5/18/12 Elk Viewing Great, Haying for Great Photos

Yellow Swallowtail on Horsemint

Elk viewing was outstanding this morning, continuing a pattern now in place for some time.  Elk calving is now just around the corner. Here and there are bull elk in early velvet, a picture that many have on their "bucket list".

Delicate ground-hugging morning fog and hay bales now offer great morning landscape photo opportunities. This won't last long as farmers will move the bales to storage, but it could run through the weekend.

If you want to see the elk, get to the Boxley Valley early, just after sunrise. Cool weather extends viewing times, but remember that very early morning viewing will get you real close to the animals. Keep in mind you should drive slowly. At first light, many elk are between the road and fences, and there will be some leisurely crossings. It is a great time to be out there.

Butterflying is now very good. Roadsides are lighting up with blooms and when the elk viewing is done, the butterflies are beginning to get active. It is a great way to combine two subjects that compliment one another perfectly during the morning hours.

4/26/12 Good Elk Viewing, Summer Pattern Now

Box Turtles are migrating now -- This one on Erbie Road

Summer heat is back and the elk have pulled back from Boxley Valley a bit. Today there was one cow herd visible down by Smith Creek. A small bull herd was present near Beech Creek. Some bulls already have antlers in velvet about 6 inches long.

Warm weather and direct sunlight now has compressed the viewing times. This morning the elk were all gone by 8:30AM.

I got my first Buffalo River crossing of the year with the bull elk herd.

Box turtles are migrating now. Every year during mating season you will see them dotting area roads. Please don't pick them up and take them home. If you move them off the road, do it in the direction they are pointed. These turtles are returning to specific areas to mate. If you move them to where they came from, they will simply cross the road again.

I moved 5 of them today. It makes me sick to see them hit by cars. Most people cut them a lot of room. The soulless deranged target them -- surely they will reap what they sew. The ornate box turtles are a threatened species. Here is a link for further information:

http://www.naturalheritage.com/citizen-science/past_projects/box_turtle/turtlebasics.aspx

Help protect and preserve box turtles in Arkansas.

April 26 Elk Herd Locations near Ponca, AR 

4/20/12 Rain Clearing, Elk Viewing Very Good, Wildflower Season at Lost Valley Done

Good elk viewing in the Boxley Valley today. Elk love rain and they don't like the sun except in cold weather. Today's conditions are perfect for them. Cool and overcast, with some rain.

The bull elk are in early velvet now. I saw some this morning with antlers nearing a foot high already. Most were just starting. Did you know that the elk antler growth rate is considered remarkable even to biologists?

Lost Valley wildflowers are at the end. Most of the show now is along the roadsides. There are good photos to be had. Dogwood trees peaked last week. There are some still in bloom, but most have dropped their petals now. It is quite early to be done. I suspect today's 51st Dogwood Tour was not up to the average for most years by a long shot. The 50 odd dogwoods on our land are done with just a couple of exceptions.

It looks like the weather will clear this afternoon. The amount of rain predicted fell a bit short. If you are planning to float, all floating will be from Pruitt and points downriver. There are middle and lower river floating opportunities. Learn about the river levels, and the outfitters on the Buffalo River Chamber website. The first link also provides topo maps with GPS coordinates for the entire length of the river.

4/19/12 New Wildflowers, Mobile Website for Floaters

Shooting Stars Blooming Now in the
Buffalo National River Region

Hot weather early this year pushed the blooming date of all the wildflowers earlier in the year. As a result, the spring wildflower season is already post peak and tailing off for many species at least 3 weeks early.

Mountain azaleas, shooting stars, and lady slippers are now in bloom. If you want to get pictures, you will need to visit this weekend. the blooming window is narrow for these species, although there will be differences in blooming dates across the Buffalo National River region.

Bull elk have dropped their antlers.  The next big event is the elk calving season, beginning just about a month off. It peaks in early June. More on this later.

Floating has been pretty good this year so far. Early rains and warm weather made early floating possible for average folks. The river is down a bit now, but this weekend promises to recharge the river if the weather forecast holds. Weather forecasts are kind of lousy around here so it will be important to pay attention to the actual weather. The good news is the main rain events are set for Friday. It will be a cool weekend if the weather holds.

Floaters will want to check out the revised river gauge pages at http://buffaloriverchamber.com and http://buffaloriverchamber.mobi.

Mountain Azaleas and Hummingbird Moth

The Buffalo River Chamber's mobile website has been completely revamped and is still being expanded. There are about 120 pages of information on the Buffalo National River. The mobile site serves real-time USGS river gauge information for the entire river, much the same as the regular chamber website. The mobile site is formatted at 320 pixels wide to accommodate smart phones, but the river gauges are also served in wide format. Serious floaters will want to bookmark these gauges on their phones and tablets for up-to-date information. Links to the river outfitters serving the length of the river are integrated into the gauge pages. Information on lodging, places to eat and other services are covered as well.

Remember that floating opportunities exist all along the river. "Shop" the river for good floating conditions. There are expert outfitters to assist you in each area of the river.

This weekend will be great hiking and camping weather and it continues at least through the middle of next week. Serious hikers love the extra stamina that cool weather provides.

Elk report tomorrow and an update on wildflower conditions.

4/12/12 Elk Viewing Good, Wildflowers Still Good

Wild Geraniums are Peaking, Seek Filtered Light
for Emotional Compositions

Elk viewing remains good.  As the weather warms, viewing times will compress. We are now in a cold snap so viewing times remain in the spring pattern. Mornings extend to 9AM or later if overcast. Evening viewing could start in late afternoon and extends to dark. Weather is everything.

What's next? Elk calving. June is peak month for elk calving. The tiniest calf elk are seldom seen before they are a few weeks old. When calving starts, getting to Boxley Valley at daybreak is key to seeing them. The general rule is cows with newborn calves disappear into the deep cover at the first sign of danger. Remember this, a cow elk with a newborn calf is dangerous. We are a few weeks from seeing the first calf elk, but they need to be given space.

Spring wildflower season is now giving way to summer, just about a month early. The blooms are very heavy but quite early too. In some cases the blooming periods have been compressed presumably because of early hot spells. Rain has been ideal.

Lost Valley and Smith Creek remain wildflower hot spots. I would estimate that there are perhaps two weekends left of good wildflower viewing. This varies widely according to altitude and moisture.

This could be the last weekend to get good dogwood shots. Dogwoods bloomed early this year and petals are dropping now. Possible thunderstorms this weekend could knock the last of the petals off. My guess is that this weekend is safe. Dogwoods in the deep woods will be a bit more protected.

Elk Locations and Wildflower Blooming Dates, Buffalo National River 

4/5/12 A Perfect Weekend to Visit

Woodland Snail Lost Valley

This morning I had Boxley Valley and Lost Valley Hiking trail to myself. This is absolutely prime time. The weather is perfect for hiking, riding and floating. Wildflowers are blooming stronger this year than in many years. In Lost Valley I am seeing species in new locations, and the number of blooming plants is just amazing. If I had to estimate, I would say the number of wildflowers is at least 2x recent years.

The dogwoods will be at peak this weekend. If you want to see the display you better get here. Dogwoods line the roadsides, creeks, and rivers. The earliest blooming dogwoods are now shedding their petals. Two weeks out there will be few dogwoods left. As I write this, the number of dogwoods in our woods would be difficult to estimate, I would hazard a guess at 100 trees on our land. The locust trees are in bloom too now.

The wildflower bloom is just amazing this year. Lost Valley and other trails are full of dwarf larkspur plants. We are in the middle of the season now. If you visit Lost Valley for wildflowers, hiking to the Natural Bridge is probably enough. Just below the bridge the columbines are peaking, and nearby wild geraniums are putting on quite a show.

Elk viewing is very good. Now we are past the antler drop so the bulls just look like huge cow elk with "stumps". Next up in the elk cycle is calving. Around June 1 is considered the peak for elk calving, but it continues for at least a couple of months. The herds are now located at both ends of the valley and in the middle. See the map below for exact locations.

Remember the best place to get in-depth information about the Buffalo National River is http://buffaloriverchamber.com. Chamber members are the businesses that serve the river and know the river. The Buffalo National River experience is in the rural counties along the river.

3/29/12 Elk, Floating and Wildflower Report

Spiderwort Wildflowers -- Broadwater Falls Road, Compton

This will be a great weekend to visit the Buffalo National River. Wildflowers arguably have just entered their seasonal peak now with only a few spring species left to bloom. We are roughly two or three weeks ahead of normal bloom dates. The very good news is that the timing of spring rains has been ideal for wildflowers. This is the strongest bloom in many years in this region.

Elk viewing remains very good. We continue to be in the north south pattern in Boxley Valley, I think of it as the "bookends" pattern. There is one herd near the Ponca Access, and a second near the Upper Wilderness Trailhead.  This has been a fairly reliable pattern now for some time. As a photographer I would rate the south trailhead as the better photographic venue. There is an old barn down there and some interesting fence lines that you can incorporate in your compositions.

Floating is absolutely outstanding now. The water and the weather are just right. Remember to check floating levels for the entire Buffalo River go to the Buffalo River Chamber of Commerce website. It is the definitive guide for visitors to the entire Buffalo National River region.

Everything seems early this year due to the weather. Conditions could not be more ideal for a visit to hike, ride horses, watch wildlife, and experience the wildflower bloom this year.

Jacob's Ladder at Lost Valley

There are now two elk herds in Boxley Valley, one at Ponca and a second just north of Cave Mountain Road. Usually when a herd locates in the field near Cave Mountain Road it is moving somewhere else. This one could be moving north or south to better pastures.

The wildflowers continue to march on. The season is so early this year. The earliest species are gone now. If my memory serves me correctly, this is very fast. There are more species on the way like the Virginia Waterleaf, one of my favorites. The bloom for all species is heavy, rain and warmth has been ideal. The next two weeks or so could be the peak for the entire season.

Remember to be safe in hiking the slippery rocks on many trails. Our water table is high and water seems to be seeping everywhere. Hiking is absolutely outstanding now.

3/24/12 Elk and Wildflower Report

Blue Phlox at Lost Valley Hiking Trail

Elk positions today are pretty much unchanged except the herd at the south end of Boxley Valley has moved north by one field. Three herds are in the valley, one by the Ponca Access, one just south of the 43/21 intersection, and the third is in the south valley field north of Smith Creek.

Wildflower conditions remain outstanding. Favorite hiking destinations like Lost Valley and Smith Creek Preserve are also great wildflower venues. The blue phlox are blooming strong now along with all the violets.  And much more.

Be careful in Lost Valley. Yesterday a young man climbing over the Natural Bridge fell and was badly hurt. Respect the dangers of wet rock trails. They are no place for casual climbing and horsing around. During these high water table conditions there are plenty of slippery spots.

Floating conditions now are very good, even a little swift. For information on outfitters, river conditions, and maps visit http://buffaloriverchamber.com.

This is also perfect hiking weather. All the trailheads are loaded with visitors.

3/23/12 Elk Viewing Map & Wildflower Report

Reflecting Pool on Smith Creek 

Three elk herds this morning in Boxley Valley. One near the Ponca Access, another just south of Moore Creek, and a third down by the trailhead to the Upper Wilderness. Good viewing all around with lovely morning light and light fog.

This morning was great landscape weather. This is due primarily to relatively cool temperatures and high humidity from all the flooding. The river continues to rage above flood stage.

Unless you are ready to wade, the wildflowers in Lost Valley are pretty much out of reach. Today the dogwoods are in bloom -- just. Some are white and many blooms are still green. This will evolve very rapidly so if you plan to visit, certainly most will be white this weekend. Wildflower fans can locate plenty along trails on high ground all along the river hiking trails. Rain has been pretty ideal this year and the wildflower bloom is heavy.

Waterfall and cascade fans will experience what could be the very best weekend in 2012 for visiting so far. It could be the best all year because it does not get much better than this. There are now cascades where they seldom occur, and the traditional cascades and falls are running hard.

Smith Creek Preserve will be very good now. The road down to the creek is lined with wildflowers. The creek itself has many beautiful cascades and water features. Dutchman's Breeches are in bloom and Smith Creek is one of the best places to see them. The hike down to the creek descends about 500 feet in a mile, it is not hard, but it is also not easy. Experienced hikers will have no problem with it. See the website for directions and details. It is now marked with a sign on the north side of 21 as you head out of Boxley Valley. Park near the sign, and walk past the gate following an old road down to the creek. Remember this area is not patrolled so you should not hike alone, and also let someone know you are going to hike there.

If you don't mind getting a little wet, you can wade the bridge at Lost Valley and see the falls, cascades, and wildflower bloom along the trail. Water levels drop pretty fast so it might be dry by the time you visit.

3/22/12 Redbuds Peak Now, Dogwoods Starting

Dogwoods Are Starting to Blossom in Many Locations

I know some of my readers like to take waterfall pictures framed in redbuds and dogwoods if they are in bloom. For your information, this must be peak weekend for redbuds and dogwoods are just starting to bloom.

I doubt there will be better waterfall weather in 2012 than right now. The heavy rains have the water table topped off and more rain is predicted tonight, perhaps as much as a half inch. After that, this will  be perfect weekend weather for hiking and camping.

If you have been waiting for ideal hiking and waterfall photography weather, this is about as good as it gets. The falls will be running hard for a couple of days.

The wildflower show is very good now too.

If you want to float, watch the river gauges at the Buffalo River Chamber of Commerce website.
They shows data for each river gauge and the recommended floating levels below the gauge. As I write this, the river is just too high to float for the average person. It does drop very fast in about 4 or 5 days as a rule with no further rain.

3/15/12 Wildflowers Exploding, Good Elk Viewing

Morning Rue Anemone, Lost Valley
To Get Dewdrops, Get Up

Wildflower viewing is really picking up steam. Early warm weather and rain has many species blooming early. Many of what I would call mid-season species are now in bloom. Some of the marquee species like Dutchman's Breeches and Jacob's Ladder are kicking off or will be by the weekend. This weekend should be a perfect time to visit to get photos. Two of the very early species, White Trout Lilies and Harbinger of Spring are about done. If you dig around you might see some here or there, but  after last week, they are done for 2012. Lost Valley and Smith Creek are both very good now. Red bud trees and wild cherry trees are also in bloom now.

Elk viewing is quite good as well. We are now in what I call the "bookends" pattern with 2 mostly cow herds at opposite ends of the valley. There is also a small bull herd at the intersection of 43 and 21.
With the heat and sunlight we have now, expect elk viewing to be pretty close to a summer pattern. This means that by 8 or 9AM viewing will be done until about 4 or 5PM.

If you are a waterfall fan, there is plenty of flow right now.

A good itinerary now would be to come watch the elk, then move to lost valley to see the outstanding wildflower bloom. After that there would be time for a float if you got an early start. The float from Ponca to Kyles Landing has to be as scenic as any. We are definitely in floating season and this year looks like it could be exceptional.

For the single best website on outfitters, lodging, dining and river levels go to http://buffaloriverchamber.com.

3/10/12 2012 Wildflower Gallery & Tutorials

Sharp-Lobed Hepatica Lost Valley 3/9

Thought I would share some pictures from this year's wildflower season with commentary. It is still early, but I have a few wildflower images that please me. This blog entry is a brief wildflower tutorial based on my voice. The important thing though is perhaps to copy my approach to composition, even if you arrive in a totally different place.

My takeaway point for you is to THINK, please ask and answer your own questions about wildflower pictures and composition. This blog entry is a glimpse into my thought process. I want you to have one of your own.

This first photo is of a sharp-lobed hepatica that I took yesterday. I like long contrast scales with brights and darks. When wandering looking for compositions, I am drawn to selective lighting and shadow plays. This photo has them both. I believe pulling back to grab the context and grabbing the texture of leaves is essential. Spring wildflowers are about the renewal of life. Dead leaves provide the contrasting backdrop for rebirth. To me at least, the shadow tracing the bloom expresses the cycle of life -- it makes the connection. Note that the two flowers are counterpointed (facing a different direction and at different bloom stages). The photo has a huge negative space to the left that is unified with the flower though the shadow.

Done well, photography is poetry, communicating various inflections of the human experience. If an image does not pull you to take it, that quality of evoking viewer engagement and emotion is not there, after all, at some plane we all resonate as one. 

Emerging Trillium Sessile -- Lost Valley 3/9

The photo on the left is of an emerging trillium sessile. No purple bloom yet, but there is a bud. I was drawn to this because of the light and that magnificent leaf. The moss makes the photo sensuous to me, adding lush texture and color.

There is no need for a bloom. An effective photo can be carried by light, texture, lines and color. This image is rich in contrasting forms and textures.

To get a photo like this one you need to take pictures at the ends of the day. Low angular light is a key ingredient that animates texture and form with subtle shadows and gradients of light. What I often see is a nuanced composition absolutely fried by on-camera flash. Found light is your friend.

Found light and long tonal scales separate an artistic composition from a snap shot. 

Emerging Trillium Sessile 2. Lost Valley 3/9

This image goes to the issue of texture, lines and negative space, meaning here space away from the main subject. Note that the rib on the leaf on the left roughly resonates with the curve created on the right by the three trillium. This photo has a circular flow to it. Note that the light dynamics create their own shapes.

Maybe the biggest lesson here is to give your compositions space, and please, don't just slam your subject in the center of the frame. I call those pictures "splats".  I have taken my share of splats, but I hardly do anymore. Getting past "splats" is the first step to creating your photographic voice. The natural experience is both subject and context. Mine the context.

Now back to my first and most essential takeaway point. If you are to find your voice, you need to think, you need to question, you need to experiment and you need to fail. Be fearless about failure, failure leads you to insight and learning. If you gain a critical insight from coming up short is that really a failure? I don't think so.

I believe it was Einstein who said "insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result". Be thoughtful. Ask questions and experiment -- dig in. Inspired photography is about thoughtful hard work. Try this and that, learn, and bring together all that learning. You will find your voice.

3/9/12 Early Wildflowers Are Peaking, 2 Elk Herds

Ozark Wake Robin Trillium at Lost Valley

Early wildflowers are now peaking. I like to think of the wildflowers in 3 shifts, so these are the late February and March wildflower species. Some like white trout lilies and harbinger of spring are at about peak now, and in a couple of weeks they will be harder to find.

If you want to see the white trout lily bloom this weekend is surely peak. The white trout lily bed in Lost Valley is just past the bridge on the left. These are great flowers but the bloom is always short-lived.

Elk viewing is good. Two herds are now in the valley. One is about mid-valley, the second view-able one is just south of the 43/21 intersection.  A bull herd is kicking around in that same area.

This will be a great weekend for wildflower viewing if you are into them. Don't wait more than another week if you want to see all the early species.

2/29/12 Wildflower Season Begins this Weekend

White Trout Lilies Peak Early March 2012

With the remarkable change in the weather, the wildflower bloom is beginning in earnest. This coming weekend will be the first peak of the early species.  Stars of this early show are the white trout lily, harbinger of spring, the sharp-lobed hepatica and cutleaf toothwort. My visit to Lost Valley this morning confirmed the acceleration of the pace of the bloom.

If you are a wildflower fan, you will want to catalog the early species. If you don't visit within the next couple of weeks, you will probably not see either the harbinger of spring or the white trout lilies. To see the whole wildflower show I recommend at least 3 visits over the length of the season.

Species do vary in terms of the blooming date, and importantly the duration of their bloom. If getting great pictures of any specie is your goal, you need to photograph fresh blooms. Basically this means getting here toward the beginning of the blooming period. This weekend is probably that ideal period for the white trout lily. Lost Valley has an outstanding bloom of white trout lilies this year. You will find them just over the bridge to the hiking trail on the left. I got some nice pictures this morning.

Elk Watching
This morning I saw two herds in the valley. The most reliable herd is near the Ponca Access. It has frequented these fields for a while and is usually there at least 2 out of 3 visits for me. The second herd is on private land. I don't identify private land locations, but I believe this herd will rotate to one of the south ends fields down by Smith Creek in a day or two.

The updated map is below. It lists the beginning dates for wildflowers that are in bloom in Lost Valley as well.

Elk Locations and Wildflower Bloom Dates in Boxley Valley 

2/23/12 White Trout Lilies Blooming in Lost Valley

White Trout Lily in Lost Valley

This warm weather has started the White Trout Lilly bloom in Lost Valley. The hot spot for this species is just past the bridge to the trail and to the left. Be careful, it is a fragile area. They should be blooming great guns by the weekend.

2/19/12 Elk Herd Locations

Pretty good elk viewing now. There are now 3 herds in the valley. One small bull herd in the field behind the mill pond. 2 other herds including one that is pretty stable around the Ponca Access at the north end of the valley, and the second that has been moving all around the south end. This second herd is now just south of Moore Creek, south of the 43/21 intersection.

Wildflowers will be blasting off anytime now. We just need to string together a few days of warm weather with no frost. Harbinger of Spring is in bloom now, we can expect the White Trout Lilies to be coming along in a couple of weeks. This will be early.

February 2012 updated elk herd location map is below:

2/17/12 One Elk Herd in Valley

Harbinger of Spring

This morning there was only one elk herd in Boxley Valley. It is located up by the Ponca Access. The herd that was at the south end has moved off to a back field.  I think it is still in the same zone so it could show up any day.

Perfect wildflower weather is really stimulating the growth of foliage. The Harbinger of Spring flowers are in bloom. These tiny flowers are always early in the lineup. A good bloom of them is located at the Ponca Elk Education Center's wildlife trail. You will also find them near creeks and the river.

The latest elk herd map is below:

Outstanding Elk Viewing, Wildflowers Picking Up

Yesterday was a perfect spring day. The daffodils were blooming, spring frogs were screaming, and two elk herds were in Boxley Valley, each with a very nice bull. 50+ degree temperatures topped it off.

After the first of the year, elk viewing is often at its very best. I have written about that a lot. Yesterday the elk herds were bookends. One herd was near the Ponca Access, and a second all the way down to the south end of the valley near the south trail head to the Upper Wilderness. The viewing conditions could not have been better. Each herd had a big bull present, something kind of unusual after the rut.

Daffodils are blooming. That means the wildflowers are blooming. First a few will bloom, then many will come on as we move into the warm temperatures of next week. My look at the weather map indicates 50+ degree high temperatures for the next week. This is the front end of wildflower prime time.

The 2/16/12 elk viewing map is below:

Wildflower Destinations for Everyone

Spring Beauties Near Kyle's Landing

Surely we are in winter's death rattle. Wild flower season could not seem further away, but it is just a few weeks off now. Time to start planning for your 2012 campaign.

The list of destinations below are for people who don't really want to walk very far.  Here are my recommended hot spots for very easy wildflower viewing and photography -- places where you can drive up and take a short walk to great displays of Ozark wildflowers:

1. Lost Valley Hiking Trail
   It is hard to beat Lost Valley. Park your car and walk the first 1/2 mile and you will see most wildflowers when they are in bloom.  Lost Valley also has toilets.  Further up the trail are two falls and unbeatable scenery.
   
2. Kyle's Landing Access Road
   Hardly anyone knows about this one. Take the road to Kyle's Landing down to the intersection with the road to Camp Orr. Park safely there and walk the road toward Kyle's. This stretch has most of the major species, and it also has Dutchman's Breeches when they are in bloom, a less common wildflower.
   
3. Camp Orr Road (off Kyle's Landing Access Road)
   Not huge blooms along this road, but one rare wildflower -- Hoary Paccoon. You got to love that name. Bright yellow-orange clusters about halfway to your next destination, the Triple Falls at Camp Orr (below).
   
4. Triple Falls (at the end of Camp Orr Road)
   This area is on nobody's list of wildflower destinations, but it loads up pretty well. You will find the flowers in the short hike to the Triple Falls, a pretty nice set of falls. I find different species here in greater concentration than I do in Lost Valley.
   
   Destinations 2,3, and 4 are all basically the same because they are so close together. The difference between them has to do with altitude, moisture and soil. This is an interesting study in micro-climate. It is easy to get many good species pictures and not walk very far at all.
   
   
5. Road to Broadwater Falls

   

   Spiderwort on Road to Broadwater Falls 

   
   Head out of Compton to the flagpole at the Compton Fire Department, turn east toward the park and follow that road. Along this road you will find the best bloom of spiderworts I have seen anywhere. There are pull-offs where you can park and walk.  Also a great place for red buds, wild plums, and dogwoods in season. You will find less common green trillium here as well. Eye-level shots are often possible because of deep ditches next to flower beds. 

Wildflowers will bloom at different dates depending on location, so if you visit you can see a good mixture of species by visiting different locations. Some locations might be a week apart on blooming dates for the same species.  The big show starts in just a couple of weeks.