even better that I can drive right past here on my way to and from work to track the progress, with a little luck we will see some baby Osprey soon! A few shots.
-Bill

Great Horned Owl+ Great Blue Heron+ Great light =Great day!

2010-04-14T07:58:00.001-04:00

This Great Horned Owl is nesting in an abandon Blue Heron nest out on a small pond. What an amazing place. Besides these amazing residents I also saw 15 double crested cormorant, a few pairs of wood ducks, 5 pairs of Osprey, and a bunch of different woodpeckers. I hope to go back with the canoe this weekend, this way i will be able to float a little closer. Now if the rain will just hold off.
Bill

New Page added to site!

2010-04-09T12:18:00.003-04:00

Realizing that there are a lot of images on the site and that it is difficult to see what may be new and updated, I created an album for the newest of the new. The album called Recent Images will have some of the most recent images that have potential to make it into a permanent album on the site. I would be very happy to have your vote on new images using the star rating system. If you like something, let me know!
Thanks have a great weekend!
Bill

Carolina Wren, first for me

2010-04-07T09:26:00.000-04:00

Was blessed with not only perfect light but a first sighting of a Carolina Wren this morning in my yard.

Birds of Berlin, CT

2010-04-05T08:08:00.004-04:00

I spent Easter weekend in my home town of Berlin, CT and got out for a few short hikes on Orchard Rd. Although spring is still warming up I had a few good sightings!

A few photo highlights:

Coopers hawk

Red Shouldered Hawk

Eastern Bluebird

Here is the total list:
Robin
Cardinal
Chickadee
Wild Turkey
Red-tailed hawk
Red Shouldered Hawk
Coopers Hawk
Wood duck
Yellow rumped warbler
Song sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Tree Swallow
Northern Flicker
Belted Kingfisher
Mallard
Mute Swan
Canada Geese
Titmouse
Brown Creeper
Eastern Bluebird
Crow
Grackel
Red Winged Blackbird
White thoated Sparrow
Blue Jay
Northern Mocking bird

First of the Year

2010-03-27T13:39:00.001-04:00

Got a nice shot of a Green-Winged Teal this morning in Hollis. Love these ducks.

New Painting stage 3

2010-03-19T13:50:00.001-04:00

New Painting!

2010-03-15T08:27:00.000-04:00

Stage 2

Its been ages since I have painted a deer, this guy come from a vivid memory from Connecticut a few years ago. As I was walking out on a morning hike felt something looking at me from the brush, as I glanced over my shoulder, there he was one of the biggest deer I have ever seen 15 feet away just frozen looking at me. Within seconds he disappeared like a ghost. I was amazed how he could even navigate through the thick brush with the huge set of antlers on his head. On the following day same place same time I was headed out into the woods again, guess who was in the same place. I would guess i'm about half way done with this little painting, I plan to add a lot of branches and dried goldenrod int he foreground. I didn't take any picture in the very beginning..

Stage 1

Spring Turkeys, Chickadee painting officially done

2010-03-12T07:32:00.001-05:00

I was very happy to see these two large tom turkeys already in battle and actually in a standoff over this hen, come on guys its only March! The rest of the hens and jakes stayed well out of the way up in the tree branches about 40 feet off the ground. Also added a few finishing touch to my Chickadee painting, done!
5x7 $150

First shed of 2010!!

2010-03-09T19:45:00.005-05:00

Sure, its not a huge 6 point antler that weighs pounds not ounces..., but its fresh and beautiful, and I have a photo of the deer it came from! The photos where the deer still had the antler attached was taken on the frigid night of January 30th. The shed antler was found just after the snow melted Monday morning March 8th at the edge of the orchard. Time to find the other side, and hopefully many, many more ( and maybe a huge matching set....fingers crossed. Stay tuned for more antler hunting madness!! I hope I can pull off another 2008.

click images to enlarge

This is a photo shows the untouched antler.

Taken January 30th, 2010

New Painting!

2010-03-02T08:31:00.002-05:00

I had a lot of fun creating this small painting from a photo I took last week. These little chickadees kept me company while I was layed up with the flu. I feel my creative juices flowing again! Ready to start the next painting.....what should it be,...hmm maybe a deer...

Black Capped Chickadee, 5"x7" Acrylic March 2010

New Hampshire Coyote

2010-02-23T08:04:00.000-05:00

click image to enlarge

This photo marks my most succesful photo of a Eastern Coyote to date. Amazing how much larger they are than their Western counterparts. I have read more than once that this has to do with the migration of the coyote eastward. As they moved east coyotes would mate with wolves produceing a lager mix breed animal that has a bigger skull and body size much like a wolf. I love the light and expression in the photo above. Once again he has began feeding on a deer that had been killed by him and his friends a few weeks ago. The feeding stopped once the temperatures froze it solid. With the weather in the mid 40's this week he has returned almost every day, and this one time during day light for over an hour and a half.

After the snow

2010-02-17T11:01:00.001-05:00

I got a nice look at this big Red-Tail this morning as he hunted a small field. I was able to set up and take this photo as a HDR or ( High Dynamic Range) photo that is the combination of 3 differently exposed shots fused together. It creates depth and tonal range that almost becomes surreal. I have also been experimenting with super tight sharp focus like on this Chickadee and Nuthatch below. Click images to see at full size and best sharpness.
-Bill

Snowy Owl

2010-02-14T11:16:00.003-05:00

After threes attempts to locate and photograph a Snowy Owl, I finally got it. This bright white owl was located on Plum Island about 100 yards away napping on the salt mash ice. Im very excited to have seen this for the first time, was also able to add a Cooper Hawk to my lifetime bird list!

Coyote Attacked deer UPDATED

2010-02-05T15:30:00.004-05:00

***Look below as I update this post.***

New image updated Feb 8th

This fox has been a nightly visitor to the carcass, where are the coyotes?

Feb 5th ( scroll down to see updates)

Its hard to say if this is the same deer I photographed last week with the injured leg, but I'm willing to bet it is. It was found dead at the teeth of coyotes Monday morning.

The deer is a one and a half year old buck that has shed its antlers. Its amazing to think how fast the coyotes ate basically half this deer in one night, the same night they brought it down. Since the deer was found its carcass was reported to the DNR and moved to the back of the property. Here, I fastened my motion activated camera pointed right on it and plan to leave it for a week to see just how many coyotes are traveling in the local pack that is responsible for this. It is said that 1/3rd of a coyotes diet in the Northeast consist of deer meat. This is the third deer in as many years that has been found dead from coyote attacks in the same orchard. The previous two had fought so hard for life that in the battle they actually shed their antlers, and they were found next to the carcass. Wow. Check back int he next few days to see more as this story unfolds .

***UPDATE Feb 8th**
The deer has been dragged about 100 yards by the coyotes. You can see in the background of the second image , a trail of hair from the drag. Its amazing to think how the coyotes were able to drag the deer this far, it must weight about 100 lbs. It must have been a team effort? I cant imagine one coyote can drag an entire deer, or can it? I have had the motion sensor camera on the carcass about a week now, so far the only visitor has been this beautiful healthy fox. To keep the deer in one place we have driven some steel rebar into the frozen ground and fastened its legs with wire. Since then, the coyotes have vanished. I can only think that the human sent at the site has kept them back. I will be checking the cameras tomorrow.

stay tuned!!

Northern Harrier

2010-02-01T07:35:00.000-05:00

I took a trip to Plum Island this weekend off the coast of Newbury, Mass in seach of a recently reported Snowy Owl. No luck with the snowy owl (yet) but I was able to not only see, but photograph a Northern Harrier. A first for me!

This image below captured just before sunset, shows a doe with some sort of leg injury. The land owner has told me he he has seen her around a few times, and also that he has seen a several coyotes in the past few days.

5 miles from my house!!

2010-01-25T18:48:00.003-05:00

For now I will keep it the location secret, more to follow. Stay Tuned!

click image to enlarge

Winter Wonderland

2010-01-20T13:37:00.000-05:00

Checking the weather forecast last night I had a very strong feeling we were info an amazing sunrise. I preset the coffee maker and got all my camera gear ready for and early departure. With fluffy snow still falling I headed to bed anxious to see what the new day would bring. I was not let down by the sun gods this day. All these photos were taken within a mile of my front door in Hollis, NH.

click images to enlarge

Hollis Red-Tail with rabbit

2010-01-18T21:12:00.000-05:00

click to enlarge any image above

Spotted this hawk Sunday evening in Hollis, NH. This red-tail is one of the largest I have ever seen. I have seen it about 5 times in the same small area, he is very timid and flys off very quick once he spots me. I watched him nail this rabbit as I was driving by, then watched for about 8 minutes before he had split and taken half of it up into a tree. Hope to see more of this guy closer with better light!

Eastern Screech Owl

2010-01-10T10:33:00.005-05:00

Hello again,
I am very happy to share some photos taken yesterday along the New Hampshire seacoast of a Eastern Screech owl. With sightings of this guy becoming pretty regular in a very specific location, my friend and fellow photographer Kevin Klasman and myself headed to see if we would be lucky enough to get a few photos. The screech owl is a bird that I have been wanting to see for years, I jumped at the chance to not only see but to be able to photograph this little guy. The 20 or so minutes we watched him he never opened his eyes, although he would move around a bit here and there. We left him undisturbed very happy with the shots!
Enjoy
Bill

click images to enlarge

Kevin, very happy with his first screech owl photo!

Tree Sparrow and winter barn...Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T18:33:00.002-05:00

click to enlarge

I hope everyone is enjoying the recent snow. It seems like it should be coming down through the weekend, I am very excited about this. I have been reading a lot of bird list recently, a bird list is essentially an on-line list that updates everyday. Members will keep a on-going log of birds they have seen in their area. Birding is an amazing hobby that can be done very casual, of very intense. What is so interesting is that some rarely seen birds are showing up within my area, including a bird I want to photograph more that any bird at the moment, the Snowy Owl. Click here for a link to the New Hampshire birdlist to see how it works. Hopefully some updates on that to follow. For now I have a nice shot of an American Tree Sparrow and a Black Capped Chikadee. Finally, the light and scene was set up just right to shoot this barn that is just a few houses down from mine. Every time I drive by I look at this barn, actually I think its more of a woodshed. Enjoy!

click to enlarge

Bill

New Drawing

2009-12-27T11:07:00.003-05:00

click to enlarge image

I created this pencil sketch of my niece and nephew for my sister as a Christmas present. I was really happy how it turned out!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T21:05:00.002-05:00

Greetings,
I wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. Enjoy the snow if you got it and savor the time with the family, eat some good food, and drink some good beer!
I got out for a great hike today and discovered this very cool pine cone that had been blown across the snow by the wind, it left a amazing pattern. I realized the snow needs to be perfect for this to happen. Crusty layer below with a dry light powder on top.

click image to enlarge

Further into the hike I found a dark-eyed junco sitting on the ground . I took a few photos as it sat there. I was able to get unusually close. I looked at this bird for a while and wondered if it was hurt, I creeped closer and discovered indeed he/her was hurt. I picked the bird up in my hands and held it for a few minutes. The bird seemed 'with it' but seems like it may have been injured , perhaps by a hawk or owl. One eye was missing and he seemed hurt. I continued to try to make it warm in my cupped hands for maybe 10 minutes, then placed it on a branch off the ground away from predators and continued on my way.

click image to enlarge

A few hours later I returned passed the same spot, sure enough my little buddy was still there, but on the ground again, I tried to pick it up again but it actually flew to a branch. This was a major struggle, but was somewhat encouraged to see it able to even do that. As I turned to walk away i felt really sad, my heart sunk realizing the poor guy would have a slim chance of making it through the night. This reminded me how precious life really is.

Take time enjoy life everyday, laugh, hike, take pictures and go outside. Try hard not to get to caught up with the hurried pace we live.
Merry Christmas

Winter Hawks

2009-12-17T19:48:00.000-05:00

Greetings,

I got these photos this morning in the orchard near my house on a trail cam. these two red-tailed hawks were feeding on the remains of a deer. This time of year wild creatures take what they can get to sustain the energy to stay warm and alive. It appears one of these hawks may be a young'n.

New Website!

2009-12-12T07:50:00.000-05:00

Hello old friends and new friends. I am very happy to announce the launch of my new website. The goal of this new site is to allow the user to delve deeper into the images, and really explore the world as i see it through my lens or paintbrush. I have hundreds of images now all sorted by subject. I still have a few minor tweaks to work out but would LOVE to hear your feed back. Im off to explore the woods on this frigid New Hampshire morning. Enjoy the new site and please send me a message through the contact page with any questions or comments!
Thanks
Bill

Let it snow!

2009-12-07T11:45:00.000-05:00

Well we finally got out first real snow up here, and it was amazing. Over night we received about 3.5 inches of the sticky whiteness. I spent a lot of time hiking with-out the camera because the snow was falling so often i was afraid to damage my equipment, but managed a few nice shots that captured the moment. More on the way wednesday!

Hello again

2009-12-02T11:28:00.000-05:00

It has sure been a while since I posted but I am happy to say a lot of hard work on a totally new website is almost complete. It will be launched in the next 2 weeks! Make sure to check back. I hope every one has been enjoying fall! I can feel snow just around the corner!

I wanted to share a few shots of these American Goldfinches that we see around the office. Normally these bird have a very distinct bright yellow coloring. As winter approaches the color changes to a dirty almost greenish hue. I caught these guys feeding on some berries outside my window today. They are really fun to watch and arrive suddenly in groups, they leave just as fast as they arrive.

Barred Owl

2009-10-19T08:02:00.001-04:00

Im still amazed how rarely I see these owls. I know there are supposed to be common but I average about 1 sighting a year, and the chance of having my camera, ( and have it ready to take a photo) is not very likely. BUT last week the stars must have been aligned! I was out on a short hike before work and heard this guy call out. Withing a few seconds of trying to determine where he was, I heard some branches moving and he flew right over to see what I was all about. I went back later that day and saw him again, but this time there was no chance of getting a photo! This has been good inspiration to get working on my Barred Owl Painting!

New Lens

2009-09-29T09:52:00.000-04:00

I love my new lens...

Orchard Hawk

2009-09-21T11:39:00.000-04:00

Saw this guy sitting on a wire on my way to my house while driving. I got home, grabbed my bike and my camera and rode back to see if he was still there. He was, got some great shots, loving the new camera and lens combo. I THINK its a immature red-tail hawk.

Mallard X Wood Duck Hybrid

2009-09-09T08:07:00.003-04:00

For the second time inside of a year since I have lived in NH I have identified yet another Mallard Hybrid, this time it was a group of ducks hanging out on a log near the side of the road. As I approached I noticed The wooduck ( females) did not take flight as they normally do. Carrying my new camera and lens I snapped a few photos when i noticed something funny, there was a patch of blue on the wing of the "Wood Duck" Turns out it was a genetically crossed female Wooduck that had been mixed with a Mallard, in fact there were 3 of them, all thinking that they were Mallards. Whats in the water up here?! This Website has some great information...
Click Image to enlarge

A visitor today

2009-08-23T19:41:00.007-04:00

Hello everyone,

Its been a while since I posted here, thats what happens when you get beautiful weather and weekends fill up months ahead.... but I have been loving every minute of it, lots of hiking, biking, and thanks to our friend hurricane Bill, Surfing!

I had a nice relaxing morning on this beautiful Sunday and decided to try a quick out door oil painting. I grabbed my paint and canvas and walked about 20 feet out my backdoor under a great shady maple. I chose to paint the flower garden just on the other side of the pool and the back porch. Simple, nothing to crazy.

There I was painting along, minding my own business when my nosy ( or beaky) neighbor had to come over to say hi. I was thrilled when this young Red-Tailed hawk landed in the yard, hung out under a hedge for a little bit, the proceeded to walk right over to me, literally 3 feet away. I am convinced he thought the cleaning brush for the pool was a mouse or something. I was VERY happy that my camera was an arms reach away. This hawk allowed me to take about 50 photos...thanks bud!

Click to enlarge any photo

My painting set-up

See him, look under the hedge..

Just coming over to say hi

getting closer

closer

Doh, its a pool brush..

.
Just before he left me.

Foxes!

2009-07-08T17:59:00.002-04:00

Hello Again....
Very happy to share these with you all, its been a LONG time coming. These were taken a few weeks ago in Idaho, one set from Sun valley and the others from Hailey.

CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTOS

Spring Backyard Birds

2009-06-03T07:56:00.002-04:00

I have been a little behind posting photos, a few of you have kindly sent emails to give me a kick in the pants, so here is what I got. I have been going for lots of walks with the camera, in the orchards and field edges out my back door. In addition to the birds I was lucky enough to capture are all the ones who flew away before i had a chance to get a shot. All said and done, so far I have identified 7 new species that are new to me. I also started a new Birdlist for New Hampshire. According to the list New Hampshire has 389 species of birds. Check back soon
Bill

White Crowned Sparrow

Scarlet Tanger

Savannah Sparrow

Robin on nest

Freshies

Palm Warbler

Northern Oriel

Indigo Bunting

Blue Heron

More Fisher Cat!

2009-05-14T10:47:00.004-04:00

The past week and a half I have been out to Beaver Brook scouring the edges of the fields looking for all the cool birds that are passing through, I have seen a great variety, from Scarlet Tangers to palm warblers, many of these I have never seen before. I will be doing a post in the next week or so with a collection of these images. Today I would like to share some images I captured this morning of a fisher cat. I was hiking quietly along a new trail and discovered a Fisher cat who was too busy to realize I was there, This would mark the second time I have seen one in person. Glad I had the camera.

Fisher Cat!

2009-04-09T08:23:00.002-04:00

Just finished moving to beautiful Hollis NH, I am surrounded by vast tracts of forest and huge farm fields, I love it here. I have been hiking daily and shooting some photos, feeling a renewed urge to create, check back soon!

I was pretty happy to have captured a daytime photo of a fisher cat on my trail camera. I plan to have the camera set up as much as possible this spring. I have this dream that there must be bob cats around here! We will see.

William Kramer Wildlife Photography and Art Blog

Snowy Owl Success, part 2!

If at first you don't succeed.... ( Snowy Owl)

Barnacle Goose, a rare treat in New Hampshire.

They seemed a bit on the fence...

New Hampshire Seacoast Birds 3 new ones for me!

Limited 2012 Calendars Available!!

Sandhill Cranes pay a visit to Massachusetts!

Structure Fire, Dover, NH

Another Artistic Medium, concrete!

COPPER: 2 New Trees finished, Experimenting with patina.

Old foxes want no tutors.

It worked almost too good!

Sharp Shinned Hawk, FINALLY!

A new tree!

A new medium. Wire Trees

Sun Valley Photoshoot

Barred Owl Release

American Kestrel, Great Bay NWR

The Last Drive through Hollis.

Return of the Osprey

Barred Owl in Rain

New Hampshire Seacoast Birds

New Painting!

Red Morph Screech Owl

Winter Coyotes

Blizzard Feeder Birds

White Winged Scoter Feeding Video

Snowy trip to Gloucester

Redpolls Invasion!

Christmas Hike, bucks alive and dead, owls, hawks!

Nubble Lighthouse

2010 Deer Photography Round Up

4 Seasons captured.

Red-Tailed Hawk

Barred Owl In Black and White

Woodcock!

Fall Spectacular!

Benninton, VT Fine Art show

Owls, Owls Owls

Fall Art Shows!

Amazing Video from the BBC

Broad-Winged Hawk Migration at Pack Monadnock

Surf and Turf

The velvet peels..

Lifestyle Photos

Trip to Peaks Island, Maine

3 Stooges

The good with the bad.

Raptors, new glass.

Got him!

Light

Monday Morning Walk

Ben and Sarah's Wedding

Indigo Buntings

Yet another Barred Owl, and Ruffed Grouse.

Sure signs of summer all around.

Welcome summer!

New Painting 99.9% done!

A week of Barred Owls

Weekend adventures.

Spring in Hollis

Microwaved Eggs for Breakfast?

Lincoln, NH

Variety is the spice of life.

Nashua Osprey Nest

Great Horned Owl+ Great Blue Heron+ Great light =Great day!

New Page added to site!

Carolina Wren, first for me

Birds of Berlin, CT

First of the Year

New Painting stage 3

New Painting!

Spring Turkeys, Chickadee painting officially done

First shed of 2010!!

New Painting!

New Hampshire Coyote

After the snow

Snowy Owl

Coyote Attacked deer *UPDATED*

Coyote Attacked deer UPDATED