Around the Refuge

I spent three solid days photographing Lower Klamath NWR early this week and the surrounding area.The result was a large collection of some pretty incredible wildlife and some beautiful scenery. Here are some random images from around the refuge. No particular theme just some images that I liked. I hope you enjoy them. Please pass this photoblog along to others for me. God bless, chris

Park It

We got a safety recall notification about the sun roof on Lenore's car. Apparently the sun roof glass could at any time fall from the roof of the car and squash you. Naturally this got our attention and we called about getting it repaired. They responded that we could get it repaired for free at the nearest repair facility. Here is where living in a small town becomes a major disadvantage. The closest place was an hour and a half away in Santa Rosa. After six months of waiting during which the sun roof could have fallen on us at any moment the repairmen called and we set up a time for it to be repaired. I asked for a time in the morning so I could go down early in the morning and squeeze in some photgraphy at Howarth Park before the appointment.

I drove down this morning and was able to get in about forty five minutes of photography at the park before I had to go get the car repaired. The lighting was nice early morning light and there were plenty of subjects. One of the advantages of photographing at a park is that the birds become accustomed to people and are more approachable than they would be out in the wilds. I was able to walk within ten feet of a Black Crowned Night Heron. Something virtually immpossible to do anywhere near where I live. I wanted to spend more time photographing but that had to wait until another day. There was a Kingfisher that I want to get to know better so I will be going back.

God' preciious love to all,

chris

An Ultimate Day on the Noyo River

Today I went for a long paddle up the estuary of the Noyo River on the North Coast of California. Access was easy from the public launch and all I had to pay was three bucks for parking. If you have a boat and trailer it's ten. So having a kayak saves you a few dollars. I planned my paddle so I could catch the last of the incoming tide and make it easier on myself as I wanted to go upstream about three and a half miles or so to where the Skunk Train tracks cross the river. It worked out perfectly.

Right away I passed a California Seal Lion hauled out snoozing. I saw a lot of Osprey but none were close enough to photograph.The most amazing sight was watching a young Harbor Seal hunting for fish. It was swimming on it's back with its head downward so it could keep it's nostrils out of the shallow water as it swam. It was hunting the edges of fallen logs and brush along the sides of the river.

I saw a lot of waterfowl along the way. Mergansers, Canadian Geese and the usual Mallards along with a few Green Herons and one Night Heron. There was one Pond Turtle but it slipped away well from well over a hundred feet from me. With smaller bird life there were an amazing amount of Bandtail Pigeons moving in the trees as well as a few dove. One dove landed near me along the shoreline to have his portrait taken. I also got to see an leucistic or albino hummingbird. Though it was to far away to photograph well.

On the return trip down river I ran into Cate Hawthorne and Jeff Laxier. They were leading a group of clients upriver from where I had just come from. They own and run Liquid Fusion Kayaks and are really nice people. If you are interested in booking an ocean or river trip look them up if you are in the Fort Bragg, California area.

Down river from them a Blacktail Doe came down to the river for a drink. Near by a momma goose and her goslings were going up onto the bank looking for grass to eat.

It was a great day to be on the river photographing nature.

God's blessings to all,

chris

Note: For my kayak photography I use a Native Watercraft Ultimate 14.5 kayak