2014 was great for Eagles and ducks at the lower dam in Rock Falls. I have a lot more photos I will post some later day. I heard about the Snowy Owls by Dekalb and I drove there a few times and did find a few Owls. I also got lots of photos of the bird islands on pool 13. The river was high so I was able to get close enough for some photos. Back then there were more islands and some close to the channel. As usual I just drift by without stopping so I wouldn’t bother them. I got so many photos of these nesting river birds that I get overwhelmed when I work on them.
In June 2014 we made another trip to Lake Erie and I got some photos there. That year we stayed on South Bass Island.
The river was flooded in July and I was able to get back into some backwaters. I drove to the town of Oregon to get photos of the river and statue, but it was closed for repair so I got some river photos. It’s real scenic up that way. I did take some storm photos. My little dog and I got caught out in my boat in a couple storms. There was Sandhill Cranes hanging around Lock Road until people drove them out.
I drove down to Moline to get some photos of the Steelton Dam there. They need to remove that dam because it blocks fish from migrated up. We drove to Belview Iowa to get some photos. I love that area and to drive up there everyday I could in the cold months. I drove by Lake Carton to get some photos. I used to fish that a lot, up until 1980 when they closed the night fishing. I also got some deer photos up by Blanding’s Landing up by Galena. And the year ended with more Eagles at the lower dam when it turned cold.
I was using Canon 50d cameras, the Rebels just weren’t cutting it. I had a canon 100-400 and a 150-500 sigman lens. I had been using 3 canon T1i cameras and still had my first Rebel XS which I traded for a 50d. She said it was too heavy, but truth was it had to go back to shop because it was broke, the shutter button sticking. I found this was a common issue and I found a way to fix it myself by pouring some alcohol in it while tilted just right and letting it dry for a couple days.
Moline dam, Belview, Oregon IL, Rock Falls Eagles, Snowy Owls, Harvester Building, Fulton Windmill, Rockwood Park, Snowy Owls, Bald Eagles, Golden Eye Duck, Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Egrets, Great Horned owl, Merganser, Harvester Building, Moline dam, Lower Dam, Bald Eagle, Redtail Hawk