Northern Parula

This Northern Parula ? landed in my yard just long enough for me to get it's photo. If you can identify this bird as something other than a Northern Parula PLEASE let me know as I'm not sure.

Juvenile Bald Eagle in nest

This juvenile Bald Eagle was in the nest in Yellowstone near the West entrance. The juvenile was visible intermittently during the day but not yet fledged. Here he or she is spreading it's wings while the parents are away fishing.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

This Red-Bellied Woodpecker was perched in a hemlock tree in my yard in Asheville, North Carolina

This eagle was sitting on it's nest tending its young in Yellowstone National Park on the west side near the West Yellowstone entrance. It seemed to be calling to it's mate to return to the nest to care for the chick. The adults traded duties at intervals during the time that I observed the nest. The chick was visible intermittently in the nest.Pictures of the juvenile bald eagle will be posted soon, along with more adult bald eagle images

Just returned from 2 weeks photographing wildlife in Yellowstone National Park. What an awesome trip. I've added lots of new images to both websites scalderphotography and naturalimagesbyscalder . Please check them out and I would love to hear from you. I met so many wonderful people in Yellowstone so if you would like to see my images check out my websites.
I've added lots of bear, wolves and eagle images.

West Virginia

I've just added a new gallery of West Virginia scenics and also many new bird images to both websites naturalimagesbyscalder and also scalderphotography. Check them out!

Photosource discovery!

I've been doing some reaserch for internet marketing and discovered a great source of information for stock photographers. There are thousands of great tips and a wealth of information available at photosource by Ron Engh. Check it out for yourself.

Twitter / Home

Twitter / Home: "Check out my work at http://tinyurl.com/nwty89 and http://tinyurl.com/oxx4llless than 5 seconds ago

Least Bittern

http://www.naturalimagesbyscalder.com/p837547597/e15368f2c

This is a link to my Least Bittern picture that I've just added to my websites. I've added several new bird images in the last week including a pair of Great Blue Herons exhibiting their nesting ritual, with the male handing over twigs to the female.

Digital Darkroom

I'm working in the digital darkroom (photoshop CS4) to process the multitudes of images from my Florida wetlands trip. I do the majority of my editing in Camera RAW as I capture all images in RAW format. I consider this editing to be identical to darkroom adjustments, not as digital manipulations.

Home to Asheville

Back home in Asheville, will spend the next few weeks in the digital darkroom processing images. Check my websites naturalimagesbyscalder.com and scalderphotography.com for new images of birds and wildlife.

Least Bittern in the early morning light

Walked in to the Viera Wetlands and caught some good morning light, primarily looking for Least Bitterns and were well rewarded. The Least Bitterns were very active, flying from one area of cover to another. The real gift was one bird that was on lily pads with no interfering cover and great light. He stayed and hunted and posed for almost an hour. It was amazing.
The wetlands road is still closed except for foot traffic.

Hiking around the Viera Wetlands

Out early and found the Bald Eagle nest but no activity in or around the nest. The nest is in a pine tree behind the Viera Fire Station. On to the Wetlands which is still closed to vehicular traffic--walk in only is allowed currently due to rain damage on the dirt road surrounding the Wetlands. I put my big lens on a modified 3 wheel golf cart ($25.00 at WalMart), carried my tripod and back up camera and lens and walked in to the Wetlands. Had the place all to ourselves. We had three Caracara posing as well as one feeding on a turtle, all at fairly close range. A pair of SandHill Cranes were walking near the road with their very small chick and allowed us to get close. The Least Bitterns were everywhere, flying from one hiding spot to another but they were too quick for me. A special treat was when an otter came out of the pond on the bank near me as I was shooting the Caracaras. I managed to swing over and grab a few shots before he ran back in to the water. Dozens of Roseate Spoonbills were sitting in a tree in the pond but the light was getting harsh by 11:00 as we were leaving. Lots of Moorhens and chicks and the usual Egrets, Herons and a few Osprey. There were several Black Bellied Whistling Ducks flying around the pond and sitting on the shore. Saw an Osprey eating a fish as we were leaving . Going to try to go back for evening light and hopefully dodge the thundershowers that are currently happening. Evaluating the quality of the images will have to wait for the bigger computer at home but the memories of the morning are outstanding regardless.

May 27 Loxahatchee and Viera Wetlands

Caught the morning light at Loxahatchee searching for Pileated Woodpeckers. The woodpeckers were calling from all around the Cypress Trail. We saw several flying and one landed in the tree overhead so close that I had to step back to get a shot. Serenadaded constantly by red bellied woodpeckers but those reclusive little devils don't give their pictures easily. Headed for Viera Wetlands only to find the road closed to visitors due to the recent rains. If it dries out it may be open tomorrow. We went to the "click" ponds and saw a HUGE bald eagle eating a fish in the adjacent sod field but at 400 yards away didn't try to get the shot. I've been to Alaska where bald eagles were as common as crows and I've seen many sizes. This was a BIG eagle. Later learned from an artist who stopped to chat, that there is an eagle nest in a pine tree by the firestation nearby in Viera. Drove to nearby Moccasin Island wildlife refuge and were rewarded by multiple meadowlarks posing around the parking area. In the fields adjacent to Wickham Road leaving the water treatment area were dozens of Roseate Spoonbills, Egrets, Woodstorks and Herons plus some sandhill Cranes and a few Killdeer. The light was great and with a wide open vista, it was great for flying shots. Practice practice practice............
We hope the road will be open in the morning if it doesn't rain tonight but we are prepared to walk in if necessary.

Tuesday, May 26 in search of Pileated Woodpeckers

Went to Loxahatchee in early morning light, looking for Pileated Woodpeckers . Last month several posed for me but were backlit. Today, after having one fly over my car as I pulled in the parking lot at the trail, it seemed hopeful. There were pileateds calling frequently in many areas around the Cypress trail and we saw three or four but not in photographable situations. Waited patiently for four hours to no avail. Went to Green Cay with harsh light of late morning and got a shot of a redbellied woodpecker on a palm tree just past the entrance. A Roseate Spoonbill posed in several treetops and the Woodstorks were again feeding in areas close to the boardwalk. Some alligators were "growling" and roaring in the marsh and, of course Moorhens with chicks and juvenilles are everywhere. Nasty weather again in the afternoon shortened today's opportunities. Going to the Viera Wetlands tomorrow.

Thunderstomy day at Green Cay

There were plenty of photo subjects but the light was difficult today--lots of rain and thunderstorms. There were many Glossy Ibis, sometimes too close to focus and lots of Purple Gallinule. Very nice red bellied woodpecker nest with both parents going in and out and posing on the tree but the location required evening light which didn't happen today. The water level is very high in Green Cay. The Woodstorks are very active and in abundance. There were many feeding shots and the black bellied whistling ducks are truely beautiful. I saw my first Purple Swamp Hen today, very photogenic and clearly has behaviors different from the common moorhen. Saw a Limpkin pair with three fully fledged young following the adults--very cute but in poor light. Going to Loxahatchee tomorrow where the Pileated Woodpeckers were active last month. Hoping for better weather.

Boca Raton Florida birding at Wakodatchee

Dark clouds and rain all morning prohibited shooting this morning. In Wakodatchee there continues to be some nesting activity, but not as much as in April. There are at least three pair of Great Blue Herons on nests with young and multiple nests with young Anhingas getting fed and putting on their usual antics. There are many birds in their immature phases including Little Green Herons, Moorhens, Purple Gallinule, and Tricolored Herons still in nests. The fledgling and juvenille Tricolored Herons were outstanding, being more vividly colorerd than even the breeding adult. They have a bright chestnut hindneck and wing coverts. They were co-operatively posing in the nests and were putting on a show practicing flying while still hanging on to ther branch. The Purple Gallinule were very active and likely to pop up anywhere, including very close to the boardwalk so folks with non telephoto lenses can still get some colorful detailed shots.
Incidental subjects include alligators, both babies and large adults, in the water and on land. Iguanas also come and go on the grassy areas.

A couple of Least Bitterns were visible very briefly, but provided no opportunity for photos.
I plan to check out Green Cay, which is only a mile away tomorrow.

introduction to scalderphotography

I am a nature, wildlife and stock photographer in Asheville, NC. I'll be traveling to several southern Florida wetland areas this week for more bird and wildlife images. Please visit my websites to peruse my images:
http://www.naturalimagesbyscalder.com/
and
http://www.scalderphotography.com/
thanks
scalder