Jim Coda Nature Photography

February 14, 2011Uncategorized

Burrowing Owl, Point Reyes National Seashore

A burrowing owl stands atop a badger digging and scans its territory. — Burrowing Owl, Point Reyes National Seashore

I went out to Point Reyes recently looking for badgers and anything else worth photographing. I didn’t see any badgers. However, one benefit in looking for badgers is that you sometimes find burrowing owls using the badger holes or burrows. Most of the time when I spot a burrowing owl the only part of it I see is its head and yellow eyes staring at me. This owl was kind enough to do more than peek out the front door.

A burrowing owl stands atop a badger digging. — Burrowing Owl, Point Reyes National Seashore

I sometimes wonder what happens if burrowing owls go into holes that have badgers or weasels in them. I know I won’t stick my hand down one of those holes.

February 10, 2011Uncategorized

Badger, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California

A badger takes a rest on top of his diggings. — Badger, Point Reyes National Seashore

I’ve been spending a fair amount of time photographing at Point Reyes the last six months or so and hadn’t seen a badger until the other day when I spotted this one taking a rest on its diggings. For much of that period I wasn’t really focusing on looking for badgers, but after having a fair amount of success with my main interests, coyotes and bobcats, I decided recently to concentrate on looking for badgers. I was pleasantly surprised at how soon I spotted this badger. When I was in areas that had obvious badger activity I made sure I focused my attention on any signs of fresh badger diggings and on nothing else. Having said that, I’m sure luck was still the biggest part of the equation.

A badger gets up after its rest. — Badger, Point Reyes National Seashore

Some cows were grazing their way into its path and it decided to head underground to avoid getting stepped on. But for the cows I would probably have only gotten shots of the badger at rest. Unfortunately, it didn’t come up again before it got too dark to photograph. I came by the next morning at sunrise, but it wasn’t visible. It may have moved on, but I think it was underground. There were so many gophers making themselves visible while the badger was taking its rest that I doubt it needed to move on by the morning to find more food.

June 27, 2010Uncategorized

A Day at Point Reyes National Seashore

I went out to Point Reyes recently. My friend Jeff joined me. We hoped to find some owls and bluebirds to photograph. We found this adult great horned owl and its mate and three young which we had seen before. No luck with bluebirds.

A great horned owl roosts on a limb. — Great Horned Owl, Point Reyes National Seashore

Canon 500mm f/4, Canon 1.4 TC, Canon 7D

After a couple of hours Jeff decided to head back to his home in Inverness. I decided to drive up to Pierce Point. I saw some big bull elk there, but they were in a canyon and getting any decent photos of them would have involved a long, steep hike. Not today. I checked for bluebirds at that end, but didn’t see any. I saw a couple of red-tailed hawks getting harassed by some ravens, but decided not to try for them. I also saw signs of badger activity, but no badgers.

Driving back I saw something that looked like it might be a bobcat. It was lying in some tall, light-colored vegetation. I stopped. It was about 40 yards away on the passenger side of the truck and almost completely obstructed by vegetation. I was going to have to get out of the truck with my lens and tripod. I slowly and quietly got out and set up my tripod and lens. Fortunately, the bobcat hadn’t moved. This wasn’t going to work. There was too much vegetation between us for a decent photo.

A bobcat is lying down in tall grass. — Bobcat in the Grass, Point Reyes National Seashore

Canon 500mm f/4, Canon 1.4 TC, Canon 7D.

The bobcat didn’t seem too anxious to move. I decided to wait him or her out. I checked my gear and found I only had 11 exposures left on the card. Glad I caught that. After about 20 or 30 minutes the bobcat decided it was time to go. It headed north parallel to the road and I quickly lost sight of it in the tall grass and brush. I walked up the road and saw it had stopped behind a bush. I waited for it to move and this time it took a step or two and then continued north. This is the best image I got.

Canon 500mm f/4, Canon 1.4 TC, Canon 7D

Foiled by vegetation (again). This is the fourth time I’ve photographed a bobcat in west Marin and each time has been frustrating. They are beautiful animals. Hopefully, some day I will get a good photo of one. Look at how muscular its upper back and shoulders are. They also have very long and muscular hind legs which is not so noticeable until you get a clear view of one sitting.

As I’ve said before in this blog, Yellowstone is my favorite place to photograph wildlife. However, it’s nice to have places like Point Reyes nearby.