I enjoyed a nice morning of bird photography with very light winds at Clark State Lake on the 28th of October. High clouds prevented some optimal light, but it was bright enough to get nice soft light and bring out some of the colors of these birds in their surrounding. I had my best luck below the Clark Lake dam where I got images of a Marsh Wren, Downy Woodpecker, Song Sparrow, and Orange-crowned Warbler:
Marsh Wren on barbed wire amidst some cattails
Downy Woodpecker foraging on a dead sunflower stalk
I went out on a morning birding trip with local birders Jeff Calhoun and Danny Akers (who will actually be moving back to Iowa in a couple days). We decided to hit up Clark State Fishing Lake, and it did not disappoint in terms of scenery with all the grasses and brush in full color. We some some decent birds, but nothing that really stood out or unexpected during what is now the peak of migration for sparrows, among other birds. I got some decent frames of a distant Osprey with a colorful backdrop, as well as images of four sparrow species: White-throated, White-crowned, Song, and Lincolns.
Osprey against a background of prairie grasses and sage in color
