Blog Archives

Meeting of the Minds

meeting of the mindsDear Friends, last night just a sunset (with no sun visible) we found a small flock (10-12) of white pelicans floating on a pond in Crex Meadows.  I had to shoot at a very high iso, so sorry for the noise, but could not resist this image.  They do not stay, just passing through. til Tomorrow MJ

Spring is Here

01,WC185,DJ,Swans Return

Dear Friends, the ice has melted and the Swans now have a place to land, courtship displays will begin soon and i will be back in the swamp chasing elusive images or the birds.  Hope to see you out there, til Tomorrow MJ

Day Seven Nature Challenge

swan wing over young giclee copy copy

Dear Friends, this is an image from my archives that i titled Father’s Day, This particular swan pair used to bring their cygnets right up to the road and sometimes i saw them on the road.  They reached adulthood successfully and they were not banded so who knows where they are now. til Tomorrow MJ

Day Five Nature Challenge

cranes head crop adult and juvenile

Dear Friends, I initially thought that this image would show a comparison between the adult crane and a first-year juvenile, but it also illustrates the ruffed feathers versus the smooth appearance.  The ruffed look is usually seen after preening during the fall molt of feathers.  til Tomorrow MJ

Day Four Nature Challenge

01,WC185,DP,Sunset Cranes

Dear Friends, the Sandhill Cranes of Crex Meadows have always been one of my favorite subjects, every fall thousands of cranes gather here and fly into a roost site at sunset.  This iconic image is one of my all time favorites. til Tomorrow MJ

Day Three Nature Challenge

01,WC185,DN,Feeding the Youngster

Dear Friends, almost forgot to post my nature challenge image for the third day.  This adult is still feeding the chick when he is six weeks old, loves his minnows, til Tomorrow MJ

Mourning Summer

0804mjsDear Friends, i am in mourning, i love summer and all the colors that our warm weather brings, now the fall is gone, winter and the blues of ice and snow are pending.  Christmas is coming so i am momentarily distracted by family activities and all that is good, but when the cold sets in and the temps reach the minus range, i hate going outside, but i force myself and bundle up my body to fight the cold, i can stay out until my camera freezes, then i am out of luck, so til Tomorrow MJ

Teaching the Dance

01,WC185,DC,Cranes on the FieldDear Friends, this image is a composite of two images, but typical of dancing cranes, i love it when they dance in the fall, you can see in the top bird a small piece of corn in the beak being offered to the ground bird, sometimes they will toss a small piece of ground clutter into the air as they jump, i don’t have that image yet which is why i keep trying, a fascinating ritual, sometimes the youngsters will imitate the adults, so teaching the dance til Tomorrow MJ

Crane Dance

0310mjsDear Friends, these cranes are jumping for joy or are they jumping to stay warm, either way, they appear happy, on a sunny morning in the corn field with light shining through their wing feathers. Are you jumping for joy this morning? I haven’t had enough coffee yet. Soon til Tomorrow MJ

My Best Dancing Cranes

01,WC185,DN, Dancing CranesDear Friends, this is my best dancing cranes from this year, the fluffed up feathers make this image unique, this is a staring match , and the first bird to blink, well, that is my take, til Tomorrow MJ