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

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Tunneling Back to Jurassic Times

A Mystery Tunnel to where?

When I was a child, learning of a secret was always very exciting and I have never outgrown that thrill. One of the things I love most when I am out photo-exploring is being drawn to look beyond what I might be focusing on. I believe at times like this a secret is about to be revealed, if I stop and take notice. This was certainly the experience on a mild winter day in February when I was venturing toward the Singatse Ridge, west of Yerington, Nevada.

I had stopped to photograph an unusual outcropping of rocks that reminded me of a Dimetrodon, the dinosaur with the large sail and elongated spines on its back.

Just as I was returning to my car, in the distance I saw what appeared to be the opening to a large cave.

However, when I walked closer to the opening, I realized it was a not a cave but a tunnel cut through the base of the mountain.

Entering the opening, I reflected on what it must have taken to tunnel out this 40 foot long, 10 foot diameter space through the massive rocks. There was no evidence of signs or markings about this tunnel, just present day graffiti. The tunnel was wide enough for a car or small truck but I saw no evidence of any road.

Since the settlers moved in, this area known as the Yerington district has been a rich source of copper mining and I began to think that the tunnel had been constructed for usage with the mining or some type of flood control.

An interesting granodiorite boulder, an intrusive igneous rock produced from lava flows lies toward the south entrance of the tunnel.

Walking through the north end of the tunnel, what came to view was an intriguing outcropping of tan colored rocks. These artistic creations of nature must have been emplaced from the Jurassic era and were just amazing. A feeling of antiquity came over me as my eyes gazed at the lines and cracks etched by nature over eons of time.

A family of raptors have been taking advantage of the overhangs and depressions in the rocks as was visible by their numerous white droppings.

The white paste that oozed out from the rock's edges took on interesting artistic shapes and designs.

Lichens on a granodiorite bolder facing north create an array of abstract designs with the colors of the rock.

As I turned to go back through the tunnel, I noticed a sediment line in the bank rising up to the east. Could this layer have been deposited from ancient Lake Lahontan during the Pleistocene epoch?

To some, the desert may seem harsh and inhabitable, but the feeling of mystery is what draws me and when I walk quietly, the desert's secrets are often revealed. Standing and quietly watching, I began to see shapes in the rocks and then the slightest breeze lingers on my face as if the ancients are letting me know they are welcoming me to this mysterious area.

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.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Coyotes and Valentines, Romance is in the Air

Canis latrans singing the desert's music

With February being the month for Valentines I thought how appropriate to blog about one of the wild critters who also feels romance in the air this time of year. The month of February is most often when the coyote's attention turns from stalking a favorite snack to wooing a mate. Coyotes are known for being good parents as both mother and father feed their pups by regurgitating food they have found while hunting.

Following a gestation period of only sixty days, the mother may have a litter of up to nineteen pups. The pups mature quickly, are ready for weaning in about one month and reach their full size in a year. Keeping a close family unit, the males most often leave the pack while the female pups remain in the unit.

Coyotes prefer to hunt at night in pairs, but on several hikes I have been fortunate to spot a single coyote hunting during the morning. I have never been allowed to get too close and that is where my telephoto lens comes in. I've been asked numerous times if I wasn't afraid of being attacked and the answer is No. Maybe if I cornered one in a barn, but that isn't likely to ever happen.

A family of coyotes lived across the pasture at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park and on summer weekends I would go out to the park for exhibits and events. One day on my drive out, I saw a duck get hit by a car. I stopped to retrieve the dead, warm duck in a plastic bag. I wanted to see if one of the coyotes would come and take the duck back to the den. Sure enough, I hardly had time to focus my camera when one of the coyotes grabbed the duck and ran back out of sight.

Every time I hear Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Music of the Night", I think of the coyotes singing at night. There is something about their howls on a warm desert night that just seems right. I will never forget during our Wildflower Photography Workshop at Death Valley hearing the coyotes break the silence in the early morning hours before dawn.

In my opinion, Coyotes are given a very bad rap and it breaks my heart to know that they are being hunted and killed just for sport. Coyotes do their part to keep nature in balance by eating rodents, rabbits and squirrels. Their diet may also consist of birds, lizards, snakes, plants and fruits. Yes, they will kill and eat cats and small dogs, which is why I keep my cats inside at night. The main predators other than humans to coyotes are bears, wolves and mountain lions. It makes me wonder when we continue to target all the natural predators what will keep nature in check.

So as long as there are the Canis latrans, the "barking dog", I will enjoy the desert night where the greatest sound is silence and I anticipate like with a blank sheet of music for nature to supply the notes

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.

"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.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Sharp-shinned Hawk on Southward Migration

Taking time out to pose for my camera!

Late one autumn afternoon after sundown I noticed a small raptor from my office window. The hawk had landed on a wooden box and at first sight I thought it had sustained an injury to its beak. After grabbing my camera and quietly slipping outside, I discovered that the hawk must have recently finished dinner and still had some left-overs clinging to its beak.

When I brought the photos up on my monitor, I found that this hawk was a Sharp-shinned, which is one of the smallest hawks in North America. Males are smaller that females, so at first I thought this bird might be a male migrating southward for winter. However, as I looked closer, I decided that the hawk was an immature bird since it was mostly brown with vertical streaks on its white under-parts. Adult birds are blue-gray above with narrow, horizontal red-orange bars on the breast.

Backyard bird feeders tend to attract Sharp-shinned hawks and that is one reason why I prefer not to use the seed feeders. Instead, I grow plants and shrubs that produce seeds and berries, allowing the birds to forage. The shrubs provide cover where the songbirds and sparrows can retreat when predators are in the area. It is amazing to watch these small birds head for cover, almost like they are being vacuumed in.

The small hawk must have been traveling through for I did not notice him around the next day. It was a nice suprise to be rewarded with a short visit and a few photos.

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.

"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.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Avian Cholera Outbreak at Walker Lake

Walker Lake's Water fowl in peril

Walker Lake, which should stand as a showcase for Nevada has certainly seen much adversity over the years. The once thriving, natural high desert lake provided the Agaicutta People (Paiute for Cutthroat Trout) with food sources that were much more varied and higher in nutrition that our modern diets. Fish, wildlife, water fowl and vegetation were plentiful and life was good. Once the settlers started moving in, the Walker River, the main source of water that feeds Walker Lake, was diverted for agriculture usage. Today, the Walker River is at least 130% over allocated. As a result, not enough fresh water enters Walker Lake, which has caused the level to drop and the salinity to increase. Presently, due to the high salt level, the lake is no longer able to support native fish.

Walker Lake's origin dates back to the Pleistocene epoch, (Ice Age) when Lake Lahontan covered most of what is now the Great Basin Desert. As the land dried and the climate warmed, Lake Lahontan began to recede, leaving a number of isolated lakes in closed basins, including Walker Lake.

Not too long ago, Walker Lake was a thriving source of water out in the desert. It was known for the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout which could grow to 40 pounds in size. Walker Lake was also a major stop-over for migratory birds. Located on the Pacific Flyway, the north-south travel route for American migratory birds, the water and shores provided essential food sources for the birds to rest and refuel.

Since the salty lake can no longer support the native fish, many of the seasonal visitors like the Common Loons that used to number in the hundreds no longer stop over at the lake. However a large number of shore birds still make Walker Lake their home, including the California Gull, American Coot, Long billed crulew and even the salt-loving Phalaropes.

The latest adversity to hit Walker Lake is an outbreak of Avian cholera that could put the remaining shore birds in great peril.

A number of dead birds have been spotted along the shore at Walker Lake.

Most of the birds appear to be American Coots.

There was one Mallard that appeared to have washed up on the shore.

Avian cholera is a disease of fowl, which has crossed over from wild birds to become most prevalent in waterfowl. The disease is found in wetland areas all across the globe and even North America. Most of the outbreaks occur during the cold, wet weather of winter.

The bodies of several American Coots are caught in the tumbleweeds that line the shore.

Unfortunately once the disease is transmitted, it is almost impossible to contain. The area becomes contaminated with body secretions from diseased birds, which can remain in the water for several weeks. It is spread by direct contact to birds that are showing various symptoms including mucous draining from the mouth, nasal discharge and blood stained diarrhea.

The bacteria is ingested from contaminated food and even spread by birds scavenging on infected carcasses.

Avian cholera is a horrible disease and has been know to kill so quickly that birds literally die while flying and fall from the sky.

Infected birds may suffer convulsions, disorientation where they swim in circles, throw their heads around violently and even fly upside down.

The only means of containment is prompt removal and proper disposal of the dead carcasses. I am very concerned at this time how long these birds have been lying dead and how many other birds have become diseased. Time will surely tell and I do hope with all my being that Walker Lake will not suffer another major loss in its beauty of all the remaining birds the grace her beautiful skies.

For additional reading:

http://bonnierannald.blogspot.com/2012/02/inland-gulls-of-walker-lake-nevada.html
http://bonnierannald.blogspot.com/2012/08/walker-lake-water-fowl.html
http://www.walkerlakenv.org/articles%204.htm

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/avian_cholera/

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.

"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.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Alum Creek, Mineral County's Unique Ecosystem

Photo-touring in Nevada's Back Country

Far off the beaten path and nestled in the rugged canyons of Central Nevada lies a unique ecosystem of Piñon and tall Ponderosa's pines, where nature seems to thrive against all odds. A small stream flows down between trees that are so huge; they must be over 100 years old.

This stream is Alum Creek and is located south of Lucky Boy Pass in Mineral County, Nevada. Around the mid 1800's when mining was in it’s hey day, a creek in the Lucky Boy area flowed from Poison Spirit to Cottonwood Creek. The presence of alum in solution was discovered in this creek so it became known as Alum Creek. During this time, the Lucky Boy mines that were located in the Alum Creek district were producing yearly over a million dollars of silver and lead.

In present times, only a small trickle of water still flows down the creek bed. With the severe drought that has been plaguing both Nevada and California, I am very surprised the creek has not completely dried up. Over winter, even the snow pack that replenishes the ground water has become less significant.

With the climate warming and drying, will the pines that have created this unusual habitat still be able to adapt? The piñon pine, Pinus edulis, native to the Southwestern U.S. will survive on available water and is drought tolerant. Piñon can grow to 15-35 ft (4.6-10.7 m) tall and 12-24 inches (.3-.6 m) in diameter. They produce the edible pinyon nuts which were a staple food source for the Native Americans.

The Ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa is found in mountainous topography at elevations 3,000 and 9,000' (914-2700m) where there is moderate rainfall. Mature trees can reach from 60-130' (18-39 m) with a diameter of 30-60" (9-1.7 m).

Alum Creek which at one time was a favorite area for family outings and picnics still offers a peaceful mountain retreat from the high desert landscape.

While I sit and admire the green pines that reach for the deep blue sky, two lizards come out to warm in the sun. As I watch them I ask a silent blessing on this unique pocket that time seems to have overlooked. I hope against all odds that the unique ecosystems of Alum Creek will have the tenacity to adjust and that we will continue to enjoy its peace and oneness of nature for many generations to come.

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.

"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.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Winter's Repose at Mono Lake

Ancient spirits, Volcano Domes and Tufa Towers

Do you sometimes have a week where you just have to get away from technology, communications and all news media? When I have one of those weeks, Mono Lake is one of my favorite places to retreat from the world and find peace.

The ancient lake which is known to have an age of at least 760,000 years, might actually date back to over 1 million years and is one of the oldest lakes in North America. With a level of 6378.9 feet asl (1,946 meters) and approximate volume of 2.6 million acre feet, Mono Lake is cradled among extinct volcano domes. The Sierra Nevada Mountains and the gateway to Yosemite rise up in the near distance.

Sitting in a quiet spot and gazing out over the salty, alkaline blue water, I feel a peaceful solitude.

Today, the ecosystem of the lake is composed of algae, brine shrimp and alkali flies, which is a huge draw for any number of breeding and migratory birds. However on this cold day, the shores are still and the lake quiet from the repose of winter.

Tufa towers accent the shoreline, reminding me of rocks that represent the souls of ancestors.

Tufa are produced from the interaction of freshwater springs and alkaline lake water, forming calcium-carbonate spires and knobs.

As I sit in my solitude and reminisce about the life and times of this primitive lake, the sun drops lower in the sky, signaling that it's time to be on my way. On my return home, I must travel the winding road through the 7626 feet (2324.4 m) Anchorite Pass and at night there is always the concern about hitting in to wildlife on the dark road.

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.

"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.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Chasing Comet Lovejoy over Walker Lake

Stargazing in the the not so dark skies

After several failed attempts chasing around the night sky looking for Comet Lovejoy with my Nikon 500mm lens, I was finally able to catch the tiny green fuzzy image before it became too faint to recognize. The New Year's comet or Comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy is named for the Australian comet-hunter Terry Lovejoy who first spotted it on August 17, 2014. Passing closest to Earth on January 7, 2015, the comet was reported to be at its brightest on this evening and easily visible before moonrise.

Several years ago, the dark night skies over Walker Lake were outstanding as they glittered with stars. At this time, I would walk outside to watch the Milkey Way overhead which seemed so close that I could almost reach up and touch the stars. Now days, people seem to need more artificial light and the wondrous stars no longer stand out against the dark sky. Hoping for darker skies, I went over to the camping area at Sportsman's Beach to try and catch a photo of the comet. Unfortunately as far as I was from artificial lights, the sky that had once brought stargazers to Walker Lake was not that dark anymore.

Carefully looking through my lens, I was finally able to catch a faint glimpse of Comet Lovejoy in the upper right quadrant of the sky, high above the Constellation Orion.

Although I did not get the hoped for clear photo of Comet Lovejoy, the evening's photography wasn't a total wash. Soon the sky over the Gillis Mountain Range began to lighten as the remainder of January's full moon started to ascend in the east sky.

Changing over to my Nikon 35-70mm lens, I caught the mountains reflecting in the calm water with the stars shining in the distance.

Just before the moon peeked over the mountain, I focused in on Jupiter shining brightly and glowing in the lake.

Maybe if there is another clear, calm night in January, I might try my luck on an old mining trail road and see if the skies are any darker from that location.

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.

"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.

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

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Tunneling Back to Jurassic Times

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Coyotes and Valentines, Romance is in the Air

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Sharp-shinned Hawk on Southward Migration

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Avian Cholera Outbreak at Walker Lake

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Alum Creek, Mineral County's Unique Ecosystem

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Winter's Repose at Mono Lake

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Chasing Comet Lovejoy over Walker Lake

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