Wildlife Photography across the Water: Local Patch-Yates Historic Mill

Sunday 8 February 2009

Local Patch-Yates Historic Mill

We are having a mini heat wave in NC and the last couple of days have been glorious-sunny and hot enough to think about shorts and tee shirts,How different to a couple of weeks ago when it was freezing and with snow, I spent yesterday afternoon looking around Lake Jordan hoping to get a nice sunset or 2, Although the weather played ball i just could not find a place to shoot that had any decent foreground interest or a nice small island or similar for a silhouette,

I ended up driving around 70 miles-its a big lake, But the time wasn't wasted and i did make some notes for future reference, I decided to get up early and go to Yates Historic Mill, An old mill as the name implies on the edge of a small lake,Very picturesque, The place doesn't open until 8am although i have been there a few times and the gates have been open earlier,Today it was 8am so as i was early i checked the fields and ponds close by, i did see some deer but even distant they soon headed for the woodland so i went back and took a shot of the dam from the road, When the gates opened i went in and hoped to get a better angle of the Mill and Dam in the early light but i was greeted with a construction sign saying that the mill and creek area were out of bounds until the construction had finished so i grabbed the long lens and sat under a tree hoping that the Buffleheads or Hooded Mergansers would come over, The hoodies didn't but the buffleheads gradually came closer, Not as close i would have liked but i had a good view, They started to get aggressive towards each other when a female arrived and i managed some action type shots-nothing spectacular but good to see and i have now learnt a bit more of their behaviour so next time i will be ready, Apart from the lake there are a couple of trails which are worth a look as i have seen deer on most occasions as well as plenty of different bird species, I will go back after the construction has finished to get the landscape shots i missed today

Dave

2 comments:

Moose11 February 2009 at 06:08
Yates Mill is a beautiful spot. Have you been up the road from Yates Mill to Lake Wheeler Park? Good number of birds in there right now; Buffleheads, Canada Geese, Coots, Mallards and some hoddies as well.

-Moose-
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Anonymous11 February 2009 at 13:16
Hi Moose
I do normally go after i have been to the mill but didnt this time, I will try to get there in the next couple of days

Regards

Dave
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Bio's

David Courtenay, a self taught wildlife and nature photographer, has been capturing images for over 30 years. He has had a passion for wildlife since early childhood and remembers being glued to the television whenever Survival, Wildlife on One and other natural history documentaries were shown. In the 2006 he swapped his established career for the life of a wildlife photographer, such a move demands a measure of uncompromising passion and commitment.

David has travelled extensively throughout Europe as well as spending more than 7 months in India working with local guides and trackers in search of Bengal Tiger, Asian One horned Rhino and Asian Elephant. He has also photographed Wildlife in Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sumatra, Africa, Canada and America. Working closely with Conservation companies he tries to raise funds to help Wildlife that has been put on the endangered list by poaching and habitation loss

Martin Dyer has had a passion for avian wildlife since childhood, particularly raptors. Photography was also another keen interest and it was with the specific availability and control of the whole process that digital offers that Martin was then able to combine the two in 2003. Based in the UK, Martin is a regular visitor to Scotland, specifically the Isle of Mull to watch the Eagles resident there. Other trips to Europe and around the UK are usually part of Martin’s agenda in a typical year.

However, as a firm believer on making the most of the local patch, Martin has spent a lot of time and hard work creating a wildlife garden which is reaping the rewards with many new species and varieties of wildlife. A keen member of a number of wildlife photographic groups, Martin is keen to expand his portfolio into other areas of wildlife, and has already established a wide portfolio of images of fungi.