Cascade Locks, OR at 7AM

I took off my long lens to shoot the rare reflective water of the Columbia. Just after I had shot this at 18mm, I heard Osprey that looked like they were ready to plunge for fish. I hurried to get the long lens back on. Just as I snapped it into place this Belted Kingfisher passed by at the same angle I had just shot the landscape. Overlay is way more fun than the closeup I got of it. Gorgeous morning in The Gorge!

Gray Ghost on a Dreary Day

This Northern Harrier matched this low light landscape grayness perfectly. It looks like it was made for a day like this.

Greater White-fronted Geese

Portland's Force Lake offers photographers the opportunity to park next to it on rainy days and shoot waterfowl in flight as they shuffle between local nature parks. The multitude of duck species present, often including Redheads, seem to be very acclimated to human presence. This is a sweet spot to shoot thousands of photos in practicing flight shot techniques.

Northern Harrier over Redtail Lake

Redtail Lake is next to the Columbia River just to the north of the levee. It is known to have a wide variety of ducks, geese, Virginia Rails, and American Bitterns. Photographers can position theirselves on its bridge to shoot Bald Eagles, Harriers, Peregrine Falcons, Kestrels, Merlins and occasional Short-eared Owls that frequent the area.

Bald Eagle (juvenile) over Redtail Lake

This juvenile flew low across the lake just minutes before the sunset. I had high hopes for the higher cloud formations, but they fizzled and all the color was projected onto the lower ones. Catching the ray strands made up for the under-performance of the clouds. The two layers were photographed within 3 minutes of each other from the same vantage point.

Bald Eagle

A common sight from Steigerwald's Redtail Lake bridge, near Washougal, WA.

Norther Harrier

First flight on a cool, cloudy, and foggy morning with the Cascades as a backdrop.

Mallard

Early morning movement to feeding ground. Mount Hood is in the background.

Golden Eagle

Eagle banks as it scans a Cascade basalt canyon above Catherine Creek near Lyle, WA.

Northern Harrier

Harriers of Steigerwald Lake NWR will catch thermals and ride them up between photographers and Mount Hood

Steigerwald natural birdscape

While photographing Vista Point and the gorgeous clouds illuminated by the setting sun, a Northern Harrier flew between us. Not the way I planned it, but sometimes what you best hope for happens.

Osprey over Government Cove

This is an overlay of two shots from the same POV. You can see the Osprey male's nest just under his right wing in the crag on the point.