You know that little ditty by Johnny Cash? The one that begins with “I’ve been everywhere man, I’ve been everywhere, man…?” Well, there were times this summer when that song could have been my anthem.

Barred Owl *(Strix varia)* - North Central Minnesota
Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-400mm f/4.0 VR

June belonged to Iceland where I spent nearly two weeks photographing the southern coast and midnight sun. Home for only a day and suffering from sleep deprivation, I boarded another plane, but this time it was pointed to New York.

Just a Pastoral Landscape under Stormy Skies, MN
Nikon D810 + Nikon 18-35mm G

July began with a camping trip to the headwaters of the Mississippi River and ended with seven days in and around Santa Cruz, CA. By the time I was home long enough to re-established my position in the pecking order with the dogs, it was time to leave for Munich, Germany. Ironically, this trip was via Iceland; so, should you need advice about the best restrooms in Keflavik International Airport, send me a note… I’m your man.

Deceptively Small Falls
Nikon D810 + Nikon 105mm f/2.8 Micro VR (9 image focus stack)

Despite the travel and opportunity to make images in some fairly exotic locations, I do enjoy practicing my craft close to home. While I still have thousands of photos to edit and process from my Icelandic adventure and paddle throughout the Elkhorn Slough, I can’t suppress the urge to shoot the places that I know best. So while it’s likely the next few blogs will focus on the flora and fauna of Iceland or California, this gallery is all about the upper Midwest.

Sunrise Over the St. Croix River
Nikon D810 + Nikon 300mm f/2.8 AFS II

In 2013 NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) identified several key factors that negatively impact estuaries throughout the United States. With a total of 28 National Estuarine Research Reserves, the US is well positioned to study how climate change influences places where the ocean meets the land.

Happy - Sad (Harbor Seals) - Elkhorn Slough
Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

Flood control, aquatic nurseries and wildlife habitat are just three of the many ways estuaries contribute to coastal ecosystems. Located wherever rivers meet the sea, these habitats are indicators of ecological stress because their structure and productivity can be easily measured. The NOAA report identified a number of key factors that serve as underlying stressors to the stability of estuarine habitats. With 40 percent of all Americans (123 million people) living in counties along the coast, it should be no surprise that human settlement is the key source of ecological instability throughout these wetland communities. Industrial, residential and agricultural development all contribute to increased sedimentation and shoreline erosion. Often flooded by toxins that originate upriver or along the coast, estuaries are subject to spikes in chemical pollutants and human waste. Furthermore, the planet’s historically high warming trend now causes some estuaries to flood while others to suffer a loss of biodiversity due to increasing salinity from draught or the depletion of freshwater reservoirs by human activity.

Passing Ships (Sea Otters) - Elkhorn Slough
Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

Nestled between Santa Cruz and Monterey California is one of my favorite locations to photograph coastal wildlife. The Elkhorn Slough is a seven mile long intertidal habitat where the Carneros Creek flows into an “elbow-like” bay that extends inland from the coast. Home to nearly 700 species that includes more than 300 resident and migrating birds, seals, sea-lions and otters, the slough is a remarkable place to view and photograph a wide diversity of unusual animal and plants.

Portrait of a Female Otter - Elkhorn Slough
Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

Marbled Godwit - Elkhorn Slough
Nikon D7100 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

Saltmarsh Cottontail - Elkhorn Slough
Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f/4.0VR

The Elkhorn Slough is a rare gem along the Central California coast. A hot spot of estuarine biodiversity, the stretch of water and land provides amazing photographic opportunities for both the casual and serious wildlife viewer. During low tide, the state beach road north of the slough is a great place to find shorebirds feeding on crustaceans buried deep within intertidal mudflats. Continuing west towards the beach, there is a network of trails that branch throughout a unique salt marsh habitat. For those hoping to see and photograph otters and seals, I recommend a private charter or group tour with Elkhorn Slough Safari. The flat-bottomed boat is a great platform for making images, and if you warn the captain and first mate about your photographic intentions, they will try to put you in the right place to make the images you are seeking. Weekend warriors and adventure seekers may prefer kayaking the slough in place of a leisurely motorboat ride. During our most recent visit, Tamy and I rented kayaks from Kayak Connection in Moss Landing. The four hour rental made for unprecedented opportunities to view and photograph marine wildlife “eye to eye.” While making pictures from a relatively unstable kayak takes practice, the ability to control your destination and time at each location was well worth the effort.

Portrait of a Male Sea Otter - Elkhorn Slough
Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

Kayaking the Slough
Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

Me...
Nikon D7100 + Nikon 24-120mm f/4VR

Cormorant and Great Blue Heron - Elkhorn Slough
Nikon D7100 + Nikon 24-120mm f/4VR

Marinas, fishing, farms and a power plant fuel the economy of Moss Landing and the region that surrounds the Elkhorn Slough. Like most of the California coast, the Slough is subject to the impacts of human encroachment. Yet, this ecosystem is a model for how citizens, non-profits organizations, government and scientists can work together to meet conservation targets. If you are interested in seeing and photographing the slough, check out the Elkhorn Slough Foundation for information related to their research and public outreach programs.

Close to Home, Summer 2016

Favorite Places: Estuaries

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