Posts for: SteveS
Jan 31, 2014 09:02:21 #
The Quad-City Times
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EAGLES
The fish launcher
12 hours ago By Kevin Schmidt
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An inventive Clinton man has found a way to bring eagles into focus for dozens of area photographers.
Ken Kester built a giant slingshot to hurl dead fish into the open waters below Lock and Dam 14 in LeClaire, attracting eagles that swoop in and snatch them out of the water.
The fish launcher, as Kester calls it, came about because the current in the river near the parking lot and public area at Lock and Dam 14 changed this year. Photographers used to be able to throw fish in, and the current would swirl around and carry the fish out far enough to where the eagles would come down and pick them out of the water.
The fish launcher slings the fish farther into the channel.
You have to get the fish out there a couple hundred feet, Kester said, into that comfort zone for the eagles.
Conservation officer Jeff Harrison of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said that as long as the fish come from the local pool of water, there is nothing wrong with the photographers throwing the fish out to draw in the eagles.
Harrison said the department would be more concerned if someone were bringing a cooler full of fish from other areas that could be carrying a virus called viral hemorrhagic septicemia, which is a pathogen affecting fish of all sizes and ages.
Kester said the fish launcher is popular with the ever-growing number of photographers who gather daily near Lock and Dam 14. The large number of eagles along the river this year seems to have drawn out the photo enthusiasts who can number from 10 to more than 150 in recent weekends, Kester said.
It brings the birds in and allows more opportunities to get a dramatic shot, Kester said of his invention.
Harrison said, On a nice day, the photographers will be elbow to elbow there at Lock and Dam 14 trying to capture eagle pictures. Its a popular place.
On a personal side," he said, I dont know if I agree with it. Some of these photographs show up in some pretty big magazines, and they are more or less staged.
For his part, Kester, who works in the railroad industry, said photography became a serious hobby in 2000. For the past three years since he became involved with the Quad-Cities Photography Club, eagles have become serious business.
Earlier this week, he kept the eagles and photographers busy, but after about two hours, the eagles stopped dropping in to grab the fish.
I think they got full, he said.
.
EAGLES
The fish launcher
12 hours ago By Kevin Schmidt
.
.
An inventive Clinton man has found a way to bring eagles into focus for dozens of area photographers.
Ken Kester built a giant slingshot to hurl dead fish into the open waters below Lock and Dam 14 in LeClaire, attracting eagles that swoop in and snatch them out of the water.
The fish launcher, as Kester calls it, came about because the current in the river near the parking lot and public area at Lock and Dam 14 changed this year. Photographers used to be able to throw fish in, and the current would swirl around and carry the fish out far enough to where the eagles would come down and pick them out of the water.
The fish launcher slings the fish farther into the channel.
You have to get the fish out there a couple hundred feet, Kester said, into that comfort zone for the eagles.
Conservation officer Jeff Harrison of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said that as long as the fish come from the local pool of water, there is nothing wrong with the photographers throwing the fish out to draw in the eagles.
Harrison said the department would be more concerned if someone were bringing a cooler full of fish from other areas that could be carrying a virus called viral hemorrhagic septicemia, which is a pathogen affecting fish of all sizes and ages.
Kester said the fish launcher is popular with the ever-growing number of photographers who gather daily near Lock and Dam 14. The large number of eagles along the river this year seems to have drawn out the photo enthusiasts who can number from 10 to more than 150 in recent weekends, Kester said.
It brings the birds in and allows more opportunities to get a dramatic shot, Kester said of his invention.
Harrison said, On a nice day, the photographers will be elbow to elbow there at Lock and Dam 14 trying to capture eagle pictures. Its a popular place.
On a personal side," he said, I dont know if I agree with it. Some of these photographs show up in some pretty big magazines, and they are more or less staged.
For his part, Kester, who works in the railroad industry, said photography became a serious hobby in 2000. For the past three years since he became involved with the Quad-Cities Photography Club, eagles have become serious business.
Earlier this week, he kept the eagles and photographers busy, but after about two hours, the eagles stopped dropping in to grab the fish.
I think they got full, he said.
Oct 12, 2013 10:38:42 #
Please tell me whether you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of each one:
The Democratic Party: 44%
The Republican Party: 35%
The Tea Party: 33%
While Fox News' viewers may not like Democrats, they certainly don't like Republicans either. This information does not bode well for Republicans in the 2014 midterm elections.
Maybe my reading comprehension is a little slow, but does the percentage listed reflect a "Generally Favorable" or "Unfavorable" opinion? If it is unfavorable then the Democrats only have a 56% approval rating, compared to Republicans 65% and Tea Party 67%. It's pretty hard to get one answer out of a two part question.
Please tell me whether you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of each one:
The Democratic Party: 44%
The Republican Party: 35%
The Tea Party: 33%
While Fox News' viewers may not like Democrats, they certainly don't like Republicans either. This information does not bode well for Republicans in the 2014 midterm elections.
Maybe my reading comprehension is a little slow, but does the percentage listed reflect a "Generally Favorable" or "Unfavorable" opinion? If it is unfavorable then the Democrats only have a 56% approval rating, compared to Republicans 65% and Tea Party 67%. It's pretty hard to get one answer out of a two part question.
May 22, 2013 09:58:36 #
Feb 21, 2013 09:16:45 #
Dec 10, 2012 09:12:06 #
Briace, while reviewing your photo's, I took extra time looking at the church. I thought to myself, I have seen that before. I spent a lot of time in Shrewsberry, UK during my working years, and visited this quaint little village on a weekend around Christmas in 2003. Your pictures are great, mine not so much as all I had then was a point and shoot.
Dec 5, 2012 08:48:55 #
Sep 20, 2012 09:39:16 #
Visited Moline, IL last weekend for a wedding, so decided to take a walk along the Mississippi River. Only had my phone, but couldn't miss the photo opportunity.
Aug 24, 2012 10:19:16 #
LeClaire, IA is the home town of the American Pickers, birth place of Buffalo Bill, and the Tug Fest (a tug of war across the Mississippi River). Located where Intersate 80 crosses the Mississippi, LeClaire is an old river town with many homes built by the river pilots in the 1800's, and offers some of the best Bald Eagle Photography opportunities in the continental US from December to March each year at Lock and Dam 14 on the Mississippi River
Street View
Mike Wolf's Home
American Pickers
Jul 18, 2012 10:41:01 #
Watching kids play in the sand and water on a beach bring out the youth in all of us.
Yankee Fan
Apr 28, 2012 08:50:35 #
I'm actually closer to Jackson then Dyersburg.
Horseart wrote:
quote=SteveS This is one of the floweres from our... (show quote)
Apr 28, 2012 08:48:18 #
Apr 27, 2012 09:05:50 #
This is one of the floweres from our tree, it is about 50 feet tall, and has more flowers this year then I can ever remember. The size of the blooms are unreal, but don't last long. Your shot of the inside was great.
Feb 26, 2012 08:51:40 #
Jan 7, 2012 12:57:37 #
Actually had to activate Cap Locks, but it worked, Thanks for all the help.
Jan 7, 2012 12:50:39 #
Bought a new large screen computer monitor, and have been having problems with Photoshop ever since. For example, when I try to crop a photo, rather then get a pointer, I get a funny looking symble that is three characters wide and very hard to use. Is this because photoshop has been stretched to fit the new monitor?