Category Archives: Photos

Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

A May Morning Watching Migrating Birds

A beautiful early May morning was begging for my attention as the landscape around me was coming back to life with plants finally leafing out after a long, cold winter and birds returning from their southern hiatus seeming to finally relax a little as the sun continued to warm the air. I was hoping to find a few ducks stopping by a local pond to refuel before continuing North to find a good spot to nest however there were few to be found. In their place were many different types of birds. Some I’ve seen before and others were a new find.

Taking a morning nap on the log

Several of these Lessor Yellowlegs were combing the shoreline looking for their next meal. After initially taking off from the area they quickly returned once I was settled in a downed tree waiting for wildlife to begin moving again. In a short amount of time these shore birds continued on with their tasks with little concern for the new creature invading their temporary place allowing for some nice close up photos as they seemed to continually fight over this particular log jutting out into the shallow water. They were very entertaining!

A warbler coming to see what I'm doing

Occasionally I would have visitors to nearby trees, at times even in the same tree I was perched in. The bird above is a Yellow Rumped Warbler in full breeding plumage. Several of these warblers visited my area, each one unique and beautiful. I would watch for the few seconds they would remain still as they returned my gaze attempting to figure out what I was doing before continuing on in their quest for food.

An inquisative warbler

Throughout the morning a few other warblers flew by and stopped for a brief moment to say hello. At least that’s what it seemed like although the Palm Warbler above seems a bit confused while trying to figure out what this big eye was doing pointed right at it. I’m not sure if it could see it’s reflection in the lens or not. The Yellow Warbler below flew by me multiple times. Finally during one of those passes it decided to land in the tree I was crouched in and gave me an opportunity to get my camera in place capturing a few pictures of it and then it was gone.

After residing among tree branches for over four hours it was difficult to stand up and get walking again. Well worth the morning enjoying a spring day with all of this wildlife moving around me. Over the course of the morning there were some ducks, swans, eagles, a mink, and a deer swimming across the pond to add to all of these birds coming and going. A lot of fun!

 

Yellow warbler passing through

Photos, Troy's Blog

The National Eagle Center

In late March I spent a day Eagle watching in Wabasha, Minnesota during their spring migration. The National Eagle Center has special events during this time of year making the trip there even more enjoyable. They always have Eagles for people to view up close. These have been injured at some point and are unable to survive in the wild, however they allow people to see these large, majestic birds of prey up close. They are impressive!

Bald Eagle residing at the National Eagle Center

These ambassadors include both bald eagles and a golden eagle showing how these two species vary. I could have spent more time just observing these now captive birds as they scanned the area for food and preened releasing some of their winter feathers. Eagles are so enjoyable to watch floating in the air or even just perched in a tree. To be able to do that up close was such a treat.

Falcon

As part of the migration festivities, the Wild Bird Sanctuary brought some other birds of prey to show which was really interesting. One of those birds was a falcon with beautiful colors and fun to watch as it flew across the auditorium from one handler to the next. In addition to the Wild Bird Sancutary, the National Eagle Center had displays which included beautiful photos in their art gallery, US Fish and Wildlife displays of some of the bugs found in that area, and even a little Saw-whet owl on display. What an amazing and friendly little owl.

Saw-Whet Owl

There are a number of displays showing birds of prey and other features of the area landscape these animals live in. Definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in the area!

A Barn Owl

New Experiences, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Returning to the Rookery

This past winter I was talking to some photographers who mentioned a Great Blue Heron rookery (nesting site) relatively close to me and that no matter what the weather, herons begin to return in March. One nice early spring day, the first day of spring in fact, I took some time to stop by and see where this place was and if the herons were indeed returning yet. To my surprise there were many birds already there squabbling over which nest they wanted. There were several nests still unoccupied so I expect there will be more birds migrating to the area as spring progresses.

Searching for the right nest

While watching several pairs of Great Blue Herons it was interesting to observe how they interacted with each other and with other herons in the area. Each checking different nests trying to pick just the right one to raise new little herons and defending that nest from others. I focused on one pair for awhile, watching and photographing some of their behaviors, as I continued to learn more about these larger birds. After checking a few nests thoroughly, they seemed to settle on one. However, that one nest still required some work before it would be suitable to lay eggs into.

Disagreeing on the next quality

At one point there seemed to be a discussion and disagreement over an aspect of this nest which you can see from the photo above. I couldn’t tell what the issue was but the result was one of the herons flying away from the nest to find solitude in the river banks below. The picture below shows the Great Blue Heron taking off from the nest while the other one continues to inspect parts of the potential nest. While away, the remaining bird made some adjustments to the sticks improving this chosen nesting site.

The disagreement escalates as one of the Herons leaves the nest

Five minutes later this heron returned to the nest and the pair seemed to make up and act as though they missed one another. For a couple of minutes they spent time kind of cuddling with one another before returning to the task of re-enforcing their nest. In the picture below you can see them with their heads crossed almost as if they were hugging. Maybe this is just some sort of method of checking out if they had been near another bird or reconnecting their bond. Whatever it was it was interesting to witness.

After some time the Heron returns and they display affection towards one another

Part of reconstructing their nest involved flying to another vacant nest, and stealing branches that could be used on their own nest showing why getting to the rookery earlier in the year was beneficial and worth risking exposure to bad weather which could include snow. And lots of it!

Pillaging other nests for sticks to repair their own nest

It’s interesting to watch as they would check several branches for just to right one for their own nest. Once the branch was chosen they would, not so carefully remove it from the nest and fly back with it in mouth.

Returning to their nest with another stick stolen from a different nest

After several sticks added and repairs were made, the nest was deemed suitable allowing for some rest before the real work of raising young arrived.

The nest is finally complete and it's time to rest

New Experiences, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Spring Eagle Migration

A couple of weeks ago I spent a Saturday in Wabasha, Minnesota photographing Bald Eagles as they return north after the cold winter. The National Eagle Center in Wabasha tracks Eagle numbers throughout March and the count for this weekend looked really good provided many opportunities to watch these magnificent birds of prey. After finishing my commitments on Friday night I quickly ran around the house gathering equipment and gear I might need for a day along the Mighty Mississippi tracking and photographing Eagles.

Awaking well before dawn, on a short nights rest, I got my remaining gear and some food together and headed out the door. It was just after 4:45am which would give me enough time to make the nearly 2 hour drive to Wabasha and arrive there to see the sun rise above the horizon as Eagles begin to take to the sky for the day. It was a nice day for an adventure with temperatures reaching above freezing making for a comfortable day outside without excessive layers of clothes. The drive went by quickly with the horizon beginning to cast light into drifting clouds as I got closer bringing out some beautiful pinks in the sky. Reaching the first stop for the day at Reeds Landing, the sun was only moments from breaking above the trees across the river. Getting set up to take some pictures of the sunrise, Eagles were already flying above distracting me from the first mornings’ light.

Sunrise over the Mississippi River

While the sun continued to rise I attempted to capture an Eagle in the photo as they flew overhead but was unsuccessful as it was still too dark and the Eagles turned out blurry so I returned to focus only on the sunrise for the time being. One of the nice things about Eagle watching at that time of year is if you see a large bird, it’s likely an Eagle. During much of the summer I’m often fooled by larger birds that turn out to be Turkey Vultures and then disappointed. In a short time the light from the rising sun increased enough to begin capturing birds in flight. Just at that time a young one flew into view heading right in my direction. Focusing the camera on it I began to snap away getting some beautiful photos as it got closer. The result is the picture at the top of this post.

Looking through the trees

The biggest challenge of photographing these Eagles is to find a spot to get close enough for some great photos. Often times they will fly away from you or land on the other side of the river where they are too far away to get great shots. Even with that, opportunities did become available from time to time. The trick was to be ready and have the camera settings right for the situation. Sometimes it works out and other times I was frustrated with a blurry shot wanting to slam the camera and lens to the ground. All in all it was a lot of fun to photograph these beautiful birds and watch as they interacted with each other and flew overhead. Listening to their calls, which sounds very little like the sounds you hear on TV shows, wondering what they’re saying to each other. Sometimes they called one another to the tree they’re in and other times it was letting anther Eagle know they are not welcome to land in that tree. But many of the calls I couldn’t figure out the purpose of.

Soaring in the blue sky

After awhile the Eagles seem to move away from an area requiring getting back into the vehicle to search for more elsewhere along the river. There are several nests in this area also. These are quite impressive to see as they’re so large. Almost like a tree fort. All of this just for an little Eagle or two. These nests are constructed over several years, increasing in size each time. There was one nest being guarded by an Eagle giving some perspective on how large the nest is.

Watching over the nest

Throughout the day there were many Eagles soaring in the warming sun. Every once in awhile there would be a couple of birds arguing over a particular fishing spot or certain territory in a tree or on the remaining ice along the river making for some interesting and entertaining behavior. Several times I attempted to capture this with the camera but often it was over before I could capture the event. There were a few that I managed to photograph but they were often far away allowing the Eagles to avoid a close-up shot. The picture below is one of the best shots I managed to capture. These two were arguing over this location on the ice. It lasted for less than a minute.

Fighting for ice space

As the day got later I continued to work on capturing an Eagle swooping down to catch a fish. Unfortunately I had little success. The bird, captured below, has a fish in it’s talons while heading to a tree away from all the other birds to feast without being disturbed by another Eagle trying to steal the fresh meal. I watched this one gliding over the water and then circle around before plucking a fish out of the river all the while snapping away. Unfortunately those pictures are all a little blurry and the actual moment of catching the fish was missed. I have a photo of the Eagle touching the water and another one just after it caught the fish. While it’s nice to see those shots, it’s also disappointing as they are not great compositionally or completely in focus. Something to continue to work on. Even after this bird caught the fish I didn’t stop tracking it and luckily I didn’t. It ended up flying almost overhead as it headed towards the hills behind me giving me more opportunities to grab a picture with a fish in the talons.

Retreating to a treat to feast on a freshly caught fish

Near the end of the day the light was getting too low for good picture taking of the Eagles so I headed to a spot to enjoy the last rays of the sun for the day before making the trek back home. Thankfully it was a beautiful sunset over the vast Mississippi River as you can see in the small Panorama below.

Sun setting over the Mississippi from above

Exploring, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Playing with the Deer

Decided to go and explore Fort Snelling State Park hoping to see an owl or some other type of wildlife to photograph on a mid-February Saturday. The park was quite busy as many others were taking in the day snowshoeing, skiing, or just hiking like I was. As the day came closer to an end deer began showing up scrounging in the snow for food. It was fun to watch as they dug around slowly pushing aside snow here and there and then  moved on to the next spot. I didn’t seem to really bother them which gave me the opportunity to photograph them on their journey.

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There wasn’t much in the way of color besides the brown of the deer and trees against the white snow. This seemed like a great opportunity to play with black and white photography. It really seems to bring out the snow on the nose of this deer and the texture of the bark in the trees in the background. Amazing how small the deer appears when compared to the large trees behind it. You can tell there is a fair amount of snow on the ground as it goes up around the deer’s legs making it more challenging to get from place to place.

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Turning behind me I happened to catch this deer chewing on a stick which was entertaining for me. It seemed like the deer wanted to break the stick off but was unsuccessful in doing so. Still an interesting look on it’s face. While deer tend to be pretty common at this Minnesota State Park it was still fun to see them and photograph a few working on different techniques and compositions while they slowly meandered by on a nice winter afternoon. Temperatures rose into the 20’s Fahrenheit which felt really nice after weeks of much colder weather. The deer seemed to be enjoying a warmer day also.

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Ice and Snow, Photos, Troy's Blog, Winter

A Beautiful Frosty Morning

Frost covered landscape as the sun rises

An early March morning as a hint of light entered the sky, long before the sun would rise, I noticed something different as I looked out the frosty window. While the furnace fought another below zero morning I peered outside and saw a white coating covering everything outside of the house walls. Immediately I could tell it was the beginning of what should be a spectacular sunrise as the fresh coat of snow glistened from the suns rays. Do I head out with the camera to endure another cold morning or stay in the warmth and type away on the computer? Initially I was not interested in venturing out in the cold for yet another time as it was Saturday and I didn’t have anywhere to go but I did have a number of projects on the computer to work on. My mistake was glancing back outside one more time on the way to the desk and my plans for the day were changed. It was too beautiful even in the dimly lit sky for me to stay home. Besides, the camera was already in the chilled car ready to go.

Frost dangling from a cattail

It only took a few minutes to travel to a nearby park once I had all of my winter gear wrapped around me making each step feel like a flight of stairs. Along the drive I got lost in the incredible views surrounding me as an amazing frost coated most of the scene with ice crystals I didn’t recall seeing before in my life. Arriving at the park I saw the parking lot ahead of me was not plowed, but a few vehicles had entered creating a path so I followed it into a spot just before the sun breached the horizon. Quickly getting out of the car to grab the camera I headed to a place to capture the mornings first rays barely even noticing the cold surrounding me. Every step brought another unique frost crystal attempting to distract me from my destination for the sunrise. Once the sun had moved above the horizon I was able to turn my focus back to these beautiful ice formations. A few pictures told me my success would be very limited without a tripod to steady each shot on. Unfortunately, in my haste earlier in the morning I left the car without it so now I either needed to trudge back through the deep snow or continue snapping away holding the camera as steady as I could with my hands. Knowing I would not be happy with my photos unless they were clear and sharp I decided the tiring trip back to the car would be necessary and besides, in this cold the frost crystals were going nowhere.

Hoar frost flower

Returning as quickly as possible, the tripod was set up with the camera on top of it ready to capture this amazing frost covering trees and shrubs everywhere. Seeing these crystals through the lens magnifying them even more to bring out their incredible structures. I began to lose track of time focusing on each branch making up the hoar frost showing its multiple layers combining together in each crystal. All of that time photographing snowflakes has now become very useful in trying to capture the details of this frost. These ice crystals where much larger and more complex than most snow flakes though and photographing them close up made it difficult to keep each portion in focus. Thankfully it remained bitterly cold so the frost persisted throughout the morning giving a lot of time to try different compositions to capture the beauty up close.

Frost among the leaves

As I examined each ice crystal I could see the various layers as they developed through the night. How long did it take to create these I wondered. Are they still forming even during the morning light when they typically begin to disappear? Why are there different shapes along each branch? Some portions where rounded while others where more squared off. From a distance they appear white but when viewed up close they are clear while they no longer reflect the light that makes them look white. So interesting to study. As the morning continued on, the wind began to blow making the frost crystals more difficult to capture in focus but I continued on since this type of winter display doesn’t happen very often. I think the Northern Lights appear more frequently. Eventually I did have to stop photographing the frost to return home and work on projects which were waiting for me. Getting up before dawn and enduring the cold were all worth while just to experience such a beautiful phenomenon. Thank goodness for heat packs!

 

Flowers, Photos, Troy's Blog

Beginning to Grow

Walking through a store recently I couldn’t resist all of the seed packets on display so I had to pick a few out. Its been years since I started seeds indoors and I really do love watching them as they grow. They’re amazing in how they can be so hard like a rock and a few days later soften and produce a strong root and little leaves to begin life. Cold, snow, and ice are starting to get dreary so adding some life is much desired as March begins. These are annual Centaurea otherwise known as Bachelor Button. For some reason this is a flower I really enjoy and tends to do well in the cooler spring temperatures. All of these roots quickly growing out of a seed to provide the plant with water and nutrients just amazes me.

In the image below I found this little seedling with the seed covering still attached very interesting. There are so many textures in that seed shell which have expanded with all of the moisture in the soil. It’s a little on the purple side because of the LED lights they are grown under. I start them under a fluorescent lights usually but this time I added a few LED lights as well to see what difference they may make. These are all on a timer giving the a set amount of light each day. I believe they stay on for 10 hours a day which seems to be a good pace of growth without taking an exorbitant amount of electricity. In a few short weeks they will be put outside as temperatures allow. I will begin acclimating them to the higher light intensity of the sun once nighttime temperatures stay at freezing or above as these can tolerate the cooler nights.

Beginning to emerge

Ice and Snow, Photos, Troy's Blog

Snowflakes Are Amazing

As the snow really started to pile up in February there were several opportunities to examine these little ice crystals and become mesmerized by their unique shapes and patterns. Often times I would be concentrating on things I needed to get done, one of which was shoveling all of this fresh snow, and if I took just a moment to look at a few snowflakes I was distracted for hours. I would drag out the camera and shoot away trying to capture each little detail of each flake among the never ending supply falling from the sky. Eventually the cold and the clock would end my session forcing me to wait until the next snowfall.

Snowflake edged in white frost

Once getting them on a computer I could examine each one even closer and study how they formed. What conditions were needed to create these? Were the conditions changing while a snowflake was being made? When multiple snowflakes landed together were they connected or just collided in the sky before settling down on my surface? I was constantly amazed at how different snowflakes look depending on what the temperature was outside.

Snowflake with many arms

Even within the same snowfall the snowflakes would change in appearance multiple times. Sometimes they would be large, branched crystals with ice drops frozen on the edges while other times they would be clear with amazing patterns and at different times they would be fairly non descript pieces of ice. In most forms they are fascinating to look at up close and very challenging to photograph because of their typically small size. Trying to get the entire snowflake in focus is often extremely difficult, if not impossible, unless the snowflake and camera are completely parallel to one another. Still, most of the time, they can be looked at in fine detail and their patterns can be interpreted.

Skinny snowflake

One of the challenges with snowflakes is trying to figure out if there is just one or if there are multiple snowflakes stacked on each other. Which layer is currently in focus? A slight adjustment in focus can be the difference in seeing the snowflakes detail or having it be slightly blurry. Once everything appears sharp than keeping the camera and snowflake perfectly still is required. Hopefully the wind does not blow while taking the picture. All of this needs to be done outside in order to keep the ice from melting and losing any of its detail. While snowflakes are a challenging subject, the results are often worth the effort for each one. Usually over the course of an hour I can photograph four different snowflakes so it is not a quick process.

Clear snowflake

Ice and Snow, Photos, Troy's Blog

Carvings Made of Snow

After seeing a beautiful sunrise shining some rare sunshine through ice sculptures, I headed to another location to see the creativity brought out using huge blocks of snow. They were not disappointing! The talent possessed by people willing and able to create amazing works of art from snow is so impressive. The amount of time and energy spent during the coldest time of year, and this year provided some brutal cold weather during the carving days, to show off designs was well appreciated by many during a brief warm up. On this particular Saturday afternoon the temperature soared above freezing for a few glorious hours allowing for a comfortable time outdoors.

In the tub

Near the entrance to the sculpture park there was a large Tyrannosaurus Rex guarding a maze created entirely of white snow while welcoming visitors to the creative expressions on display for only a few weeks. In front of the T-Rex was the St Paul Winter Carnival emblem, also carved of snow, declaring this area property of the winter carnival. Such amazing detail to be viewed for only a short period of time. It’s almost disappointing for these artists to put so much time into their creations and have them disappear a short time later. Continuing on around the area I came upon a sculpture of a cabin with someone lost in the comfort of a tub full of water snoozing the day away. The ability of the people carving to show such a 3-D depiction covering both sides of this wall separating outside from inside is so impressive right down to the scrub brush sitting in the window.

Scanning the refrigerator

One of the most entertaining snow sculptures, for me, was this young person staring into an open refrigerator while scratching their head. I really enjoyed many of the details from this carving from the shelves on the refrigerator door to the cabinets on the wall right down to the brick on the wall behind those cabinets. It reminding me of the numerous times I’ve been searching for some edible treasure during a warm summer day as alluded to by the shorts and t-shirt worn by this person entranced by what was going on inside this appliance. Walking around to the other side of this snowy creation you begin to understand the quizzical stance of this young person. The contents of this mechanical ice box appear to have broken out and where having a friendly gathering on the other side of the wall. That would make any of us stand their in amazement to come across such an event.

Inside the Refrigerator

Ending my time in the snow sculpture park was Snoopy as the Flying Ace a top his dog house. Who doesn’t love this iconic scene from a number of Peanuts episodes? Standing back and just watching as others meandered around these amazing works of art seemed like a good memory to make the return trip to my car with. Seeing all ages examining each carving, pointing, commenting to whoever they arrived here with, and photographing each one seemed like justification enough for each artist to do what was required of them to show their beautiful pieces of work for such a short time. While an artist often sees their work as they envisioned it instead of how it actually is, focusing on each flaw and how it should have been better, the spectators see such impressive displays of creativity and dedication that allows us to view each piece through our own lens and imagination.

The Flying Ace - Snoopy

Ice and Snow, Photos, Troy's Blog

Ice Sculptures

Every year St Paul hosts a winter carnival which includes a number of outdoor winter events including parades, competitions, snow sculpting, and ice carvings. This winter many of these events took place under extremely cold conditions but the participants are determined and came out in below zero conditions with strong winter winds to make their beautiful creations. On the last weekend of the carnival things warmed up along with a clearing sky so I made the trek to the Minnesota capital city to see some of these icy art pieces just as the sun rose over the Mississippi River. It was absolutely spectacular – a peaceful start to a rare, warm early February day.

Sun peaking through the ice carved sun

Several other people had the same idea. All in an energetic mood on this beautiful morning exchanging brief conversation as we rotated between the ice sculptures photographing them in the morning light. I’m always amazed at the abilities some creative people possess. Able to envision these sculptures in their minds and transfer those visions to ice blocks in such detail. All of this done in dangerous temperatures where removing a glove can result in frostbite in mere minutes with little sleep while chipping away at these ice blocks for 48 hours. As the sun continued to move above the horizon it lit up this sun carved from the ice making a beautiful backdrop for the rest of this sculpture.

The past and the future

Out of all of the amazing pieces crafted from simple blocks of clear ice, I think this one is my favorite. The details in it are spectacular as with all of the carvings but what caught my attention was the theme. A caterpillar looking through the glass at a butterfly which is staring back. The meaning of it is what really speaks to me. One seeing the future while the other is looking back in history at what it once was. Something I believe we often have the opportunity to do if only we take the time to see it. It can be seen in the generations before us and after us, with our own family and friends and in our ownselvs. That’s what makes these creations so amazing is what each person sees in them that is unique.

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Moving down the line, this was another one of my favorite ice carvings. The details where incredible creating a beautiful ice statue but my interest in watching herons makes this one more personal to me. Seeing the warm morning sun diffracting through the bumps and ridges of theses sculptures is so interesting. Another carving was of a dinosaur. I think it’s a velociraptor but I’m not sure. The snow resting on some of the grooves while others remain clear brings some great depth to the whole piece. Did the carver intend for this and plan it before beginning?

Face of a dinosaur

The final ice statue is called Aquaman Riding a Seahorse. This one won first place and seemed really popular among the viewers while I was there. Only the seahorse is visible in this photo as that was the portion that retained my attention the most. The clarity of the ice and the details of the head were so intriguing with the teeth, eyes, and snout. There were several other ice carvings and all showed amazing artistic skills. A fun way to spend a morning in downtown St Paul.

Seahorse which is carrying Aquaman