I find video incredibly difficult to do well - especially using a ballhead on my tripod, and shooting with a camera primarily intended for stills. And working in recent years with George Tsougrianis, a filmmaker, I have developed a new appreciation for what goes into the process. Nevertheless, here is a brief clip of some Sharp-tailed Grouse on their lek, or dancing ground, during spring courtship. I post stills almost every year, but hearing their drumming feet and seeing their moves... that's an altogether different experience.

Shot in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this clip or stills from it on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2024 James R. Page - all rights reserved.

Tags:   Sharp-tailed Grouse Tympanuchus phasianellus wildlife bird gamebird galliformes male courtship display lek dancing ground spring springtime wild prairie Grasslands National Park Saskatchewan Canada copyrighted James R. Page video 2024

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Subsequent to the discussion about how hard it is to photograph swallows in flight... here's a look at a colony of Cliff Swallows. Where do you start? How do you track them? I've never been able to solve this problem. So, instead of a great in-flight close up, during my last visit I shot video.

I don't have an external mic with buffers, so there's some wind on the soundtrack. So it goes.

Really, the most appealing part of this is the chaos, the movement. Maybe next time I'll switch to slo-mo, but this one's at regular speed. Standing there, or on top of the dam, every time I watch this annual show, I just can't wipe the smile off my face.

Shot at the Newton Lake Dam, northwest of Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this video or stills from this video on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2022 James R. Page - all rights reserved.

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Two years ago in April I brought the tripod out onto my front porch to film the wild storm that was blowing through town. The prairie is a land of extremes. When it's sweet, it's very very sweet, and when it turns nasty...

Filmed in Val Marie, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this video or stills taken from it on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2017 James R. Page - all rights reserved.

Tags:   video wind storm blowing hard debris recycling gone street homes spring storm wind storm April wild prairie village Val Marie Saskatchewan Canada copyrighted James R. Page

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And now for something completely different. In more than ten years on Flickr, I've never uploaded a video. This seems like a good moment to do so, as I'll be away most of the day tomorrow, helping celebrate a friend's birthday with a little road trip.

As spring brings the northern prairie to life, the sounds are as welcome as the sights. Here a Marbled Godwit stands alone amid a chorus of frog croaks and birdsong; it's mating season for everyone, and the excitement is palpable.

Filmed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this video or stills taken from it on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2013 James R. Page - all rights reserved.

Tags:   Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa wildlife bird shorebird wetland marsh pond wild prairie frog chorus birdsong video clip excitement mating season! breeding spring sounds Frenchman River Valley Grasslands National Park Saskatchewan Canada copyrighted James R. Page

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