Observing and Photographing Missouri's Wildlife
Originally posted November 29, 2010.Missouri abounds with life, and is a wonderful state in which to observe and photograph the wide variety of animal species that call the state home. It would probably be a good idea to explain what I believe wildlife photography entails. Not so long ago, my thinking was, one had to be deep inside the woods or somewhere remote to truly consider themselves capturing or observing Missouri's Wildlife. My philosophy has since changed after countless hours watching wild animals in more urban type areas. Just because we have encroached upon native habitats, I've found that some animals have adapted to these situations, while others can be found roaming these areas merely to move about from sanctuary to sanctuary.
When starting out in photography, my general idea on wildlife photography was that if a capture didn't have a National Geographic type feel to it, then it wasn't really a wildlife capture. What one doesn't gather from the specials on TV, is that not all those wonderful shots and film footage, aren't always miles deep in forest or jungle either. As a new photographer I also picked up the bad habit of not even taking a capture if I didn't consider the animal "Wild" enough. I've since made it a habit to pay attention even to the smallest of creatures. Those you see daily and just take for granted. Above is a photo I captured in early Spring of 2005. By just taking a little time to watch the behavior of a young squirrel that seemed to be going out of his way to be a ham for the camera, I wound up capturing a very funny moment. The picture featured above wound up becoming very popular at different websites and photo contests, and has probably garnered more emails and comments over the years than just about any other photo I've taken. I titled this one Now Where Did I Leave Those Keys, though I have had several emails with some very funny titles, some way more funny then my own, I tend to try to keep things family friendly. So I've decided to let any almond joy type titles stop at giving me a good chuckle.
Photo's of a squirrel may not have the impact of a cheetah running down a gazelle, something I've still yet to see in Missouri by the way, but by taking just a minute to observe a tiny creature so many of us have gotten into the habit of ignoring, you never know when a unique photo opportunity might arise. I took the photo above within 10 feet of the crazy little animal, so referring back to thinking you need the best equipment, a camera phone would have even sufficed to get this shot.
To take consistent animal photos or to get the most from just observing them, one has to make a few adjustments. In some cases you may even say sacrifices. Regardless of whether your wanting to observe animals in the wilds of Colorado, or within the confines of Missouri, the majority of animal movement happens early in the morning then begins again in the early evening hours right into dusk. For myself, the evening isn't so bad, but for anyone old enough to remember the Dunkin Doughnuts commercial, I am the epitome of the it's time to make the doughnuts guy, when it comes to mornings. By being out early or later afternoon/eary evening, the photographer and outdoor enthusiast will have to adjust to low light conditions. The photo of the barred owl below is an example of a photo that isn't of the highest quality. I always shoot with the hopes of capturing photos good enough to be accepted by stock photography agencies, yet on the other hand, the reason I love photography is for the chance to capture a moment I'd like to remember, even if the shot isn't going to win you any awards or photo sells.
So back to how to make the most of wild animal watching and photography, I'm going to move on to another tip to help the reader increase their chances of observing some wonderful and often unique behavior. Concealment though not always a necessity will greatly increase the odds of getting better animal captures. So it's imperative to go out and buy camo clothing, and a good blind. Ok, I wasn't able to find the dripping sarcasm button, so I'll have to explain that the previous line is rife with it. A good blind is a great investment, though even if you don't realize it, nearly all of us have one of the most practical blinds already, so there is no need to go to Bass Pro shop to buy one. One trick pretty much all photographers who spend any time shooting animal photos knows is that a vehicle makes a fantastic blind. For whatever reason animals in general do not perceive a car as a threat. Now once you step out of the car, that's a different story. With animal photography and observing, patience really is a virtue. I've spent hours waiting for one particular eagle to leap from the branch it's perched on. Though not a conspiracy theory guy, I've had the thought that an eagle has been wise to my plan and decided to have fun seeing who could hold out the longest. This theory gains more credibility when so often they bird chooses the moment you bring your hands down to rest then decides to leap from the limb when your not ready. The outcome of such an encounter more often then not ends in a rushed shot that gets a sliver of a wing, or a blur of white tail feathers. You never know what wild animals will do, but with a camera handy you always have the chance of capturing a moment you may never see again in your lifetime. Below is a photo of two baby raccoons that were a joy to watch as the scurried into the nook of a tree to watch me and my son Robert, with the one sibling climbing on top of the other. I've gotten raccoon captures since, but this cute moment has yet to ever present itself again.
In the Winter months of Missouri, there is no animal that I pursue more than the Bald Eagle. I spend so much time that I will no doubt devote many posts specifically on this majestic bird. The rebound of such a magnificent creature is something I find very heart warming. I was an adult when I saw my first one in the wild in Missouri. My son has the opportunity to see them regularly, though through countless of those "oh dad" type conversations, he realizes that for my generation, we didn't have such opportunities. Below is a capture of an adult eagle with a trout in it's talons. I had set up on this bird while he was in a stream side tree. My expectation was to be in position to get a few shots as he made the leap to fly away, something I've witnessed many times. As I've mentioned before wild animal behavior can be predicted to an extent, but every once in awhile, they will throw you a curve. I've seen eagles swoop in on fish before, but on this particular day, I was completely clueless that it was not just perching, but actively hunting. In the blink of an eye, the eagle made the leap I'd been expecting, but instead of spreading his large wings to fly, he tucked them under his body and dove straight to the water, coming up with no doubt a very dumbfounded trout. Like I mentioned earlier, I've seen them hunt, but this was the first time I had a completely clear shot of the event with out having tree limbs obscuring the action. 
One of my favorite methods of searching for wildlife to watch and photograph, is to simply take advantage of the plethora of gravel roads in the areas surrounding the St. James/Rolla area. My camera stays on the console tilted so the handle is facing up, so all I have to do is simply reach down and pull the camera up. Even today's cheapest digital cameras now often come equipped with an automatic shut off to save battery life. This allows you to simply tap the shutter button to turn it on in a fraction of a second, compared to the 2-3 seconds from a complete shut down. This simple feature now found on most cameras is what allowed me to capture the photo of the male Northern bobwhite below. Considering his hop onto this wooden fence post was for such a brief moment, had I been even a second or two slower, I'd have probably been stuck with something similar to photography's version of a fishing tale. Of course then I would have had to revise my story and by the end, the little quail been a ten pounder, so I guess there is a trade off. 
I'll be returning to animal posts frequently, and have made the decision to leave quite a bit out of this post. For instance Missouri has some animal oddities that I would like to share. In a future post focusing on Missouri's glade top trail near the border with Arkansas, in the Spring of 2010, I was lucky enough to capture a photo of a male roadrunner. I've had a couple opportunities to try to get a capture or two of roadrunners in places such as Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, and Arches National Park in Utah, but in both cases they left me feeling much like Wiley Coyote as they darted through the sage brush and cactus never offering a glimpse long enough to even raise the camera to my eye. I had just read a book about the Ozarks in Missouri and Arkansas a few months prior, yet my mind wasn't even considering possibly seeing one. I love the oddities that Missouri offers, and the fact there is a viable population of a bird so symbolic with America's West and South West isolated several hundreds of miles from the rest of it's own species is just another answer to the question in my first post. Why Missouri? In conclusion to how to make the most of enjoying the wildlife of Missouri, whether your a photographer wanting to branch out into a new area, or simply a lover of animals who enjoys watching nature unfold in front of you, I offer the following advice. Make the most of the peak hours, be it bright and early, or as the sun starts it's decent in the West. The one thing I did fail to mention when explaining just how much I loath early mornings is, if you have the will power to force yourself out of bed, your almost guaranteed a wonderful day. To watch the start of a brand new day, hear as the song birds start singing their own unique songs, and to see the behavior as some animals are waking up while other's are preparing for bed, it is a true blessing of God's creation. You'd be surprised also that it can be a real boost to one's energy level. Another good way to improve your odds of watching the behavior of different species of animals is to try to anticipate where they might be. Protected areas such as state parks will always offer a greater opportunity for wildlife observation, but don't rule out a simple drive down a country road, and if there are any creeks, rivers, or ponds near by, your chances for an encounter increase even more. The way I look at those areas, is even if you don't see a tremendous amount of wildlife, you still have the fortune of seeing some beautiful scenery.
Also consider making your own home more wildlife friendly, even if you live in town. A bird feeder or two, along with a simple birdbath and you can have the luxury of watching wild birds year round. Winter can seem drab, with everything seemingly being colored brown or white should a snow fall. For myself, the brilliant flash of red of a cardinal making a stop at a bird feeder can help brighten a blah day. Should you come up a herd of deer, a fox or coyote stopping to check out the car your in, though mentioned earlier in a half joking manner, vehicles especially when stopped seem to not scare wild animals and do make great blinds. Photo supply companies are aware of this, so much so, they even offer mounts for your car or truck windows to keep your camera steady. Then when you've observed for a time whatever animal or animals you may have been looking at, feel free to exit the car. Should you do this, exit slowly, and gently shut the car door. I've found the best method is to be slow in deliberate with your movements, but try not to act too stealthy, especially when an animal is aware to your presence, since they can easy see this as stalking. My belief is that animals are confused by cars thinking they must be some sort of large herd animal, but nearly every animal alive has a tendency to view humans as a predator. This being said, it's also not a bad idea to initially avoid direct eye contact. I'll even occasionally speak in a low voice, the theory being to let the animal know I see it, and know it see's me. So if anyone should ever run across me in the woods talking quietly to myself, don't automatically assume I'm crazy.
I freely admit that I am no animal expert, my suggestions come from simply hundreds of hours of trial and error. I feel confident enough to suggest avoiding the temptation to approach any wild animal quickly, even though there is an urge you have to fight wanting to get close for fear by taking your time, you may not get the opportunity. Also it should be said, wild animals can be dangerous, especially those who feel threatened, so many times, it's just best to enjoy them from a distance in which they feel comfortable.Whether your a photographer wanting to explore a new area, or an animal lover who just enjoys watching, enjoy the wildlife of our wonderful state. In a world of video game consoles, and ironically the Internet, I say in an online post, to our nemesis of old, the television sets that's kept so many of us inside on days where the joys of spending some time in nature would be far more rewarding, I say, Go enjoy our beautiful state and the fabulous creatures who call it home.
© Tommy Burgess
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