I gave up on Olympus after 3 models leaked, and several of 1 of the models. A Merry Fishmas to myself provided a Pentax WG-2 which is outfitted with a ring of LED lights, super macro focusing and a durable body. My KY photos had various issues but after reading the manual, fine tuning settings and a bit more patience i got some reasonable photographs yesterday.
So it begins...
An inviting perspective to the day ahead.
An interesting wallow pattern was found in the layered stone. Various sized pockets were found throughout a sectioned flow, formed by spinning stones grinding ever deeper. The snails appear to be taking refuge from the swifter flow above.
Looking upstream, such fine clarity on a sunny day.
I do not get to see Greensides in color very often, but it is Springtime today. Usually difficult to approach i flushed out this big male and with patience was able to take this photograph approaching ever closer. I am very happy with the results.
More ages of exposure as the slab wears.
I was suprised to see a Whittail Shiner already tuberculed. They must spawn all through the snorkeling season as i see them tuberculed into September and even October. Cyprinella Galactura. Galactura, i like saying that. Ga Lac tur a
I experimented with some color alteration / correction for the second image.
Looking upstream to the next riffle ahead.
And behind me a massive wall dripping with water and moss.
I had to detour through the woods to bypass the shallow rocky run and came across this guy laying in the sun. His long thin tail rattled the leaves before he had enough of my ever increasing shadow and crouch.
I explored quite awhile in the pool upstream and came across a couple long, fine lined, Logperch nose to tail. As i fumbled with my camera settings they seperated but i followed them a good while. I was sure they were sparring when i first caught glimpse of them, something i have never seen before. Though skittish they were content to flip stones while i waited for a tussle. When i first saw them the fine lined black details on their bodies seemed intensified, perhaps a result of their sparring activity.
Heading back downstream, just short of the rocky run, i glimpsed a pair of Redlines lip and tail locked together. For 15 minutes i watched, photographed and videoed this Redline nip, tug and wrestle. Redlines are often hard to photograph as they tend to hide underneath the stones and are usually found in the faster rocky flows. These guys were near oblivious to my presence and i was amazed and pleased to witness the persistant battle. I have not heard of other accounts of Redline tussles nor photographs but i am sure they are plenty common enough during the spawning season but in all my years i have never seen such. I have yet to watch the videos and if appropiate and time and interest allows i hope to edit and assemble a YouTube video.
He's going for the tail again. Often they would be near motionless except for their rapid breathing.
Back to the tails in the lips again. This is pretty much how they appeared when i first spotted them and seemed to be their favored strategy. I am not sure about the odd glare on the belly of the top Redline, marring an otherwise nifty photo. The finnage of both seemed to be undamaged. Eventually with my ever increasing camera they seperated, with a sigh of relief i suspect. One kept prancing about the battle site and the other a few inches away under a stone peering out. So who won?
Nips of Fury!
Looking up while underwater. I wonder what they see?
These are the common Crayfish of my area, saddled backs. This one i backed up til he was out of the water.
Raccoon concerns? He sure seems hunkered down.
Quite a few big Rainbows ready for the frying pan. Spear guns are illegal but i suspect effective for culling these non natives.
Looking for her mate.
The big male, he would never allow a close approach. Their heads sure do swell and with the sharp tubercules i bet they are near lethal to contenders. Sometimes you can lie close to an active Chub mound and be content for many, many minutes. Others such as Jeremy and Dave of Freshwaters Illustrated... hours!
What those males were so excited for. Plump, gravid and ready. Striking is the coloration and patterning difference between the males and females of this species. I always note the creamy hourglass caudal spot that both carry. Their body shape is also the same, and they both have those radiating lines on their faces.
Back downstream alongside the deep pool i was approached by several big Redhorse. Usually they are nervous but these swam right up to me, inches from my face, looking at me through my face mask. Curious, and friendly today. Downstream, just as the pool descended into a rocky run, i found several gravel wallows exposing the larger cobble. I wonder if they had been spawning earlier? No activity was observed at these wallows but tuberculed Stonerollers and Striped Shiners were patroling nearby so again i suspect they were awaiting the stars to realign and the moon to glow and the sun bright and the flow steady. Do you think? I have a hard time with these Redhorse identities. I don't think it is a River Red but look at that big anal fin, but his head seems more streamlined. Help me, help me please.
I always like seeing these red eyed lurkers. Blurry picture but i like the composition. Sometimes they are quite approachable.
The ever common Tennessee Snubnoses, nicely colored and usually paired this time of year, the male relentlessly chasing a female all day long. Depositing fertilized eggs wherever it seems appropiate, here, there, everywhere.
How many species did i see?
Stonerollers, Hogsuckers, River Chubs, Bigeye Chubs.
Sunfish: Bluegill, Redbreast, Rock, Smallmouth Bass and big Bass unknown. A large Bass was guarding a nest of clumped and fungused eggs. I wish i had taken a photo of the nest but them Bass can bite. I think i caught a glimpse of a Longear. Sunfish will be spawning as the summer grows warm.
Shiners: Tennessee, Whitetail, Warpaint, Mirrors with their triangle caudal spots, pearlescent Striped, maybe Telescope. I still do not know what to look for to correctly ID Telescopes on the flyby.
Darters: Greenside, Logperch, TN Snubs, Redlines, maybe a Gilt on the move and one wary Blotchside Loggie. Bandeds if i had looked among the water willow. I saw several Speckleds the week before with Issac a mile upstream. They should be here to, you have to look along the shallow sand bars typically.
Rainbow Trout, who put them here!
Friendly Redhorse, idenity unknown.
No Sculpins, Dace, Madtoms, Catfish, Drum. No Rainbow Darters. No Topminnows.
I bet i could have seen more if i had been a bit more persistant but the shivering cold won before the light failed. Still 20 for sure on a pretty day, a day i figure as my first real snorkel of 2013.
Headed to the Citico Saturday!
Edited by Casper, 16 May 2013 - 06:41 PM.
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