Portrait photography is my nemesis. I can never catch the “look” or angle or color or get the exposure correct with people. I do a lot better with birds. Sports photography isn’t portrait photography, but the action dictates the picture. Janet Fleske from Larned is a smashing professional at sports and portraits. I have admired her for a long time. Mike Courson is another genius. Travis Heying and Roy Wentzl in Wichita are spectacular. There are some “under the radar” folks in the Wichita club that my teaching gig at the Osteopathic school has allowed me to meet. Sinh Gibbon is also a seasoned pro as is Jim Griggs. I am so lucky to have met these folks and learned tons of photography from them. Jim Richardson, a National Geographic photographer from Lindsborg, is a class unto himself. We are gifted with some great talent. Mike Blair has set a standard of wildlife video from his little hideout in Pratt. 

So, how do we choose “portraits” in the avian world? It generally resolves down to personal choices. I have a collection of bird images that I enjoy re-visiting periodically. They aren’t all terrific, but they make me happy and you seem to have enjoyed a bunch of them. It’s still hard to believe that we have been doing Marsh Musings for over 10 years. My eternal gratitude to Susan and Linda and all the heroes at the Tribune for all these years. 

Another Christmas is gone. We honor those gone and those around us. Thanks again to our county commissioners. I know what you do now, and it isn’t easy. We are grateful.

Here is a discussion of some of the pictures I have chosen. I hope you enjoy them here as much as you do in the Bottoms. Stay forever vigilant. We had a scare.

Eagles are the top of the heap. We are lucky to have so many coming through with the waterfowl migration. God Bless America! The Whooping Cranes demand a place. Ducks like the Hooded Merganser are so pretty. I have included some of the more unusual birds of our marsh – Upland Sandpipers, Black-necked stilts, some interesting poses by the Great Blue Herons and a few of the ducks and shore birds. It’s hard to believe that the spring migration really isn’t that far away. Prairie Chickens, Ospreys, Cinnamon Teal, Green Herons – aren’t really common but knock you over when you stumble across them.

Let’s stay humble and grateful for our bounty. This is such a unique and wonderful area to live. A big shout out to Curtis Wolf at the Education Center – he has some years on him now. Jason and Hunter and all you guys that keep law and order and fight phragmites and tell me when something good shows up – thanks for your service!

And most of all – thank you to all you folks who read this column and give me so much encouragement. You will never know...

Doc

Doctor Dan Witt is a retired physician and nature enthusiast. He can be reached at danwitt01@gmail.com.