Winter West Desert mountain view
Yesterday morning I didn’t press my DSLR’s shutter button a single time while I was out in the field so I came home without a single photo of a bird or animal but I did come home with something else. Knowledge.
There are days when I feel that trips out into the field are mostly for learning about my subjects, their behaviors, and how I can find them. Yesterday I learned that if I had gone into another area first instead of second I might have gotten some wonderful photos of Wild Turkeys in the snow.
The first area I went to yesterday morning has been good to me in the past during the winter though so it is worth going there to check it out. I’ve seen Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Red-tailed Hawks, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays, Mountain Bluebirds and more there during the coldest times of the year. I’ve also had really slow days there as far as birds go too.
Yesterday that first location was practically devoid of birds. I saw a few magpies flying and calling the distance, a few sparrows that dove into the shrubs faster than I could say “birds” and a couple of larks flying next to the road that never stopped long enough to get them in my viewfinder. The time I spent looking for birds in the first location was fruitless.
The second area I went to yesterday morning to look for birds actually surprised me because of all the signs I saw of birds thanks to the layer of snow covering the ground. I saw tracks in the snow practically everywhere I looked. Some of the tracks were from animals and some were from birds.
As I checked out the tracks in the snow I realized that most of the turkey tracks I saw were crisp, had hard edges and they were fresh. They were also all over the place. I quickly realized, and learned, that if I had gone to the second location first chances are that I might have gotten photos of the turkeys feeding in the snow.
Or maybe I wouldn’t have seen them at all. I can’t say for sure.
I do know this though, the next time I head out that way I will more than likely head to the second location first because of the large number of turkey tracks that I saw.
I came home with four cell phone photos of the snowy mountain views and a bit of new knowledge.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more West Desert views.
One word: Stunning! Thanks Mia.
The shot you’re sharing this morning is pretty damn spectacular! 🙂 Hope you get to spend some time with the wild turkeys soon.
Good learning. That blue sky makes the whole scene so pretty.
Yes there are always lessons, plus the beauty of the local.
Learning is always a good thing.
And sometimes a frustrating thing.
Your sublime scenery is heart balm for me this morning. Thank you.
Gorgeous scenic photograph. Lately, I have been having a lot of the days you had yesterday. Frustrating.