Eagle babies two

Squirrel. It's what's for dinner.

 Ariel and I have visited the new eagle's nest a few times in the past couple of weeks. The nest is more open, so the lighting is much better. But these are good eagle parents. They've built up the "crib bumpers" all around the nest. There are only a couple of spots I can get a good view of the inside of the nest. One spot requires being quite a distance away. You can see the challenge with the two images here of the two eaglets together. They appear grainy because I was so far away. Even with a 400 millimeter lens.

I saw one eaglet and was pretty excited. This is my fourth year photographing this pair and their families. 

This was the first time I got a good view of one of the babies in early fluff. In the earlier nest, it was harder to spot anything but the tops of their fuzzy heads. Mama and papa take turns watching over their youngsters. I suspected there were two or more. Two of the last four years, there was one baby and one of the parents stayed in the nest until baby was ready to fledge. With two babies, the parents stayed nearby but not in the nest except for feedings. 

 This one small space is where I've managed to spot one of the parents feeding baby. I suspected there might be another baby because she looked like she was feeding another just out of sight. 

The next day I found a spot where I could see more of the nest - and the other baby. 

This is shaping up to be to be a very special eagle season.

I'll be adding more images to my Talons Gallery. Let me know if you have favorites that you'd like to see me add. Thanks for reading!

Where the camas bloom

In 1806, Meriwether Lewis wrote that he thought a distant field of camas (Camassia quamash) was a lake. Lewis and Clark were introduced to this important food source by the Shoshone and Nez Perce people.

First People throughout the Northwest harvested camas roots from miles of rocky prairie left after the the last ice age and its glaciers melted away. 

Along with camas, there are dozens of other wildflowers - white and yellow yarrow, purple and yellow violets, shooting stars, buttercups, and wild mustard.

Nisqually historian Cecilia Svinth Carpenter wrote about how when the red wind blows "like magic, the blue camas blooms, the berries ripen, the cedar trees grow taller, and the eagle spreads its wings to soar aloft on the early morning breeze." 

Now only about 3 percent of native prairies remain. The prairie ecosystem in South Puget Sound is among the rarest in the world. There are butterflies found only here along with Washington's only native oak - Quercus garryana - Garry oak or Oregon white oak. 

Garry oaks woodland at Scatter Creek

Early May is primetime to experience spring on the prairie. The second Saturday in May is Prairie Appreciation Day at the Glacial Heritage Preserve south of Littlerock. The preserve is only open for brief times each year. Mima Mounds Natural Area is open year-round, as is Scatter Creek Wildlife Area. Two examples of Garry oaks woodlands are preserved in DuPont's Powderwork Park and Tacoma's Oak Tree Park. To leave more, visit the South Sound prairies. I have a collection of photographs from prairie visits in the past in my South Sound Prairie gallery. I hope you'll check it out. And I hope that you'll fall in love with our prairies like I have, and will want to preserve and protect these special places.

Western bluebirds settling into nesting at the Glacial Heritage Preserve.

Osprey, commonly known as seahawks, nest on the edges of the prairie.

New year, new nest

Mama and baby 06-04-2013

I wonder about the nesting pair of bald eagles near my house. I wonder how many more seasons they'll be with us. Neighbors who live near the nest have told me that they've been nesting there at least a decade, maybe a little longer. Bald eagles are mature at 4 or 5, which is when they seek a lifelong mate. That would make this pair at least 15 years old. Some sources claim a bald eagle in the wild lives to be about 16 or 17 and others say 20-30 years. In captivity, bald eagles can live to 40 or more years.

This year, it's been more challenging to visit the nest area until the past couple of weeks. There didn't seem to be much nest-building activity when I visited. I thought maybe the pair had decided to move on.

About a month ago, I spotted the papa eagle (yes, there is a way to tell them apart…more later) higher up in the snag tree than I've seen him before. I saw him more frequently and for a longer period of time.  Last week, Ariel (my new photography companion) and I walked down to see what was going on. I photographed papa eagle and visited with one of the neighbors who told me they had moved their nest to a new tree a few hundred feet from the nest they've used for about 10 years.

The next day, we visited the nest area again and another neighbor called me over to his yard. He pointed to a tall tree directly behind his house. There was a huge aerie nestled among branches about a third of the way from the top of the tree. I've photographed these eagles numerous times at the top of this same tree, which gave them a good view of the old nest.


So a new nesting season begins. The new nest has much better lighting, so I'm looking forward to some good views of baby or babies in the next few weeks. Take a look at my blog entries beginning in April 2013. This is my fourth year photographing this couple and their growing family. Their baby last year didn't make it. There were two babies in 2012 and one in 2011. Their kids from earlier nestings come back to visit, sometimes to the dismay of the parents. And, sometimes, they are welcomed as long as they're just passing through. Please let me know if you have a favorite image or images. I'm gradually adding to my online Talons Gallery.

New year, new friends, new direction

I can't imagine what my life would be like without an animal friend or two to share it with. My first dog, a beagle named Spotty, was my Christmas gift when I was 10 years old. My mother kept my Christmas wish list from that year. On it, I wrote German shepherd, keeshond, collie, and several other breeds – all carefully crossed out with "any kind of dog" becoming the only item on my list. 

Since then, I've shared my life with three cats and six dogs. I'm allergic to cats, which is why there are fewer cats than dogs on my experience list. I've been taking allergy shots for almost 18 months now, so decided to adopt a kitten. Bisbee Blue, a 1-pound gray tabby, became part of my life a week before my long-time friend Padme the wonderdog crossed the rainbow bridge. A little more than a month later (three months ago today), I adopted Ariel, a Great Pyrenees mix (we think with golden retriever), 85+ pounds of fluffy gentle giant. It took exactly four days for Bisbee Blue to stop hissing and spitting and realize that she was missing a whole lot of fluffy comfort. 

All of my furry friends have contributed to my artistic expression, often dragging me away from a scene like Padme the wonderdog did in 2005 when I caught this image of an uncharacteristically sunny day on the Oregon coast. 

The day after I brought Ariel home from her foster home in Portland, a friend and I decided to escape lowland fog and head for Chinook Pass in the Cascade Mountains. Once we were above the fog layer, the sun was shining, the sky was a brilliant blue, and there was no wind. Washington route 410 winds through part of Mount Rainier National Park. Instead of heading for the pass, we decided to travel through the park. I had an ulterior motive: it was nearing sunset, there was no wind, and we would likely get perfect shots at Reflection Lake. Mount Rainier is one of my very favorite places and photographic subjects. Other views and times can be seen in my Places galleries. 

Reflection Lake offers up what we would call a cliche image in art school. Everybody wants to get this shot, which means there are lots of photographers getting great shots of this same scene. So most of us will look for another approach. I wanted to get that shot because I have a client who wanted a mountain reflected in water to illustrate her business card and advertising. I had the opportunity to get both – a unique view and a classic view. First is the classic view.

My friend was on the shore photographing and I asked him to hold the dog's leash so I could get a couple of shots. The first was so successful that I've had people ask if it's a photo illustration. We don't usually see just the reflection of a scene as dramatic as Mount Rainier. I like the image of my dog drinking but I think it would be a stronger image if the mountain was clearer. The image above and the first one below are available as fine art prints in my Sky and Water Gallery. 

I'm looking forward to many more adventures with Ariel the angel dog and Bisbee Blue. I'm going to start sleeping with my camera under the bed. There have been many touching moments early in the morning. Ariel is a loving being who is always patient, always gentle. Our kitty has a very special friend. And I'm blessed to have two very special friends. 

About Bisbee Blue: when I first met my kitty when she was 5 weeks old, she and her siblings all had eyes the color of turquoise. Her eyes have gradually changed. At 6 months old, she has eyes that are green surrounded by yellow. Bisbee Blue turquoise is distinctive deep blue stone that was mined in Bisbee, Arizona, until about 1980. 

Saying goodbye to my best friend

We gathered Oct. 6 to honor Padme at this trail overlook above Puget Sound.

 

Named for a Star Wars character with the look of a wolf being, we're sure that part of Padme’s heritage was Australian shepherd, which was her mama's breed. Her papa was much larger than an Aussie, which usually top out at about 40-45 pounds. Kids we met on our daily walks would ask if she was a wolf. “Maybe,” I’d say, then try to get her to howl for effect.

We had regular pack howl-ins until the past year.

Padme is a Sanskrit word that means lotus and is part of a Buddhist mantra – om mani padme hum – meaning the jewel is in the lotus.

The lotus flower is sacred in Buddhism. From Buddhists.com: The lotus flower represents one symbol of fortune in Buddhism. It grows in muddy water, and it is this environment that gives forth the flower’s first and most literal meaning: rising and blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment. The second meaning, which is related to the first, is purification. It resembles the purifying of the spirit, which is born into murkiness. The third meaning refers to faithfulness. Those who are working to rise above the muddy waters will need to be faithful followers.

My intuitive friends often remarked that Padme was my “familiar,” literally an animal that we have a magical connection with. We certainly had an intuitive connection, which was comforting when it was time to let her go. She told me it was time. She also told me that she would stay here if I really needed her to.  

Saint Helens Cats

Padme was as tall as a retriever and about 70 pounds at her largest. She was 50 pounds at the last. She had an incredible sense of humor, even as we were saying goodbye with our vet (the fabulous Dr. Alena Cowell at Hawks Prairie Veterinary Hospital). Sean was telling Padme that he was sorry he was cross with her when she just wanted to play. She had been lying on the floor, exhausted, but lifted up her head and looked at him quizzically. I laughed and said to her, “Your litter mate just never accepted he was just that - your litter mate.” She looked at me, sighed, and put her head down again.

About Saint Helens Cats: What if the clouded leopards at Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma had magical powers? And what if they escaped to conjure up an eruption at Mount Saint Helens? It could happen (at least according to Padme the Wonderdog).

When I would get engrossed in a writing or design project on the computer in my office, Padme would bring me a ball or another toy over and over. I would unconsciously throw it, and she would bring it back. When it was clear to her that I wasn’t truly engaged in the game, she’d add interesting subplots – drop it in the trashcan, then bark for me to get it. Sometimes she’d drop it in her water bowl, then splash all the water out until she could get it.  

Padme the Wonderdog crossed the rainbow bridge September 6, 2013, at the ripe old age of 14 and a half. We invited friends to gather with us on October 6, to remember her and spread her ashes off the trail by our house above Puget Sound – one of her very favorite walks. Dear human and dog friends shared our sadness at her passing and gratitude to have spent time with this sweet soul. Our friend Mikel was kind enough to pull us together to hear a short eulogy, which he crafted from some favorite poems. 

Then back to our Irish wake, and comfort foods that were Padme’s favorite human foods: mac & cheese, chicken pot pie, shepherd’s pie. We had warm blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream, another Padme favorite. She didn’t particularly like sitting for almost an hour while I picked blackberries in the woods near our house. Or the countless visits to see what changes were happening at my favorite eagle's nest. But she did. And got a spoonful of ice cream every night to make her arthritis medicine a little sweeter. 

 

Bisbee Blue visiting Padme's ofrenda.

My son and I created a Mexican-style ofrenda which is a traditional remembrance of loved ones who have passed on. Ofrenda means offering in Spanish and consists of photographs, small personal items, favorite foods, candles, and flowers. Ofrendas are a custom during Dias de los muertos. Day(s) of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico and throughout Latin America on November 1 and 2, All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Check out the Dia de los Muertos celebration at Tacoma Art Museum. 

Our new kitten (3 months old) immediately took up residence on the ofrenda table. She couldn’t figure out how to eat the dog biscuits, so I put a few kitty treats in the bowl.

Photographed on a woofie walk.

My sweet Padme was with me when I photographed most of the beautiful flora and fauna I’ve been blessed to experience. Many of those were taken with one hand while she attempted to drag me away – anywhere but staying still. “Hold still! Hold still! HOLD IT!” * click *  

From Mikel’s eulogy: I couldn’t have asked for a better friend, and we’ve shared our journey to the very end.

I miss you so very much, Padme my sweet wonderdog. I’m comforted in the belief that we will meet again when I too cross the rainbow bridge.

Dona nobis pacem.

 

   

 

 

Eagle ground school

All flight training starts with ground school where the flyer learns the instruments and methods needed to stay aloft. And, of course, learns how to safely land. Eagle flight training is no different. Baby eagles just out of their down, start practicing first with wing flapping. Later they hop on a branch in the nest, then pounce on pretend prey - or sometimes what's left from the meal his parents brought. They spend a good bit of time "branching" which involves flapping wings and attempting to gain some lift. Then actually jumping from branch to branch, using their wings to keep them from falling off the branches.

This year's offspring seems to be a late starter. In the past week when I've visited the nest, he would flap about the nest a bit, then sit. And sit. Occasionally he'd throw his head back and snap his beak without making a sound. Maybe a yawn from being so bored. Last year's brood fledged a week earlier than this little one. Maybe with more than one in the next, they torment each other so much that they have to fly to get away from one another.

Last night, I witnessed something new. The baby was very interested in what was going on above him. I turned around and saw papa eagle about 50 feet up flying in circles - not over the nest but near it, so the baby could see and react. React he did - with a flurry of wing stretches and flapping, then hopping and catching a bit of air under his wings. This was clearly eagle ground school in action.

Then something surprising happened. A juvenile eagle, maybe two years old, also did some flight maneuvers close to the nest. This juvenile had to be kin. The baby eagle seemed to be showing off to the older bird (perhaps a sibling from last year or the year before). And the older juvenile didn't look like he was going to land anywhere near the nest. A month ago, the parents wouldn't have tolerated any raptor - even kin - anywhere near the nest.

Just as quickly and silently as the two eagles had arrived, they disappeared from the area. The baby settled back into sitting and looking around the area. I'm excited to see what happens next - maybe fledging soon! Then it will be practicing takeoffs and landings, short flights and balancing on unfamiliar branches.

The art of photography

My first sale - while setting up the night before the festival.

I just finished up a picture-perfect weekend at the Gig Harbor Summer Art Festival. The weather was fabulous, the visitors friendly, and more than a few people were actually buying artwork. I did "okay," which means that I didn't sell as much as I thought I would but I sold enough to pay for the booth fee ($250) plus about half of the cost of getting ready for the show. I'll call it breaking even, if I manage to sell more at the two other events I'm scheduled to do this summer and fall.

This is my first outdoor arts festival in about five years. After the last one, I announced that I was done with this business of sitting in a tent for 10+ hours a day, listening to people talk about how they could get that shot if they had the expensive camera equipment that I have. Or, worse, that they got the exact shot only it was still in their cell phone camera. I'm savvy enough to recognize that someone is not going to buy art they think they (or their kids) can do themselves. But do people really think that if they just buy a 400mm lens that they'll get shots like these? Apparently the answer is yes.

The jeweler in the booth next to mine overheard a visitor say something about all the eagles that are around his house and said, "yes, but look at how well trained the ones Kate photographs are. That one just held still for her." Wildlife photography is a relatively new area for me. I've been a photographer for 40 years. Wildlife began capturing my interest about 10 years ago. And it ain't easy. I have spent hundreds of hours photographing eagles over the past three years and several hundred more hours photographing hummingbirds. I've been known to spend most of Saturday morning photographing birds. Wildlife photography is not unlike hunting. You may spend hours – or days – waiting and watching, getting nothing except cramps in your hands and knees.

People were fascinated by the metal prints (shown above) but not enough to buy. Every one of them has fingerprints on them, because people had to touch them to see that they were actually metal. I sold one – to an art museum docent. If I charged a dollar for every person who asked where I had the metal prints done, I'd have a nice start on a new collection of metal prints. One man asked if I'd be willing to order metal prints of his work for him. I said I could but that he needed to be sure that the images were very high resolution, such as 300 dpi. I told him that a typical file size for a 16x20" image was about 50 megabytes. I could tell he had no idea what I was talking about. In his mind, he had photographs equally as good as mine. And they might just be fabulous on a small screen.

"Metamorphosis" photo illustration

Visitors were also fascinated by my photo illustration "Metamorphosis." It's a large image, roughly 2 by 4 feet, with an equally large-ish price. I had several conversations with visitors about the image which consists of images of a tree in spring and winter. I photographed the spring scene at tulip fields in Skagit County and the fall scene at St. Martin's University in Lacey, WA. Most of the visitors really loved the image, except for one woman (apparently an artist) who exclaimed that the image was "incongruent" and that I should start over to "get it right."

I had several revelations over the weekend, including a direction I want to move in my photographic work. It makes me sad that all of the years that photographers have worked to have photography recognized as an art form are now going backwards. Like the independently owned photography store that's disappearing, professional photography is changing rapidly along with changing technology. Anybody with a good eye can be a photographer - even a professional photographer.

At the same time, I encountered two disturbing beliefs that people (including artists) have. I was asked several times if I "manipulate" my images. My answer: I don't know any photographer who doesn't. I used to spend hours in the darkroom, getting images right. They were certainly manipulated with different papers, exposure times, and sometimes retouching. Now I spend hours in a "lightroom" getting images right. My "Metamorphosis" image represents at least 10 hours of work, not including traveling to locations and photographing them. I photographed the tree on the right for at least an hour, trying to freeze the leaves as they fell from the tree. I shoot all images in "raw" format, which means you can't just use them right out of the camera. The advantage of shooting raw format is that the sensor records everything. So the image needs to be adjusted (manipulated?) for color and light balance, and sharpness. Just like in the darkroom, some areas might need to be lightened or darkened.

"Photoshopping" is the new term for retouching - making someone thinner, less wrinkled, or even a different color. It's the new "airbrushing" that retouchers used up until the mid-1980s. Is it "cheating" or somehow dishonest to make adjustments? I think not. Photoshop is a poweful tool designed to coax detail that your eye sees but sometimes the camera doesn't. I explained that to two visitors who wanted to know if I printed photographs right out of the camera, with no editing. I really enjoy photo illustration and all of my images that are combinations of elements are clearly identified as "photo illustrations" or "digital paintings."

The other disturbing belief – and this often comes from painters – is that if you send your work to a professional printer (which I do for any image over 11x14"), that it's somehow no longer fine art. Never mind that most painters exhibiting at art festivals reproduce their paintings as "giclée" images. Giclée is a fancy art word for "digitally printed image." Basically the painting is photographed, then printed exactly the same way any digital image is printed. I doubt that painters are burning the midnight ink cranking out dozens of images on a large-format printer in their studio. Most of the painters at this show have at least a few of their paintings reproduced as digital images. One of my artist visitors actually asked me how my work could be considered art if I sent it to a printer.

I hope all of this doesn't sound cranky. All in all, I met some wonderful people, had some colorful and stimulating conversations, and even got my ego stroked frequently. At the same time, it bothers me when someone who picked up a camera six years ago and has never used anything but the automatic settings on the camera is now asking me a thousand questions about getting into the business. I've devoted many years to studying, making mistakes, and improving my art. My preferred art medium is photography. It's not the camera that makes a photographic artist any more than a handmade brush makes a good painter.

Now it's time to go check on the eagle's nest and see if the baby's ready for first flight – or is already out of the nest.

Stay tuned....