Salmon and Trout on the Run

It's that time of year again when the Salmon and Trout start their journey upstream to spawn. I like to go to Central Park in Mishawaka, Indiana to watch the fish attempt to jump the dam. Even though there is a fish ladder that makes life easier for them, they still have to find the ladder. I spent several hours just sitting by the dam trying to capture a jump and this is the only good shot I was able to get. It's harder than I thought it would be.

There are several different species of trout making the run at this time of year. I believe this is a coho salmon. There is several more weeks of this run and there will be more activity as the water temperature gets colder. With more rain coming in will allow some of the larger fish to make the jump successfully.

There was more wild life than I had expected while waiting for the fish to attempt a jump of the dam. I was sitting on the break wall by the dam and a flash of bright blue caught my eye and this King Fisher flew out to a branch of some drift wood in the river. Really exciting since I have never seen a King Fisher.

I was able to get lots of photos with my new Pentax k-r DSLR and I was amazed at how skilled a fisher this little bird, no bigger than a bluejay, went for dinner in this fast moving water of the St. Joseph river.

I had the pleasure of his company for about 20 minutes. He caught his dinner and move back to the drift wood branch in the river and flew away on up the river out of sight.

I especially like this photo of the King Fisher in the tree on the bank of the St. Joseph River before he spotted his dinner and with one attempt had fish in beak.

Well it's still raining so it maybe a day or two before I can attempt another shoot along the St. Joseph River. I might try the Twin Branch dam next time.

Please post some comments if you have some suggestion or critiques on my photos. The day was overcast most of the time and it was difficult to get a good white balance. I do need to invest in some pocket grey cards.