Watched Fox Snooze All Day…
I was afraid that I was going to again strike out this year. It’s been a few years since I’ve had the chance to photograph a fox den, and I was having a terrible time finding one this year. Fortunately, my social network came through, and a fellow photographer Matt Hoffman keyed me into an active den in his neck of the woods…and I was off!
I found the den rather easily, as the kits were out sunning themselves on a big rock when I got there. The parents were nowhere to be seen, presumably out hunting for their brood of five. First order of business…allow the kits to be comfortable with my presence. This involves a lot of sitting, and yes, talking to them. The animals clearly knew I was there, so I always figure talking can help break the ice. After about an hour, I had slowly worked my way towards a clear shot of the den. I only moved in close enough for my 300mm lens to get some environmental portraits, and then lay on the ground considering the light and getting a few shots as they quietly played.
Fox Kit...Environmental Portrait Near the Den
And then they were off…
Mom came back, and everyone scrambled to the far side of the rock from where I was. I assume in the time she was there, about five minutes, she was nursing, as I briefly saw her nursing upon her second return. When the kits failed to return to the den, I went out to the road, and found them all playing roadside on the rocks in the bright sunshine. They were good about avoiding the road…never venturing upon it, and hiding every time a car came.
During this time, I began to see that each of them had their own personalities…some brave and adventurous, some timid, one mischievous. Quite the social dynamic…even forming individual bands of two and three respectively.
Fox Kit in the Sun
After about an hour of playing, they all went back to the other side of the rock, under a hemlock, in the darker forest. I crept around the back, and found four of them in a pile taking a nap. The mischievous one was sleeping alone, and every once in a while, venturing out, keeping watch, and biting one in the pile. The slept for about an hour and a half, and during that time, I was able to sneak in fairly close for pictures. The pile rarely stirred, which surprised me, and required lots of patience to shoot when the did briefly wake…
Pile of Fox Kits ... Fast Asleep!
Pile of Fox Kits ... Briefly Stirring
When mom came back again, everything stirred suddenly, including the surrounding forest. Rodents and birds sounded their alarm calls. One of the kits, so excited to see mom, and forgetting that I was there, ran right at me. I initially froze, but I didn’t want the kit that close, and I knew that mom was behind me somewhere (subconscious fear of attack?). So I motioned for the kit to stop. And it did, and I managed this one shot of a way to close fox kit. I wish I didn’t chop the ear, but it happened way to fast.
Mom's Back ... Accidental Extreme Closeup!
Mom didn’t stick around long again, likely not wanting to feed with me there, but the kits were active again. They mainly stayed in the forest area, which now had a nice even light as clouds had filled in. I struggled to keep the shutter speed high enough for their motion, but got a few more nice shots as they played and rolled around.
When mom came back again, I knew I’d likely overstayed my welcome, and slunk away for the day. I had spent over five hours sitting quietly with a family of foxes, observing, learning, and capturing the scene as best I could. Couldn’t have imagined the day going any better!
Hurry Up … Wait … and Hurry Up!?
It’s been an odd spring so far. And one that I’ve not found much inspiration in…
Record heat in late March pushed the wildflowers out of the ground VERY early, and caused the trees to bud out way ahead of schedule. By April first, I had photographed Bloodroot, Hepatica, Spring Beauty and Arbutis, all well ahead of their historical norms.
Bloodroot in March ... A Few Weeks Early After the Heatwave
Unfortunately for the plants and trees, as quickly as the heat came in, it left, and normal weather this time of year in New England means below freezing temperatures. Growth of leaves ground to a halt, and my garden has some serious frost damage. The forest floor responded in suit by slowing the progress of flowers, and we’re stuck in limbo. It had been dry as well, which has lead to low stream and waterfall flow, and on windy (most) days…brush fires. All this has made it tough to get out and shoot, and I don’t feel like I’m missing much out there!
The delay however, is going to make for a hectic end of the month in terms of shooting, as there will be no stagger in the wildflowers, waterfalls, flowering trees and bog growth. All things I hope to shoot, and wanted more time to spend with each. Prioritization is going to have to depend on the conditions of the day when we get there…
Until then, I’m not expecting much in the way of photography until Late April. See you then!
An EARLY Spring…
Well, we just endured one of the warmest March weeks in New England since records began to be kept. Ice is out on most major lakes, and for many it was the earliest ever. Migrating birds have begun to return, and a spring chorus wakes me in the morning, with cardinals, phoebes and robins leading the way. In the evening, it resumes, completed with spring peepers, wood frogs and woodcocks. All this is well ahead of the normal schedule.
My favorite thing about spring is always the wildflowers that race to bloom in the forests before the canopy leafs out. The cues to start heading to the woods are the crocuses blooming, and by last weekend, they were out enjoying the first days of the warm stretch. It just kept getting warmer through the week though, and though I couldn’t get out to my Hepatica covered hillside until Friday, the bloom cycle wouldn’t wait. By midweek, the maples had popped and daffodils arrived, and by friday, the magnolia trees had started to open up. All this is WAY ahead of last year.
As I drove into the back entrance of Pawtuckaway on Friday, a patch of Colt’s foot was blooming along the road. I found the hillside covered in sporadic flowers, but the full bloom hadn’t yet arrived. Which is probably a good thing for the flowers, as they are blooming 20 days earlier than last year, and 11 days earlier than I’d ever found them in this location.
Hey Hepatica...It's Still MARCH!
Will spring continue to race ahead…likely not, which has me concerned. Two years ago, the fruit trees bloomed early, and a late frost killed the apple crop for the year. But humans aren’t the only species that takes advantage of the fruits and flowers. Early blooms can happen before migrations that have long been in sync. Birds and butterflies may be pinched out of a usual food source, leading to a failed breeding year.
And cold weather is forecast, with temperatures in the twenties forecaster for lows early this coming weeks…which is of course…normal!
How will the rest of this spring wildflower season play out…we’ll have to wait and see…but I do know my expectations are not likely to match my experiences!
An Edutrip to the Summit of Washington…
If I could pinpoint a moment that I decided to take photography more seriously than just as a hobby was one beautiful June night, while working at the Mount Washington Observatory as an intern. The northern lights were putting on a show, and the night observer and I were trying to figure out how best to capture them, and I realized how much science there was in this form of art.
This week, I was given an opportunity to share how much I’ve grown since that night, and share it back at the place that was so formative of my passion. I was asked to lead an Edutrip in conjunction with the Mount Washington Observatory, a non profit organization dedicated to Observing the weather and educating the public about the arctic island in the sky that they are perched upon.
This trip was about the growth of the participants on the trip, so I’ll share a few of the pictures captured by Tracey Streeto, who has been honing her photography for just a few years now, and has been getting great results.
We arrived at the summit to record warmth, a far cry from my failed trip last year, and immediately went for a walk around the summit, taking pictures of each other in grand scenes. During the afternoon, scouting the sunset is important, as making sure you are in the best place, in the best light at sunset takes a bit of work and exploring before the light arrives.
A Rare Photo Of Me ... Modeling for the Group
After some class time, and a wonderful wine and cheese hour, we set out to revisit our favorite sunset compositions. The sky turned a glorious shade of pink, which reflected off the icy snowscape in the foreground, and everyone was treated to a unparalleled show from the highest peak.
Sunset from the Summit - Tracey Streeto Photo
Nightfall brought the best opportunities of the trip though, as the alignment of Venus and Jupiter set up right over the tower from the deck. I was transported right back to that first night when I became interested in photography. As I reflected…everyone else was experiencing their own formative moment. Such an enriching night…and a wonderful trip!
Planetary Alignment - Tracey Streeto Photo
Surprise Snowfall…
I always keep a list of shots that I want after a fresh snowfall. This year, I’ve not had hardly any chances to work on this list!
After a winter with limited snow…we finally had one of those great New England mornings where a weak system surprises everyone with a few inches of snow. The day before was warm, the forecast for today is warm, but for a few hours, the world was covered in a light, beautiful snowfall.
When I woke up to see the snow, I had two ideas in mind. Maple sugaring, and the new covered bridge in Chester, NH. I flipped a coin, and was off to shoot the covered bridge.
I’ll keep this post short, as the snow’s residence was just as short. It was almost gone by 10AM. But this was worth the scramble!
Surprise Snowfall at Chester's New Covered Bridge
Ideal Icons
An iconic view is one that has a spectacular yet simple view of a landscape or landmark that all who know New England can relate. It’s a view that resonates far and wide, that when hung on the wall in a coffee shop in, say California, people think of this beautiful region.
I make it a point to shoot a New England beyond the icon, but always feel their draw. I’ve pulled over in front of the Mount Washington Hotel hundreds of times, and been to Portland Head Lighthouse dozens, but have yet to get a winter shot that rivals the literally thousands that are in the marketplace. For me, a shot of an icon has to be truly special.
And finally, this vacation week, I have shots of both of these icons of which I’m truly proud.
Mount Washington Hotel…
Clouds had choked out my view of Mount Washington from a vista in Bethlehem that I’ve been working on, and I had left a bit discouraged. However, as I was driving back towards Conway, the high peaks began to clear. By this point, the sun had long set, but it was not yet pitch black. Photographers call this time ‘The Blue Hour’, as the temperature of the light is extremely cool, and prone to saturation with long exposures.
As I passed the Mount Washington Hotel, I was drawn to the remaining clouds surrounding Mount Adams. A thirty second exposure, and a stopped down aperture allowed for the color and light to come together. Strong hues of blue and orange draw you into the iconic landscape, which otherwise speaks for itself.
Blue Hour at the Mount Washington Hotel
Portland Head Lighthouse…
Finally a snowstorm. And what a storm. It snowed for about 36 hours straight, and around a foot of snow accumulated by Friday morning on my deck. A quick check of the weather at 3AM saw clouds still overhead in SoNH, but some possible clearing over Portland, Maine. Worth the trip? Well, it was high tide…so why not.
The whole way up, it remained cloudy. Not until I was in Cape Elizabeth, where the lighthouse resides, did I see any breaks in the clouds. But over the lighthouse itself…it was miraculously clear.
The conditions were tough! The wind was strong, and the waves were ten to fifteen feet. The wind blew salty spray up over the rocks with every wave, dampening the lens and ruining most shots. But a few were clean. I used a neutral density filter to slow down the exposure and blur the roiling ocean. The snow clung to the rocks. The sky was pastel. And a unique shot of an iconic New England scene was slayed!
Fresh Snow at Portland Head Lighthouse...
Two shots off my list…but amazingly, the list is no shorter. Plenty of other iconic views around…waiting for perfect conditions!
Years in the Making, and Still Not ‘Right’
One of the best views of the western side of the Presidential Mountain Range is from the Cherry Mountain/Owl’s Head summits in Twin Mountain. The hike is modest, with a five or six mile round trip, so although it’s not a difficult hike, you are committing to one shot if you hike the ridge. The problem with that commitment is that the view is of one of the most temperamental ridges in the world, and the view is prone to clouding up, and unexpected changes in weather.
And thus, has come my dilemma, time and time again. I value flexibility in the evening shoot, and like the ability to change my mind depending on how the conditions develop. Committing to one view is risking the entire evening. This year though, I was determined to shoot from this ridge. In my annual goals post last month, I stated that I wanted to take greater risks. And earlier this month, I did…hiking up to a clouded in view. Hardly a waste! The forest was glistening in rime ice and the forest was alive with rare boreal birds.
Cherry Mountain, Attempt One
Unfulfilled, this weekend, I tried again!
This time, I was fortunate to have some friends and fellow photographers with me, and made the time go quickly, and the risks of hiking after sunset less. The hike was similar…the rime level was a little higher up, but there was little snow underfoot, and the travel easy. The view from Cherry Mountain was spectacular, but a little shielded, so we hiked the beautiful Martha’s Mile trail to the wide open ledge on Owl’s Head. And waited.
It was a beautiful night. Few clouds over the Presis, light winds, cold, but refreshing temperatures. Everything was setting up perfect…until a layer of cirrus on the horizon choked out the alpenglow at the last minute. Gone was the light.
Here’s where having good friends is so important. I was upset, and voiced my opinion. It resonated with one of my companions, but not the other. He was grounded, and stated…”You know, it may not be what you wanted…but this is still beautiful.”
So I took out my camera again, and captured my favorite shot of the ridge from the west that I’ve ever taken. Not what I expected. But Beautiful. Perspective.
Cherry Mountain Perspective
Snowy Owl Revisited (and Revisited)
Until this winter, I had never seen a snowy owl. These large, beautiful birds live in the far arctic regions of Canada, and only come down to this area in rare winters, so it’s not surprising that I’ve never seen one. With the owl irruption this year though, I could perhaps consider it rare to visit the coastline without seeing at least one owl.
The influx of owls has been well documented both around New England, and around the nation, and these birds have been garnering a ton of attention. I was fortunate to get some shots of the birds at Hampton Beach before they became an attraction, as getting a shot going forward is going to become increasingly difficult due to the crowds of observers.
Owl on a Distant Rooftop from Hampton Beach
Wildlife photography is a touchy thing. It required a large amount of time, a great deal of patience, and some rather specialized equipment. The less specialized your equipment, the more time and patience you need to get the shot. You have to slowly earn an animals trust, and move slowly in until you get the shot, being careful never to cause the animal any stress. I’ve been putting in the time for sure, probably gaining about two dozen trips to see the owls, and witnessing some great behavior…hunting, resting, flying and once witnessed two owls sparring mid air.
However, with other folks around, I generally consider it rude to slide in towards the owl while others are enjoying the sight of it, or getting their shots with far more specialized glass. This has limited my ability to get shots, and has honestly changed my mindset when visiting the birds, back to the purest form of being a naturalist. I’ve been observing, watching, asking questions, and getting great answers from the more experienced birders in the state, who are there every weekend.
Watching and experiencing nature is why I became a photographer, as I wanted to share and inspire and protect. Some experiences are tough to share, but are the type of experiences that have been instrumental and formative in my desire to photograph. Perhaps, it’s important for everyone to know that as well as my photographs convey an approximate reality, there’s nothing like being there yourself!
