Frost!
It's starting to get cold! We're going to have lows in the mid-twenties during the night for most of the week. It renders the early morning prairie a frosted scene, but it doesn't take long for the ice crystals to melt. Feathers aren't only for flying or courtship display; birds also use them as insulation to keep warm. They respond to chilly temperatures by trapping air with their feathers puffed up; their body heat warms the trapped air close to their skin. One can typically find more birds facing the sun on open perches during cold mornings. You may not feel like going out in the cold, but it’s an excellent time to photograph birds.
Eastern Towhee
Lincoln's Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Hermit Thrush
Lincoln's Sparrow - warming up!
Leaves on top of water
The leaves in the above photograph were floating in the creek, naturally arranged by water dynamics. From the bank, I held out my camera at arm's length over the water and snapped a few shots off. I really like the way it turned out with all the colors of fall in a single frame.
My eyes catch shapes, forms, contrast, and color during a stroll through the woods or prairie. With the hard freeze we're getting tonight, insect photography is pretty much finished for the season. But there are still interesting things that make fun photography subjects.
Bark beetle tracks
All images © 2013 Mike McDowell