A new medium. Wire Trees

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

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

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

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.

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

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

 

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

 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!

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.