Blog Archives
A Rare Butterfly?
Friends, normally you find monarch butterflies all over the Northwestern corner of Wisconsin, but this year they have been scarce in Crex. So i took a little trip south to Fish Lake Refuge on Thursday and in my wanderings, was able to find eight of these on the abundant blazing star flowers. Maybe the second hatch has been successful or my friend, Agogo is releasing a sustaining population. I like the little slash of orange contributed by the backlight on this particular butterfly. Not sure that i like the color scheme, pink and orange, but i like the bokeh. til Tomorrow MJ
Bittern Eye
Friends, I was thrilled to find this bittern only feet outside my vehicle blind. Most of the time, the grasses were interfering with my desired shot, but when i got home and perused my images, this one caught my eye, because of the bird eye. Nice and sharp with his environment totally surrounding him. This bird is always hiding in the grasses. til Tomorrow MJ
Calling Crane
Friends, this Sandhill crane was right by the road when i jumped out to photograph him. I like the feathers in the tip of his bill, he is molting his summer coat stained with red-iron water. Soon he will be handsome gray all over and ready to move further south. Til then we enjoy the flocks of cranes that spend the fall in Crex and surrounding areas. He was calling and i love the red eyes. til Tomorrow MJ
Green Details
Friends, this leaf was backlit this morning and i couldn’t resist trying to photograph. I think all the tiny details are interesting. it is a arrowhead leaf and this time of year it has some white blossoms that are arranged on a stalk. I wanted an image that incorporated both the leaves and the flower, but alas could not do unless i wanted to get very wet. Do you like? til Tomorrow MJ
Portraits of Crex Meadows
Friends, i received a new lens and need to try it out on landscapes. Now I have always considered landscapes of Crex Meadows to be rather uninteresting. The land and the water are very flat and i think that landscapes should reveal layers of color as the eye travels back into the distance with a clear foreground element. This first image is of phantom lake and the second of a willow flat both leading into a cumulus sky. I like the second image because the willows are the foreground leading into the sky, but in the first image I have no clear foreground element and the horizon is dead center. Which image works for you? til Tomorrow MJ
Coming Soon Migration
Friends, soon this will be a common sight in Crex, the Sandhill Cranes flying in to join the larger flocks. They will dance and celebrate the end of summer, the arrival of the fall foliage and the migration of other birds, ducks, hawks, swans and passerines. They will all fly away to the south and leave me here,calling in the darkness of winter, longing for their return. But for now, time to get busy. til Tomorrow MJ
Dogbane Beetle- A Natural History
Friends, a friend (thanks Kathy) pointed out this very colorful beetle to me. It is a dogbane beetle and eats leaves from Dogbane and Milkweed of which we have plenty in Crex. Probably the most noticeable characteristic of this tiny bug is the iridescent glow of color caused by small scales stacked at different angles on top of pigment. The circled areas show the scales as dark dots in lighter circles. One area will have focused scales while an adjacent area will be out of focus. The light bounces around and give the iridescence. These beetles are harmless to agricultural crops in that they only eat the leaves of milkweed and dogbane.
Dancing Lessons
Friends, did your mother teach you to dance, probably not. I learned from a friend, but in the crane world, the adults teach the dancing skills. The youngster on the left is learning from the two dancing in the middle how to celebrate life and rejoice. So for today, dance and teach your children. til Tomorrow MJ
Another Karner
Friends, could not resist showing you one more Karner Butterfly, and endangered specie here in Crex Meadows. This is a better image in that he is perched on a lead plant flower instead of the usual scat perch and the blue spots on his hind wing are showing their iridescent glow. The light needs to be right for those spots to glow and look like abalone. The bokeh is also better than the previous image. til Tomorrow MJ
Morning Dove Call
Friends, this morning dove is calling to its mate with an inflated neck and a yellow sheen on the side of the neck. I had never seen this behavior before this photo, nature never seems to disappoint or cease to be amazing in the discoveries to be made. til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 