There is an area behind my house that is sort of a mini nature reserve. Snakes, rabbits, squirrels, feral cats, chipmunks, and a varied number of bird species make this area home. For some it is their permanent home. Others only stop in for a few days or so as they pass through on their way to wherever it is they are going.

As Summer was packing it in last year, I was outside enjoying the weather while my three dogs were doing their business. I was startled when a very large raptor of some sort swooped down from the sky and buzzed my backyard at an altitude of maybe 8 or 9 feet. I wished I had my camera, but it was inside all snug in it’s camera bag. No hope at all of grabbing it and snapping off a few shots of said bird of prey.

For the next several months, I would see my winged friend from time to time. He or she was usually hiding in one of the numerous trees or would take to flight as soon as I opened the sliding door to my deck. One day this beautiful creature was perched at the very tip of the largest tree in the area just surveying the surroundings. I opened the sliding door as quietly as I could, and stepped onto the deck. The bird just sat there. Sure enough, I didn’t have my camera. Crept back inside to retrieve it and hurried back outside.

Too late, by a little bit. As I started to raise the camera, he lept from his perch, spread his wings and took off. No real chance of getting a shot. Totally bummed out and disappointed. I had this feeling that I may never see this incredible specimen again. A few weeks went by with no sightings. Perhaps time was up and he had stayed long enough and headed on down the road.

NOTE: I have included obtrusive arrows in the following images as some have said they are not able to see the subject(s) easily. Mark

This past Saturday I was readying to shower and peered out the bathroom window. I saw something moving that caught my attention. It was my friend. On the ground possibly eating something. As I brought camera to eye level, I was met with this steely glare.

I took the camera away from my eye for a split second and this bird apparently didn’t want me to take any more pictures. He spread his wings and took off, low to the ground, before kicking in the afterburners, going to vertical and roaring for the heavens. I held the shutter down and let the camera machine gun as I attempted to follow his flight path. I had locked focus onto something and just held on and panned my camera as this magnificent display of aeronautics unfolded before me. I got one or two that shots that are even in some realm of focus and really not usable.

Not a very good shot at all. I am not a bird photographer. Perhaps I need to study such aviary photographers as  Richard Ettlinger or David Hemmings in order to learn some techniques. If anyone reading this wants to help in my aviary photography education, you can always purchase On Feathered Wings : Birds in Flight for me and send it to:

Mark Siek, P.O. Box 540700, Omaha, NE 68154  :>)

I watched as he headed for a group of trees and softly touched down among a camouflage of tree branches. Not gonna be able to get any images worth anything now. I’m just gonna put my camera away. WAIT! Hold on a minute. What am I seeing? He’s not in that tree alone, he has a friend. No, he doesn’t… He has two friends.

“WOW!”, my daughter, wife and I collectively utter. A family? Three random raptors? I don’t have an answer. I just know that I saw three amazing aerial technicians all in one place. May not charge you up or make you excited. It certainly gave me a thrill.

Until next time,

Mark

I have been falling more in love with my new lens each time I use it. Truly amazing what great glass (a photo lens) does for a shot. I thought the glass I had in my photo bag produced some very sharp images. My new lens leaves me amazed each time I view a capture at 100% in Lightroom or Photoshop.

I was taking a few shots for my daughter of her latest science experiment the other day. Available light was rapidly disappearing as we finished. Couldn’t believe the sky and it’s assorted colors. I stood there lost in the beauty. I almost didn’t capture this shot:

Pretty spectacular sky. Winter isn’t usually known for producing such color in the Western sky. I love the silhouette of the tree in the foreground. The sky really shows every branch as it curves and reaches for the heavens. Very often the spur of the moment shots are the ones that take your breath away.

Last Friday I was driving around looking for something to shoot while I waited for my daughter to finish up an after school activity. I hadn’t been to a local lake in quite some time, so I drove in to take a look for a subject. I was driving very slowly checking things out and I saw something that seemed odd near the top of a small hill on the side of the road. I couldn’t figure out what it was, I just knew it was something unusual. Here is what I saw.

As I wrote above, I had no idea what I was seeing. I drove a bit further and here is what I saw:

A buffalo made of assorted iron pieces. The rusted patina is cool looking and really makes the animal take on a worn and weather beaten appearance. The old bull has enjoyed many a pleasurable day, but his time is coming to an end sooner rather than later. Very much like all things. And especially people.

On a sad note, my Uncle Bob died December 26, 2010. He was an intelligent, loving, and brave warrior that accomplished much in his 73 years. This is a picture of him in his NY State Police Troopers uniform. He retired from the Troopers as Deputy Chief Inspector. Quite an accomplishment. He will be missed by many.

Until next time,

Mark