Fontenelle Forest - June 17

The Fontenelle Forest Wetlands were completely flooded all of last summer.   In an ironic twist of fate,  these photos were taken near the beginning of a drought.  It will not rain for over a month.  It will be a summer with record breaking heat.   The wetlands are covered with dew this morning, unaware of the pending dry months.

Foxtail Barley with dew

A Downy Woodpecker looking for lunch

The bullfrogs are bigger this week

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Black-Eyed Susans

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The Buzzards are Watching - May 19 2012

On May 19th, the Bullfrogs rule the wetlands.

A Great Blue Heron glides through the air looking for a fishing spot far from my lens.

Shoots and Leaves have appeared everywhere.

Yellow spring flowers have opened.

The Red winged Blackbirds are calling potential mates.

Several Turkey Vultures watch me as I stand very still and photograph the wetlands.  I try to look very healthy and alive.   I wish that they would look somewhere else.

A Perfect Spring Morning

I spent several wonderful hours in the Fontenelle Forest wetlands on the morning of May 5th.  The temperature was perfect.  The mosquitoes were manageable.  It had rained recently but the trails were not too muddy.  Best of all, I nearly had the place to myself for several hours.

My strategy is to try to spot wildlife before it notices me as I walk the trail.  Nearby areas are hunted nearly year round so many species have a reason to remain wary.  I'm interested in shots that show how wildlife interacts with each other and their environment  I could rush down the trails.  I would see many more species that way.  I would also miss many changes to make quality  photographs.

This Song Sparrow posed for a couple of seconds.

Catbirds have returned.

A solitary Great Egret surveyed the pond.

The Great Egret decided it was safe enough to fish nearby.  It is extremely difficult to get this close to an Egret in Nebraska.  I knew my time with it was limited.  The next person walking down the trail would only see it's tail as it flew off.

Fishing was good today.

A Little Blue Heron noticed the Great Egret and decided this was a safe place to fish.  This is the first Little Blue Heron I've ever seen in the ten years I have been photographing the Fontenelle Forest wetlands.  I've mentioned Nature Search before - It is an extremely useful site that shows every type of plant and animal ever photographed in Fontenelle Forest.  This Little Blue Heron will be added to the site. 

I saw quite a few Baltimore Orioles.  Except for this female, they were too interested in attracting the opposite sex to than to pose for a photograph.  

Bullfrogs  lined the stream.  I expected this guy to make a snack out of the water strider.  He didn't.  My depth of field wasn't sufficient to focus on the frog and insect at the same time.  I quickly made one shot and then refocused for the next.  The two images were merged in Photo Shop.

A Lesser Yellowlegs strolled along the side of the stream eating insects.  

A couple of painted turtles sunned themselves.

In Search of Warblers

Warblers are especially difficult to photograph well.  They are tiny so a powerful lens is required.  They usually are in constant motion.  By the time I find them and begin to focus, they have moved to another location.  Many varieties spend a couple of days in Fontenelle Forest before moving north. The sounds of spring filled the wetlands.  I expected a chance to photograph warblers but I struck out.  I did hear warblers behind some of the thick leaves.  

Warblers aside, it was a great day for nature photography!

Dozens of Great American Bullfrogs sat in shallow water.

A Great Egret patiently fished.

A Brown Thrasher searched for insects among the leaves and mud.

Fungi growing in the moist soil.

An Eastern Phoebe rested on a twig.