tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367745822024-03-07T23:24:06.683-08:00Michael Durham Photography - www.DurmPhoto.comThe Pacific Northwest as seen by a professional nature photographer.OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-31496531297581313722011-09-06T16:04:00.000-07:002011-09-06T16:05:22.426-07:00The Dollar Lake Complex Fire - Time-lapse<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Forest fires are frightening things. But this experiment in time-lapse and fire turned out to be mesmerising. This fire, unlike other fires around the country, has not threatened homes or lives. It is burning primarily in wilderness, but many beetle killed trees are fueling a hot fire that moves quickly.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hfeDlWf-GBE" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Dollar Lake complex fire in the Mount Hood National Forest.</span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-91295947665163843492011-09-05T21:42:00.000-07:002011-09-05T21:46:00.900-07:00Jungle AethseticOne of my favorite old movies is the 1933 version of King Kong. It has all the ingredients of a great adventure film, and audiences were stunned at the visual effects. They might look dated to the modern eye, but in the context of its time it remains quite an accomplishment.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/6118718445/" title="kingkong1933-visuals by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="kingkong1933-visuals" height="540" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6118718445_f9cfcc5243_b.jpg" width="720" /></a><br />
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Why am I writing about this? Even as a child, I was fascinated with the depiction of the jungle in this movie. Created on studios, back lots, or in miniatures - the forest is depicted as a etherial, mysterious and dangerous place.<br />
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When I was in Ecuador recently I was struggling to come up with a new or interesting perspective on the rain forest. The locations were interesting and gorgeous but had been photographed hundreds of times before. What could I do the was new?<br />
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I opted for something old. With a few simple filters applied in Photoshop, I took the original photos and added grain and optical imperfections. It is debatable if doing this has any merit, and it might have been more "honest" to have taken the photos with a Holga camera on black white film. But in truth, I like the results. And these images remind me a great deal of the fanciful locations found in the 1933 version of King Kong.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/6118719057/" title="galapagos tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="galapagos tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus)" height="667" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6118719057_14ba0e6050_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/6118719165/" title="old jungle cave by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="old jungle cave" height="667" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6118719165_e4f280f6ec_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
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<br />OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-23720381848907601952011-01-28T11:14:00.000-08:002011-01-28T11:14:00.816-08:00Bat Size Comparison<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watching bats flit about the night sky, it can be very hard to get a good impression about their color, shape and size. From the last few posts I posted images of three species separately, but here they are in comparison to one another. I think this illustrates well the remarkable variation among bats.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892788702/" title="Bats Relative to Size by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Bats Relative to Size" height="795" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4892788702_757d546102_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A male hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) (top) is considerably larger than a female eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) (middle) and a tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). Photographed near the Conasauga River in the Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia.</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-89461559309166810722011-01-27T11:02:00.000-08:002011-01-27T11:02:00.671-08:00Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photographed while I was in the Chattahoochee National Forest near the Conasauga River, Georgia. I have photographed hoary bats before on the West coast where they are much more common. This male was particularly beautiful however. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892191013/" title="hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4892191013_666a0ecd43_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus)</span></span><br />
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a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892788840/" title="hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4892788840_debd393e52_b.jpg" width="1000" /><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus)</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892190953/" title="hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4892190953_4c8e6f5e2f_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus)</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-18425902093525488772011-01-26T11:26:00.000-08:002011-01-26T11:26:00.411-08:00Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taxonomy with any species can get confusing, but it can be really challenging when one species is reclassified into another. There are usually excellent reasons for doing so which typically involve a close genetic study of the animal that reveals new information about its lineage and interrelatedness to other species.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Case in point: Tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) formerly the eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus). Most everyone I know still calls these little bats "the Eastern pip".</span><br />
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To quote wikipedia: A<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">lthough traditionally considered a member of the genus </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipistrellus" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Pipistrellus">Pipistrellus</a></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">, a growing body of evidence suggests that the Eastern Pipistrelle is only distantly related to the pipistrelles proper. Hoofer and Van Den Bussche (2003) found the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a class="new" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pipistrellini&action=edit&redlink=1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #cc2200; text-decoration: none;" title="Pipistrellini (page does not exist)">Pipistrellini</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> (containing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i>Pipistrellus s.s.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyctalus" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Nyctalus">Nyctalus</a></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">, and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotoecus" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Scotoecus">Scotoecus</a></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">) sister to the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a class="new" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vespertillionini&action=edit&redlink=1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #cc2200; text-decoration: none;" title="Vespertillionini (page does not exist)">Vespertillionini</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">. Both the Eastern and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Pipistrelle" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Western Pipistrelle">Western Pipistrelle</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> were outside of this </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clade" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Clade">clade</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">. They suggest that the Eastern Pipistrelle be removed from the genus </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i>Pipistrellus</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> and placed in its own genus, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i><b>Perimyotis</b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And thus it was</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892788366/" title="© Michael Durham / tricolored bat by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="© Michael Durham / tricolored bat" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4892788366_e9518163c5_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus)</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892788096/" title="Tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4892788096_120b5a6e4d_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892788282/" title="Tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4892788282_9c64027fd4_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jerry Coyne writes about the species classification debate with a post about elephants here: http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/01/02/how-many-species-of-elephant/</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-60337739984150335302011-01-25T12:58:00.000-08:002011-01-25T12:58:00.479-08:00Bat Dimorphism<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Male and female bats often have the same physical appearance (to human eyes at least). However the eastern red bat mentioned in the previous post is noted for having an easy clue for gender - the males tend to be more red than the females. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This can be a subtle difference, or a dramatic difference. One biologist I spoke to felt that the male bats probably develop a deeper red as they mature and get older. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892206177/" title="male and female eastern red bat by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="male and female eastern red bat " height="690" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4892206177_8fa608f470_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">male (top) and female eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis</span></span>)OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-62393282458730415292011-01-24T12:06:00.000-08:002011-01-24T12:06:00.310-08:00The Beautiful Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This particular bat is not really uncommon, but I have been looking to photograph one for years and years. Lovely, graceful, and not terribly friendly! Like all bats they prefer to be left to themselves when it comes to human interaction. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The image of the red bat roosting on a tree limb was especially hard to obtain. This little male would land for about three seconds (just enough time to barely get into focus) and then take of before I could press the shutter!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/5378682799/" title="© Michael Durham / eastern red bat by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="© Michael Durham / eastern red bat" height="1000" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5378682799_ce95d372ac_b.jpg" width="667" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) roosting on a tree limb</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/5378682881/" title="© Michael Durham / eastern red bat by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="© Michael Durham / eastern red bat" height="1000" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5041/5378682881_3f75debce1_b.jpg" width="667" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">portrait of an eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/5378682939/" title="© Michael Durham / eastern red bat by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="© Michael Durham / eastern red bat" height="667" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5378682939_1ed98b6b48_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) in flight</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-20947133835292495932011-01-23T14:54:00.000-08:002011-01-23T14:54:00.163-08:00Stepping Back...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And taking a deep breath. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I get older it seems I have less time to accomplish anything, or perhaps my perception of time is shifting. This might also be because video is becoming a more prominent part of my work.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I might not have much time, but at least my time lapse work is showing some promise...</span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/18851939" width="640"></iframe>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-59806028054620655432010-08-22T11:48:00.000-07:002010-08-22T11:48:00.819-07:00Georgia Forest Sounds<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coming from the west, where our forests are filled with bird song and the rhythmic chirping of crickets - I had forgotten how loud the forests in the south can be in Summer. At night, the cicada where especially loud - and I shot a few video scenes to capture the ambient audio...</span><br />
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<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HO3cdUyTOSk?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HO3cdUyTOSk?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">forest sounds, fort mountain state park georgia</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-71765549232027113312010-08-20T11:38:00.000-07:002010-08-20T11:38:00.163-07:00Fort Mountain State Park - Georgia<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been in George to participate in the Bat Blitz, sponsored by the Southern Bat Diversity Network (SBDN). We headquartered at Fort Mountain State Park in the Chattahoochee National Forest. It had been many years since I had been to Georgia, and I took the time to hike around parts of the park to see the landscape during daylight.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892789980/" title="Chattahoochee National Forest by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Chattahoochee National Forest" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/4892789980_8ac87f5d93_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Trees and granite stones in Fort Mountain State Park in the Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia</span>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892790212/" title="Chattahoochee National Forest by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Chattahoochee National Forest" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4892790212_0f1c66a947_b.jpg" width="1000" /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Trees and granite stones in Fort Mountain State Park in the Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892192149/" title="Chattahoochee National Forest by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Chattahoochee National Forest" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4892192149_f682753e8e_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The view near the top of Fort Mountain State Park, part of the Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia.</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-3121899698604686242010-08-18T11:12:00.000-07:002010-08-18T11:12:00.272-07:00Trail Of Tears - Georgia<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not long before my grandfather died, he made a point of telling me about some of our Cherokee bloodlines. His father was full blooded Cherokee, and his mother was white, which of course, makes him half Cherokee.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He told me about the Trail Of Tears - the forced removal of the Cherokee from their homelands in parts of the south in 1836 - 1839. Thousands of Cherokee died along the trail, as they were moved to the Indian Nations. Their properties were stolen by decree, and those who refused to cooperate were placed in jail or beaten into submission.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found myself on the way to Chatsworth Georgia recently, and noted with some surprise that I was on highway marked in memory of the Trail Of Tears. It was along one of the routes used. It seemed so long ago, and so far away when my grandfather spoke of it. But here was a reminder, and it made me think of that long ago conversation with my grandfather.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4892191401/" title="Trail Of Tears by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Trail Of Tears" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4892191401_f9d8dc0247_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below is a clip from the Clint Eastwood movie "The Outlaw Josie Wales" where Chief Dan George portrays Lone Wadie, a Cherokee who was forced to move to the Indian Nations. Half way in he speaks of the Trail Of Tears.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">high definition time lapse video in the desert of central washington</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, it has been possible to shoot video with a regular old still camera if one chooses to hook up an intervalometer and leave a camera in place for many hours if not days. The video below was shot with a standard issue Canon rebel purchased used off of Craigslist. I stuck it out in the middle of the high-desert in Washington and left it unattended for nearly two days while I was photographing bats. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes you get lucky with weather and atmosphere. Sometimes you don't.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Behold two long-legged bats in hot pursuit of one another. This is not the best image, but it records something remarkable. Note how they are contorting their bodies as they proceed at full speed with what appears to be chase and evasion.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4804866287/" title="hot pursuit by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="hot pursuit" height="1000" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4804866287_372e92e41d_b.jpg" width="667" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Two long-legged bats (Myotis volans) exit Pond Cave, one in hot pursuit of the other</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-274493919189739012010-07-28T11:54:00.000-07:002010-07-28T11:54:00.085-07:00Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the most beautiful and sensitive species of bats using this cave is the townsend's big-eared bat. I got this shot just moments before I shut the system down. In fact, I was dissapointed that I had not photographed any of the Townsend's that I knew were using the cave. Like magic, this was the final frame.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4804866175/" title="Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)" height="666" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4804866175_fa8189517b_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) exiting pond cave</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-8760063770597845542010-07-27T11:50:00.000-07:002010-07-27T11:50:00.565-07:00Western Small-footed Myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is bat is small, and in certain habitats, quite common. Lovely nonetheless.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4805489668/" title="Western Small-footed Myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Western Small-footed Myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4805489668_8906c4bcc3_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">western small-footed myotis (myotis ciliolabrum) flying out of pond cave</span></span><br />
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</span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-49782131753476924682010-07-26T11:14:00.000-07:002010-07-26T11:14:00.584-07:00Long-Legged Bat (Myotis volans)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Long-legged myotis, another bat recorded at Craters of the Moon National Monument.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4804864787/" title="Long-legged Myotis (Myotis volans) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Long-legged Myotis (Myotis volans)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4804864787_4f1eea71bf_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">long-legged bat (myotis volans)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4804865931/" title="long-legged Myotis (Myotis volans) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="long-legged Myotis (Myotis volans)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4804865931_68b516ed0d_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">long-legged bat (myotis volans)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the photo below, and long legged bat follows a western long-eared bat.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4805490148/" title="bats by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="bats" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4805490148_0ec1de7cbf_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> a western long-eared bat (myotis evotis) followed by a long-legged bat (myotis volans)</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-39533866848134900212010-07-25T11:12:00.000-07:002010-07-25T11:12:00.652-07:00Western Long-eared Myotis (Myotis evotis)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the species recorded from the cave in Craters of the Moon National Monument - western long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis)</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4805490654/" title="myotis evotis by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="myotis evotis" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4805490654_952c0d85e9_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">western long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) flying out of cave</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4805490886/" title="western long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="western long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4805490886_95ae682a06_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">western long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4804865111/" title="western long-eared bat by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="western long-eared bat" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4804865111_bcb3e9c392_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">western long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis)</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-5716476892366282732010-07-24T11:48:00.000-07:002010-07-24T11:48:00.177-07:00A New Discovery - Craters Of The Moon National Monument<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was recently working with the National Park Service to photograph and film a recently discovered cave in Craters of the Moon National Monument. This volcanic landscape is littered with caves and lava tubes. Most of these have been known about for decades, and most had been mapped in the 1950's.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When a new cave was recently found by a researcher tracking rattle snakes, it was a little bit of a surprise.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The cave is too cold for bats to live in, but they love to visit it just after night fall. I set up the high-speed camera to record what species were actively using the cave...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4804865029/" title="high-speed camera set-up by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="high-speed camera set-up" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4804865029_17c7439acd_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">high-speed camera set-up ready for action</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4804865503/" title="Pond Cave by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Pond Cave" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4804865503_59c64b9709_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bats flying out of cave</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-72204831511415376642010-07-23T11:59:00.000-07:002010-07-23T11:59:00.329-07:00Cinder Garden<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the heat of the day, the surface temperature at Craters of the Moon National Monument can reach 140 degrees fahrenheit, especially in areas with dark volcanic rocks. During my recent visit, the early summer wildflowers were putting on quite a show. It takes an especially hardy plant to survive the drying winds, extreme heat, and barren soil. Not how the plants evenly space themselves throughout the cinder.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4805050155/" title="cinder garden by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="cinder garden" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4805050155_9e6a61464f_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cinder garden in craters of the moon national monument</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4805049873/" title="cinder garden by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="cinder garden" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4805049873_ab73ef7abe_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cinder garden in craters of the moon national monument</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4805050311/" title="Big Southern Butte by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Big Southern Butte" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4805050311_1851fc9c8c_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">big southern butte, a volcanic cone, with cinder garden in foreground</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-10545549971275732742010-07-22T11:36:00.000-07:002010-07-22T11:36:00.358-07:00American pika (Ochotona princeps) Video<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you thought the photographs were cute, check out this video that I shot in Craters of the Moon National Monument. You will notice the Pika calling. They do this frequently. Occasionally you can hear an alarm call as in "predator in the area". But mostly they seem to be calling back and forth amongst each other, as a way of avoiding contact. They are very territorial, and it is much easier to avoid getting into a land skirmish if you don't accidentally bump into one another in the rocks. By calling they are saying "I'm here, where are you?" which implies "lets keep our distance".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">american pika (ochotona princeps) in craters of the moon national monument</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-40369099264830056452010-07-21T11:18:00.000-07:002010-07-21T11:18:00.515-07:00American Pika (Ochotona princeps) in Craters of the Moon<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pika are typically found in high elevation rock screes in the Cascades and Rockies. Members of the rabbit family (believe it or not), they have adapted to a completely different life style than their rabbit cousins.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pikas at Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho are different in size, color, and behavior than their mountain cousins. The elevation is lower than their typical habitat, but they thrive here. They are also much darker and smaller than mountain pika. During the warmest summer months, they are most active at dawn and at dusk rather than during the day as are their mountain relatives. Here they make their home in the lava fields using the broken lava for shelter.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4805489476/" title="pika calling by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="pika calling" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4805489476_95c2b3b0b2_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4804864059/" title="American pika (Ochotona princeps) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="American pika (Ochotona princeps)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4804864059_5fe6c1078f_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4805489324/" title="American pika (Ochotona princeps) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="American pika (Ochotona princeps)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4805489324_d34652beae_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4805489122/" title="American pika (Ochotona princeps) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="American pika (Ochotona princeps)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4805489122_b05531fa00_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">american pika (ochotona princeps) in lava flow</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-57107494170948863322010-07-20T13:39:00.000-07:002010-07-20T13:39:00.709-07:00Harvesting Pacific Lamprey 2<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While I was shooting at the lamprey harvest at Willamette Falls, I could barely stay upright because of the treacherous conditions. I was worried I would crack my head open, or worse, drop my gear in the water.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This video should give you some idea of what the conditions were like. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/M5RQs3Xpk6I&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/M5RQs3Xpk6I&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-65802629824100932632010-07-19T13:26:00.000-07:002010-07-19T13:26:00.542-07:00Harvesting Pacific Lamprey (Lampetra tridentata)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lamprey will never win any beauty contests, but like any creature that is largely misunderstood - they have an interesting story. For starters these are an ancient lineage of fish. They have been around for 450 million years - before the age of the dinosaurs. They are the oldest existent family of vertebrates that still survive.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They have long been culturally important to the tribes, and are often served alongside salmon at tribal feasts and celebrations.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Collecting at Willamette Falls is not very easy. The rocks are slick as ice, and potential for injury is real. Yet tribal members scramble up cliffs, and reach into unseen crevices to find a lamprey.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4794454469/" title="Pacific Lamprey by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="Pacific Lamprey" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4794454469_0d5c6f4ce2_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">umatilla tribe member kanim moses harvests pacific lamprey (lampetra tridentata) at willamette falls, in the willamette river near oregon city</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36774582.post-58856879439921490182010-07-18T13:11:00.000-07:002010-07-18T17:43:22.666-07:00Treaty Rights - Pacific Lamprey (Lampetra tridentata)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4806347397/" title="willamette Falls by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="willamette Falls" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4806347397_5b4af8bf0f_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">reduced flow of willamette falls on the willamette river</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Willamette Falls on the Willamette River is usually a roaring tumult of water. A few days ago flash boards were installed to restrict the flow, and the falls became a shadow of their usual selves. Why? Tribes from the Columbia River Basin have treaty rights that allow them to harvest Pacific Lamprey from the falls. As I have mentioned previously, pacific lamprey are disappearing rapidly from the Columbia River Basin.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lamprey are important to the tribes, and to the ecosystem of the river. However, for most of the past century lamprey have been classified as nuisance and trash fish. Yet l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">amprey have been part of the native american diet in the region for as long as anyone can remember. When they were plentiful, the high calorie fish was an important food for sustenance.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that they are disappearing, the tribes have been among the first to call attention to the significance of lamprey.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4795086492/" title="pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4795086492_b18bbbc5b0_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">umatilla tribe member and fisheries biologist aaron jackson holds a pacific lamprey (lampetra tridentata) while umatilla tribe member tony montoya walks behind him with collecting nets.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonwild/4795086574/" title="pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) by Michael Durham, on Flickr"><img alt="pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata)" height="667" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4795086574_2a67b4c4ba_b.jpg" width="1000" /></a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) collected from willamette falls</span></span>OregonWildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03153821443180606708noreply@blogger.com0