Babbling Bamboo Brook

I swung by Rutgers Gardens the other day to ease my want of hiking. While it was no Hackelbarney State Park, it was still a fun walk. Usually I head right off to the Pine Stand but decided to spend some time in the Bamboo Patch. While I don't know if the stream there has an actual name, I always call it Bamboo Brook.

Near the new Footbridge

It was flowing a little quicker than usual, which was quite fine with me. There was a lot of entomology activity along its shallow banks. Mud Dabbers were gathering building materials, Ebony Jewelwings fluttered around looking for mates (counted around 13) and once again many Water Striders.

Still wanting to photograph flowing water, I scouted some positions. One of the best spots in my opinion is right near the spot of the old footbridge. There is a nice slab of rock that the water flows over.

Just above a little pool

The sun was getting low and the camera was metering at around 10 sec exposures at f/11. So I was a happy camper, just right around were I like to take my slow shots. I'm thinking of doing some extra long shots soon, minutes not seconds. Any way here are a few more tight shots from slightly different angles.

Just long enough for a bit of blur

While not the slowest shot, I'm always interested in these roots. They make for a great subject and look extra awesome come Winter.

Roots with a bit of flow.

Park It, Mister!

Now that Spring is sprung, I've been wandering through my local park systems. For a someone who bases his business model on Entomology, Old Man Winter is a real downer for me. It is a tad bit early for some of my favorite subjects but I have a backup plan so don't worry about me.

My first stop yesterday was to Tamarack Hollow off of Fresh Ponds Rd in East Brunswick, a very nice and somewhat quite parcel of woods. I was greeted by a Red-bellied Woodpecker as I crossed the chain at the head of the trail. Trying to increase my Botany skills I spent most of the time shooting new plant growth, flowers and seeds.

Blackberry Flower

Maple Seeds

Fern Head

Found Midge

After this I made my way to Rutgers Gardens / Helyar Woods. This is one of my favorite walks in Middlesex County, plus its close by so sometimes it ends up being the default. There were quite a bit of people using the paths and there was the smell of burning rope so I think Hippies might have migrated back as well as birds. I found a few trees hosting what looks to be Eastern Tent Caterpillars on the opposite side of the Indian Cave.

Malacosoma americanum?

I find that ferns are quite an interesting photo subject. For those that don't know some people call the rock erosion near the stream the Indian Cave but that just might be us New Brunswick Old Timers.

I then headed of to the Pine Patch to look for Owl Pellets but found this first. I found some pellets as well but can not be certain if they belonged to an Owl.

Piney Castle

Owl Pellet?

On my way back to the car I wander toward the Native Plant Garden, were I watched some Tree Swallows preform their air show. Someone installed nest boxes in the field, so they would land for a quick rest then head back up. This was about as close to them as I could get.

Snow Days Remembered

Found a few misplaced rolls of 120 film a few weeks ago, so off they went to The Darkroom. Not the cheapest of places out there (any type roll $10 plus shipping), but the email stating that the film is processed and ready for online viewing, is quite nice and usually I get it within 3 days. These are not the greatest scans either, but one can always pay more to get better quality. If you are like this photographer, a scanner already sits upon the desk.

These look to be shot at Rutgers Gardens & Davidson's Mill Pond, and the date on the roll was from DEC 10. Nothing like a cold & snowy morning walk with my Mamiya Pro TL 645 in the woods. Even with all this digital stuff, this camera is always the favorite. I just might take a walk there on the next snowstorm, whenever that happens. Oh I guess an order of pull-a-part would be needed for proofing. BTW Fujifilm makes a nice instant film.

Rutgers Gardens Creek

Davidson's Mill Pond

Some building at Davidson's Mill Pond