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Another reason to use Rear-synch flash

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Instead of using a timer or remote, I used rear-synch flash and just walked into the shot. I have written about rear-synch flash before (click here to see), but my desire to play with the feature came with a new goal - to photograph myself without using a self-timer or remote release.  It's easy enough on an iPhone - just switch cameras and you're in business.  But you would not be able to do this with an iPhone because of the anemic flash output and the distance I am away from the camera. Of course, another way to manage this is to have a helper push the button on the camera.  However, I was on my own playing with the evening and decided to try this.  Then again, there was the fact that it was a 15 second exposure.  I am not as fast as I used to be, but I could never manage the feat of jumping off the pier and running into the shot in a 60th of a second, not to mention having any kind of composure when the flash fired. I particularly liked the clouds with the f...
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Around the world in 800 days

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  Lori and Grant with their custom-made 6x6 LMTV camper. Now that's ambitious!  I met Lori and Grant here at Wood Lake RV while we were camping.  They had just come off a long stint from the Northwest Territories.  Their fully-equipped Stewart and Stevenson M1088 tactical vehicle was lovingly put together by Grant, a heavy-duty mechanic, now retired.  Their idea - drive the behemoth across Canada, bring it to Europe, and then travel a few more continents. They plan on taking three years.  Now, that's more than the 800 days alluded to in my title, but the idea is there.  Travel the world, see amazing things, spend time together, and do it while they are healthy. I applaud their gumption.  It is no small task, but I believe they are fully capable of it.  First of all, their camper of choice carries 600 gallons of fuel.  Then there is their obstacle-crushing ride with the ground clearance and tenacity of an elephant.  If that wasn't en...
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Birds I saw today on and around Wood Lake

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Bald eagle, Common loon, Red-winged blackbird, Osprey, Tree swallow American coot, California quail, Brewer's blackbird, Great blue heron Wood Lake boasts quite a population of birds.  On the isthmus between Kalmalaka Lake and Wood Lake, there is a large, undeveloped area with marshes.  Then there is Kaloya Provincial Park, a sanctuary for many bird species; I photographed the only caliope hummingbirds I ever saw there.  The Okanagan Rail Trail is surrounded by woodlands or set beside water and is also a haven for wildlife.   There are numerous campsites for weary travellers; we are staying at Wood Lake RV Park, a place we have spent many a day at.  The creek running through the campground is a protected waterway for Kakanee salmon.  Numerous birds rely on the creek for water; a number of ducks breed there.  Yesterday we saw a pair of wood ducks there. The birds in the image above were photographed by me, and they are representative of what I saw ...
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Birds at Wood Lake RV and Marina.

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Mallard, Killdeer, American Goldfinch, Black-capped chickadee, Osprey, Cedar waxwing California quail, Great horned owl, American robin, Downy woodpecker We have stayed at the Wood Lake RV Campground 5 different times now.  As always, I keep an eye out for any birds (or other creatures) in the area.  The ten species above are just a portion of the birds I have seen at or from the camp.  Not included are the many house sparrows, starlings, flickers, and other waterfowl I have seen.  The fact is that the place is alive with birds, especially in the spring. The reason is simple enough.  The park provides two important criteria required for breeding - nesting sites and food.  The nesting sites are largely from old willow trees that have a host of holes in them; dozens, if not more.  The food comes from the stream, lake, trees, and grassy areas that the park boasts.   Another bonus is that the Okanagan Rail Trail is down the street (maybe a mile a...
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Moth fly - also called drain fly or sewer fly - Psychodidae

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A moth fly I found in my house - I froze it and brought it out to photograph it. A species I have never seen before - they were not in the Lower Mainland or in Alberta, but they seem to live out here in the Okanagan.  They are small, only a few millimeters across, and blackish. I only ever see them in the spring, and never more than one or two of them.  They are called drain flies or sewer flies because the larvae live inside the empty space of drains.  They are called moth flies because of the fuzzy moth-like wings they have. They seem to peak in April, which was when I found this individual.  The adults lay their eggs in damp environments that have encrustations present.  This is where the word "drain" flies come in.  Think of a shower that hasn't been used in ages.  The drain will be empty, unused for a long period of time, with a P-trap (that S-shaped pipe under a drain) that is either empty or low.  The flies can sense its presence (be one wi...
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Yellowjacket wasps - you'll be surprised what the adults eat.

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Wasps building a nest inside the sign at Mission Recreation Park by the H2O Center, Kelowna. Wasps like holes.  The voids in dirt, soffit, siding, and even metal structures like the sign housing in the above photo all lure a recently emerged queen wasp in.  Her goal is to find a small entrance, easily guarded, into a cavity large enough to build her coming empire.  She, without any help, forages for nest materials (chewed wood fiber that she mixes with her saliva) and builds the first cells that will eventually house her brood.   Once the initial few cells are formed, she lays an egg in each and then hunts for food.  The developing larvae require protein-rich food consisting of whatever invertebrates are available.  The prey is chewed into a paste and fed to the young.  Now, here is the weird thing.  The larvae emit a sweet secretion called "larval nectar" that is the primary food of the adults.  The adults will also take sugary secretio...
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Northern Shoveler - a bird with the most well developed lamellae in the world.

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Male northern shoveler duck.  Top:  male's bill and eye.  Bottom:  female. I have written on shovelers before ( here and here ), but I got a nice shot of one the other day at Munson Pond, and I thought I would do it again.  I want to focus on something specific to this interesting duck - its bill. Sometimes referred to as "spoonbills" or "spoonies", shovelers get their various monikers from their somewhat unique bills, at least in the duck world.  Highly adapted, the oversized structures are perfect for filtering out particulates from muddy sediment.  They have rows of lamellae - small bristle-like projections on the top and bottom of their bills.  You can see a good example here .  It remindes me of the baleen that many whale species have to filter out the water and leave the edible contents behind for swallowing. Other waterfowl also have lamellae, but it is particularly well developed in shovelers.  Another bird well known for their l...
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