Blog Archives
Red Shoes
Friends, I often see Common Merganser females in Lake Superior, but have not noticed their pretty red shoes. This one was resting on the banks of the Yellow River just a few miles north of our home. Enjoy, til Tomorrow MJ
Turtle Eye
Friends, this eye belongs to a Blanding’s Turtle that lives in Crex Meadows. Yesterday we went shooting with some friends from our photo club and this guy was sitting on the road, since the road is not a good place for turtles we stopped and put him in a safe place, but after we all shot some images of his smiling face. That yellow chin is his trademark, til Tomorrow MJ
Hawk Eye
Friends, this sharp-shinned hawk is looking for prey as he cruises above. Actually this image is the result of a little Photoshop magic. His bright yellow eyes tell us that he was a baby this spring and is a hatch year bird. When he is grown, his eye color will shift to orange and then to red. His beautiful chocolate coloring will shift to gray, oooo I could use some chocolate for breakfast, til Tomorrow MJ
The Smallest Falcon
Friends, this amazing little bird is our smallest falcon, the Kestrel. This female was captured and banded at Hawk Ridge, then released back into the wild on a windy cloudy day. til Tomorrow MJ
Swan Portrait
Friends, this swan is close up and personal, i love their curves; This image was shot in the very early spring in the brown of the reeds and grasses as background, I was able to sit in my car and shoot out the window. They are eating in water that is full of iron, so their neck feathers stain red. By this time of year they are molting into pretty white again, til Tomorrow MJ
Peace and Love
Friends, this morning i am reflecting on peace and love, my new mantra. These swans stopped their attack mode to briefly bond again as a couple. Their way of kissing and hugging. Dedicate this one to Jim, the love of my life, til Tomorrow MJ
Attack Mode
Friends, these Trumpeter Swans are attacking three other swans who have occupied the favorite preening and bathing spot on Phantom Lake in Crex Meadows. I always think of these birds as floating peacefully on the lake, but this image shows the territorial nature of the adults that persists even into fall. The red stained feathers will soon be replaced by fresh white feathers and they will head south. til Tomorrow MJ
Swan Reflection
Friends, another trumpeter swan, landing in the water, creating quite a stir. Our Photo club has a monthly theme of reflections, I like the reflection in this image. til Tomorrow MJ
Peace
Friends, Sunday morning and all is peaceful and quiet on the Crex Meadows. This morning the fog lifted to reveal the Trumpeter Swans sitting (actually standing) on a mirror of water. In the foreground you can see white feathers floating on the water. The swans are doing a lot of grooming, shedding the red stained feathers and regaining their more white appearance. My new mantra is peace and love, peace and love, peace and love, repeated three times to calm my raging spirit, a new day dawns, til Tomorrow MJ
Strange Blossoms
Friends, hopping around the tall grass prairie remnant in Iowa last week, we found bottle gentian in a beautiful shade of blue. I photographed from several different angles but liked this one the best because it includes the leaves. These are not buds but are blossoms that are closed on top, Is the grass behind, distracting? til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 