Blog Archives
Hummer?
Friends, at first i thought it was a hummingbird, then a huge butterfly, but after closer examination I discovered that i was photographing a moth, a very large moth that hovers like a hummingbird and is similar in size, hence its nickname, the hummingbird moth, it drinks the nectar through a proboscis like a butterfly, a very long straw to drink its soda. Its real name is the white-lined sphinx moth. Below is the moth from the front. til Tomorrow MJ
Baby Ring-bills
Friends, on a hot july day, these baby ring-necked ducks are going for a swim with mom, some call these ring-necked and some call these ring-bills, but this time of the year both the rings are fading away into a summer plummage. The rings are still there but very faint like they have been bleached by the harsh sunshine this time of year. I prefer the name ring-billed cause ring-neck in this part of the country usually refers to a pheasant. Another 95 degree day in the northland. til Tomorrow MJ
Baby woodies
Friends, these baby ducks are young wood ducks, teenagers who are eating all the time, when i drove up and pointed my telephoto lens at them, they ran for mama who was around the corner eating wild rice seed, the black strip behind the eye is the defining mark of young wood ducks and their coloring this time of year serves to hide them well, we are still very green but some of the lily pads are turning fall color, til Tomorrow MJ
one more loon
Friends, this loon chick is now ten weeks old and starting to get some flight feathers, they can dive after some of their food, but the adults are still feeding them to supplement their diet. they are starting to look like loons, have lost most of their chick down and now have a smoother head. They are almost as long as the adults. til Tomorrow MJ
Sunrise at Crex
Friends, sunrise at Crex is a special time, but i don’t often appreciate it cause i haven’t yet ingested enough coffee, but when i wake up and the sun is doing its colorful morning dance, it is a good time to be alive and enjoying the process of taking photographs. A very slight breeze was waving the grass and that produced the ripples in the water. Concentric circles are my favorite shapes.Today i am going to Minnesota to look for tall prairie remnants. til Tomorrow MJ
Whitetail water wading
Friends, this female whitetail deer is eating fresh salad in the marsh, she is also trying to escape the relentless biting flies of the northland summer.She didn’t seem to mind that i was observing and taking her photo, too busy chowing down on fresh food. She is probably a young female because there was no fawn following her, this time of year we start to see the youngsters following their mothers everywhere. til Tomorrow MJ
me and my brother
Friends, these chicks are about 11 weeks old now and getting lots of new feathers. I love their brown eyes and wonder how soon their eyes will turn red like the adults. It was a rough day on Phantom Lake and they love the big waves. Below image shows the feathers at 11 weeks, they may start to fly any day now. til Tomorrow MJ
Loony at 5 weeks
Friends, this loon chick is about 5 weeks of age and spends most of his day floating on the water waiting for one of his parents to feed him. He is still covered with lots of fuzz but has started to shed his fuzz on his head. He is starting to look like a real loon. The tiny bubbles in the foreground are all that is left of the parent who brought the chick food and then dove out of sight. til Tomorrow MJ
Mother and Child Reunion
Friends, sometimes the mother and child reunion is over lunch right here on earth. A sweet scene reenacted over and over again this summer in an effort to raise this bird to adulthood. It is a long journey, longer than most birds, the bald eagle baby has already flown from his nest and is hunting on the marsh. This loon is still being fed by his parents. must have a thing for old songs this week. I will see my own mother this morning after driving 90 miles one way, twice a week come rain (today) or shine. she will probably want to feed me lunch 🙂 til Tomorrow MJ
Sandhills-Fall Migration
Friends, this image is to remind me to get ready for the fall migration of Sandhill Cranes. only sixty days and whirlwind activity again in Crex. til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 