Finally, spring hits the Echo Trail (12 pics)

[Steve Foss]

For the first time in months, I started just after sunrise and spent the whole day along the Echo Trail and out the Fernberg near Moose Lake.

As you can see from these images, spring is finally taking hold. All the flowing water was open, most of the small ponds were, and none of the lakes were, though Ed Shave ice was the rottenest, and holes were forming there all over.

On the waterfowl shots on the water I misjudged the position of the light. Really nice spot on a diffuse overcast day but strong sidelight on a sunny day, so I did the best I could.

Hope you have fun looking. I darn well had fun getting, especially considering the cabin fever that's been going on up here.

All but one were taken with the Canon 30D and Canon 400 f5.6 and at iso400, f5.6 and various shutter speeds. The lone deer in the pines was shot with the Canon 70-200 f2.8L, since it was only about 40 feet away.

One wary beaver

Washed by the sunrise

Always comical, female hooded merganser

Doe in the pines

Bufflehead pair

Phoebe rests from the insect hunt

Stand hunting, the broad-winged hawk

Ring-necked ducks paired up

Staying in the shadow

About to launch

Crayfish for breakfast

Her perfect environment

[RainyEye]

Wow! Makes me want to drive up there right now. The one with the loon eating the crawfish is really nice!

[buzzsaw]

I really like the Ringneck ducks and the Kingfisher shot works as a very nice environmental!

[MN Shutterbug]

Great variety. I especialy like the hawk with the gorgeous eye. It's nice to see you are having fun again, after 1/2 year of winter. We actually have a chance of snow again this weekend.

[Royce Aardahl]

Great series. Love the loon and hawk!

[jonny_redhorse]

All nice Steve!....spring has sprung for sure!....pretty soon the forest floor will "come alive" with it's colors!..

[WCS]

Beautiful work Steve. Too hard to pick a favorite.

[DonBo]

Beautiful lighting on that second one of the mallards. Awesome catch of the loon.

[Dbl]

Whoah! Some nice shots here! Both deer shots are just perfect. The does' in the pine is as good as it gets. The ringbills, phoebe, and hawk are favorites as well. You must have a blast with the new lens. Tried it with a TC yet?

[Steve Foss]

Thanks, everyone!

Dan, I like the two sunrise shots hands down. Nothing like warm light like that to turn an average subject beautiful, and I rarely get deer in that open pine environment, so I was especially happy to have that one, too. Coincidentally, the deer in the pines was right across from Jim Brandenburg's driveway. Fitting, in a way, that when I finally get a deer to pose over its shoulder on an incline with big pines like that, it would be within sight of the house of the master.

I've experimented with the TC to test IQ, and it's excellent. However, since I lose autofocus with my bodies when the TC goes on the 400 f5.6L, I'm likely to limit myself to static situations when I'm using the tripod, like shooting a fixed location such as an eagle's nest. And the TC on the 70-200 f2.8L makes a totally sweet combo, as you know.

As important as the new lens is the new monopod. For the last three years I've been using an ultralight Slik monopod, which has been fine but has a fair amount of flex. Last week I sprung for a much heavier Manfrotto 680B monopod and Manfrotto 486RC2 ballhead. The monopod feels strong enough to hold up my Toyota SUV and the ballhead is rated for 13 pounds. The combo is solid as a rock with no flex, and that makes it much easier to steady the non IS lens. Not to mention, which I get the jing someday to upgrade to the 500 or the 600mm lenses, I'll have a monopod combo up to the task.

[mmeyer]

Great stuff Steve! Really nice as always. My favorite is the ringneck pair.

[Dbl]

Forgot about the TC not auto focusing on the non-1 series

I have the Manfrotto 3245 mono pod with a 3229 head on it, that is not a ballhead, it swivels with a CR plate. I do have the 486RC2 ballhead on my tripod though and find it to be very nice.

I don't like the ballhead on a mono for sports, you don't have time to make an adjustment on it anyhow. I like a nice solid base to hang a heavy lens on. When you carry multiple cameras like I do most of the time I don't want the most expensive lens and body dangling from a ballhead over my shoulder when I have other cameras hanging from my side.

I find that I don't use the 70-200 with a 1.4 all that much anymore now that I have the 300 though it works fantastic that way. Sharp, almost no loss in focus speed. I do use the 1.4 most of time on the 300 when shooting outdoors, a good reason to move to a 400/2.8.

[Steve Foss]

Yeah, no way would I use a ballhead with heavy lenses for sports. Even when I was using Canon's 400 f2.8 and 600 f4 with ballheads specifically designed to carry a LOT of weight, it bothered me a bit. In sports mode I'd be reefing that monopod hard to the lens foot or bracket with no head at all.

And that's true to some degree with most nature shooting, too, because like in sports it's pretty easy to tilt a monopod to get a needed angle.

One reason I picked up the ballhead is that it has a better application on a tripod than a monopod, and when I eventually upgrade to a much stronger tripod I'll have a ballhead that can take the gaff. The ballhead really comes in handy on uneven terrain and for tripod work with macro.

It's also valuable because of the quick-release plate, because when I'm cruising the back roads with the mpod attached, I need to hop out and use the the combo a lot but often also need it off to shoot a BIF or something similar, and in that case the mpod is an impediment and the ballhead's release plate makes separating them a snapola!

Man, I love gear talk!

[dukhnt]

Gotta say the doe in the pines and the ring necked pair are my favorites. Thanks for sharing these.

[finnbay]

Agreed. Ball head for sports on a monopod just doesn't work. Out of a blind for birds with a tripod is great. Same as well with the 1.4. Seldom on the 70-200, but as much as I can on the 300. When they start calling me to do Twins and Vikings I'll look at a 400 2.8 (yeah, right!).

[finnbay]

Steve,

Doe in the pines and crayfish for breakfast are outstanding! Love 'em all.

[palisade1kid]

Very fine photography!!!!

[JR777]

Great shots Steve. The broad-winged Hawk and the loon for me anyway are outstanding. Beautiful images. Glad to see that spring has finally arrived for you. Happy shooting Steve

[DMN]

All great shots, I also like it when you guys talk gear, it is a good learning experience.

DMN

[Catmendo]

Great work Steve! The 3rd pic down (bad hair day) resembles one of the members at the golf course that I belong to.

The loon is awesome, what's it got...a waterdog?

I also love the brightly colored male kingfisher, he looks like he means business!

[Steve Foss]

Thanks again, everybody!

Stu, the loon has a crayfish, and the kingfisher is a female (in that species it's the female that has the extra color, not the male. Go figure).

[Walleyehunter82]

Very nice photos!!!

[mcary]

Gorgeous series Steve! I must say that there is an overwhelming sense of jealously welling up as I'm stuck at a computer for the next month. Beautiful work as expected.

[MARINERMAGNUM]

Really like the Hawk. All are superfabulicious! [This board is running out of adjectives fast,so I'm gonna start making some up]