If one grew up in a family and was not an only child, there were those days when siblings were expected to share. And sometimes I am guessing the same is true in the animal kingdom, even in Siouxland. This past February on a cold day I hiked into an area along the Big Sioux River near Stone State Park. Eagles were congregating there and hanging out until it was time to move along.
And on one particular day, it seemed two related juvenile bald eagles liked sitting on the same branch and in the same place.
Human siblings will exhibit the same behavior, each wanting to occupy space that another might already occupy, or want depending on the circumstances. I find the behavior fascinating while also chilly waiting to see how everything played out. And remember thinking one of them flew to another branch probably only to continue the battle of wills another time and another day.
Sometimes when trying to photograph wildlife at various parks and preserves in Siouxland I swear they really work at trying to avoid me and my endeavors. A red-headed woodpecker a year or so ago would always land near me and make its call. And just as I raised my lens it would fly off, only to land nearby and start the process over again. I guess on some mornings I was cheap entertainment.
Watching wildlife feed and stalk its food sources is fascinating. And although some of these birds are the same species I have photographed many times before, they still give me a challenge in capturing their movements. Autofocus is great, but sometimes that muscle memory and manual focus is a needed skill. But with age and glasses, technology is still welcomed. And I am happy to utilize focus peaking when manually focusing. Most mirrorless camera bodies now incorporate that feature, which is great for crowded subject fields as well as shooting in low light situations.
Sometimes when visiting places in and around Siouxland, I find it best to try and blend in at whatever event or place I am visiting in order to photograph various scenes. And I am assuming the same is true in nature as animals do quite a good job fading into their surroundings.
Recently visiting the Owego Wetland Complex with a friend, we watched a Northern Harrier raptor flying over some ducks and Canada geese on the ponds. Eventually the ducks bolted even though they were in some respects the same size or larger than the raptor. And so it was surprising as I was editing my images after that outing to find the Northern Harrier flying in amongst the ducks, maybe sizing them up, or just enjoying itself in creating a little mayhem. No complaints, it just made a more interesting image I didn’t realize until later.
Lately I find myself looking for migrating birds and critters more than exploring new places in Siouxland. This year has been a good year for finding eagles nearby, that is, not having to drive an hour to watch them soar and behave. Some local birders are happy because it seems the eagle population in Iowa is beginning to come back. There was a ban on using lead shot for game hunters since a number of eagles were dying from lead poisoning, by eating and ingesting wounded and later dead game that hunters did not recover and through eating that game the birds then became ill and some died.
So it was by happenstance that I came upon an eagle’s nest I was not aware of in rural Iowa after exploring a nearby wooded grove. And then got even luckier when I spied through a telephoto lens that it appears that two young (baby) eaglets were somewhat undercover of the adult’s body in the nest.
One of the adults was waiting for the other to return with a fresh food supply. It was a very windy day and it was tough to get a clear photograph of the birds in the nest as the branches get swaying about along with 25-30mph gusts of wind that kept pushing my lens about.
Finally the returning adult brought back some kind of waterfowl as it appeared there were webbed feet hanging from its talons. And there were waterfowl hanging out in a nearby stream.
The little chicks kept peeking above the rim of the nest and the adult seemed to be keeping them in check and also munching on something nearby as it kept pecking on something within the nest. The more time spent outdoors watching and trying to photograph nature the more interesting it becomes. While I don’t fancy myself a great or even good wildlife photographer, the challenge of capturing an image of nature in action makes me a better photographer all around. Anticipating what might occur, if that’s even possible, and then photographing the moment keeps one on your toes waiting for a telling moment.
Sometimes it is possible to find species sharing a little space without much fuss. At least in the animal kingdom. Over winter I went to Stone State Park and spent some time along the Big Sioux River which runs just on the outskirts of the park. And it was amazing to find various creatures within “spitting” distance of one another, minding their own business and focused on whatever task was at hand.
Sometimes when traipsing about in Siouxland looking for critters I get surprised with what I might find. I have driven past the Owego Wetland Complex numerous times, seeing the sign along a highway but never took the time to really stop and explore. While walking about a wooded area that is surrounded by an open field I saw what I thought was an unusual shape in amongst tree branches. A big lump as it were that seemed out of place. I slowly made my way over and the realized it was an owl of some description that I learned later from a birding friend that it is a great horned owl.
It was a nice sunny, blue sky kind of day, but the dear was sitting in a tree grove, looking out from the shadows in the afternoon looking for a snack I believe. I would have preferred a better angle with a little more sunshine and sky with color, but the dense shadow on even an early spring type day didn’t happen. As I backed away and tried to make my way around so the sun would be shining into the shaded area, the little guy left. Its solitude shattered by a curious one-eyed cyclops.
I always enjoy meeting “folk” when I am out and about I Siouxland checking out places or taking a hike or walk somewhere. But the same can not always be considered mutual depending on who it is I encounter.
On a recent walk on the Union Trail Bridge in Correctionville a family of deer were munching their way along the trail when they saw me. They paused, and as I began photographing them they decided to look for another “dining” area. Evidently eight or nine is company, but ten is not. Sometimes sharing is not all that it’s supposed to be.
I live in the Siouxland area that encompasses a wide swatch of land in northwest Iowa, northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota. The people that inhabit this area are generous folk and your basic honest, Midwestern people you like to have as neighbors. I explore the area and share observations, mostly photographic, sometimes through video, and and short text. All images and video are copyrighted material of the author.
Jerry Mennenga, Sioux City, Iowa
jerrylmennenga@yahoo.com
lostinsiouxland 