Category Archives: wildlife

An Early Spring Day

April 12, 2020 Troy

With many people taking shelter in theirs homes, the need to get outside for a little change is needed more and more. Fortunately getting out for a walk is encouraged when possible causing parks to be very popular places now. I’ve been able to explore a few places nearby on weekends and I’ve never seen these places so busy. Parking lots are full beyond capacity and signs of people out in nature are visible on many trails with napkins or tissues littering the ground. Whether it’s intentional or accidental I’m not sure. Wildlife must be a little confused on why their normally quiet places are now over run with people out wondering through. Hopefully they can still manage to find calm places as they prepare to raise their newborns soon. While joining these people out visiting nature, I’m reminded of why spring is such a great time of year to view wildlife.

Typically things become a lot more active as birds are migrating north and other creatures are emerging from hibernation. In addition leaves have not yet sprouted making them easier to locate. You can almost see these creatures enjoying a beautiful day taking in the suns rays finally warming up after enduring many cold months. While perched next to my car trying to find a little warmth myself on this cold morning, it was 19 degrees when I arrived, I noticed a large bird take off from a dead tree that I hadn’t noticed before. It flew a short distance and landed on the ground acting kind of like a Northern Harrier Hawk to me. A few minutes later it lifted from the ground returning to its form perch. By this time I had the camera pointed towards it capturing a photo of it landing again. When I went to view this picture on the camera screen I was surprised to identify this bird as a juvenile Eagle. Another surprise when viewing this picture was that another Eagle was also perched in this tree on a branch below.

Watching these Eagles for awhile became less interesting as they just stood their doing what appeared to be a whole lot of nothing. After awhile I caught movement in the sky above me which turned out to be an adult Eagle. I focused the camera on this Eagle in the sky and watched as it approached these two young birds. With appeared as though it wanted to land on this same tree which seemed a bit strange to me as Eagles tend not to want to be that close to other birds during the spring and summer. With only a quiet sound it came in for a landing and the two juvenile Eagles took off. Almost as if the adult was telling the young ones to get out and do something you lazy birds. They began flying around circling the adult a few times and then disappeared. As I continued my drive a little while later, I found these two lazy birds perched in another tree away from where the adult was. It brought a smile to my face thinking that Eagles have to motivate their young from time to time also.

Earlier in the morning I stopped to explore a prairie area looking for the earliest spring blooms of a Pasque flower. It was my goal the week before, along with finding colorful mushrooms, but I did not succeed in locating a plant in bloom as it was a bit too early yet. The trail had some heavy frost on it confirming the cold entering my hands and nose. It was beautiful but not the awe inspiring frosts I’ve seen before. Again I must be too early. No sign of the beautiful Pasque flower even thinking about raising it’s light purple blooms towards the sky. My short hike continued through the prairie without seeing any signs of life but still enjoying all the birds chattering in the trees nearby.

As I continued on my journey through the park I encountered some Sandhill Cranes. These are such fascinating birds to me and I just love watching and listening to them whenever there’s a chance. During the fall migrations through this same area there will be thousands of these birds congregating together but now they mostly stay in pairs warning other cranes this is their territory at the moment. My first indication that other cranes where flying nearby was the head raising squawks of those on the ground I was watching. Fortunately I was able to capture such a moment as two Sandhill Cranes were crossing the road in front of me.

Those cranes continued on into the nearby wetlands where they’re commonly found pecking here and there at what must have been things to eat. They made a wide circle around me eventually continuing on to wherever it was they wanted to go. Meanwhile I just stood next to my car glancing now and then in their direction and occasionally lifting my camera to capture a shot. My goal is to disturb wildlife as little as possible so I try not to chase after them attempting to get a better picture. I would rather miss a shot and let the animal stay calm when possible. Patience is often rewarded as these cranes paused in some nice sunlight allowing me to grab a few photos of them before they moved on. I could have stayed here all day just watching and listening as the animals continue to meander around.

Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

A May Morning Watching Migrating Birds

May 25, 2019 Troy

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.

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!

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.

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!

New Experiences, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Returning to the Rookery

April 21, 2019 Troy

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

New Experiences, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Spring Eagle Migration

April 7, 2019 Troy

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Exploring, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Playing with the Deer

March 30, 2019 Troy

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.

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.

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.

Exploring, Troy's Blog, wildlife

In Search of Winter Birds

February 3, 2019 Troy

It take a lot of motivation to purposefully venture out in subzero temperatures with a brisk north wind blowing. Getting up before the sun on a cold January morning seemed like a good idea until the alarm goes off and you see exactly how cold it is outside of the window. And to voluntarily do that on a weekend is not always the most thrilling way to spend those dark hours unless there’s something you’re looking for more than sleep. The motivation this morning was to find birds that migrate to this area for the winter. It does seem a little weird that birds fly to Northern Minnesota during the winter. This day began at –15 degrees Fahrenheit with wind making it feel more like –30. Once again would the vehicle start at these temperatures? Turning the key created some noise under the hood but nothing near starting, at first. A few revolutions of the starter and the engine came back to life but you could hear the hesitation as it whined as if it was begging to be turned off until a warmer day. Sax Zim bog was the destination which is world renown for winter birding. Nearing the bog the temperature had dropped to –25 degrees with a slight wind making it seem much colder. Would the birds even be moving in this cold? How will the camera function?

Arriving at the bog there wasn’t much for signs of life however there were tracks all over the place bringing promise to the adventure. The goal of this day was to witness the Snowy Owl which travels here from the artic during the winter. There had been posts online showing Snowy Owls so they were in the area but finding them may be a bit of a challenge. The morning was spent driving to the “hot spots” searching on top of power line poles, hay bales out in fields, and scanning fields for any sign of an owl possibly snagging breakfast. No success! As the morning grew longer it was time to focus on other birds that fly into the area. Fortunately there’s a nice map showing where people feed these winter birds and where owls may be present other than the Snowy. A couple of other owls on the list to see were the Hawk Owl and Great Gray Owl both known to be in this area. Until I saw Sax Zim Bog myself it seemed rather odd that people set up elaborate feeding stations during the winter so that people from all over the United States and the world can see these magnificent birds. While heading to a promising group of bird feeders I spotted something out of the corner of my eye that didn’t seem to fit the roadside which has been flying by. Quickly stopping and looking more intently, there just sitting by the side of the road was a Pine Marten. I did not even expect to see one of these here. The first opportunity to see if the camera and lens would cooperate with a nice photo. Slowly the camera turned on and became ready to photograph but the lens had other ideas. Focusing was not one of them. The auto focus was extremely sluggish and having difficulty finding something to key in on. After a little time it did finally get close to focusing on the Pine Marten but still didn’t get it as sharp as I wanted. A few shots and the Pine Marten decided it was time to retreat back into the trees it had come from. That was a little disappointing start with the camera but a great start to a day of exploring the frigid bog.

Continuing down the road there was a couple of cars stopped and talking with one another. What could they be discussing? Eventually they parted ways continuing on down the road and stopped to inform of a Northern Hawk Owl located just down a ways. Turning around to follow these new found birding friends until they stopped and discovered several other cars parked in this area just along the side of the road. There was a trail, which had been discussed earlier if that should be explored further, leading off into the forest. Now there was a great reason to follow the footprints of others into the unknown area. Spending a few minutes collecting the necessary clothing and camera equipment in an effort to stay warm while hopefully capturing a nice photo of this owl. Following the two people that pointed out this spot into the snow covered forest searching for an owl perched where it had been seen before but this day there was no owl. A couple of other bird enthusiasts were walking in the opposite direction on the trail able to provide more encouragement explaining the owl was a little deeper today but it would be obvious where because of all the other large cameras pointed towards it. They were right! Getting close the first thing visible were cameras perched on tripods each hold what appeared to be cannons but were really just very large lenses. The kind that could pick out a mosquito from 100 yards away. Following the direction of these and there it was – a Northern Hawk Owl! A beautiful bird watching over the landscape. Almost like it was entertained by the constant motion of people traveling to this one area and then stopping like there was some sort of invisible wall preventing them from going any further. As a courtesy to other photographers and birders no one wanted to risk getting too close and spooking the owl.

Retreating from the cold forest back into a warm vehicle, it was time to venture to some feeding stations and discover what kinds of birds were out today. Slowly approaching the first one, there was all kinds of activity there but it was difficult to see exactly what types of birds where fluttering about because of the shade protecting their identities. After a few minutes they moved into more light revealing Evening Grosbeaks. The color of these birds was amazing. Yellows, whites, and blacks typically reserved for summer migrants but here they are in the middle of a harsh winter day in Minnesota. Typically the birds living through the winter are more drab waiting until spring time to show off their beautiful plumage. Not these grosbeaks! There were numerous birds flying in between surrounding trees and the bird feeder offering a full supply of sunflower seeds to get through a difficult January day. Chickadees and Blue Jays accompanied the Evening Grosbeaks in gorging themselves on these black seeds moving back and forth as if they’re being orchestrated by a control tower so each can safely land, grab a few seeds, and depart making room for another bird to do the same. Occasionally there’s a conflict quickly resolved as a pecking order becomes established for each trip to the feeder. At this point the camera seemed to have woken up and accepted the cold as it began to focus more accurately on the fast moving creatures revealing these beautiful colors flashing in and out of the bird feeder. Watching the activity started to make the cold disappear bringing out the enjoyment so many people come here to find among the winter inhabitants.

There was much excitement now to see what other bird feeders held so it was off to another area spot. Driving down the road you could tell when there was something of interest as there would be several cars parked on the side of the road with people watching a particular spot. It reminded me of being in a national park and there was an animal browsing along the road. A traffic jam! At this next spot there was a multitude of birds I’ve never seen before. At first the Blacked Capped Chickadees were easily spotted. Joining them were a flock of Pine Grosbeaks in their vibrant colors. It was so much fun to watch as they hopped between the trees nearby to the ground and up to the feeders themselves in search of their next morsel of food. In an instant you could hear excitement among those watching and there was another species high on the list of wanting to see – a Boreal Chickadee. There were not many spotted this winter so to see at least one was a special treat revealing why there was so much excitement when this one was spotted. Taking a few seconds to listen, there were cameras busily shooting all around as the sound of their clicking filled the roadside. In the picture above of that chickadee you can see small pieces of wood flying behind the bird as it pecked away to get at the food hidden inside. In an instant all of the birds disappeared as if a warning bell had gone off.

Scanning the trees the reason for their departure quickly became apparent. A pair of Gray Jays, otherwise known as Canada Jays, entered the feeding area. They were quite entertaining to watch as they perched in nearby trees almost as if they were posing to say “look at me” and giving everyone an opportunity to snap their photos. Soon they moved from their perches to begin consuming the nutritious nuts capable of giving them the necessary energy for the day. As they moved on, other birds returned and everything appeared normal once again. Still a few birds remained elusive. It was time to venture into the Visitor’s Center (which is only open during the winter months) to get information on possible spotting earlier in the day and potential locations to see more birds. With this information more exploring began without much success. As the sun moved towards the horizon, the snowy owls should be reappearing for the night. Following recommendations there was an area targeted on the map to find one of these beautiful owls. Getting closer to the specified trees, there perched at the top of one of them was a larger bird. Getting closer it was revealed to be a Snowy Owl on time like it had a schedule to keep. Once again there were several vehicles on the side of the road with tripods containing cameras or spotting scopes all directed at the owl. Grabbing some photographs, the owl flew off into the setting sun bringing an end to a fun, cold day. One that hopefully will be repeated soon.

Adventure, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Merganser Feast

September 23, 2018 Troy

Before the sun had risen above the horizon at Lake Itasca in Northern Minnesota I ventured to a dock hoping for a foggy morning scene. There was some fog hanging onto the lake as sunlight began casting shadows from the pine and maple covered shoreline but not the epic foggy morning dreamt about the night before. Everything was so still waking up from a cool summer night. So peaceful! The type of morning I have come to cherish. As I was soaking in this serene landscape movement caught my attention. Ducks swimming slowly through vegetation nearby. With camera already resting on it’s three legged perch I stared into these grasses watching as ducks disappeared under the water’s surface and returned again all without making a sound. Only the ripples giving them away. Zooming in on one of these busy birds I noticed something in it’s mouth appearing to be a crayfish.

Watching intently through my cameras eye the outline confirmed my suspicions. It was indeed a crayfish caught in the beak of a merganser. This hard shelled creature appeared much to large to be swallowed by the little mouth of this bird so I continued to watch, snapping a few pictures along the way, as it wrestled to get it’s next meal ready to eat. As if it were dancing, this duck would swing it’s head from side to side opening its clamping beak attempting to shift the crayfish in another direction before dipping it underwater as if rinsing it off in preparation to eat it. The crayfish dance would be repeated for several minutes until finally satisfied this meal was ready to be consumed. All the while the crayfish appeared to be in a state of uncertainty of what was going on. Only moments before it was the predator eyeing up the next meal.

Once this early morning meal had reached the stomach of this merganser it was back to hunting. A water bird of this size appeared unable to handle more than one of these bottom dwelling creatures and yet continued searching for more. Watching this happen several more times I began wondering just how many crayfish can a little duck eat before becoming too lethargic and tempting a nearby perched eagle into a possible easy meal. Finally the mornings feast seemed to come to an end and preening was the next event on this cool, sunny mornings calendar. A few dunks in the water while flapping its wings before drying off in the warming sunlight in preparation of checking that all of this little ducks feathers were perfectly in place removing those that were not. Returning to the soundless swimming in and out of grassing camouflaging this brown aquatic bird from sight before once again losing it under the waters surface.

Scanning over the nearby waters surface this merganser re-appeared once again holding another crayfish in it’s tiny beak. The dance continued, although as if perfected, lasted a much shorter time before another crayfish was swallowed whole into the small mouth of a motivated predator. By this time more people were stirring causing these little ducks to retreat further into the weeds protecting them from the large two legged animals wandering along the shoreline. It was time to store my camera and tripod back into its protective sack relinquishing my place on this dock for others to begin launching their water crafts for a summer day out on the water.

New Experiences, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Bears–They’re Everywhere

August 26, 2018 Troy

During a trip to Northern Minnesota we stopped in Orr for a night after many hours sitting in a car. One of the things to see in Orr is the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary which allows visitors to see wild bears. They’re only open during a few hours in the evening so we spent some of our afternoon preparing for a week camping in Northern Minnesota and resting before venturing off to the sanctuary. For the short drive we were all just hoping to see a few black bears and get a good photo or two. This appeared to be an unrealistic expectation for August! There’s a long unpaved driveway to enter the wildlife sanctuary with anticipation growing along the way to watch black bears but also a bit nerving for first timers like us. We didn’t know what to expect.

I was a little anxious because I really didn’t know if there would be a possibility of contact with a bear and how this sanctuary thing works. Will there be bears to see and photograph, how safe is it? As you get closer to the parking area there are small signs pointing you further until reaching a larger opening with people directing cars on where to park. I kept looking around trying to figure out where this sanctuary viewing area was and for any possible bear passing by but there was no sight of either. We got parked and headed to a little shelter to purchase tickets for entry. Upon receiving the tickets we were told to wait until a bus arrives. Oh this wasn’t the actual viewing area. Heading back to the car to get sunscreen, bug spray, and of course the camera I studied the other visitors to see what the procedure appeared to be. No one else really appeared nervous, just excited to see bears like we were so this must be a fairly safe endeavor. With gear in hand we waited about 10 minutes or so until an empty bus appeared from the woods. A small line formed to load the bus until it was full and off we went to the wildlife observation deck.

After a short bus ride we arrived at a wire fence enclosed observation deck. The bus pulled as close to the entrance as possible and staff blocked any potential opening before allowing us to get off the bus and ascend the stairs up to a raised observation deck which stands at least 7 feet off of the ground. within the first minute we spotted 3 bears off in the woods climbing around dead logs lying on the ground. This was already as many bears as I had hoped to see hear. Sanctuary staff encouraged us to keep moving to allow everyone to get on the deck assuring us there were plenty of bears to see on this day. Venturing further into the platform we could see several other bears with one on a tree limb not far away from the deck so it was at eye level for us. This just didn’t seem real to have this many wild bears in one area so close. We had about 3 hours here and for the first hour we were in a state of shock at being able to see all of these bears of different sizes.

There were many bears at 300 – 400 pounds. I have never seen a black bear that huge and certainly wouldn’t want to meet up with this bear in the wild. There would be no chance if it became aggressive. A renewed respect for these incredible creatures. Off in the distance we could see a couple of cubs sleeping in a tree. I’ve seen pictures of this but never was able to see it in person. It is amazing to witness with your own eyes. While photographing these bears a mother with it’s cubs came into the area with the cubs climbing up into a nearby tree shortly thereafter. We learned that the mother gives the cubs a signal to climb for their safety as larger bears really can’t climb very well. I missed this signal but others witnessed it. Fortunately I was able to photograph as these cubs continued to climb higher and higher with surprising speed. It’s an experience that I can’t believe and one that almost does not seem real.

During our time on the observation deck some of the staff would give talks on the sanctuary and animals that visit it such as birds, squirrels, raccoons, and deer. Some of the other information included why so many bears keep coming here. A few of those reasons include safety and food. Inside this whole sanctuary bears figure out they’re safe from people and cars. Food is plentiful and easy for them to find which is another reason for them to visit the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary. The one thing they do have to watch out for is other bears due to the larger numbers in such a small area and we witnessed a number of scuffles as they declared dominance and who’s food is who’s but nothing too major or violent. During the 3 hours of observing bears we saw between 40 and 50 wild black bears of all sizes as they continued to scarf down pounds and pounds of food in preparation for the upcoming hibernation season. Soon the bears would leave this sanctuary in search of solitude and a place to take a winter nap before giving birth to new cubs early in the new year. An amazing experience which hopefully can be repeated again sometime soon.

Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Duck Migration is Here

October 27, 2017 Troy

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been in pursuit of ducks beginning to move south stopping by local lakes to rest and feed before moving on. In this particular area there have been flocks of hundreds of ducks making it very enticing to set up the camera and wait for them to move closer.

It’s been fun to photograph them and then try and identify what type of duck it is afterwards. This particular flock of ducks has included Widgeons, Gadwall, Mallards, Wood ducks, and one immature pintail. They sure are pretty to watch with the different colors and patterns as well as listen to. Each with a unique sound identifying the species further.

While most of the ducks on this particular lake seem to be widgeons there are some gadwalls mixed into the flock. I wasn’t sure at first if it was a different duck or if it was just an immature widgeon still coloring up. Looking further I noticed the bill on the gadwalls is darker than with widgeons. Also the white spot on the back of the duck is different and the head has slightly different colorations confirming a different species later identified as gadwalls. Ohh and they make a different sound which helped figure this out.

Included in all these ducks are, of course, mallards which tend to be very plentiful on most bodies of water in Minnesota and elsewhere. One of the nice things of having mallards around is other ducks see them and figure it’s a safe place to land with food available so join them. The mallard below was shaking off water after spending time under the surface looking for food.

One of the unique ducks in this particular flock is an immature pintail. I wasn’t completely sure of this immediately because the coloration is different from the others but not as well defined as the photos I was comparing it too. A couple of things that helped I.D. it was when it tipped into the water in search of food the tail was more of a point and more pronounced than the widgeons and gadwalls but still lacked the characteristic long pin tail giving these there name. Also the colors on it’s head, while not completely developed, still matched well with the pictures I was comparing it to leading me to figure out this is a young pintail. This duck has continued to stay with this flock for the past couple of weeks with no other pintails in sight.

I’ve definitely been enjoying photographing each of these different species and hopefully will be able to catch a few more before these lakes freeze over.

Troy's Blog, wildlife, Yellowstone National Park

Walking With a Bison

August 12, 2017 Troy

After a day filled with incredible views and geological wonders we were driving back towards our hotel for some much needed rest. Along the way we encountered several vehicles pulled over indicating an opportunity to see some of Yellowstone’s amazing wildlife so we found a spot in a nearby pull off and parked the car. After a short hike up the road we saw people watching a lone bison just lazily grazing nearby. Continuing to scan the landscape for bears or wolves I glanced towards this bison from time to time just watching and snapping a few pictures.

While watching this large animal for a couple of minutes I began to get lost behind my camera taking different pictures trying different compositions. It was getting better and better because I could get increasingly closer shots isolating this bison and highlighting its details until I briefly looked up from the camera only to realize this large, powerful animal was not within a few feet of me. The only thing between me and this bison was a low, wooden railing which would do nothing if it decided to charge me which I witnessed earlier in the day. That same morning I watched one bison charge after anther bison at full speed displaying just how fast and powerful they really are no matter how they may appear most other times.

Quickly I backed away seeking the cars behind me as a potential buffer between me and this bison. Fortunately it was more interesting in eating and continued walking away from my area. After a little more wildlife viewing we decided we were ready to get back in our car and continue towards the hotel only there was a little problem. This lone, powerful bison was walking along the roadside towards our car preventing us from leaving. Well, we might as well as relax for awhile until it passes our vehicle allowing us to drive away. Slowly we followed at a safe distance just watching as it walked among the many cars now stopped watching it. Do you think there is some amusement to the bison causing such an event? At one point it stopped and looked at our empty car. “Do you think it will find something irritating with the car and ram it?” I asked. How do you explain that to the insurance company? Glad we weren’t in the car at that point. Can you imagine how that would be? Finally it continued on down the road to meet up with a nearby heard allowing us to make it to the car.

Being one of the first cars into a pull off definitely has its advantages as you don’t have to worry about finding a place to park as within a few minutes the roadway fills with vehicles hoping to catch a glimpse and maybe a photo of nearby wildlife. Also you tend to have a front row seat for watching wildlife. Unfortunately if you decide it’s time to leave you may have to wait while the traffic jam caused by whatever wildlife you are watching has caused clears enough for you to get back onto the road and on your way to the next destination.

Once traffic began moving again we prepared to pull out just when that nearby bison heard arrived across the street from us once again stopping traffic. These are definitely not fast moving animals much of the time. This heard would walk a short distance, stop and scratch on the dirt or nearby trees, walk a few steps more, eat nearby leaves, and continue a little further. While it seemed like forever it was really only about 15 minutes before we were once again on the road heading to our hotel for the night. How frustrating must it be for those stuck in this traffic jam far enough down the road and not be able to see what was causing it? At least we got to enjoy it even though the bison were a little close for comfort at times.

Gaining Life Experience