Chasing the Aurora Borealis

Here's a link to an article I wrote for the New England Photography Guild.....

http://www.nephotographyguild.com/2015/07/chasing-the-aurora-borealis/

The Eagle Has Landed In Vermont

Once driven to the brink of extinction in the 1970’s due to the pesticide DDT, the Bald Eagle has made a remarkable comeback. In August 2007, the Department of Interior took the Bald Eagle off of the Endangered and Threatened Species list. Today there are an estimated 9,800 breeding pairs of eagles nationwide.

The Bald Eagle in Vermont

Despite their comeback, it wasn’t that long ago that the sight of a Bald Eagle in Vermont was a rare occasion. In fact, just ten short years ago, Vermont was the ONLY state in the nation without a nesting pair of eagles. For years, eagles have nested in several spots along the Connecticut River’s NH shoreline. With hunting areas of up to 10,000 acres, eagles seen on the VT side of the river were simply “visiting.” But oh how the times have changed! In a recent 2012 press release from the VT Fish and Wildlife Agency, they reported 15 documented nests in Vermont, with 23 new eaglets successfully fledged. The successful introduction of the Bald Eagle to Vermont is all part of a comprehensive program called the Vermont Bald Eagle Recovery Plan.

Bald Eagle Facts

• They are not really bald. It refers to the white feathered head they attain once reaching maturity.
• Juveniles are mostly brown with white mottling. They reach sexual maturity at 5 years of age at which time their head and tail become completely white.
• They will mate with the same partner for life.
• They weigh between 8 and 14 pounds with females being the larger gender.
• They typically have two chicks who will leave the nest in approximately 12 weeks.
• They favor fish, but will eat ducks, birds, mammals and carrion (road kill), and will steal food killed by other animals.
• The Bald Eagle is our national bird, and appears on the official seal.

Where to See Them

Bald Eagles can be seen anywhere, but are more likely to be found near large bodies of water such as lakes and rivers. During the winter, eagles will congregate near open water. Well known sites to view them in Vermont include: below the Wilder Dam in Hartford Vermont, along the edge of ice flows on Lake Champlain, specifically near Chimney Point Bridge, and Fort Cassin Point near Ferrisburgh VT, where as many as 14 bald eagles have been seen at the same time. Outside of Vermont, Deer Island at the mouth of the Merrimack River in Amesbury MA produces outstanding views every winter. Nesting locations are not identified. Remember, it is a federal crime to harass a Bald Eagle. Harassment can be as simple as disturbing a nesting pair by being too close.

The Future in Vermont

While the progress made in the recovery of the Bald Eagle in Vermont is impressive, there is still work to be done. Despite it being removed from the federal endangered and threatened list, it remains an endangered species in Vermont. I encourage you to read the Vermont Bald Eagle Recovery Plan. It is an informative well-thought-out path to the goal of delisting the Bald Eagle from the endangered species list in Vermont, and offers guidance for how we as citizens can help the process along.
Just this past week, as cold weather settled in and the Connecticut River froze over, I have seen at least 4 Bald Eagles every day soaring over the remaining open waters below the Wilder Dam, and perching above bob houses on frozen ponds throughout the area seeking out ice fisherman’s cast off’s.
I look forward to the day when the Bald Eagle can be removed from the Vermont Endangered and Threatened list. A few more successful breeding years like 2012 and that day will be here much sooner than anyone could have hoped.
Please check out my website for more Bald Eagle images.

Always Be Prepared

The Boy Scouts motto “Always be Prepared,” applies to many facets of our lives. For me, it is the mantra for what I carry with me when it comes to wildlife photography. When I head into the field, I try to have everything I would possibly need for the conditions I expect to encounter, or the subject I hope to photograph. However, should I forget something, I only have to return to my car.
Below is a list of the items I carry with me at all times, either in my camera bag, the rubber storage bin, or the back of the vehicle.
Camera Bag

• Lenses
• Extra Batteries
• Extra Memory Cards
• Filters
• Flash unit
• Head Lamp or flash light
• Lens cleaning equipment (rocket blower, paint brush)

Rubber Storage Bin (some items change with the seasons)

• Camo shirt, pants, face cover
• Warm gloves
• Extra jacket
• Hunter orange vest
• Bug spray
• Hat with mosquito netting
• Bear spray
• Knee pads
• Hand and feet warmers
• Towel
• Fold-up umbrella
• Duct tape
• Bungee Cords
• Fluorescent surveyors tape
• Bottled water
• Trail mix
• Extra hiking boots

Back of Vehicle (Subaru wagon)

• Sleeping bag
• Chest waders
• Rubber Boots
• Binoculars
• Lowepro backpack
• Camo blind chair
• Camo netting
• Tripods

This list of items I carry are specific for wildlife photography, and varies slightly by season. Certainly, if you are a landscape or portrait photographer, the items you’d require would be much different. The goal is to never miss a shot because you didn’t have the right equipment (camera or otherwise) available to you.
There are benefits to keeping items in a rubber storage bin.

• Items are protected from dirt, debris, and weather (especially if located in trunk of car, or bed of pickup)
• Items stay dry
• Everything is in one place and not strewn throughout the vehicle

Wildlife photography can involve many hours of walking and waiting for one fleeting opportunity. Missing it because you were not prepared for what you might encounter is an awful feeling. I have learned my lesson, so now whether I’m five minutes or five hours from home, I am always prepared.
I look forward to seeing you out in the field, and if you need something just ask, chances are I have it with me !

John Vose

Cold Encounters of the Snowy Owl Kind

Please check out my recent article about my encounter with a Snowy Owl at:

http://www.nephotographyguild.com/blog/ 

2011 Fall Foliage snapshot

The 2011 New England foliage season has been a real conundrum.  Color has been late in arriving, and has been spotty at best. Areas that are typically  awash in color in late September, were either still green, or brown. The heavy rains and high winds of October have also taken a toll.
BUT......,

If you were willing to spend the time looking, there were pockets of breathtaking color. As the month of October runs its course, the yellows and oranges here in the Upper Valley continue to hold on.

To see more New England foliage photos: http://jerichohillsphotography.com/foliage

At the Beach with a Least Tern Chick

  I stopped by Parker Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport Mass on Saturday, hoping to photograph the Endangered Least Tern and Piping Plover juveniles.While there were plenty of juveniles around, I was somewhat surprised at the number of scrapes still containing eggs. It is pretty late in the season, although a biologist I spoke with said the same scenario occurred last year.

 I don't want to think of the number of eggs or hatched chicks that are killed by unsuspecting beach goers. These birds are on the Endangered Species list, so the refuge ropes off a large area of known nesting sites, but the birds don't know that, and typically lay their eggs in a scrape in the sand most anywhere.

Least Tern Nest Scrape outside the ropes

Least Tern Nest with Chick and Egg

This is a photo of a Least Tern scrape with a newly hatched chick, and an unhatched egg, outside of the roped off nesting area. If you were walking along the beach not paying attention, it would be very easy to step right on them without even noticing. Hopefully, if the parents are near by, you will know you are near a nest by the reaction of the parents who will dive at you, or spread their wings and "look menacing".

While there are certain disadvantages to "blending into your surroundings" ie getting stepped on, there also distinct advantages. The chicks and eggs are prone to predation from hawks, eagles, dogs, herons and egrets to name a few, so looking like your surroundings makes it more difficult for predators to find you.

Great Egret with a Plover Chick

 This is a photo of a Great Egret who has plundered a Plover nest killing one of the chicks.(photo taken at Fort Desoto in Florida)

Least Tern Chick being fed by parent

Once a chick has hatched, the Least Tern parents spend most of their time feeding their young.

Least Tern Chick being fed by Parent

Least Tern chick with a fish

Reddish Egret and the Dance of the Drunken Sailor

    The Reddish Egret is a medium to large heron who can be found in the salt water and brackish marshes around the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana and on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of southern Florida. It is a stunningly beautiful bird who was nearly hunted to extinction for its feathers in the 1800's.


    Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of watching a Reddish Egret fish shallow waters, has witnessed a bizarre but highly effective tactic sometimes referred to as "the dance of the drunken sailor". The egret staggers and darts through the water to confuse the fish. Then, the egret raises his wings to form a canopy which casts a shadow onto the water and reduces glare. When the bait fish swim into the shaded area, the egret strikes.


   These photos were shot at Fort Desoto State Park in Tierra Verde Florida. I hope that someday you will have the pleasure of seeing this dance for yourself.


Additional photos of Reddish Egrets can be seen at : http://jerichohillsphotography.com/herons

Drunken Sailor Dance

Drunken Sailor Dance

Drunken Sailor Dance

Canopy Hunting

Canopy Hunting

Strike !!

Success !!