Water Fowl and Birds Archives - Rachel Cohen Photography

“Spring Happenings”

May 9, 2015 by Rachel

With spring in full swing here I thought I’d bring you a few of the recent images from what seems to be about peak for our spring happenings, at least as far as tree blossoms go!

The crabapple blossoms were amazing this year, so here is just one variety in beautiful soft sunlight!

We had a robin nesting in a magnolia tree. I wasn’t able to get close to the nest for three reasons. Firstly I didn’t want to disturb the nesting process. Second the nest happened to be higher up than I could see into, and thirdly the robins were so protective that even coming withing twenty feet or so, they’d start swooping down on me! I took this image as the robin perched in a nearby crabapple tree as the blossoms were just starting to come out.
I never got to see it but the Robin’s eggs did hatch and the baby birds were born and eventually flew away without me being able to see more than a peak of a baby beak!

I love Hostas and they came up pretty quickly this year. I went out after a spring rain one day and made a few nature-abstract images with these beautiful plants. Here is just one example.

"Hosta in the Rain" — “Hosta in the Rain”

I hope you enjoyed a bit of my local spring happenings, and I hope whether your area of the world is in spring or fall, that you are experiencing a beautiful season!

“It’s All Mine”

May 8, 2015March 8, 2015 by Rachel

A brief encounter with a gull and a fish just before the fish was devoured! This gull looks like he’s very satisfied with himself as if he’s saying “It’s all mine.”

"Whatcha Lookin At" — “Whatcha Lookin At”

Just after this frame he flew down onto the ground and in a flash, the fish was gone!

“Winter’s Ghostly Flow”

May 8, 2015February 24, 2015 by Rachel

All I can say about this winter so far is, BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE! Brrrrr, it’s truly amazing how many records of low-lows, low-highs, and snow we’ve had over a large portion of the United States this year!

I really haven’t been out and participated in as many winter activities this year, or last year for that matter as I normally would have. Maybe I’ll still have time to get in some skiing before the season ends. We’ll see! 🙂

I did decide to go out into the crazy cold weather for a sunset a couple of days ago along the Huron River. While waiting for the clouds to break up and for some color to begin, I found some nice rocks and ice just under and a bit out from the water flow of a small dam.

There were whole areas that were frozen, but in general this section still had water flowing over the dam. The area of the Huron river above the dam appears totally covered in ice, but obviously there is still some water flowing, albeit a lot less than in warmer weather.

I began photographing single rocks with ice, and ice formations only, which were in the opposite direction, then I just took my time enjoying making some long exposures of the water flow. The sunset had decidedly become a dud. Thick clouds had pretty much taken over everything.

A flock of ducks flew into the area at one point just bobbing around in the water, and occasionally hopping up on the rocks.

In this frame, the sun had already set, so it was pretty dark outside. The water was flowing nicely, and a couple of ducks at either end of the image were making their ghostly appearance. Some of the rocks and stones had “hats” of snow on them and ice hanging from around them. The whole scene just had a nice feel to it.

I stayed for a good 30 minutes just making long exposures, one composition after another. At the time I wasn’t feeling the cold and wind of the heavy winter temps outside. That changed though after I headed up the hill towards the car. I guess I had been partially protected from the winds where I was before. Boy did I feel it after I arrived at the car!

I started thinking on the way home……..maybe I’ll go somewhere and do some floral photography until winter finishes! 😉

"Winter's Ghostly Flow" — “Winter’s Ghostly Flow”

“Goose Dipping at Niagara”

September 29, 2014January 17, 2014 by Rachel

Earlier this year, or should I say last year..oops. Yep, it’s 2014 now. I was at Niagara Falls for several days. On my last day there, and in the last few minutes of photographing the falls themselves, I noticed something on the very edge of one of the falls.

Upon closer inspection it was a goose, and not too far from it, a gull. He was just sitting casually, as if it were an every day occurrence to be on the edge of a huge waterfall! I was very concerned with the goose though, because in my mind, just one large push of water, and down it would go. Of course, geese do fly, and that is probably not what would have happened.

I didn’t have a long enough lens on to get a close-up, but that wasn’t really what I was there to photograph in the first place. I was able to get several images with the goose in the frame, however, I liked the composition of this one the best, even though he happens to be dipping his head into the water.

So after all is said and done, this image isn’t really about the goose at all, it’s really about Niagara Falls, the beauty, the flow of water, the wonderful colors, and the experience of being there. The goose was just an added bonus, and what a life he lives! On the edge, literally!

"Goose Dipping at Niagara" — “Goose Dipping at Niagara”

“Not Afraid to Stand Alone”

January 5, 2013 by Rachel

On the shores of Lake Michigan you’ll see Gulls of every kind, just flying around, diving into the water for food, and walking around on the shoreline casually among themselves.
This beautiful Gull made a lovely subject on the beach. Standing alone, and still, at least for a short while. Beautiful color markings on the bird itself combined with the colors of the sand of the beach and the waters of Lake Michigan made for a nice combination.
If anyone knows what type of Gull this one is please feel free to ID it for me! 🙂

A lovely Gull standing alone on the shores of Lake Michigan!

“Dappled and Dripping”

November 19, 2012 by Rachel

While out on a walk a while back I found a small pond which contained several types of geese, ducks, and a a pair of mute swans.
I’m not at all an expert on any type of bird or water fowl, but this goose closely resembles the shots I have of a Toulouse Goose taken many months ago. Feel free to correct me identify this one if I’m wrong.
I got in many shots, but there were so many geese and ducks that it took a while to get one that I could single out. I like this shot because of the dappled colors of his feathers and the water dripping from his beak.
He was continuously dipping his head in and out of the water in search of food.