Máistir Nádúraí: Weekend Photography!

6.17.2013

Weekend Photography!

"Our job is to record, each in his own way, this world of light and shadow and time that will never come again exactly as it is today."

~ Edward Abbey

Oak savanna at Pheasant Branch Conservancy

I tried my best to capture how beautiful the oak savanna looked surrounded by Spiderwort.

Spiderwort

I love the two dew droplets on the far left hanging from the leaf.

Common Yellowthroat

Dozens of Common Yellowthroats were busy defending territories at the grasslands of Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Having multiple individuals of the same species increases the odds of coming away with good portraits.

Meadow Hawkweed

Clay-colored Sparrow

Buzz-buzz-buzz-buzz!

Indigo Bunting

This Indigo Bunting was dueling in song with another male further down the hill. His plumage is a little mottled and reminds me of the bird I photographed last year at this same spot.

Festive Tiger Beetle

Though I was hoping to see more diversity, Festive and Big Sand were the only two tiger beetle species I observed at Spring Green Preserve on Sunday. Gorgeous wildflowers, including Venus' Looking Glass.

Big Sand Tiger Beetle

Bio:

Mike McDowell has been documenting southern Wisconsin’s flora and fauna since 1987 and began leading field trips in 2002. Prolific at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, other highlighted natural areas include Pope Farm Conservancy, Spring Green Preserve, and the Baraboo Hills. His nature photography has appeared in various publications, newspapers, magazines and was even featured on a Wisconsin Endangered Resources license plate, a Capital Brewery beer label, and a National Geographic publication. He began journaling nature observations on this blog in 2005. He's the recipient of the 2012 Bronze Passenger Pigeon Award from the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their local communities or state to promote the field of ornithology. He was a finalist in Swarovski’s Digiscoper of the Year photography contest several times. His other interests include insect macro-photography (especially tiger beetles, treehoppers, and robber flies), fossil collecting, amateur astronomy, botany, natural history, and marksmanship with long-range rifles. Once a gigging musician, collecting Fender Stratocasters is a recently revived interest—most prized being a 1957 Vintage Custom Shop 'Mary Kaye' White Blonde. A former IT Professional, he's spent the last 24 years employed in the sport optics industry.