Clarence Holmes Photography Blog

Blog Migration Complete

2009-10-16T02:27:00.001-04:00

My new site is up and running. The new address is www.clarenceholmesphotography.com If you run across any problems, please provide feedback to me. Thanks. This site will remain available, but all new posts will be on the new site.

Migrating to new Blog

2009-10-15T20:15:00.001-04:00

I have begun the final steps in my migration to a new website which will combine my blog on a new blogging platform with my image portfolio and archive site. This involves a few tricky changes to domain names, which may affect some links. If you encounter any broken links, please be patient.

I will a post a follow-up when the migration is complete which will provide the new web address. Thanks for your patience.

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Sep 15, 2009): American Golden-Plovers

2009-09-16T21:07:00.013-04:00

I once again visited Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on Tuesday, September 15 for bird photography focusing on shorebirds. Throughout my previous visits, there had been a few species which I wanted to capture, but had not been able. Although I had observed both the American Golden-Plover and Pectoral Sandpiper, I was not able to make successful images of these bird species, either due to distance, or in the case of the Pectoral Sandpiper, I only had one fleeting encounter. I had better luck this time.

During my visit I observed the following notable species:

American Avocet (2)
American Golden-Plover (2) - one adult; one juvenile
Pectoral Sandpiper (2)
Stilt Sandpiper (10)
White-rumped Sandpiper (6)

Below are a few images from the day.

American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) - molting adult (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) - molting adult sleeping (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) - juvenile (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Click on the photos above for more information, click on the species name to see all images of that species, or click here to see more images from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

All images © Clarence Holmes

Northern Wheatear in Stratford, CT

2009-09-07T15:38:00.007-04:00

An adult male Northern Wheatear has been observed at Sikorsky Airport in Stratford, Connecticut for the last few days. The bird has been feeding along a barbed wire fence adjacent to one of the runways, flycatching from a perch on the fence or briefly dropping to the ground to feed on insects. During my visit the Wheatear also flew out and perched on various signs along the runway or onto mounds of dirt from a construction project in the parking lot. The bird was in view most of the time I was there.

The Northern Wheatear is a Eurasian species that is only seen occasionally in the eastern US, so this is an opportunity for many interested birders and photographers.

The images below were captured this morning.

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) - Male flycatching from a barbed wire fence (Sikorsky Airport, Stratford, CT)

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) (Sikorsky Airport, Stratford, CT)

Click on the photos above for more information or click on the species name to see all images of the species.

Below is a map which may help those who are considering going to see this bird.

View Northern Wheatear at Sikorsky Airport in a larger map

All images © Clarence Holmes

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Sep 4, 2009)

2009-09-05T19:56:00.010-04:00

I arrived at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at 2pm. Bird numbers and species diversity on the northern portion of the East Pond were low. The two previously observed Avocets were present but stayed out of good shooting range until around 4pm.

For the next three hours the bird photography picked up as the Avocets moved closer and a few other species began feeding along the edge of the pond. The afternoon light was good as the sun faded into the slightly cloudy western sky. Below are a few images from the day.

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) in flight (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) flapping its wings prior to take-off (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) pair feeding (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) feeding in fading afternoon light (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Late in the afternoon there was a nice group of Lesser Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitchers, Stilt Sandpipers, and one Wilson's Phalarope feeding close to the edge of the pond.

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) pair take off into flight (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) in non-breeding plumage searching for food (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Click on the photos above for more information, click on the species name to see all images of that species, or click here to see more images from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

All images © Clarence Holmes

Bird Photography at Nickerson Beach

2009-09-02T20:51:00.013-04:00

Nickerson Beach, located in Lido Beach, NY (Long Island) is a Nassau County operated beach on the Atlantic Ocean. It is known to bird photographers as an excellent location to observe and photograph large breeding colonies of Black Skimmers and Common Terns as well as other bird species.

During the months of July and August, interesting opportunities for bird photography include mating activity, birds sitting on eggs, adult birds with chicks, fledglings being fed, fledglings at different growth stages, plus many more. The nesting areas are staked and roped off to reduce disturbance to the breeding birds.

Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) - Juvenile skimming for fish (Nickerson Beach)

Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) adult in-flight (Nickerson Beach)

During the breeding season the tern colony includes Least Terns along with the more prevalent Common Terns.

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) - Juvenile standing on a sand dune (Nickerson Beach)

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) with fish (Nickerson Beach)

In addition to the Skimmer and Tern colonies, there are other species present for more opportunities for bird photography. Depending on the time of year, there will be shorebirds (including breeding Piping Plovers), gulls, and others.

Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) (Nickerson Beach)

American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) (Nickerson Beach)

Sanderling (Calidris alba) (Nickerson Beach)

Below is a map showing Nickerson Beach with a few tips based on my visits.

View Nickerson Beach for Bird Photographers in a larger map

Click on the photos above for more information, click on the species name to see all images of that species, or click here to see more images from Nickerson Beach.

All images © Clarence Holmes

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Aug 30, 2009)

2009-08-31T14:31:00.009-04:00

Below are a few images from my trip to the East Pond of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on Sunday. Birds present included the continuing American Avocets (2), the previously seen Red-necked Phalarope in the northwest corner, and other usual birds.

White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) non-breeding plumage (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) breeding plumage (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) - Juvenile bathing (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) taking flight from the pond (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Click on the photos above for more information, click on the species name to see all images of that species, or click here to see more images from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

All images © Clarence Holmes

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Aug 27, 2009)

2009-08-27T23:51:00.010-04:00

Below are a few images from today's trip to the East Pond of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The Red-necked Phalarope was in the northwest corner and was apparently there since Wednesday, not moving far. Also present was a Hudsonian Godwit (not seen by me) and at least 1 Baird's Sandpiper (seen but not close enough for good photos.

Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) in-flight (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Click on the photos above for more information, click on the species name to see all images of that species, or click here to see more images from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

All images © Clarence Holmes

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Aug 24, 2009)

2009-08-25T23:58:00.008-04:00

Below are a few images from my visit to the East Pond of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on Monday afternoon. Seen but not photographed were three Wilson's Phalaropes swimming and foraging in a group with many Lesser and a few Greater Yellowlegs. There was also a group of 10-12 Black-crowned Night-Herons in the northeast corner of the pond.

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Click on the photos above for more information, click on the species name to see all images of that species, or click here to see more images from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

All images © Clarence Holmes

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Aug 20, 2009)

2009-08-20T22:25:00.045-04:00

Today was an excellent day for me at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. I arrived around 3:30pm, right about the time of the afternoon low tide. I was concerned that there would not be many birds on the East Pond since normally it is the high tide that pushes larger numbers of birds over from the bay to the East Pond. As it turns out, I saw more shorebirds over the next 2 hours or so than during my visits at or near high tide!

The light was good and I was able to work my way in closer than previous visits for good photos (there were no dive bombing Peregrine falcon attacks to flush the birds.) I use a technique popular with many bird photographers of approaching birds while moving slowly on my stomach and knees. The birds are less prone to fly away if you present a low profile. In this way, a photographer can approach to where foraging shorebirds are inside the lens' closest focusing distance, or certainly close enough for frame filling shots.

At Jamaica Bay, since the area around the East Pond is wet sand (or more likely mud), fishing wadersand bootsmake scooting along the ground easier. (These items can also be used for wading in rivers and streams in pursuit of other subjects.) Also, with a long lens, a ground pod of some sort is useful for providing an attachment and swivel point for the lens. My setup consists of a Canon 1Ds Mark IIIwith a 600mm lensand often a 1.4x tele extenderfor added reach. The lens is attached to a Walt Anderson Panning Ground Pod and I use the trick of placing this in a frisbee so that the whole affair slides along more easily.

Other photographers use a Skimmer Ground Podwhich allows attachment of a Wimberley head. There are other options available, but the goal is to get down low so a close approach is possible and to get the ground level perspective on the birds. Another item that I use is a Right Angle Finder(a.k.a. the neck saver!) so that I can elevate my head slightly to frame and focus by looking down vs trying to look straight through viewfinder. I also add a bubble levelto the camera hot shoe so that I can check that my setup is level, although often in the heat of battle, I just use the "eyeball" method.

Notable birds at Jamaica Bay today were an American Avocet and a Wilson's Phalarope near the 2nd spit going south from the northwest corner. Images of these birds are included below along with some other captures from the afternoon.

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) - Juvenile (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Click on the photos above for more information, click on the species name to see all images of that species, or click here to see more images from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

All images © Clarence Holmes

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Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Aug 19, 2009)

2009-08-19T22:45:00.019-04:00

This morning I spent time photographing around the southeastern portion of the East Pond. Shorebird numbers were fairly low, and I did not see any notable birds. Later reports indicate that most of the action was in the northern/northwestern part of the pond. The image below was captured this morning, however the photo of the Forster's Terns is from Monday.

Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) - Juvenile (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Forster's Terns (Sterna forsteri) preening on a log (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Click on the photos above for more information, click on the species name to see all images of that species, or click here to see more images from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

For those who have not yet made it to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, but are thinking about going, here is a map which pin points the refuge. The map has been customized by Jim Osterlund to show the detailed place names in the refuge. This was a great addition and certainly has helped me to find my way around. You can zoom out (easier if you click the link to "Placenames at JBWR" to view a larger map) to see the location of the refuge relative to the rest of Queens and NYC, and get directions, if needed.

View Placenames at JBWR in a larger map

All images © Clarence Holmes

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Aug 17, 2009)

2009-08-18T12:03:00.020-04:00

Below are images captured on Monday at the East Pond of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. A notable bird present on the pond was an American Golden-Plover, but it remained in a flock of Black-bellied Plovers (and other birds), so I was not able to capture a good image.

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) with fading breeding plumage (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

The ubiquitous and much-maligned Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Click on the photos above for more information, click on the species name to see all images of that species, or click here to see more images from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

All images © Clarence Holmes

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Aug 15, 2009)

2009-08-16T09:12:00.036-04:00

Below are two images captured during Saturday afternoon's visit to the East Pond of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Click on the photos above for more information, click on the species name to see all images of that species, or click here to see more shorebird images.

All images © Clarence Holmes

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Aug 14, 2009)

2009-08-14T21:39:00.030-04:00

Today I visited Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, located in Queens, New York. I have been to Jamaica Bay many times as a birder, but this is the first time I have been there to photograph shorebirds during the fall migration. The hotspot for shorebird photography at this time of year is the East Pond.

Below are a few images from today.

Juvenile Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

Stilt Sandpipers (Calidris himantopus) (East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge)

I will be posting more over the next week or so.

Click on the photos above for more information, click on the species name to see all images of that species, or click here to see more shorebird images.

All images © Clarence Holmes

Visiting Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge for Odonata

2009-08-13T11:50:00.019-04:00

Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge is a small refuge located in Sussex County, New Jersey (with a portion in Orange County, New York.), which is in the northwest corner of the state. The refuge is bisected by the Wallkill River, running south to north. Look here for a refuge map.

According to NJOdes, "Sussex County possesses the longest Odonata checklist of any county in North America. To date, 142 species have been documented here." Odonata is a sub-order of insects which includes Dragonflies (Anisoptera) and closely related Damselflies (Zygoptera), often collectively referred to as "odes."

Wallkill River NWR has a variety of habitats which are suitable for locating odes. So far, I have only explored a few locations and some of the trails, but have been able to capture some good images. I have found that the Liberty Loop trail, located off of Oil City Road (in Orange County, NY), is an excellent place to hike and search for Odes. The Appalachian Trail runs through this part of the refuge.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) Dragonfly - Male perching (Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge)

Stream Bluet (Enallagma exsulans) Damselfly - Male (Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge)

Click on the photos above for more information, or click here to see all photos from Walkill National Wildlife Refuge. To see other images of Odonata, visit my gallery of stock photos of Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)

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Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

2009-08-11T02:31:00.018-04:00

In June 2007, I visited Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park, both located in Wyoming (actually small parts of Yellowstone are in Idaho and Montana.) Yellowstone was the country's first National Park, established in 1872 and is probably best known for its hydrothermal features, such as Old Faithful geyser and Mammoth Hot Springs, but there are many other opportunities for nature photographers including wildlife, landscape, and macro photography.

A double rainbow over Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Lower Falls as viewed from Uncle Tom's Trail (Yellowstone National Park)

Multi-color patterns in the Yellowstone River (Yellowstone National Park)

Grand Teton National Park evolved over a number of decades to its current boundaries, finalized in 1950. The park is located in Wyoming south of Yellowstone National Park. One of the attractions of Grand Teton National Park is the many different opportunities for landscape photography, particularly those with the Teton Range as a backdrop.

The first light of sunrise projects a warm glow on Mount Moran and the still surface of Jackson Lake and Colter Bay, full of sleeping boats and canoes (Grand Teton National Park)

Contrary to what I read before going, I did not find either park to be too crowded at that time of year (Yellowstone National Park draws many more visitors than Grand Teton National Park). The crowds begin to grow once all schools are out (after the beginning of July.)

An excellent resource for any photographer visiting these parks is the Photographer's Guide to Yellowstone and the Tetons by Joseph K. Lange.

Your can click on the photos above for more information, or click here to see more Yellowstone National Park images or Grand Teton National Park images.

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Grand Canyon National Park in Winter

2009-08-08T02:00:00.048-04:00

In February of this year, I visited the south rim of the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park for landscape photography. February, being in the Winter, is not the most popular time to visit this national park. For me it was an excellent time to visit since visitation is low and thus the prime viewing spots were not crowed and were easily accessible.

For the first few days that I was there, I would say that conditions were good, but not great, for nice landscapes. However, later in the week, the bad weather started to roll in! There was a heavy snowfall of 8-10 inches which provided great opportunities to capture the canyon blanketed in snow.

Grand Canyon view from Mather Point after a heavy winter snowfall

The heavy snow that covered the park made getting around a challenge as the park staff had their hands full in clearing the roads. After a few days the roads were passable, and I ventured out to Desert View, which is approximately 26 miles east of Canyon Village where I was staying. The image below was captured at Lipan Point on the way to Desert View.

Winter view of the Colorado river in the Grand Canyon from Lipan Point

One afternoon after deciding to visit Hopi Point, I was fortunate to be able to witness another winter storm front rolling in. The temperature was in the teens, with winds gusting 30-40 miles per hour. Although I was dressed for the conditions, it was challenging to keep the tripod mounted camera steady to capture the shots. I should also add that the viewpoint was very icy and I witnessed a few falls by some of the other (few) brave souls who happened to be there. In any event, I captured some dramatic images like the one below.

Approaching winter storm over the Grand Canyon in late afternoon light from Hopi Point

If you are able to go, I would highly recommend the Winter months as a great time to visit the Grand Canyon.

Your can click on the photos above for more information, or click here to see the entire gallery of Grand Canyon images.

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Brooklyn Waterfront Parks

2009-08-05T00:09:00.036-04:00

During July, I spent a few evenings down in the city focusing on the lower east river bridges and South Street Seaport. One of the places known to photographers is along the Brooklyn waterfront just north of the Brooklyn bridge. There are two small adjacent parks, the southern most being the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, and the other Brooklyn Bridge Park (sometimes known as the Main Street section.) Brooklyn Bridge Park is a city park open until 1am (at least in the summer.)

The Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park closes at dusk except on Thursdays during July and August when it is open until 11pm to accommodate the showing of outdoor movies (Movies with a View). The movie shown the Thursday that I was there was Hitchcock's "To Catch a Thief", starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. If you are looking for something unique to do, while also capturing some nice images of the city, you might want to check this out. Construction is currently underway to greatly expand the park space south of the Brooklyn Bridge to become a new Brooklyn Bridge Park.

There are excellent views of the East River, the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, South Street Seaport, and the lower Manhattan skyline from these parks. It is also a nice walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to South Street Seaport, which provides additional photo ops.

The Brooklyn Bridge, East River, South Street Seaport, and lower Manhattan skyline at dusk, as seen from Brooklyn Bridge Park (Brooklyn, New York)

The Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg bridges span the East River at night from South Street Seaport (Manhattan, New York)

Click on the photos above for more information, or click here to see my gallery of New York City photos.

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2009 Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks

2009-07-05T14:39:00.014-04:00

I visited Weehawken, New Jersey on July 4 to photograph the annual Macy's fireworks display. The fireworks were moved from the East River to the Hudson River for 2009 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's exploration of the river which was later named for him.

The Macy's fireworks extravaganza lights the sky over the Hudson river (Weehawken, New Jersey)

FDNY fire boat Marine 9 "Fire Fighter" puts on a water show on the Hudson river, with the Empire State Building and Manhattan skyline in the background (Weehawken, New Jersey)

Click on the photos above for more information, or click here to see all of the images from the 2009 Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks show.

Burrowing Owls of Cape Coral

2009-05-04T20:37:00.042-04:00

In late April, I once again visited a few locations in Florida to photograph Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia). I visited both Marco Island and Cape Coral, but found the greatest success in Cape Coral. Sites that I found with active nests include:

Koza-Saladino Park
Pelican Baseball Complex
The Cape Coral-Lee County Public Library

Three Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) fledglings standing near the entrance to their burrow (Koza-Saladino Park, Cape Coral, Florida)

Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) standing on a T-perch (Cape Coral, Florida)

These sites are public areas where photographing the owls can be accomplished without disturbing neighboring residents. A long lens of at least 600mm allows photographing from a distance which does not disturb the birds.

Click on the photos above for more information, or click here to see all stock photos of Burrowing Owls. To see more images of birds, visit my gallery of stock photos of birds.

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