Blog Archives
Time to Go
Dear Friends, with two inches of fresh snow this morning, this will be a common sight on Crex Meadows. The Sandhill Cranes will start to leave for cornfields and marshes further south. I will be sad when they leave, they are better than watching television. But the sun is shining today so guess i will grab my camera and venture outdoors. til Tomorrow MJ
Keeping both eyes open
Dear Friends, this is not a photoshopped experience, it took me about 200 images captured to get these cranes and the moon in a single shot. I found that the secret (for me) was to leave both eyes open so i could see the cranes approaching and leaving the lens on the moon, try it you’ll like it til Tomorrow MJ
Still Laughing
Dear Friends, this elegant Trumpeter Swan had me laughing out loud while he bathed in Phantom Lake. He rolled onto his back and then kicked like crazy trying to right himself, very funny but maybe you had to be there til Tomorrow MJ
Flaps Down
Dear Friends, today i am back to posting color images. This Sandhill Crane is coming into a landing on the marsh and this is by far the best image that i have taken of this natural history moment. Most of the time these cranes are too far away and have too much brush in front to render a good image, but with my 600 mm and the bird being within 20 yards, i was able to show this moment better than in the past, flaps down and landing. til Tomorrow MJ
Day 5
Dear Friends, this original image in color is brown and black, not very appealing, so black and white might make it better, the only regret i have is leaving out the beautiful red eye of this coot in his breeding finery, til Tomorrow MJ
Day 4 : Black and White
Dear Friends, this black and white was taken in the badlands of North Dakota. This storm chased us back in the vehicles but never did rain on us. I am not a lover of black and white photography probably because my career was spent at an electron microscope and in a traditional black and white darkroom. All work was done in black and white, but i accepted the challenge so this is the work for this week. til Tomorrow MJ
Cranes Comparison
Dear Friends, day 2 of black and white challenge and another crane image. Those who know me, know that i spend most of my waking hours in the fall in the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, an area of wild rice marshes. This is a comparison of the adult head (right bird) after preening with feathers raised and a juvenile head (left) who has not been preening. Black and white still has to show something of interest (for me). so til Tomorrow MJ
Dancing in the Drizzle
Dear Friends, accepting the 5 day black and white challenge issued by my friend, Jan. Today was a very iffy day for light so black and white was quite appropriate and as usual the Sandhill Cranes at Crex Meadows, dancing for our entertainment, til Tomorrow MJ
Foliage is Gone
Friends, this is to remind me of the beautiful foliage that is now gone from this place. Crex Meadows in the fall is truly an amazing place and i like to share with you. til Tomorrow MJ
Preening Feathers
Friends, after three days of cleaning up a hacker’s mess, i have finally returned to the land of computer sharing. If you receive a notice from yahoo telling you to update your software, please know that it is a scam to steal your contacts and email. Then they horse up your passwords and send out embarrassing messages saying you are in Istanbul and need cash. I don’t even have a passport. So back to Crex Meadows and this beautiful crane, cleaning her feathers. til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 