Bonnie Rannald's Photo-Explorations in focus with nature. : February 2012

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The Inland Gulls of Walker Lake, Nevada

Sky Riders

I have been asked many times about the birds that are in the skies of my photographs around Walker Lake, so I decided to write this blog post and dedicate it to that bird, the California Gull.

The California or Inland Gull, Larus californicus, falls in the medium size range, averaging 20 inches (47-54 cm) in length with a wingspan of 51 inches (130 cm). These gulls have striking features with white bodies, black primaries and white tips on grey wings, black tipped yellow bills, yellow feet, and brow eyes.

Found in parking lots and lakes from California to Manitoba, the gulls at Walker Lake do not migrate but remain in this area all year long, except during the breeding season, from May to July when the adults return to their breeding grounds at Mono Lake, California.

Insects are a favorite source of food for the California Gull and that is why they are the official state bird of Utah. The California Gull's appetite for insects saved the Mormon settlers during a plague of crickets and today there is a monument in Salt Lake City commemorating this event, which is known as the Miracle of the Gulls. The diet of California Gulls also includes fish, eggs and just about any food that humans will eat except lettuce and tomatoes!

The California Gulls are also known as the "laughing gull" due to the laughing sound that they make when someone walks by and there might be a handout for food.

For more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gull
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/California_Gull/id/ac
http://www.monolake.org/about/ecobirds

Photographs Make Great Gifts

What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been. I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences.

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

"Reflecting Nature's Artistry"

Many of these images are available on my website:

http://www.bonnierannald.com/

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download.

All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Rhodes Salt Marsh

The Salt Tower

A part of Nevada's history still stands as testament to the by gone days of mining. Just off U.S. Highway 95 near Mina and the Tonopah Junction, a wooden tower protrudes from a mound of white, accented against the deep blue desert sky.

Today, this area is named the Rhodes Salt Marsh. However back during Nevada's mining rush it was known as the Virginia Marsh, that is until A. J. Rhodes founded the salt mine and town in the late 1800's. Salt was shipped from Rhodes to be used in mills at Aurora, Belmont, Belleville and Virginia City. During this time, it was declared that the Rhodes Mine had enough salt to preserve the world. As all good things eventually come to an end, a closer source of salt was found at Sand Springs in 1863, bringing the mine and town to a slow demise.

For more information on Nevada Mining:

http://nevada-history.org/mines.html