Its official - spring has sprung!!!

Trumpeter Swans 

It's official - spring has finally returned the Yukon! 

Last weekend 42 trumpeter swans arrived at Marsh Lake (south of Whitehorse).  Their spring migration has begun.  Think it's time to dust off the camera, clean sensors, empty memory cards, check gear and head down to Marsh Lake....

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Cheers,

Claus

Wildlife along the Klondike Hwy

Greetings from a sunny Whitehorse!

There's little doubt spring is here to stay.  The spruce bogs, forests and fields are alive with the musical chorus of robins, juncos, warblers, sparrows, crossbills and snow buntings.  Flying directly overhead, the first flocks of sandhill cranes are contributing their musical notes to this spring orchestra.  

While driving along the Klondike Highway this morning I spotted a pair of trumpeter swans and a very shy pair of coyotes mulling about.  Neat!

Enjoy your weekend.

Cheers,

Claus

Swans continue journey northwards

Tundra swans in flight

The majority of swans have left Marsh Lake and are now on their way northwards to their breeding grounds in Alaska and elsewhere throughout the Yukon.  What a thrill it has been to photograph them while they were here on their brief layover.  I'll post a few of my favourite images shortly.

Now that the swans are gone its time for the Sandhill Cranes to take centre stage.

Speaking of migrants, I heard my first Robin of the year singing his tiny heart out the other night.  Welcome back!

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Cheers,

Claus

   

Good morning Yukon!

Trumpeter Swan

Good morning from the Yukon!

I enjoyed a phenomenal weekend with the trumpeter swans at Tagish Lake.  All the key elements I've been looking for - lighting, clean background, blue skies, a variety of behavioural displays, action shots and cooperative subjects - fell into place.  I'm pleased with my images - well over 700.  I'll sort through them in the coming days and will post them shortly.

Hope you enjoyed your Earth Day weekend.

Cheers,

Claus

Swan Report - April 19, 2012

Good morning,
Here are the latest numbers from the Swan Haven Interpretation Centre on Marsh Lake, Yukon:

During the last few days many folks have spotted large flocks of swans flying over Whitehorse. This is a wonderful sight, but it does mean that our numbers of at Swan Haven have decreased to 550 Trumpeter Swans. 

Lets hope more swans arrive in the coming days....

Cheers,
Claus

Swan Report - April 17, 2012

Good morning from the Yukon.  Here is the latest swan report courtesy The Yukon Department of Environment:

Last night there were more or less the same number of swans at Swan Haven, over 1100, while the numbers at Tagish have increased to 500.  New arrivals, at both locations, include the Greater white-fronted goose, northern pintails, green-winged teals, buffleheads, mallards and Canada geese.

If you are in the Yukon make sure you drop by the Swan Haven Interpretation Centre as they celebrate the annual Celebration of Swans event.  Several viewing scopes, a viewing platform and a walking trail on the ice allow visitors to spot these majestic birds while Interpreters are on hand to answer any questions you may have about the natural history of the swans.  The Celebration of Swans runs from April 14 to 22nd.

I cannot wait until the weekend.

Cheers,
Claus

Swan Report for April 16, 2012

Here are the latest swan numbers from this past weekend:

Wow - the numbers of trumpeter swans at Marsh Lake have soared to 1150 individuals.  Nice to see them back!

Swan report - April 14, 2012

This past weekend was a rather chilly one for both swans and the photographers who chase them.  Low numbers of swans combined with overcast skies, a high of only +5 degrees and a steady breeze created some poor photography conditions.  Biologists believe that a major weather system south of the Yukon is preventing the swans, and a host of other migratory birds, from continuing their journey northwards.  Let's hope that next weekend brings better opportunities  for all.

Here are the latest numbers:  aprox. 350 trumpeter swans at Swan Haven (Marsh Lake).  I spotted fewer than 150 at Tagish.

Enjoy the remainder of your weekend.
Cheers,
Claus

Swan Report April 11, 2012

Trumpeter swan flying over the Tagish bridge

Good morning from the Yukon,
The weather continues to impress us with sun, +10 degree temps and endless blue skies.
Here is today's swan report from the Yukon Department of Environment:

Last night there were 430 Trumpeter Swans at Marsh Lake.  The Canada Geese have arrived as well.
No new info from Tagish.



Photo info:  Same as previous two posts

Swan Report April 10, 2012

Here are the latest numbers for April 10th

Marsh Lake has recorded 492 Trumpeter Swans, 18 Tundra Swans
Tagish Lake has reported 360 Trumpeter Swans

New arrivals include Greater White-fronted Goose and the Ring-necked duck.

Ahh, they are back.....

Welcoming the swans and spring

What a weekend it has been! 

Monday morning I counted 300+ trumpeter swans at the Tagish Bridge while at Marsh Lake the official number was 409.  The swans keep on coming...

We could not have asked for a better weekend - nothing but bright sun, brilliant blue skies and plenty of swans flying overhead.  A perfect weekend to welcome spring. 

Hard to believe that the swan population will swell to more than a 1000 by weeks end.  Let's hope the weather cooperates for us photographers.

Stay tuned -  in the coming days I'll be posting more images and share a few thoughts on capturing these graceful birds with your camera.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Cheers,

Claus

Photo info:  same as previous post

They're back.....

Greetings from the Tagish Bridge Recreation Site in the Yukon.
The trumpeter swans are slowly trickling in - today's count was 82 (with another 18 arriving by late-afternoon).  Meanwhile, at Swan Haven (Marsh Lake), biologists have recorded 350 swans plus a few other migrants including Barrow's and common goldeneyes, mallards, buffleheads, redheads, herring gulls and northern pintails.
Unfortunately, for me as a photographer, the swans were too far for decent photos. Regardless, their arrival was a much needed welcome sign of spring.
Despite their distance, a few flocks did fly overhead providing me with some useful images of the swans  framed against the blue spring sky.  All in all I spent close to three hours wandering back and forth on the bridge waiting patiently for more flybys.
Brilliant blue skies, plenty of sun, a steady breeze and +7 degree temperatures made for a gorgeous Easter Sunday.
Hope you enjoyed your Easter holiday.
Cheers,
Claus

Photo info:  Nikon D700 with Nikkor 300m f/2.8 lens attached.  250 ISO, f/7.1, Aperature priority, -0.7 to -1.0 exposure composition, Vibration Reduction set to 'ON'.  Hand held

Rumour has it....

Rumour has it that the first of the swans have returned to the Yukon!!   Spring must be around the corner :)
Hope all is well in your corner of the world.
Cheers,
Claus

Image:  Trumpeter Swans, Tagish Lake, Yukon (April, 2011)

The Swans of Tagish

Observing and photographing wildlife along the shores of the Tagish River (often referred to as the Tagish Narrows) could not have been any better than it was during last weekend's Easter holiday.  Excellent weather conditions, blue skies and a thousand swans rewarded those who took the time to travel the 100km distance from Whitehorse.

During the holiday weekend biologists had observed well over 1000 trumpeter swans, 400 tundra swans and scores of migratory ducks swimming and feeding along the shores of the Narrows.  Thousands more could be spotted at Swan Haven on Marsh Lake and along the open stretches of Kluane Lake.  From what I understand the bridge over the Teslin River at Johnsons Crossing was also a popular spot to photograph swans.

Joining the swans were wigeons, pintails, goldeneyes, buffleheads, mergansers, green-wing teals and mallards.  Numerous bald eagles and northern harrier hawks patrolled the skies over the waters in search of unsuspecting prey. A pair of river otters also playfully swam alongside the icy shores in search of food and a resting place.

A handful of international photographers had also taken up temporary residence along the Narrows during the weekend.  Photographers of every skill-level stood for hours along the shores of the Narrows or on the bridge hoping to capture their prized shot as the swans flew overhead or swam by.

Overcast skies, a steady breeze and chilly temperatures dominated much of Good Friday.  Weather conditions improved remarkably on Saturday morning when brilliant blue skies and plenty of sun provided ideal conditions to photograph the swans.  The clouds and haze had returned by Sunday afternoon.

My most successful shots from the previous three weekends were those from Saturday morning's photo-shoot.  The crisp blue skies were the perfect backdrop for the snowy-white feathers of the swans as they flew overhead - I could not have wished for a better day.  Sadly, I only had a few hours with the swans that day as I had to return to Pelly Crossing for a few hours.  Wish I had more time as the skies were not as blue on Sunday.

My camera of choice this past weekend was the Nikon D300 (for its digital crop factor).  The Nikor 300mm f/2.8 lens (with a 1.7x teleconverter) was my principal lens for the swan shots.  Aperture priority was used, the continuous high shutter command was set ON as was the VR (vibration reduction).  With the bright skies an ISO of 250 (underexposed by 1 stop) was all that was needed to capture sharp images.  Most of the swan flyover images were handheld.

Well over 600 images were shot during the course of the weekend, of which a dozen or so were 'keepers'.

What a stellar weekend!  Life has finally returned to the Yukon!!

Join me in the coming days as I share my top 10 ten tips to successfully photographing swans.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world,

Cheers
Claus

Sunday morning with the swans

I'm still smiling from ear to ear as I sort through my images and recall my weekend with the swans of Tagish River.  Such a treat it was to have photographed and observed them.  

In the coming week I'll post a few more images along with some notes on my observations and tips to photographing these elegant creatures.  

Good night.

Good morning from the Yukon

Just a quick note to let you know I'm back home after spending a superb weekend with the swans in the southern Yukon. 

I've just unpacked my bags, ate a quick dinner and now I'm off to bed - it has been a very long, but rewarding day.  More images and text to follow shortly.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend.

Cheers,

Claus

Swans in flight

Greetings once again from Whitehorse!

The trumpeter swans continue to arrive en masse as they make their way northwards to their summer breeding grounds throughout the Yukon and into Alaska.  Each year, in early spring, the swans make a brief 10-day stopover at Marsh Lake (and surroundings) where they rest and fatten-up on aquatic roots and other plants before they resume their journey northwards.   As of Friday biologists have observed at least 400 swans in the region (a far cry from last year's record of 2000+ individuals).

My goal for this weekend was to try and capture the beauty and elegance of their flight with my camera and 300mm lens - not an easy task as I have discovered.  Constantly changing light conditions (thanks to the clouds), an unpredictable flight path and keeping a steady hand while using the large lens were some of the challenges I faced as I tried to snap crisp images within a short time frame. 

One of the best places to photograph the swans in flight is from the Tagish River Bridge.  This morning I counted well over 100 swans feeding and swimming on both sides of the small bridge.  Every hour or so (sometimes much longer) a pair would fly overhead forcing me to scramble to get into position for a good shot - no worries, there was very little traffic on the bridge.   

All in all I spent close to 4 hours today observing the swans feed, swim, rest and communicate with each other.  I did notice a few pairs calling and bobbing their heads together in unison (supposedly a behaviour used to strengthen pair bonding).   I did manage to photograph a few fly-overs along with 8GB worth of behavioural images - some of those will be posted in the coming days.  

I'm pleased with my results as this was my first attempt photographing birds in flight.  There's still oodles to learn - lets see what tomorrow brings.

Good night,  

Claus   

Camera settings for the day: 

- Vibration Reduction set 'on' (a similar function appears in Canon cameras)

- camera set at Aperture Priority, Continuous High and underexposed by a full-stop (for sunny days this will avoid blowing out the whites in feathers)

- f/stop between 5.6 to 8

- ISO 250 (will try for a bit higher tomorrow to obtain a faster shutter speed)

- spare batteries as the VR function takes its toll on batteries

- 16GB memory card (will record over 700 images in RAW)

An Afternoon with the Swans - con't

Greetings once again from Swan Central!

I'm still on a natural high from yesterday's fabulous photo shoot near Tagish Lake, Yukon.  As I sort and process the well over 200+ images I cannot help but think how fortunate I was to have found such a peaceful place to observe and photograph these graceful creatures in relative close proximity. 

As mentioned in yesterday's post I returned to the small river that joins Marsh Lake with Tagish Lake in hopes of photographing the swans in better lighting conditions than those of Saturday afternoon.  As I drove towards my destination the weather had begun to deteriorate with sudden snow squalls creating temporary whiteout conditions on the highway.  The dark ominous clouds appearing over the mountain tops didn't help matters either.  So often that morning I had wanted to return to the warmth of my hotel room in Whitehorse - thankfully I ignored those thoughts. 

By the time I arrived at the Tagish Lake Campground conditions had improved remarkably with blue skies, sun and scattered clouds.  I should not have been surprised by this as the weather here always turns on a dime.   

Within minutes of parking the car on the side of the highway I was deep into the bush with my camera gear and tripod in hand trying to slog my way to the river.  As the snow was still knee-deep in place I decided to follow an old moose trail that snaked through the maze of spruce and pine trees.  It appears as if the moose had similar thoughts as its tracks eventually lead me to the edge of the steep river slope from where I could scour the icy shoreline for my swans.  It wasn't long before the Trumpeter Swans had announced my presence to the rest of the world.  I waited for a few minutes before I continued quietly along the shoreline until I came to a small clearing that afforded an undisturbed view of a pair of swans resting, preening and 'talking' to each other while they were standing on a thick slab of river ice.  The sun was directly in front of the pair so this created some neat lighting conditions.  I spent close to an hour with the pair observing their behaviour and trying to capture those moments with my camera.  Throughout the hour both individuals kept a very close eye on my every move.  Eventually the pair had other plans and swam away to join their buddies.

I continued to explore the shoreline for a few more hours and did manage more swan sightings.  I estimate there must have been at least 100 swans along this tiny river system.  Toward the end of my day three swans flew quietly by me as if to signal I had overstayed my welcome.

What a treat it was to watch and photograph these critters in their undisturbed environment - an environment surrounded in complete silence and snow-capped mountains.  The silence was interrupted on occasion by the French Horn-like calls of the swans as they chatted with each other and by the steady breeze blowing over the tree tops.  The smells of the spruce and pine needles brought me back to my days canoeing through Algonquin Park in Central Ontario.  Ahh, the lure of the wildnerness!!  I'm so thrilled that spring has returned.  

I could have easily spent a few more hours photographing the swans had I not needed to return to Pelly Crossing (a 5hr drive away).

With lighting conditions being so good I decided to set my camera between ISO 250 and 320.  I elected to use the Nikon D300 camera for its digital zoom factor as it would allow me to take closer images than with a full frame camera.  I used my 300mm f/2.8 glass with 1.7x teleconverter.  Both the camera and lens were mounted on a tripod.  HINT - make sure you set your tripod correctly when shooting on a steep slope (you don't want to sacrifice your top-heavy camera to river below).  A cable release was attached to the camera to minimize camera shake when snapping images.  Oh yes, the camera was also set to Continuous High and Aperture Priority.

I cannot wait until next weekend!

Good night, 

Cheers

Claus

An afternoon with the swans!

Hi again - I just pulled into Pelly.  A very long day but a rewarding one.

Late this morning I returned to the river that connects Marsh Lake with Tagish Lake with the hopes of photographing more swans.  The weather was ideal for photography with plenty of sun, soft light and clouds - oh yes, there was the occasional snow squall and whiteout conditions.   More importantly I had very cooperative subjects.

All in all I spent close to four hours with a group of 20 swans while I was crouched under the boughs of a spruce tree.  I felt privileged to have watched and photographed the swans go about their business without a care in the world.  I'm pleased with my efforts.  

It's shortly before midnight and I'm pooped....  more images to come tomorrow.

Good night

The Real Swan Lake

Images with D300,  Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 with 1.5x extension, f/7, 500ASA 

Hi again from the Yukom, home to over 2,000 swans!

After a very long winter the swans have finally started to arrive en masse.  For the next few weeks scores of Trumpet and Tundra Swans will congregate in the rivers, lakes and marshes around the Whitehorse area for a chance to rest, feed and gather strength before continuing their journey further north to their breeding grounds in the High Arctic.

What a sight it is to see so many swans gracefully navigate the icy shores of Tagish Lake (2hrs south of  Whitehorse).  Most are in pairs, while there are a handful of what I think are family groupings with last years brood still sporting dusty grey feathers.  So far most swans are hanging around in the few stretches of open water available - a narrow stretch at Marsh Lake (1hr south of Whitehorse), a larger opening between the river that connects Marsh Lake with Tagish Lake and behind the dam on Marsh Lake (viewing accessible from the Alaska Highway).

Next week Yukoner's will honour their feathered guests with a week-long Celebration of Swans event mainly centred at Swan Haven, an interpretation centre at Marsh Lake.  Interpreters will be on hand to explain the natural history of the swans and other migratory waterfowl.  Unfortunately for photographers, the swans are resting at a considerable distance from shore. 

I wanted to see if I could find a spot to photograph the swans up close and in relative isolation from the hundreds of birdwatchers who have also flocked to Marsh Lake and its surroundings.  After a couple of hours of driving I found myself on the shores of a small river that connects Marsh Lake with Tagish Lake.  There I was pleasantly surprised to find at least 100 swans quietly carrying out their daily business.  It was tricky to find a clearing that afforded an undisturbed view of the swans.  After a bit of bushwhacking I did manage to find several vantage points with clear views of the swans below.  So neat to listen to them communicate with each other - it was as if they were all playing individual French horns.   

Rubber boots, snow pants (to keep your butt dry when sitting in the snow) and lite gloves are highly recommended if you plan on spending any time photographing these characters.  Patience is also in order as they constantly move about and lighting conditions can be tricky.  It is also a good idea to bring along some bear spray as the grizzlies have started to emerge from their winter dens - and I would guess they are a tad hungry :)

I'm heading back there today to take a few more pictures before making my way back home.  I'll post more tomorrow with locations and photo details.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Cheers,

Claus