Blog Archives
Noisy Visitor
Friends, this noisy goshawk is leaving the area in a hurry, Goshawks are notorious for the squawking that they do when in hand at Hawk Ridge. This is a first year bird and is used to hollering for food in the nest. His feathers are a bit ruffled as he gathers himself to continue his migration south. Being a woodland bird, these are rarely seen except in the fall migration over Hawk Ridge. The Goshawk count over the ridge is the highest anywhere in the US. So the goshawk has become an icon of Hawk Ridge, til Tomorrow MJ
Sandhill Closeup
Friends, this sandhill crane was very close to the road, so I just had to take his picture, nice portrait, don’t you think? He was rooting in the mud for food but had cleaned off his bill for the photographer. About 12000 of these birds have gathered in Crex Meadows to fatten up before their long flight south. til Tomorrow MJ
Crashing Water
Friends, a visit to Pattison State Park and the waterfalls, this is Big Manitou Falls and just a small segment. I loved the side falls and the lovely green surroundings, evergreens even in the depths of winter. The sound of water crashing down after our brief snowfall was overwhelmingly loud. Can you hear it?? til Tomorrow MJ
On the Way Home
Friends, this scene was on the way home from Hawk Ridge, the tamarack trees are conifers that turn golden in the fall and lose their needles for winter. This old shed was a dramatic contrast to the bright trees and i had to turn around and photograph. Photographers are an endangered specie cause every one thinks they can take an image just as good, but photography is in the creative eye not in the camera. Comment if you agree, til Tomorrow MJ
Snow Bunting
Friends, well our small snowstorm of fall has now disappeared, but the snow buntings have arrived to tell of more snow to come, I love the flocks of these birdies and we see them from now until spring. Hawk Ridge will be closing down their educational branch on Oct 31, but counting will probably continue thru November. Sad to see them go, til Tomorrow MJ
Foxy Sparrow
Friends, not sure of the identity of this birdie, i think maybe a fox sparrow, but not sure. He was busily eating seeds at the Hawk Ridge feeders. No raptors were close by, so i guess he was safe. What is he? tip Tomorrow MJ
ps Tom please call me
Screamin Eagle
Friends, on my way to Hawk Ridge last week, i found a family of Bald Eagles in the trees along the road, they all flew away, but this one stayed to visit with me for awhile. While sitting there, he yawned, but in this image he looks like he is screaming. The leaves are almost gone up north, so now we can see the birds. til Tomorrow MJ
Flying Above Me
Friends, this mature bald eagle flew over my lawn chair while i was sitting on hawk ridge waiting for the raptor migration. This was a wonderful warm sunny day and now the weather has changed to cold, snow and wind. Maybe we will get a very short Indian summer to enjoy the end of the raptor migration. til Tomorrow MJ
Fall Along the Amnicon River
Friends, still exploring the Amnicon River and found this sweet little Maple tree trying to turn into fall colors. After our snow storm of yesterday, the leaves have probably fallen like the leaves on the far bank, camera club meeting tonight and our theme is fall colors. guess i will take this one along. til Tomorrow MJ
Footbridge
Friends, again at Amnicon Falls State Park and this time under the foot bridge with a very mixed bag of light, some of the water in shade and some in bright sunlit spots. A perfect situation for an HDR work. I couldn’t get all the shaded rocks and the sunlit water proper exposures without the HDR tool. HDR stands for high dynamic range and combines the exposures of three images, the first image is shot with optimum exposure, then one image overexposed for dark detail, and the third image with underexposure for the water highlights. I like this, i might hang it on the wall. til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 