Humans & animals: Lake Park and Schlitz Audubon

Part 1: Lake Park

I was walking slowly along the bluff top path in Lake Park the other day, carrying my camera and tripod, trying to catch the colors of autumn as I had been doing in parks all over the region. A young man sidled up to me so that I would pay him attention. When I did he asked me softly, Do you mind if I give you my philosophy about cameras? *

Inwardly, I had to smile. After all, I had taught photography to young men like him for 30 years and not once did any of them confront me with such a bold, straightforward request. His earnest expression piqued my curiosity. Please do, I said.

He told me, The landscape isn’t the best subject for photographs. Because it is always there. Noting my quizzical expression he quickly added, People are the better subject. They are always different, moment to moment. Intrigued, I accepted his statement as a challenge, although it was clear he didn’t mean it that way. For when I said, Alright, how would you like to be my subject? he was startled.

He recovered quickly though. Where do you want me? he asked. I put the question back to him and, turning towards the woods, said, Not near the lake. That’s too powerful a force. I admired his perception: Don’t want to compete with Lake Michigan, I guess. He agreed.

I introduced myself and he told me his name: Raekwon. As he was now my subject, I sized up his gold hoodie and eagerly steered him towards a ravine where I had spied some maple trees with the exact same shade of leaves. Usually I have to settle for whoever comes by and often wait in vain for someone to enter a composition wearing the right clothing to match or contrast with the surroundings. And here was Raekwon, not only wearing the perfect color but ready to pose for me. In fact, by posing the question he had precipitated the photo session.

As we walked towards the ravine I asked how often he came to Lake Park. This is my first time, he said. I was thunderstruck. Well you picked a great day for it, I offered. It was one in the string of unseasonably warm days we’ve had this month. Isn’t it beautiful? I added. Maybe it was my imagination, but he seemed to look around as if seeing the trees and the leaves and the blue sky for the first time. Yes, it is. I think I’ll come back again.

So, what brought you here today? I asked. Just killing time before I have to go to work, he told me. Well you picked a good place for it. Lake Park is one of my favorites. As I framed up the portrait , his head haloed by the autumn leaves, I felt blessed by his presence, as if by divine intervention. After I shot a few frames of him, we parted. Later, when I wanted someone to be in a shot of the ravine bridge, I took a cue from Raekwon’s philosophy of cameras. Instead of waiting for it to happen I asked someone passing by to pause for me. “Look over the railing, just about there, please,” I said to him when he politely agreed to do so.

Because you can always count on the landscape and people are ephemeral.

*I was not taking notes and my memory for quotations is unreliable so I am paraphrasing the gist of what I heard. My apologies to Raekwon if I haven’t captured his eloquence accurately. And my thanks for his inspiration.

Part 2: Schlitz Audubon Nature Center

Saturday was “Extreme Raptor” day at Schlitz Audubon, one of the most popular events of the year. On top of the excitement that seeing raptors up close engenders, we had yet another warm and sunny day. I knew it was going to be mobbed. It was so crowded, in fact, that all parking was diverted to a nearby middle school and the multitudes queued up for shuttle buses that came every 5-10 minutes.

While the animals were the draw, the focus clearly was on the visiting public. In other words, the Nature Center is all about people. People experiencing nature, that is. I shot mostly birds, like everyone else—whether they had a cell phone or a DSLR and telephoto lens. But I remembered Raekwon’s philosophy as I wandered through the carefully designed and thoroughly educational landscape.

Mostly I let the birds stand in for the people in my portraits. They each had names, expressive faces and individual personalities that led them to react to the inquisitive humans in their own unique ways. Although I generally prefer my nature less populated, I felt privileged to be able to enjoy the center, the expertise of the staff and volunteers, and of course the raptors—as well as the sunshine, warmth and autumn splendor.

On such a day in November—in Wisconsin!—it wouldn’t have mattered to me where I went as long as I could feel the earth underfoot and see the sky overhead. Eagles, falcons and owls were an extraordinary bonus.

Here is a selection of what I saw.

Brown screech owl

Peregrine falcon

Karl with injured gray screech owl

Snapping turtle lurks in pond vegetation

Snowy owl

The celebrities of the show were the two bald eagles, which truly are impressive birds. They each had their own scheduled times for viewing. This one is named Valkyrie (below).

Like all celebrities the eagle was surrounded by admirers at all times. Some of them wore face paint to emulate the raptors.

This is the seventh in a series of posts about autumn 2016 in Milwaukee (with one more to come!)

Here are links to the others:

Monarch butterflies on the Mke County Grounds

Mke River Greenway: Riverside and Gordon Parks

Havenwoods State Forest

Greenfield Park

Grant and McGovern

Cudahy Nature Preserve and Falk Park

You can also see more photos of Milwaukee's magnificent parks and natural areas in other seasons on my Flickr album.

Autumn in Milwaukee’s parks: Grant and McGovern

Two very different parks. One familiar to me; the other less so.  They are two among many Milwaukee area parks that I’ve visited this fall in an attempt to capture the glory of the season and the treasure of nearby nature.

Grant Park

I left my home in Wauwatosa hoping that the weather forecast would not prove to be a lie. The overcast sky was due to blow away by midmorning. Promises, promises. But it’s a long way from Tosa to Grant Park and sometimes you just have to take the chance.

My route to Grant took me along Oak Creek Parkway where I discovered some major stream bank restoration efforts underway. The project was intended to stabilize the creek after a recent washout and flood.

By the time I got to Grant the clouds were indeed breaking up.  I parked atop the bluff and made my way down to the beach on a very steep incline that had been reinforced in part with crude gabion-wrapped stone steps. The grassy parts of the slope were treacherous.

I walked the beach north to the ravine that empties into the lake. It is the terminus of the popular Seven Bridges Trail and route most people take to reach the beach. Although it was a weekday morning, there were many people enjoying the sun and balmy conditions, including a few children. One of them mentioned that they were a family visiting Milwaukee from South Dakota.  Grant Park is clearly a destination.

My expectations were exceeded. The colors went beyond spectacular into the realm of unbelievable. (For the photo buffs among you, I had to actually desaturate these shots because the RAW images appeared too intense. That rarely happens.)

My walk back to the car along the bluff included more lovely autumn color…

and a lucky find. I nearly stepped on a tiny snake that was the same color as the leaves underfoot. It was uncooperative but I managed to both not step on it and also to get this shot.

Grant, which is located in South Milwaukee, is one of my favorite parks and I’ve been there many times over the years. Not so with…

McGovern Park

I’d been only twice before, both times in spring when an amazingly diverse spread of wildflowers made the woodland especially appealing. This time I parked in the lot near the east edge just off Silver Spring Drive. From the lot I had to cross a football field to reach the pond and woods. I noticed that the empty field was littered with an unusually high concentration of goose poop. When I reached the pond I quickly discovered why.

There was a large flotilla of geese floating about on the water. Geese are ubiquitous enough that I wasn’t immediately interested in them. Then, as I stood on the lovely stone bridge trying to decide which way to face in order to frame a shot or two, suddenly I heard loud honking directly overhead. Before I could react a phalanx of geese swooped by and splashed down to join in the gaggle.

I didn’t have to wait long before another skein of geese appeared just as abruptly and descended. I looked for a vantage point from which to catch the next wave but although they always came from the south, they swerved over the woodland in unpredictable ways. I decided to settle in amongst the reeds along one edge of the pond and wait. It took a good half hour and about 50 shots, but I managed to catch a few in midair without trees or other distractions in the background.

When the commotion died down I wandered around the more secluded side of the pond to explore the woodland. Clouds were rolling over, plunging the woods into a gloom that made the autumn colors glow amid the still largely green foliage.

When I emerged from the woods to return to my car I had to part a sea of geese that covered the entire football field and more. There must have been several hundred. This shot shows only a faction of the flock. The mystery of the annoying goose pooped certainly was solved.

McGovern is located on Milwaukee’s north side at Silver Spring Dr. and Sherman Blvd. In addition to football, there are a softball field and basketball courts that are intensively used in good weather. The woods and pond take up a good third or more of the park and are well worth a visit, especially when the flowers are in bloom.

In fact there were a few late bloomers left!

This is the fifth in a series of posts about autumn in Milwaukee (with more to come! It’s the best time of year here, ain’t it?)

Here are links to the others:

Monarch butterflies on the Mke County Grounds

Mke River Greenway: Riverside and Gordon Parks

Havenwoods State Forest

Greenfield Park

Autumn: Cedar Creek Park

A view of Cedar Creek running through Cedar Creek Park in Cedarburg.

Autumn reflections

If a tree turns golden in the forest and no one is there to see it, is it still beautiful?

This philosophical conundrum is perhaps of more import than the old saw about a tree falling and making a sound. Sound waves being physical phenomena, that question is readily resolved. But beauty, being in the eye of the beholder--so it is said--well, that is a question of another order entirely.

Personally, I am satisfied to know that trees turn yellow, red, orange, and brown, whether or not I am around to witness the event. It is all beautiful because it is part of the cycle of life and necessary to a healthy biosphere. On the other hand, I want to be out there to see it!

A more humorous, if perhaps cynical, version of the question might be: If a tree turns golden in the forest and no one is there to photograph it, is it still beautiful?

If I go out without a camera, how will I know I have seen anything? This question was put in my mind rather forcefully today, when I did go out and I did take quite a few pictures that I thought would be beautiful only to discover that there was no memory card in the camera. Yes, it can happen to digital cameras, too!

I had to laugh. What else is there to do?

I also put a in memory card (having several in my bag) and kept shooting.

Here's another thought: If a tree falls in the city and no one gives a damn, is there any hope for the forests?

I love to see trees fallen in the natural areas of the parks. They are signs that urban wilderness is more than a metaphor.

Have you looked at the rivers lately? The water levels are lower than I ever remember them being. The summer's drought is still having an effect. On a recent walk along the Menomonee River Parkway in Wauwatosa, I was able to cross the river at several places by hopping from stone to stone.

Autumn paints the Urban Wilderness

It's been a great week in Milwaukee! Here is an offering of autumn color.

Veteran's Park, Lakefront

Monarch Trail, Milwaukee County Grounds

Menomonee River Parkway, Wauwatosa

Research Park, Wauwatosa

Research Park, Wauwatosa

 

Autumn colors along Milwaukee River Greenway

Cambridge Woods and Hubbard Park

How far do you have to go to visit a beautiful scene like this? No farther than the Milwaukee River Greenway, between North Avenue and Silver Spring. The weather has taken a turn - it's too early for winter (please!) but it is cooler. So here's a taste of autumn from a few of my recent travels in Milwaukee's urban wilderness. And a shout out to Ann Brummitt and the Milwaukee River Greenway Coalition, which helps to protect this greenway, as  well as Sue Black and the Milwaukee County Parks Department, may they receive more funding.

The river edge at Kern Park

Don't forget to go to the polls next Tuesday and vote for candidates who will support the parks and the environment. Those candidates, for whatever reason, are mostly democrats. But don't take my word for it - check it out at the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters website.

Click here for more information about the Milwaukee River Greenway.

Click here to see more pictures from the vicinity.

Riverside Park from the Locust Street bridge