[Leica] IMG story: Kokanee Slamon

[imagist3 at mac.com (Lottermoser George)]

Wonderful example of
the power of words with photographs
when both contain
knowledge, beauty and experience

can't imagine that
a few more words
would not make this
essay a very desirable
publisher's dream

Fond regards,
George

george@imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com/blog
http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist



On Oct 14, 2008, at 12:27 AM, wildlightphoto@earthlink.net wrote:

> Lake Tahoe's Kokanee Salmon live their entire lives in fresh water,  
> hatching in tributary streams and maturing in the lake itself,  
> returning to the streams to spawn.  This is a small salmon, about  
> the size of a trout.  Lake Tahoe's Taylor Creek is one of the best  
> places to witness the beginning and end of the salmon's life cycle:
>
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/fish/salmon/L1110272.jpg
>
> The salmon pair up in shallow gravelly areas, where the female  
> excavates a redd (a place to lay the eggs) in the stream bottom by  
> using the suction from the upward thrust of her tail to dislodge  
> gravel and silt, where it is carried away by the current.  The male  
> is brighter red; aside from fertilizing the eggs his role is to  
> defend the female's redd from intruders:
>
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/fish/salmon/L1110373.jpg
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/fish/salmon/L1110366.jpg
>
> Among the dangers they face are the many Common Mergansers,  
> attracted by the fish concentrations:
>
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/fish/salmon/L1110265.jpg
>
> The mergansers pursue the salmon under water and use their serrated  
> bills to hold the salmon before swallowing it whole:
>
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/fish/salmon/L1110292.jpg
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/fish/salmon/L1110261.jpg
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/fish/salmon/L1110262.jpg
>
> However the pursuit isn't over just yet.  Other mergansers are  
> interested in discussing rightful ownership of the meal.   
> Apparently the salmon have little say in the matter:
>
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/fish/salmon/L1110343.jpg
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/fish/salmon/L1110334.jpg
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/fish/salmon/L1110335.jpg
>
> The most successful mergansers are those who can swallow the salmon  
> on the run.
>
> Technical stuff: R8/DMR @ ISO 400, lens was either 180mm APO- 
> Elmarit-R or 560mm f/6.8 Telyt
>
> All comments welcome.
>
> Doug Herr
> Birdman of Sacramento
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com
>
>
>
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