Author: boolie

Wet and Getting Wetter

A male cinnamon teal swims during a heavy downpour at Long Lake in Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington on December 23, 2015. Original: _L1A7872.CR2

The new year is kicking off with a Trixie-approved Oregon rain here in the desert. I fell in love with the rain when we lived in the Pacific Northwest and would specifically go out to photograph in it. On this day it rained on and off but for a little while it was absolutely chucking it down. These photos of a cinnamon teal and northern shoveler were taken 18 seconds apart as they fed in Long Lake.

📷: Canon 7D II | Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM + 1.4x III
🗓️: December 23, 2015

A male northern shoveler feeds during a heavy downpour at Long Lake in Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington on December 23, 2015. Original: _L1A7885.CR2

Keeping An Eye Out (And Up)

A pied-billed grebe in nonbreeding plumage casts an eye to the skies as it rests in Bower Slough in Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington on December 29, 2011. Original: _MG_0474.CR2

A pied-billed grebe casts an eye upwards, with the biggest threat in the skies being the bald eagles whose numbers rose in winter along with the returning waterfowl. The biggest threat to its peace were the rafts of coots who moved about the slough.

📷: Canon 7D | Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM + 1.4x III
🗓️: December 29, 2011

A pied-billed grebe in nonbreeding plumage rests in Bower Slough in Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington on December 29, 2011. Original: _MG_0521.CR2

Revisiting

A black-and-white version of a close-up of a juvenile great blue heron against a frosty backdrop, taken at Horse Lake at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington on January 1, 2011. Original: _MG_1684.CR2

I’ve been editing a lot of old pictures recently which has let me revisit my former haunts as well. I updated the color version of this young great blue heron which has been online for a long while, but also liked a black-and-white treatment which highlights the markings on its long beak.

📷: Canon 7D | Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM
🗓️: January 1, 2011

Idyll

A male cinnamon teal sleeps in Long Lake, covered in drops of rain, at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington on June 6, 2010. Original: _MG_9088.CR2

A tranquil scene as a cinnamon teal sleeps on a rainy day at Ridgefield. I remember spending long hours on the auto tour, often sitting in a spot like Long Lake and watching to see what came by, but was surprised when looking back at my journals to see some rainy days I’d stay the entire day. You’d think, given I’m the one living it, I’d be better at remembering the details of my life.

📷: Canon 7D | Canon 500mm f/4 + 1.4x
🗓️: June 6, 2010

It’s Complicated

A young American bullfrog looks out from rain-soaked lily pads at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth, Maine on July 14, 2010. Original: _MG_6722.CR2

I had a complicated relationship with bullfrogs in Oregon as while I loved seeing frogs they were a constant reminder of how much invasive species had permanently altered the ecosystem. When we took a family trip to the other Portland and I saw familiar faces in the ponds, I wondered if I was the only visitor here. I didn’t have a magic computer in my pocket back then but after 15 years I finally looked it up and they are indeed native to Maine.

📷: Canon 7D | Canon 100-400mm
🗓️: July 14, 2010

Hallelujah Jordan

A scenic view of a broken old saguaro with two of its arms lifted high, taken in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona. Taken on December 30, 2023. Original: _A673198.ARW

The 118th Street Trail is a service road out to the electrical towers that also links two of my favorite trails into a loop. It has charms all its own, Bear & I have seen four of his favorite creatures on this short stretch: mule deer, coyotes, cottontails, and even a Gila monster. Kestrels are here too though the pup doesn’t care about those.

We also get Hallelujah Jordan, arms raised in permanent praise to the glory that is the Sonoran Desert. I’ve thought about renaming him as one of his arms has fallen off and he reminds me more of the Statue of Liberty these days. I decided against it as though he has changed, his joy is everlasting. Both pictures taken on dog walks.

1st Photo:
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony-Zeiss 24mm f/1.8
🗓️: December 30, 2023

2nd Photo:
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony-Zeiss 24mm f/1.8
🗓️: December 14, 2025

scenic view of a broken old saguaro with one of its arms lifted high, taken in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona. Taken on December 14, 2025. Original: _A671177.ARW

This Happy Little Fellow

This Happy Little Fellow.

Another charm of the auto tour was what I called “Hawks on a Stick”, the juvenile redtails who’d perch on the signs around the big meadow and let you watch them up close. I’d wait until there was no traffic coming, put the teleconverter & extensions tubes on my biggest telephoto, then drive up and mostly watch their backs as they looked into the meadow for voles.

If they turned their heads, with such a good look at the beak I was reminded of the Simpsons episode where Lisa visits the dentist and he holds up a gruesome device and says “this happy little fellow is the gouger”.