Moose News Blog

While I have real problems with some of the unreal imbellishments of global warming and its cause and effect as seen on TV lately, being an arctic traveler and witness, I have no doubt things are changing and not for the better. Those in the endangered species business know that what typically causes a species to become extinct is some small coup de grace able to take advantage of a weakened system. For some arctic species, the handwritting is on the wall of a coup de grace a comin. I’m not saying the sky is falling, but many of its support beams are buckling, severely. Become educated and voice your opinion one way or another. It is your wild heritage!

This photo was taken a couple of summers back at the end of our ANWR float trip, it’s what’s left of the ice pack in June in the Beaufort Sea. We saw five Polar Bears, way off in the distance, one was a family group with spring cubs. We never saw though any of their main food source. There’s way too much open water in this photo.

I thought I would start the weekend with a little teaser. You’re staring down the barrel of my 600f4G ED AFS VR II lens. I’m about half way through my initial testing (official sounding term for playing and lusting) period and I have to tell you, I’m impressed. The connoisseur of fine glass, Joe McNally, had told me months back it was well worth obtaining (he shot with it during his shooting for the D3 brochure). Just the closer minimum focusing distance gets your attention, real fast. The VR focuses down to 15.7′ (MF) compared to the AFS II’s 18.7 (MF), a huge improvement! That three feet makes a world of difference with small dickie birds for example. And to obtain this closer focusing distance without using extension tubes is to me in itself, well worth the price. In the next week or so, I’ll have the new page with pics and trivia up so you can make the right choice for your own photography. Until then, I’ll be out testing (playing).

The goofy photo I posted yesterday (sorry, I do have a slightly bent sense of humor) has filled my mailbox this AM with the common question, “What’s going on in that photo?” This pair of Tricolored Herons are just about to fledge from their nest. They have stepped out from their nest platform to a branch where they literally had space to stretch their wings. They were very busy preening and ignoring the photographer just ten feet in front of them (photo was taken at St Augustine Alligator Farm).

In this particular frame both youngsters are working their feathers along either side of their head. In that process they bent their necks back to rub either side of their head on their shoulders (the advantage of having a long neck). That’s what the upper chick is doing in this photo. The lower chick is doing the same thing the difference between the two is the upper chick is at the end of his head rub, the bottom one is just starting. Seeing the humor with one seemingly to have “lost its head” I stood there for a while ripping off the frames to catch what you see here.

And now you know, the rest of the story!

It doesn’t even take a brain to figure this one out, pick up the phone right now and give Laurie a call! She’s got an opening in her upcoming FL bird safari next month. I know it’s going to be great because…ha…I’ll be there and in fact, this will be the only time the public will ever see me as an assistant. That’s right, I’m the assistant who will be Johnny on the Spot to make sure along with Laurie YOU get the great image. So pick up that phone, find your swim suit and sun tan oil and lets head to the sand for some amazing bird photography! Hell, we’re even getting a boat ride out of this, check it out in her blog to see for yourself!

Photo captured by D2H, 200-400VR on Lexar digital film

While you’re waiting for his new book, you can catch vintage Joe at his new blog that literally just went up. Oh no, now he can get even with me!