Photowalk at Minto Brown Island Park with the Salem Audubon Society

As a way to learn more about the birds that I take pictures of, I decided to meet up with members of the Salem Audubon Society at Minto Brown Island Park in Salem. The upside, I got to see some birds I may have not noticed--the downside, the other people (all retired) walked a little too slow when they wanted to count birds and then walked a little too fast when I wanted to get pictures. Basically it means the photographers and Audubon Society members don't mix well on outings. At any rate, here is the only good picture I took while hiking...

Canadian Geese at the local wildlife refuge.

This morning, I decided to go out to Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge to get some pictures of the waterfowl there. Aside from raptors like the Bald Eagle and shorebirds like the various seagulls that call the Oregon Coast their home, I love to photograph waterfowl for two reasons. First, they are easy to locate due to their large size in relation to songbirds; and secondly, they tend to move slow and don't scare as easily. I was in luck as two of my pictures of the Canadian Geese came out pretty good. Another picture, this one of a blue-winged teal, also came out good, though I wish it had sharper focus--oh well...

This morning's sunrise and a trip to Aumsville Ponds County Park

I have been wanting to get a good sunrise picture for a while now, so early this morning, I headed out to a nearby county park known as Aumsville Ponds to get a shot with the sun rising through the trees and reflecting off Young Lake. Unfortunately, the park was not yet opened and the sunrise was not a spectacular one, so I drove a little further south and got a picture of the Cascade Mountains silhouetted against the sunrise...

Once at Aumsville Ponds, I took some pictures of the Pied-billed Grebes (birds that look like ugly duckings) and some pictures of the tree colors reflecting off the small lake...

Oregon Coast Photography Trip

After going to Silver Falls State Park once a week for the past two months, I needed a break this week to go somewhere else. It just so happened that a short, overnight photography trip fit into my schedule. The photos below were taken between Lincoln City and Florence...

I really liked the patterns in the sand when I was at this one beach, as they reminded me of fine art that would be hung in a gallery.

"Footprint of Humanity"

I  don't often take metaphorical pictures, but after stepping to close to a creek and causing the miniature sandy cliff to fail, it made me think of humanities' footprint on the environment.

First Prints and the Salem Shutterbug Photo Contest

Earlier today, I headed over to the Shutterbug store at the Lancaster Mall in Salem to print off what I considered to me the best 8 pictures I have so far. These photos include three waterfalls of Silver Falls State Park (South, Lower South, and Middle North), a landscape (South Fork of Silver Creek), two plants (Common Camas and Oregon Iris), and two animals (a Townsend's Chipmunk and a Red-winged Blackbird). As I was walking through the mall, I noticed that the Shutterbug was having a photo contest that ends June 30th.

After I printed off the pictures I wanted, I decided to enter since I didn't have anything to lose and I got the three pictures that I entered for free. I entered the Lower South Falls for the "action" category, South Falls for the "landscape" category, and the Townsend's Chipmunk for the "general" category. The other category was "portrait," and as I don't have much experience in that category, I will not be rushing to get a picture of someone. If you happen to live near Salem, check out the contest and see which pictures you like. There are quite a few talented photographers that entered the contest.

Two photowalks at two parks within a day.

Around noon, I headed over to Aumsville Ponds County Park to get some pictures of the place. While I did see some wildlife, the Great Blue Heron that I saw flew away before I even knew it was there. After I left this park, I headed over to Bonesteel County Park for more photo opportunities...

Aumsville Ponds County Park:

 Camas Lily

Canadian Geese

Red-winged Blackbird

Bonesteel County Park:

 "The Boardwalk"

"The Woods"

Silver Falls State Park April 29th Hike

I left early this morning so I could see more wildlife before they find a place to hide. By getting there within minutes after the gates opened, I was able to see some of the deer and a chipmunk that call the park their home...

 Chickweed Monkeyflower

 Columbian Black-tailed Deer

 Fairyslipper (Calypso Orchid)

 Lower South Falls

 Oregon Dark-eyed Junko

 Pacific Bleeding Heart

 Pinedrops

 Small-flowered Forget-me-not

 Spring Azure (moth)

Townsend's Chipmunk