Each year as I roam Presque Isle and its nearby waterways, I watch as inexperienced boaters head out onto Presque Isle Bay, Marina Lake and into the lagoons in all manner of small boats, canoes or kayaks.  This, frankly, sometimes scares me to no end. 

I have even seen many inexperienced boaters heading out the channel into Lake Erie in 12 to 14-foot  boats with four people aboard to do a little perch fishing.  No, it doesn’t require a 40-foot  cabin cruiser to enjoy Presque Isle and Presque Isle Bay waters, but those operating small boats, canoes and kayaks here need to be aware of their craft’s limitations and their own boating skill levels and behave accordingly.  It is a fact that more than 80% of all boating fatalities occur in boats less than 24 feet in length.    

I know from experience that any fast or jerky movements could rock the hull, and someone can easily fall overboard.  Now, I am not one to try to limit someone’s enjoyment of Presque Isle and boating. However, I do think more people need to know some elementary safety rules before they venture out onto the waters.  Remember, a small watercraft can easily be washed over by a large wave and quickly fill with water, because the distance between the water and the top edge of the craft is very small.  This is especially true if the craft is loaded with people and gear. 

Small Boats

               The first element that people should consider when they get into a boat under 18 feet in length is that small boats are confined areas.  There is no room for horseplay in any boat, let alone a small one.  Any gear such as coolers and tackle boxes should be kept where they can easily be reached.  The amount of gear brought aboard should also be limited for safety reasons.   There are four items that must be aboard the small boat.  They are a life vest for each person aboard, at least one floatation cushion, a life ring and lastly, an anchor to hold your boat in place until help can come.  That life jacket should be worn, not just thrown in a corner.

               The people riding in the boat should be seated so their weight is distributed evenly to prevent the boat from listing dangerously in any one direction.  It is also a good idea to keep the anchor line coiled neatly so that it cannot get tangled in anyone’s feet.  If your boat has an outboard motor, someone on board should be familiar with the operational procedures and the safety rules of having gasoline aboard a small boat.  Remember, gasoline is explosive, so treat it with respect.

I firmly believe that learning the rules, regulations and safety facets of operating a boat is not a do-it-yourself activity.  To be safe, you need someone with experience onboard with you on your first few trips out onto the water.  Standing for any reason in small boats, even changing seating positions, can raise the center of gravity and make the boat less stable. This raised center of gravity means that a wave, chop, boat wake or sudden turn can result in a person falling overboard.

               Especially in Erie, you have a few extra safety items to consider.  Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay can and do get rough.  Waves on the lake can get to ten feet, and the bay has seen three-foot  waves.  In addition, even on calm day, waves from other larger boats can produce chop (swells and waves from other boats) of three to four feet in height.  This chop is many times more dangerous than the normal lake or bay waves.  They are random and unpredictable.  Small boats can capsize or fill with water easily in the chop and wave combination in and near the channel entrance.  I have seen this happen each and every summer.

               I love boating; because, I have learned over the 50 years I have owned a boat, that there are many days the boats, small and large, belong tied to the pier.   Weather on Lake Erie can change quickly.  If you are not experienced with the weather here and with how to handle a boat in bad weather, stay in the shelter of Presque Isle Bay, or just enjoy the safe calm of Marina Lake or Misery Bay.     

               If you are using an outboard motor on your boat, remember that operating such a motor is serious business.  Even the smallest motor has a propeller which turns at high speeds and can be deadly.  Going fast can be fun, but turning too fast under power can capsize a small boat very easily.  Hitting a submerged log at high speed is, likewise, a distinct possibility.  This can also capsize the boat or maybe just cause a quick stop and throw someone out of the boat.  For these and many other reasons, you need to get some experience with someone aboard who knows boating.  The Coast Guard and The Pennsylvania Fish and Boating Commission have booklets and courses available on safe boating operation.  You should make sure you get and review their content, BEFORE you take to the water.

               In the next part, I will review special items of interest to people who might use a canoe or kayak.  I will also give you some small hints on how to improve your enjoyment of your time on our Presque Isle and Lake Erie waters.

Until then,

See you on the park!!

It has been an easy winter.  For many people, it has also been a couch-potato winter.  As the weather warms and spring approaches, the multi-purpose trail and the many hiking trails on Presque Isle will begin to get much busier with these couch potato walkers, runners, skaters and bike riders. If this year is like most in the past, many of these people will act like they never took the winter off.  A great number of them will seem to think that they can just resume their activity levels exactly as they were last fall.  Many will find that this idea is far from true.

Having been that couch potato all winter, some of you will find that you are now suddenly more klutzy than graceful. This is especially true of the many of us that are over fifty. That is also, of course, when you will become painfully aware of the inflammation associated with a sprained ankle, knee pain, foot pain or maybe even that bump on the head when your balance on your bike is a little off.  These classic cases of inflammation result when your immune system sends a SWAT team of white blood cells to repair damaged tissue.  The resulting redness and swelling are signs that the body is working on healing itself.

Let’s cover some ideas about spring trailblazing on Presque Isle.  Today I will cover walking, in later articles I will talk a little bit about biking on the park.  We are lucky here in Erie to have some wonderful places to walk.  Think about it: you have Presque Isle, Frontier Park, Asbury Woods and the Bayfront Parkway Biking and Walking path from Erie’s eastside clear to Presque Isle.

Presque Isle is perfect for the dedicated walker because

1. There are literally thousands of places to walk on the park.
2. For the most part, the trails and paths are flat with only a few hills.
3. You can walk 365 days a year.
4. You can walk from 5 a.m. to dark.
5. You will meet many other walkers on the park.
6. You can walk in all kinds of weather.
7. The sights you see change daily.
8. There are restrooms available all year.
9. Wildlife and birds are plentiful making walking more interesting.
10. Water fountains are located all throughout the park.
11. You can watch beautiful sunrise or sunset.

In order to work your way past the couch potato stage, you should consider a Plateau

Walking Plan.  This should ease you easily through the stiff and sometimes painful early spring exercise blues.  The Plateau Plan is a 4 week schedule that slowly conditions your muscles and prepares them for a more dedicated walking program.

Under the plan, there are four levels of walking which are:

1. Warm-up – - very light (puttering around house speed).
2. Normal – -  whatever speed you would normally walk.
3. Speed-up – - walking as if you are in a hurry (pushing it a little).
4. Cool-down –fairly light (strolling leisurely).

Here is a chart that might help you work your way off the couch.

    The program is a one hour, five day a week exercise. 

Fall Walk On Presque Isle

   One last word, good shoes and proper socks are important to a dedicated walking program.  Buy shoes that fit and socks that absorb and you can enjoy the program 365 days a year and avoid being that couch potato.   Remember, you can walk on the park 365 days a year.

    See you on the park!!

                This is a continuation of last week’s butterfly questions blog.  The first blog contained questions 1 to 10.  This week we will cover questions 11-20.

          If you like butterflies, you might enjoy a short trip close to Erie and go to the Niagara Park Butterfly

Morning Cloak Butterfly

Conservancy.  Any day trip to the Niagara Falls should include this wonderful side trip.  The Conservancy is located on the grounds of the Botanical Gardens (which itself is worth the trip) and just 10 minutes north of the Niagara Falls in Canada.  You just need to follow the signs to Niagara Park.  It is open 364 days a year, being closed only for Christmas.  Admission is about $10.00 American.  Yes, you will need your passport. 

          Like all butterfly Conservancies, they import about 3,000 pupae per month from butterfly farms all around the world.  The butterflies emerge soon after their arrival and are released into the Conservancy.  If you want them to land on you or just flutter nearby, you will need to wear bright clothing, move slowly and wear cologne or perfume so that you can smell like a flower.    

When do butterflies arrive on Presque Isle?

          It’s late in March, and as winter’s last snow piles are just disappearing, you see an insect fly nearby.  Wait a minute, is that a butterfly fluttering cheerfully on a light breeze.  Yes, that really is possible, even in Erie.  If you do indeed see one this early, and you may see one on Presque Isle, it is most likely a Morning Cloak.  This dramatically beautiful butterfly is one of the few that winter over in the cold of the north.  They go into a sort of “cryo-preservation” or frozen alive state.  During the winter, Morning Cloaks find protection in willow tree cavities, under a section of loose bark or even in an unheated building.

          Most other butterflies arrive late in April or early May.  They need warmth to fly and survive.  With the warm weather this spring, we may see them arriving any time now.  A little bit depends upon the temperatures in the areas.  If it stays warmer, they will be out sooner.

Monarch on Queen Anns Lace - -E. Ware

What are the most popular butterflies in this area?

          Hands down, the Monarch is the best-known and most popular in Erie, Northern Pennsylvania and on Presque Isle.  For more comprehensive information on the Monarch, see my post on September 20, 2011.

How can I encourage butterflies to visit me in my yard?

Butterfly on Presque Isle - - Brian Berchtold

     No matter what the size of your yard or garden with a little research and planning, they are fairly easy to attract.  The right plants will provide food for caterpillars, and nectar for the butterflies.  All butterflies are attracted to bright flowers that produce sweet nectar; on the other hand, some plants that can host the caterpillar should also be included in your garden.

          You can find which plants to use at your local garden supply center or right here on the internet. An excellent web-site for information on plantings is butterflywebsite.com.  In addition to your plants, your need to provide areas for these flying beauties to rest, bask and drink. 

Do people still collect butterflies?

          Yes, they do.  We have all seen the stereotype:  An earnest-looking fellow, usually in shorts, leaping through a field with a jar and a huge net.  Can’t you just picture this?  Yes, he is the butterfly collector.  Well, the stereotype is only partly true.  Most collectors admire these winged wonders, and are very serious about their hobby.

          If you find collecting appealing or would like to help your child develop a new and interesting hobby, check out the web-site insectcompany.com.  They have equipment and information on how to get started.    

How do butterflies defend themselves?

          Many have camouflage colors and markings that blend in with their surroundings.  You also have probably noticed that most of them fly in an erratic and zigzag pattern.  Very few butterflies fly in a straight line.  This flight pattern helps them survive.  Some even have the ability to become toxic, or at least distasteful, by eating toxic foods as a caterpillar.  Some give off a quite bad smell.   Some have learned to use their bright colors to flash in the sun and startle predators.

What dangers do caterpillars face?

          It is a sad, but true, fact that it is not unusual for only three percent to survive to become a butterfly.  Caterpillars are sensitive to their environment.  For example, very wet conditions stimulate the growth of fungi that kill them, and exceptionally dry conditions can lead to dehydration, which also may be fatal.  They have many natural enemies that destroy them and reduce their numbers.  These enemies include predators, parasites, and pathogens.  Some of the animals that prey on them include spiders, birds, ants, mice, dragonflies and lizards. Larger animals that may eat them are foxes, bears and raccoons.  For the lowly caterpillar, it’s a wild and dangerous world out there.

          How does a butterfly select a mate?

                    Sexual and mating selection has traditionally been understood as a male competition for access to a passive female.  The assumption was that this competition took place prior to mating.  However, recent studies show that in many cases, the female may be making the choice of mates.

          The females presumably select a mate based on some reproductive value that they see in a particular male butterfly.  Maybe he has robust appearance or vivid colors.  Possibly, he used a particularly energetic pursuit of her, or his much bigger size and healthy appearance appealed to her.  Just three years ago, scientists studying the butterfly found that a female could exert final control over the choice of a mate by raising her abdomen in a position that makes it impossible for the male to mate with her.

How much does a butterfly weigh?

          From largest to smallest of butterflies, the weight difference is huge.  A very large butterfly may weigh as much as 0.1 ounce, and an exceptionally small one can weigh as little as .0001 ounce.

What is the largest butterfly in the world?

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing Butterfly

          The largest butterfly is an 11-inch beauty, which lives in the rain forests of Papua, New Guinea.  It is the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing.  It is a very toxic butterfly.

Why don’t I see as many butterflies as I used to?

          In two words, it’s the habitat and the environment.  Change is a constant and normal process, and the population of butterflies expands and wanes over time.  However, like all animals and insects, the butterfly’s life depends on a healthy and specific habitat for successful living and breeding.  Today, both factors are in serious danger.  Many butterflies are losing their needed habitats to developments, and lives to poor environmental conditions.  There are efforts in process to restore both, but the outlook still is not good for improvement.  Most people do not care and are not interested enough to make the needed changes.

          You can help do your part by installing a butterfly garden in your own yard.  I hope to see you on Presque Isle enjoying the world of butterflies this summer.  Until then, see you on the park!!

                             It does not matter whether you are an artist, photographer, writer or just a once in a while visitor to Presque Isle, this temperamental beauty has a long history of providing inspiration to countless people.  I have found observing nature on the park is like learning anew to use my eyes, ears, nose and even my finger tips to capture a fleeting moment in time.  A friend recently revealed that since he had been on the park almost daily for more than a year, his camera

Night Heron on Presque Isle - Brian Berchtold

always in hand, he feels he has learned to look at the world from a child’s point of view.  Everything now seems new, fresh and beautiful, because he has no pre-disposed ideas floating about in his head.  He has learned to enjoy birds, flowers, sunrises and the thousands of other subjects he finds while roaming Presque Isle. 

                             An example of what I mean by capturing the moment happened two springs ago on Graveyard Pond Trail.  I was just out walking and observing that day. No real plan for anything special.  At about 10 a.m., I watched a bad-tempered Blue Jay chase a rabbit.  He scolded and dived straight at the rabbit.  His beak was constantly ready to deliver a hurtful blow.  All the time, he was loud and noisy as he chased the rabbit around the field.  After about 5 minutes, the rabbit must have had enough of this whole adventure, because he made his way into some thick underbrush and was quickly gone.  Only by using all my senses was I able to capture this special moment in nature.  By using my eyes and ears, I was able to observe and enjoy a scene many would have just walked right by.

                             One morning recently I was kneeing along the shoreline of Horseshoe Pond with my camera, waiting for a heron to continue his morning fishing expedition in the shallows.  My waiting paid off as he moved closer and actually grabbed a small perch with his quick moving beak. I was able to get a fair picture.  As I was packing my equipment, a fisherman who was observing my efforts, asked, “What are you going to do with that picture?”

                             As I thought about his question, I realized that many people who have not taken the time to experience nature and the real Presque Isle do not truly understand the wonders of nature right on their doorstep.   What most people do not realize is that many artists, photographers and especially writers keep notebooks or journals to record their special moments.”  Notes, drawings, sketches, photo and notes get tucked away for future use or reference.  In effect, these people become information “pack rats.”

North Pier Lighthouse

                 I have learned over the years that photographing and writing about nature is nothing more than adopting an attitude of seeking.  Writing to me is all about seeking, observing and recording, in a notebook and with a camera, what I am able to see, hear, smell or touch within my adventures in the field.  For me it seems, it’s the little things that seem to stand out as most important in my observations over the years.  For example, how wonderful it feels in the warm calm of morning to watch a small pier emerge from a thick fog covering the lagoons.  It seems to become an island of clarity in a tangled world.   

                             When I say seeking, I am actually talking about simply walking, kayaking, waiting, sitting quietly and observing my surroundings.  This is usually when the unforeseen happens.  The creatures of the garden, woods, lagoons or ponds come out and resume their activities.  They might just accept you, or as a friend tells me, he thinks they just forget we are there.  However, it is truly amazing happens when you do nothing for 5 or 10 minutes in the wild.  Do it once or twice and see the world comes alive all around you.

                             One evening last year, the continuous chirping of something I was unfamiliar with led me on a hunt in a small field slightly off Pine Tree Trail.  The noise was loud and nearly constant.  Whatever it was moved twice, and I, of course, followed.  After about ten minutes, I caught up with it.  There, perched on a wildflower, sat a Katydid.  This was a new adventure for me as I had never seen anything other than a picture of one.  They are really a different looking insect. They are quite unique.

                             My seeking has taken me on some unusual journeys.  It is definitely random and can take me to the woods, swamps, water or beach depending upon what draws me in on a particular day.  Maybe it’s a sunrise, a Katydid chirping, or seeing a Red Fox cross the road and scamper into the bush off Gas Well Trail.  I have found random is good.  By that, I mean that my best seeking usually begins and works well when something grabs my eye or ear and draws me in when I least expect it.

                             Presque Isle is full of natural adventures, and if you have children, I suggest you take them with you when you explore the park.  Do not be surprised if they see and hear more than you.  They have a fresh view of all facets of the natural world. They look it quite differently than you and I do.  With or without children, whenever you walk, or even when you just drive on the park, observe what is going on around you.   See the wildlife, the sunrise, the sunset and all that Presque Isle has to offer.

See you on the Park!!                       

          Starting this Friday and also next week, this blog will be devoted to one of the most fascinating, attractive and familiar insects in the world. It is, of course, the butterfly.  There are between 18,000 to 20,000 named species of butterflies, and more are being identified each year. 

          Butterflies and moths are closely related. They both belong to the scientific order Lepidoptera, which derives from the Greek words for scale (lepido) and wing (ptera).  This comes from the fact that their wings are covered by tiny scales.   Only about 10% of the known Lepidoptera are butterflies.  Although butterflies get most of the attention, moths are much more common and extremely varied.  There are over 220,000 species of moths in the world.

Monarch in Flowers- E. Ware

          Presque Isle is my favorite area for butterflies other than right in my own backyard where my butterfly garden draws them and hummingbirds all summer long.  It is currently estimated that over 73 species of butterflies live or visit Presque Isle each year.  The best time to see them on the park is from mid-morning until the late afternoon.   Butterflies are sophisticated insects that like warm temperatures and keep very  civilized hours, rarely flying before 10 a.m., and settling down late in the afternoon right around 5 p.m.

What is a butterfly?

          Butterfly is the common name for a specific type of insect.  They are relatively large and eye-catching, and for this reason are familiar to most people. Many cultures throughout the world use them as symbols of such things as love, spring, freedom, or even rebirth and renewal.  In some countries, they are considered good luck.  In France, a common saying is,  “Love is like a butterfly; it goes where it pleases.”

Why are they called butterflies?

Clouded Yellow Butterfly

   The name butterfly had its origin over 700 years ago in an old English glossary.  The original word was buterflage. It was a combination of two words “butter” and “fly,” and was used to describe a butter-colored flying thing.     Many people believe that the Cabbage Butterfly or the Clouded Yellow Butterfly, which were common all over Europe, may have been the inspiration for the name.

How long does a Butterfly live?

          The answer to that question almost always refers to just one stage of the insect’s life, and that is the adult stage. Once the butterfly or moth emerges from the pupa, the adult, depending upon its species, can live from a few days up to a few weeks.  During this short life, it eats, pollinates plants, flies around looking beautiful and mates and lays eggs. The diet and environment of a butterfly can have a major effect on its lifespan.

Does a Butterfly have bones?

          Unlike us, butterflies, moths and caterpillars do not have bones or any form of a skeleton inside their body.  They do have a fairly hard covering on the outside of their body.  This is called the exoskeleton.  This outer covering is made of a chemical that somewhat hardens when exposed to air when the butterfly emerges from the pupa.

How many legs does a butterfly have?

          This is a bit of a complicated question.  A caterpillar has eight pairs of legs. The three front legs are attached to the thorax and become the adult butterfly’s legs. The rear sets of five pairs of legs are attached to the caterpillar’s abdomen.  When the adult butterfly develops, these legs are discarded.  

How does a caterpillar become a butterfly or moth?

          All butterflies and moths pass through three life stages after they emerge from the egg. The stages are the caterpillar, the pupa and the

Caterpillar - - E. Ware

adult.  The process is called metamorphosis.  Almost all caterpillars are voracious eaters, growing quickly to as much as 1,000 times their birth weight and have six pairs of very simple eyes. Even with all these eyes, their vision is very poor.  They are actually just eating machines with legs.  Richard Buckminster Fuller, author, engineer and theorist, once said, “There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly”.   

What dangers do butterflies face?

          Hundreds of thousands of butterflies are killed by cars and trucks each year as they swarm along highways in warm weather.  Both butterflies and moths in both the caterpillar and adult stage are food for birds.  Many other insects plus mice, frogs and toads and even some monkeys in India dine on all forms of butterflies and moths.  In addition, drought, winds, fire, floods, pollution and viruses also take an appalling toil on them.

What is the difference between a butterfly and a moth?

Luna Moth

Yes, they are closely related, so are very similar. Yet, most people think that moths fly at night and butterflies during the day, moths are small and butterflies much larger, and moths are dull in color and butterflies colorful.  While somewhat true, some moths are actually very large and incredibly colorful, and some butterflies are tiny and dreary in color.  Also, there are many moths that are active in the daytime. 

          The best way to tell the difference is to look at their antennae.  Almost all butterfly antennae are straight and slightly thicker at the tip.  Many moths have antennae that are feathery or bristle-like and come to a point at the tip.  Other moths have a hook or curve at the end of the antennae.  Even today, there are arguments between experts as to which are which among the various species.    

What is a skipper?

          A skipper is a type of butterfly.  Normally, a typical skipper has a hairy, stocky or thick body and small wings.  Some have a smaller head and hooked-tip antennae.  Currently, there are nearly 3,500 species of skippers.  They have a habit of darting back and forth during flight.  Many experts consider the skipper a moth, and just as many hold that it is a butterfly.

Are there any tips for photographing butterflies?

          The new digital cameras make capturing good butterfly pictures much easier than in the past.  Presque Isle is an excellent place to try your luck.  While you might get a few good shots with a simple digital camera, a digital DSLR will give you the best results.  They are available in all price ranges.

          Since butterflies are small, a good macro lens will most likely be necessary.  The best butterfly photos should nearly fill the frame and produce a life-size image.  I have found that even on a fairly bright day, a flash can be helpful to freeze the action by using a very fast shutter speed.   Last of all, if you want to improve your images and focus, you need to get parallel with your beautiful subject.  Remember, butterflies prefer warm, sunny conditions, and you will find many more of them fluttering around during the middle part of the day.    

          As more and more of our beautiful friends begin showing themselves, pick up your camera and see what you can do.  Remember, Presque Isle is an excellent place to give it a try.   See you on the park!!

White Pelican - -Presque Isle Bay

         Spring is the time of year when I wish I knew just a bit more about the birds that visit Presque Isle.  You guessed it!  I am not a certified birder.  What is it they say?  I know just enough to be dangerous.  Every single year, I learn a bit more about the birds and add a few new birds to my personal list of favorites.  Within the last few years, I have found that there is something refreshing in learning about a living creature so removed from my own day-to-day pursuits.   

               One important lesson I have learne is that in nature, birds perform daily chores just like our own, except with more unusual and sometimes entertaining variations.  Spring’s migration at Presque Isle has always been a learning experience for me.  Each year my birding friends seek to make me at least sound slightly intelligent when I talk about our feathered friends.  They are, of course, only somewhat successful.   For me, this spring has been great.  I think I now can identify at least six new birds (A record for me).  However, more important, I have been able to enjoy the birding side of this spring much more than in the past.

               Presque Isle had three slightly unique visitors this spring.  They have all been here before.  In spite of this, most residents of Erie have only seen pictures of them.  The visitors on the park this spring included a White Pelican, a few Great White Egrets and a bunch of Bonaparte’s Gulls.  Thanks to my friend and photographer Brian Berchtold, I have wonderful photographs taken recently on the park of all of these.  I hope you enjoy his great works.

               Let’s talk a minute about the White Pelican that suddenly showed up on Presque Isle Bay.  This is a very large bird that for some reason is a long way from his normal habitat.  A Pelican can weigh between 18 and 28 pounds and have a wing span of eight feet or more.  He uses his huge wings to commute large distances and exploit the thermals along ocean and lake shorelines.  They feed mainly on fish and use their large throat pouch to catch and hold them.   They are exceptionally strong swimmers and have short webbed feet.   This year, and three years ago when I saw one, the Pelican took refuge in the western corner of Presque Isle Bay.          

Great Egret - -Presque Isle Bay

               Each spring Presque Isle becomes a stopping off point for a number of Great Egrets.  Some people call these wonderful birds Great White Egrets, White Herons, or White Egrets.  They are a member of the heron family with pure white feathers all year long.   For a large bird, they are quite graceful in flight.  They are 3 to 3.5 feet in height and can weigh as much as 3 ¾ pounds.   In their local habitat, they roost in mangrove branches and spend much of their time squabbling over perching positions.  Their diet consists of fish, frogs, insects and even at times small mammals.  A few of them stay the summer on the park, so keep an eye out for them when you visit.    

               The last bird I will talk about today is one that I have seen a number of times, yet had no idea exactly what it was.  I knew it was a gull of some sort, but seemed awfully small.  It is the Bonaparte’s Gull.  No, it is not named after Napoleon.  It was, however, named for his nephew who was a zoologist.  

The Bonaparte is a small gull, larger only than the Little Gull and the Saunders Gull.  The mature gull has a black head and short black bill with bright orange legs.   Its color is white to a very light grey.  Unlike other gulls, the Bonaparte is not a scavenger.   Some of these birds will most likely stay the summer, but most will move on to the Niagara River area.  They gather by the thousands along this river.  They are a very interesting bird.

Bonaparte Gulls on Presque Isle

      Spring on Presque Isle is always a haven for the birds.  It is really worth it, to take the time to slowly walk the trails and paths, relax a bit and see a whole new world on the park.  Buying a pocket bird book will help you identify the birds you might see.

               See you on the park!!

          The best nature photography is a process of elimination.  One rule of thumb to should consider using in your work is the way you frame your nature shot.  When you are framing a shot, be on the lookout for what does not fit.  You probably know what I mean.  That telephone line or an ugly rock.  Get rid of them.  Find an angle that eliminates them from the final shot.  Sure, sometimes this is difficult.  I have even had someone hold a clump of beach grass in the foreground to hide an unpleasant feature.  This way, I could shoot around it.  Identify your photo’s main elements and remove all the distractions to distill the final image down to what you see as its essential elements.

Presque Isle Turtles - - Brian Berchtold

Use supporting elements

          Once you have a central element and eliminated the clutter, try to find secondary components to support your main subject matter.  For example, if you are shooting a small boat tied to a dock at sunrise, wait for that gull to fly into or out of the picture.  Don’t be afraid to add some interest.  Perhaps you could add a fishing buoy leaning on the piling of the dock, a minnow bucket sitting on the pier, or maybe the silhouette of a boy fishing.  You may need to add a point of interest to improve the final image.

Don’t center the subject

          The best nature photography is more interesting when the dominate subject is not centered in the frame.  That is because when you center the subject, you create the bull’s eye effect.  When you do this, it makes it difficult for the viewer’s eyes to easily move around the image.

Watch for crooked horizons

Sunrise - - Brian Bertold

       This is my wife’s number one bug-a-boo in my personal photography.  Many times, I am in a hurry to get that great shot and pay little attention to the horizon line.  All I can say is thank God for Pica by Google. This free photo suite has the most wonderful straightening feature I have ever seen. I keep telling my wife that the bubble level was home in the garage when I took the picture.

          While we are discussing the horizon, do not center the horizon right through the middle of the shot.  Similar to centering the subject, a centered horizon makes for a boring picture.  A 60/40 or 40/60 ratio is usually a good idea.

Not so perfect Sunrise

Fill the frame

          You should avoid leaving empty space near the edges of the picture’s frame.  Of course, like all rules of thumb, this one can and should at times be broken.  Sometimes “space” contributes to the composition of the image.  It should be your general goal to make your images more engaging by filling the frame with subject matter.   This is even truer when you are shooting close-ups of such things as butterflies or flowers.  Anything on the fringes of an image that does not contribute to the total scene is a distraction.

Match the orientation to the subject

          When the main subject has a vertical orientation, a horizontal orientation will look out-of-place.  In photography, there are two orientations:  Portrait and Landscape.  You need to learn to match your photo’s basic framing orientation with the scene.

Watch your directional perception

          Many pictures in nature have some form of directional flow.  For example, if your photo includes an animal, there is usually an implied direction to the image.  Another subject might contain a tree branch that points strongly in one direction or the other.  Streams flow only in one direction; use this to balance your image.  For instance, streams flowing toward the camera or diagonally across the frame are usually more interesting than away from you.

   It will also be good to remember that the most important feature of directional perception is the need to leave plenty of room in front of the direction’s natural flow.  This adds interest and does not allow the views eyes to go out of the frame.

Presque Isle Turkey

          Finally, the optimum way to get that perfect image is to take many, many shots.  This will help you to find, which is the very best.  My rule of thumb is just one in twenty is worth saving, and merely one in fifty will make the final cut.

Keep on shooting, and I’ll see you on the park!!