Oct 22, 2013
Mention the words ‘fall color’ and most people will immediately think of the red, orange, and yellow hues of an autumn woodland. But there is another brand of fall color that, although a bit more difficult to observe, is no less spectacular in its brilliance. But be forewarned. If you wish to view this unique and regal beauty for yourself, there is no...
Oct 19, 2013
Familiar and seasonably abundant, the ink cap mushroom is hard to mistake for anything else. Also known as the shaggy ink cap or shaggy mane, the ink caps are one of the very last fungi to emerge each year. In Northern Iowa, we’ve had the season’s first hard frosts during the past week. In spite of the cool down, shaggy manes continue to...
Oct 14, 2013
The second segment of this year’s Duck Season began Saturday, October 12. It’s something we always look forward to although during most years, the Second Duck Openers are nothing to brag about. As a rule,the season restart occurs during something of a void. Early ducks have left the country and northern migrants have yet to arrive. ...
Oct 11, 2013
One of the things I love most about the fascinating sport of waterfowl hunting is that once the decoys have been tossed out, you never know what “incidentals” the day may bring. Each new sunrise seems to provide its own unique adventure. This week, I was treated to the sight of some unusual feathered travelers when a group of American...
Oct 10, 2013
Yesterday’s clear skies, cool temps and ripping NW winds put migratory birds on the move. The airways over North Iowa were busy as everything from shorebirds to hawks to warblers made their way southward. When the winds suddenly switched to the south, I hoped newly arriving geese would take a migration break and provide some future hunting...
Born in North Central Iowa, Lowell Washburn has enjoyed a lifelong interest in the out of doors. He began photographing wild birds at age 10, and outdoor photography soon became his passion and eventually a career. Washburn is best known for images that portray migratory waterfowl and other wetland wildlife in their natural habitats. His best photographs are often obtained after spending hours floating amid natural marshlands, half submerged within the dark confines of a floating muskrat house blind.
Upon completing military service as a sergeant with the Fourth Infantry Division in the central highlands of South Vietnam, Washburn returned to Iowa in 1970. His wildlife photos began appearing in Iowa newspapers in 1971 and he began authoring outdoor news columns in 1978. Today, his photos and writing have appeared in over 50 national and international magazines including Outdoor Life, International Wildlife, Field&Stream, Ducks Unlimited, Pointing Dog Journal, the NAFA Journal, and others.
After working as a naturalist for Iowa’s county conservation board system, Washburn was recruited by the Department of Natural Resources in 1984. His primary duties included statewide communication with Iowa newspaper, television, and radio news agencies with a primary goal of increasing the level of public awareness and appreciation for Iowa's natural resources. During his tenure he also served as staff member for the Iowa Conservationist Magazine and for the DNR’s Iowa Outdoors Magazine. Washburn retired from the DNR in 2010.
In addition to wildlife photography, his ongoing outdoor passions include falconry, traditional bow hunting, waterfowling, spending time with hunting dogs of all types, and herpetology.