Bird man on a bike

Dennis Evans did what most everyone does when they come across America’s  national bird. He took a photo to preserve the moment.

“I’m a cyclist. I like riding my bike on the bike trail. I had this little pocket camera and I heard about this eagles’ nest,” the retired Port Washington resident said.

Evans found the bald eagle in Amsterdam Cemetery in Oostburg in 2017.

“Right when I went there one came right at me,” Evans said. After the warning swoop, “I just stayed in one spot. I didn’t walk around or anything.”

Eventually, the eagles decided to let Evans be. “They just got used to me. They knew I wasn’t a threat,” he said. “As days went on, I walked around and took shots from different angles. It was pretty cool.”

Evans became so mesmerized he would almost arrive late for his second-shift job at Kapco in Grafton.

“Sometimes I stayed there too long and I had to hurry back. I lose all sense of time. It was probably the coolest thing I had to witness,” he said.

Evans wanted to capture those encounters but realized he needed an equipment upgrade.

In 2018, Evans bought a Nikon D5600. He chose the brand because it’s mentioned in the song “Kodachrome” by Simon and Garfunkel.

He used the lens that came with the kit at first and wasn’t thrilled with the results. He did some research on the best lenses for wildlife photography and added a Nikon 50-300-millimeter lens and a Tamron 150-600 to his arsenal.

His family saw the results and suggested Evans start selling his photos. He set up a stand at the Port farmers market last year and will return to the market June 15 and be there every other week.

“It started turning into a job. I’m retired and it’s a hobby,” Evans said. “When I sell things it supports my hobby.”

Biking took Evans to another bird hotspot. While at Coal Dock Park, he saw birds diving around the corner of the power plant. He soon discovered the We Energies peregrine nest.

“That’s just a treat. We Energies does such a fantastic job with that program. It’s just unbelievable,” Evans said.

Now, he watches the peregrines on the webcam and goes to get their pictures after their eggs hatch.

“They have to feed them. That’s when I go. That’s when they’re more active,” Evans said.

He has seen so many different birds on his travels on the Ozaukee Interurban Trail that he carries two laminated pages of hawks with photos to identify them.

He sees migratory birds coming to or from Canada and Florida, as well as those that tough out Wisconsin’s coldest season —indigo buntings, yellow-billed cuckoos, cardinals, chickadees, snowy owls and a number of duck species.

“Coal Dock Park is one of my better places to take photos, especially during the winter season,” Evans said.

He has learned that old barns are popular hangouts for birds as well. Evans sees a few during his bike trips.

Evans comes across plenty of other wildlife, including foxes and buffaloes, and he got a shot of a 14-point buck. From a tree stand in Forest Beach Migratory Preserve he saw coyotes.

Birds are his favorite subjects, but he likes scenic views as well. Sunrises and Port’s both lighthouses are perfect settings.

Capturing that winning shot isn’t easy. Evans said he experiments with trial and error and is learning every day.

“When you’re taking pictures of a hummingbird there’s no setting. You have to mess around with your aperture and your shutter speed. It can be time consuming to set the camera at the right speed and take at the right time,” he said.

He carries his lenses in saddlebags and usually doesn’t have time to set up a tripod. Wildlife aren’t often great posers.

“You don’t generally have enough time so you have to use auto focus,” Evans said. “They only sit still for so long.”

Evans also encounters two-legged creatures on his treks.

“I meet all kinds of different people. Nice people, actually,” he said. “All kinds. Republicans, Democrats. Most people are interested in wildlife.”

Evans has been interested in biking since he was young. While attending college, it was a cheap way to get around. At 22, a friend suggested taking a trip in his home state of Alaska.

Evans went by himself, traveling from Anchorage to the Canadian border using a road bike on rough terrain.

Evans camped during the night and had no protection such as a gun or spray. He saw moose but “I’m thankful I didn’t see any bears,” he said.

After taking a break from biking to raise a family, Evans got back into the hobby in 2000.

Now, after two hip replacements and rotator cuff surgery, “I had to switch to an e-bike,” the 70-year-old said. “Sometimes I have to use the motor now. That’s all right by me, as long as I’m having fun.”

For more information, search Dennis Evans Photography on Facebook.