Red-Tailed Hawk

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

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!

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!

 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

Uinta Mountains, Utah

Kestral

Benninton, VT Fine Art show

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

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!

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

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

 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

 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..

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

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

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