Ferrara Wildlife Photography

Brown Bear – The Bear, The Light and The Drama

The Bear, The Light and The Drama Every day for two weeks I walked past a finger of land that projected into a remote Alaskan lake. Sometimes a Brown Bear was on the spit, but the light was terrible for capturing a visually meaningful moment. On other occasions, the presentation painted across the sweep was stunningly gorgeous, but always a bruin was absent from the landscape. I had about given up capturing that point in time where. the bear and the light came together, at least how I envisioned it in my mind’s eye. On the morning before the day the float plane was to retrieve us, I trekked past the small peninsula thinking, most likely, for the final time. The sky was riotous in presentation … and the bear was in perfect position near the point. ~ Anecdote and Brown Bear capture, The Bear, The Light and The Drama © Jerry L. Ferrara

Mr. Cerulean One of the most striking features of the male Mountain Bluebird is its electric, sky-blue feathering. Here, Mr. Cerulean has just caught a spider meal. ~ Anecdote and Mountain Bluebird capture, Mr. Cerulean © Jerry L. Ferrara

It Tossed Back Its Breakfast They were hidden from view by the dense foliage, yet the flock of Cedar Waxwings’ high-trilling, soft murmurings came from seemingly everywhere in the fruit-laden chokecherry bushes. The gentle prattle amongst the birds were contact calls … the way members of a “bird herd” stay in touch with one another. Vocalizing was only temporarily interrupted for this Cedar Waxwing as it suddenly popped into view. Greedily it tossed back its breakfast. ~ Anecdote and Cedar Waxwing capture, It Tossed Back Its Breakfast © Jerry L. Ferrara

Nature’s Sanitation Corps The Turkey Vulture employs both keen eyesight and a well-developed sense of smell for locating its carrion meals. They are Nature’s sanitation corps. Along a southern Texas shore Death lies on the coastal floor Disease from rot won’t have a chance Nor may we call this happenstance For the vultures’ prowess lies Not just with its acute eyes Detects its meal when odors swell Through its superb sense of smell So what does all this really mean? The vulture keeps the landscape clean ~ Anecdote, poem and Turkey Vulture capture, Nature’s Sanitation Corps © Jerry L. Ferrara

To Loaf on a Post Not far from the Arctic Circle, an Arctic Tern takes a moment to loaf on a post. The Arctic Tern is considered to be one of Nature’s longest-distance travelers, migrating yearly between the Arctic and Antarctic regions. ~ Anecdote and Arctic Tern capture, To Loaf on a Post © Jerry L. Ferrara

Daybreak at Kootenai This image was made well over a decade ago at nearby Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge. Morning fog obscured the distant view revealing little of interest. As the dawning sun’s rays brushed the landscape, murk and mist magically dissipated. Definition and form took shape … Moose and marsh materialized. When all about there seems to be A lack of anything to see Wait and watch, it might take time The moment caught may be sublime ~ Anecdote, poem and Moose capture, Daybreak at Kootenai © Jerry L. Ferrara

Sunspot Activity Sunspot activity recorded 7/10/22 at approximately 10:00 am Pacific Time. Image made using a special solar filter covering the front lens element. Original image magnification 16X. Camera settings 1/4000 sec, f8.0, ISO 320. Cropped in processing. Please do not take offense, but this should NEVER be attempted without a special, dedicated SOLAR FILTER. NEVER point a camera/lens, telescope or binoculars at the sun without proper filtration. Many years ago I had an experience that was near fatal while observing the sun with a 10-inch telescope. Nearing the end of observing, I had covered the eyepiece with its “plastic” cover. I had a special solar filter properly attached on the front. Momentarily I was distracted … a bad place to be. Instead of first moving the scope away from pointing at the sun, I removed the solar filter from the front. Instantaneously the center of the plastic eyepiece cover vaporized. If my eye had been at the eyepiece it would have been cooked. I should have moved the scope out of alignment with the sun before removing the filter. I’ve never forgotten that near-misfortune. The incident did tell how fast damage may occur from viewing the sun without proper […]

Sea Parrot Carrying its catch firmly in its beak, this Atlantic Puffin [Sea Parrot] stalls its high-speed flight as it approaches its cliffside den. ~ Anecdote and Atlantic Puffin capture, Sea Parrot © Jerry L. Ferrara

Snowy Eyes that peer so straight ahead Seem to play inside my head Move I from side-to-side to see Those orbs do follow creepily Seems to be a strange illusion Certainly does cause confusion ~ Poem and Snowy Owl capture, Snowy © Jerry L. Ferrara

In the Blink of an Eye I find many transitory aspects of nature to be visually fascinating, especially those that are difficult to detect. Here, rainwater that had collected on the bottom edge of a moss- and lichen-adorned branch feels the tug of gravity. This is a single image made at a shutter speed of 120 frames per second. The action was seized in the blink of an eye. ~ Anecdote and rainwater capture, In the Blink of an Eye © Jerry L. Ferrara

SHOT FROM THE FILE

Brown Bear – The Bear, The Light and The Drama

Mountain Bluebird – Mr. Cerulean

Cedar Waxwing – It Tossed Back Its Breakfast

Turkey Vulture – Nature’s Sanitation Corps

Arctic Tern – To Loaf on a Post

Moose – Daybreak at Kootenai

Sunspots – Sunspot Activity

Atlantic Puffin – Sea Parrot

Snowy Owl – Snowy

Rainwater – In the Blink of an Eye