In and around Boise

The historical Alexander House, located in Boise and built in 1897 by Idaho Governor Moses Alexander, the country’s first elected Jewish Governor and former Mayor of the City of Boise

Idaho State Capitol on Christmas Eve 2010

Idaho State Capitol on Christmas Eve 2010 with the State Christmas Tree.

Boise, Idaho Christmas Eve 2010.

State Christmas Tree - Christmas Eve 2010.

Total Lunar Eclipse

I've been looking forward to this night for several months, hoping that the skies would cooperate and the moon would be visible. Early in the week we received quite a bit of rain and the early forecast stated that it would continue for days. The skies cleared and the winds blew, but the heavens were visible. I drove out toward Swan Falls to be away from the light pollution of the city and set up my camera. I did a lot of experimenting, taking exposures from 4 to 30 seconds. The skies were clear, but it was cold and windy.

M.K. Nature Center

The Morrison Knudsen (M.K.) Nature Center offers a one-of-a-kind fish and wildlife experience on a 4.6-acre site along the Boise River Greenbelt near downtown Boise. The Nature Center's stream walk and education building provide a glimpse of Idaho's many landscapes and abundant wildlife. The underwater viewing windows along the stream walk give visitors a fish-eye view of the world.

The Nature Center opened in July of 1990 and represents the cooperative work of private, public, state and federal contributors. Dedicated in 1990 as a Centennial gift to the state of Idaho, the area was conceived and developed by local volunteers working with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Although the Morrison Knudsen Corporation was a major contributor to the construction of the center, completion of the center would not have been possible without the donations and dedication of many other contributors.


The Nature Center is now owned and operated by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game with funding from hunting and fishing license dollars, non-game money, grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and donations from private individuals and businesses. Thanks to the cooperative efforts of the department and the community, the MK Nature Center welcomes about 300,000 visitors and provides tours for about 15,000 school children, annually.

The Nature Center is now an integral feature of the City of Trees, particularly the Greenbelt "neighborhood" that includes Zoo Boise, the Discovery Center, Kathryn Albertson and Julia Davis Parks, the Idaho State Historical Museum, the Boise Art Museum, the Idaho Botanical Gardens and the Idaho Shakespeare Theater.

Wood ducks are year round inhabitants of the Nature Center. A favorite viewing spot is the large trout pond next to the Green Belt pathway. The male wood ducks are the most colorful, appearing to be painted.

It is very difficult to photograph the wood ducks because they are so skittish. They are rarely stationary for any period of time, avoiding people as best they can. A tripod and a long lens are a must to be able to get good wood duck photos.

 M.K. Nature Center is a wonderful haven in the downtown area. You can easily feel that you are far from the everyday hectic life and enjoy watching the various animals that pass through or inhabit the Center.

There is a visitor center that caters to children with a number of "hands on" exhibits.

 They are open seven days a week and charge no admission. Once you visit the Center, you will return again and again.

Kathryn Albertson Park - Boise, Idaho

Kathryn Albertson Park is a 41 acre oasis within the sight of downtown Boise and was designed to be an attractive home for resident and migratory wildlife.  It is named after the wife of supermarket magnate, Joe Albertson and features wide, paved footpaths which wind through the park carrying walkers past colorful, informative signs inlaid in large rocks.  The signs describe wildlife and environmental themes throughout the park.  Highlights include outdoor gazebos, a fountain, a cross-section of the world's largest Ponderosa Pine, glimpses of wildlife, including a large population of nesting waterfowl, and access to the Greenbelt.

The Park Vegetation was chosen for its diversity in plant size, growth, and type -- offering food from the ground level to tree tops as well as nesting cover and protection.

I can't help thinking that the plants were also chosen for their wide variety of colors in the Spring and Fall of the year. Colors that seem to change by the hour. I visit the Park dozens of times throughout the year and I never cease to be amazed at what I see. Here are a few photos from the Autumn of the year.

Shallow ponds warm quickly in spring and stimulate the growth of aquatic insects and plants, which in turn become food for many kinds of wildlife. Islands in the ponds offer loafing and roosting spots for ducks and shelter nesting birds from predators.

Lily Pads reflect an early morning light and the fall colors of the nearby trees.

The colors appear to change by the minute and certainly from year to year. They can be very subtle and bright at the same time.

A Canada Goose enjoys a swim in the reflective light of the early morning.

Early morning light streams across a pond of lily pads, reflecting the colors of the near-by trees in the open water.

Open water reflects the colors of the near-by trees and the sky. Shadows and light beams create a calming effect on the water.

Whatever the time of year, you will find a respite from the hurry of everyday life as you explore Kathryn Albertson Park in Boise, Idaho.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Northern Utah is an amazing place. About 300 species of birds occupy these wetlands during the year in numbers that range from 12 to 18 million birds. I have made three trips in the last three months -- my goal is to go at least once a month during the next year and photograph the seasonal activities of the birds as they migrate through the area.

An avocet foraging for food in the late afternoon of early October.

Three cormorants relaxing on a log.

An image to fill your soul.

Animals of Yellowstone

On a recent trip to Yellowstone National Park, I was fortunate enough to see many animals in their native and natural habitat -- doing what wild animals do -- survive as best they can. We sometimes forget the circle of life that goes on in nature. For a bear or wolf to remain healthy they must find the appropriate meal -- either by hunting and killing another animal or feasting on the remains that other predators have left behind.

Here are a few of the animals of Yellowstone.

A red-tail hawk sits watchfully in a tree searching for his next meal.

A prong-horned antelope runs free.

A healthy bull elk surveys the pre-dawn mountainside.

A lone wolf is moving in on an abandoned elk carcass.

Success!

An eagle moves in to share the bounty.

Two wolves move in to challenge a black bear who has also smelled the carcass. They think better of it and leave.

Stocking up on protein to build winter fat.

I enjoyed watching and photographing the animals of Yellowstone. I saw many species of waterfowl, raptors, birds of the field and  many healthy mammals. The beauty of the park never ceases to amaze me and the circle of life continues.

Early October at Shoshone Falls on the Snake River in Idaho

I recently took a day trip to Shoshone Falls, near Twin Falls, Idaho. The falls change from year to year and month to month, depending on the amount of water flowing in the Snake River. I am presenting three of my images for your enjoyment.

Sometimes called the "Niagara of the West," Shoshone Falls is 212 feet (64.7 m) high -- 36 feet (10.97 m) higher than Niagara Falls -- and flows over a rim 900 feet (274 m) wide.

A park overlooking the waterfall is owned and operated by the City of Twin Falls. Shoshone Falls is best viewed in the spring as diversion of the Snake River for irrigation often significantly diminishes water levels in the summer and fall.

Shoshone Falls has existed at least since the end of the last ice age, when the Bonneville Flood carved much of the Snake River canyon and surrounding valleys. It is a total barrier to the upstream movement of fish. The falls were the upper limit of sturgeon, and spawning runs of salmon and steelhead could not pass the falls. Yellowstone cutthroat trout lived above the falls in the same ecological niche as Rainbow Trout below it. Due to this marked difference, the World Wide Fund for Nature used Shoshone Falls as the boundary between the Upper Snake and the Columbia Un-glaciated freshwater eco-regions.

Yellowstone National Park

The scenery and subject matter for photographers in the northwest and western United States is phenomenal! I recently spent 10 days visiting Yellowstone National Park and even though I have been there several times before, I never cease to be amazed at the physical beauty God has placed before us.

I managed to take about 3,500 exposures in those 10 days. I got some interesting animal shots with wolves, bear, elk, buffalo, eagles, crow and ravens -- each doing what they are supposed to do in the grand scheme of nature - each reminding me that the food chain is not linear, but a never ending cycle.

In the 10 days, I watched the fall colors race upon the scene with breath taking beauty as I learned an practiced new photographic techniques.

The Madison River at dawn's first light. For some reason (big smile) the Park is very quiet at this time of day.

A spider web near one of the thermals. Frost had gathered overnight and now with the first light of day the frost turned into thousands of small strands of pearls.

Stream near Old Faithful.

Lake Hebgen near the town of West Yellowstone.

Lake Hebgen and an approaching storm.

Beautiful thermals.

Geysers across the valley in the crisp early morning temperature.

What a great way to spend an early morning.

An area known as Virginia Cascades. The fall colors are highlighted in the early morning first light. 

Beautiful meadow stream near Virginia Cascades.

Cleveland National Airshow

When it comes to aviation, I will always be a 12 year old kid. I enjoy piloting an aircraft as well as being a spectator at an airshow. The weather was rather "ify" on Saturday and Sunday didn't appear to be much better, but my son, granddaughter and I decided to make the trip from Rittman, Ohio to Burke Lakefront Airport in downtown Cleveland for the Sunday edition of the Cleveland National Airshow. As we neared the lakefront airport the clouds began to break and we ended up enjoying a sun-filled day at the airshow.  The headline performers were the Blue Angels an always thrilling spectacle.

A Blue Angels flight demonstration exhibits choreographed refinements of skills possessed by all naval aviators. The Blue Angels’ C-130, affectionately known as Fat Albert, begins each demonstration by exhibiting its maximum performance capabilities during a ten-minute performance. Shortly thereafter, you will see the graceful aerobatic maneuvers of the four-jet Diamond Formation, in concert with the fast-paced, high-performance maneuvers of its two Solo pilots. Finally, the team illustrates the pinnacle of precision flying, performing maneuvers locked as a unit in the renowned, six-jet Delta Formation.

The team is stationed at Forrest Sherman Field, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, during the show season. However, the squadron spends January through March training pilots and new team members at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California.

A member of the United States Army Parachute Team, The Golden Knights, presents the colors from on high.

  In 1959 13 men joined together to form the Strategic Army Corps Sport Parachute Team, to compete in the then communist dominated sport of skydiving.  The team performed so well that on June 1, 1961 the Army officially recognized, designated and activated the team as the U.S. Army Parachute Team.

For 50 years the “Golden Knights” have been wowing audiences at air shows, competitions and most recently, with high profile tandems.

The two demonstration teams travel all over the country performing aerial demonstrations at air shows and special events in support of Army recruiting goals.

The two competition teams travel, competing nationally and internationally at various skydiving competitions, continuously bringing home gold, silver and bronze medals.  They are the most successful U.S. Department of Defense sports team.


The Golden Knights not only perform at air shows, compete on an international level and perform high profile tandems they also visit high schools and work with local recruiters showing young adults what type of opportunities the Army has for them.

Providing a singular blend of low-level precision formation and solo aerobatics with fascinating transitions, Red Eagle Air Sports is nationally known for its eye-popping, spectacular performances.  Witness inverted flat spins, inside and outside loops, multiple snap rolls, tail slides, torque rolls, plus their signature maneuvers: the Torqued Eagle, Topcoat This, the Squirrel Cage, The Centrifuge, The Farvel Loop and the Tuck-Under Break.
Flying the Red Eagle and one-of-a-kind Talon Eagle, Buck Roetman and Dan McClung demonstrate the awesome power of these highly-modified aerobatic aircraft.

Red Eagles Air Sports - Two-Ship Aerobatic Team.

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Blue Angels in slow flight and nose high attitude.

Replica Japanese Zero

TORA 101, the Wichita based Japanese Zero Fighter Replica, was actually built in 1952 by the Canadian Car & Foundry Company. The Royal Canadian Air Force accepted it as a Harvard MKIV advanced trainer on 1/14/53 as aircraft 20473.

20473 was the seventh from the last Harvard made for the RCAF, and was first based with the First Flight Training Squadron in Penhold, Alberta, Canada, then at Centralia, Ontario. After 6000 flying hours, on 2/2/68 it was released through the Crown Asset Disposition Center.
Twentieth Century Fox Studios purchased the plane in 1968, along with 50 other Harvards, AT6 Texans, and Consolidated BT13's. These were highly modified and transformed into Zero fighters, Val dive bombers, and Kate torpedo bomber replicas for their movie, TORA! TORA! TORA! This movie accurately recreated the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. No expense was spared: in fact, the studio spent more than the Japanese did on the actual raid!

So TORA 101 and its other "costars" were transformed into the pride of the Imperial Japanese Navy, TORA 101 was used extensively, painted with various tail markings, such as AI-127, and then with no tail markings. It flew at the El Toro Naval Air Station, off of the American aircraft carrier "Yorktown," and at Barbers Point and Ford Island in Hawaii.

After the movie, TORA 101 was purchased in 1972 by Challenge Publications.
TORA 101 tail markings were repainted to what at that time was thought to be
Lt. Cdr. Shigeru Itaya's aircraft "AI-101" (carrier: AKAGI, Zero 101). Itaya was
Hikotaicho, overall Fighter Group Lead, heading the first wave of Zeros in the
Pearl Harbor attack.

More recent research uncovered that Itaya actually flew Zero AI-159. Photographs taken by the Japanese show that on the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, AI-101 was flown by P01C Tadao Kimura, wingman for Lt. Saburo Shindo, second wave Buntaicho, Zero Group Lead.

Kimura and Shindo were of the few Japanese who took part at Pearl Harbor to survive the war, while Itaya was killed in 1944. Kimura died a few years ago in Osaka Japan, while Shindo lives in Hiroshima City.
After three more owners, TORA 101 was given in 1979 to the Experimental Aircraft Association, with Gus Limbach as the primary pilot. At the EAA, they swapped the existing nongeared engine and two bladed propeller to a geared engine with three bladed propeller. The more realistic looking engine and propeller combination came from the other TORA Zero that the EAA had at the time, tail number -147.

J and R Investments purchased TORA 101 in July, 1992. An extensive nine month
long avionics and systems upgrade cost over $40,000. In July 1995, Doug Jackson, partner in J and R, purchased the plane outright. TORA 101 is flown and displayed at 20+ airshows and events each year, being shown to well over two million people each season.

Jump plane for the US Army Golden Knights

World War II B-17 Bomber, Voight F4U-5 Corsair and a Replica Japanese Mitsubishi Zero.

Centennial Marsh Wildlife Refuge - Idaho

Early Evening at the Marsh

Wilson's Snipe

The sun on the meadow

A warm July Evening comes to the hills around Centennial Marsh near Fairfield, Idaho.

Idaho is a paradise for photographers. Within a 100 mile radius of the capital city of Boise, one can find any imaginable landscape - from deserts, sand dunes, lakes, rivers, alpine meadows and mountains. Here are a few of my photos taken at Centennial Marsh near Fairfield, Idaho.

Yellow Headed Blackbird

Centennial Marsh in the late afternoon