Life Behind a Waterfall ~ American Dippers in Zion

This past month has been exceptionally busy for me, so I apologize for not sharing any images and stories in a while! I recently returned from a trip to the Southwest with my girlfriend Aubrey, where we explored some slot canyons, followed by my giving two presentations at the highly successful Sedona Fotofest. On our first day we took it easy and explored Kanarra Creek, just outside Zion National Park in Utah. What once was a quiet canyon has now become a popular summer destinations for locals. However, past the first few obstacles the crowds thinned out and it was even quiet enough that a pair of American Dippers decided to nest behind a beautiful waterfall in one of the narrow sections of the canyon.

Click image for larger view!

Dipper Falls : Prints Available
American Dipper in Kanarra Creek near Zion.

The Tech: Canon 5D2, 24-105mm, tripod
Exposure (bird): iso 1600, f/8, 1/30th
Exposure (habitat): iso 200, f/11, 0.5 sec
Notes: I blended 3 exposures for this image: one for the bird, and two for the canyon at different focus settings. Unfortunately I didn’t check the focus on the wall on the right, but since it is only used for framing I don’t think it detracts much.

The American Dipper is America