Category Archives: Birds
The Smallest Falcon
Friends, this amazing little bird is our smallest falcon, the Kestrel. This female was captured and banded at Hawk Ridge, then released back into the wild on a windy cloudy day. til Tomorrow MJ
Swan Portrait
Friends, this swan is close up and personal, i love their curves; This image was shot in the very early spring in the brown of the reeds and grasses as background, I was able to sit in my car and shoot out the window. They are eating in water that is full of iron, so their neck feathers stain red. By this time of year they are molting into pretty white again, til Tomorrow MJ
Peace and Love
Friends, this morning i am reflecting on peace and love, my new mantra. These swans stopped their attack mode to briefly bond again as a couple. Their way of kissing and hugging. Dedicate this one to Jim, the love of my life, til Tomorrow MJ
Attack Mode
Friends, these Trumpeter Swans are attacking three other swans who have occupied the favorite preening and bathing spot on Phantom Lake in Crex Meadows. I always think of these birds as floating peacefully on the lake, but this image shows the territorial nature of the adults that persists even into fall. The red stained feathers will soon be replaced by fresh white feathers and they will head south. til Tomorrow MJ
Swan Reflection
Friends, another trumpeter swan, landing in the water, creating quite a stir. Our Photo club has a monthly theme of reflections, I like the reflection in this image. til Tomorrow MJ
Peace
Friends, Sunday morning and all is peaceful and quiet on the Crex Meadows. This morning the fog lifted to reveal the Trumpeter Swans sitting (actually standing) on a mirror of water. In the foreground you can see white feathers floating on the water. The swans are doing a lot of grooming, shedding the red stained feathers and regaining their more white appearance. My new mantra is peace and love, peace and love, peace and love, repeated three times to calm my raging spirit, a new day dawns, til Tomorrow MJ
Pleasing Blur??
Friends, a photo contest that i like to enter has a category for pleasing blurs, so i camped by the water and watched this magnificent trumpeter swan stretch his wings. He must have stretched 10 times in the hour that i sat there. I started at shutter speed 1/640 then to 1/500, 1/400 and finally 1/100 to blur the wings but keep the bird head and body sharply focused, does this image work for you? til Tomorrow MJ
Sandpiper
Friends, this pretty sandpiper was busy filling her tank with water critters and didnt notice me sneaking thru the cattails to get close enough to snap her portrait. I like the reflection in the water and that is our theme this month at our local photo club. Maybe I will enter this image. til Tomorrow MJ
Sandpiper Unknown to me
Friends, these three birds are probably a family but i don’t know the sandpipers and have to rely on those experienced birders to help me out. Do you know what sandpiper this is (or plover)??I would appreciate any info you can contribute. These were on Dike 5 in Crex on Friday. til Tomorrow MJ
Making Waves
Friends, these mallard chicks are making their own waves following their mother on the green hues of Lake Superior. They are still covered with down and have no flight feathers yet, hope they grow in soon so they can fly south with their mother. Until then they will be making waves. til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 