Monthly Archives: January 2015

Day 365: One Year of Bird Photos Complete!

Year 2, ,

Finished! The journey which started on my wife’s birthday last year is complete. For 365 days I have taken a photo of a bird every day. I never imagined the commitment and difficulties this project would entail. However, in addition to seeing some beautiful birds and capturing the image with my camera, I made lots of new friends and learned about photography. In the days I ahead I will blog about my learnings, but for the moment I want to just relax and enjoy the moment. My bird photography and posts will definitely continue on this site.

Although the weather has been quite gloomy as of late in northern Minnesota, I caught a break with bright clouds in the morning, and blue skies in the afternoon. I actually was out from before dawn to past dusk. Here are the days efforts.

Day #365 … A Northern Woodsman’s Photographic Journey

Early Morning: Roadkill Cafe: Bald Eagles
365-Birds-365-Bald-Eagles-Road-Kill-Cafe

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Mid-Morning Snacks: Evening Grosbeak, Blue Jay, Grey Jay, Goldfinch
365-Birds-365-Evening-Grosbeak 365-Birds-365-Blue-Jay 365-Birds-365-Grey-Jay 365-Birds-365-Gold-Finch

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Owly Afternoon: Northern Hawk Owl and Snowy Owl
365-Birds-365-Northern-Hawk-Owl 365-Birds-365-Snowy-Talons

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Lake Superior Sunset: Wisconsin Point Lighthouse
365-Birds-365-Superior-Entry-Sunset

 

Days 362 to 364: Countdown Birds

Year 2, ,

Yes … I am in the final countdown to having completed 365 straight days of taking at least one bird photograph every day. As we have neared the completion of my goal, the pressure has mounted. Birds get increasingly hard to find during the northern Minnesota winter, and thereby photographic opportunities decrease. Given I want to take a good and interesting photograph I have become slightly paranoid about this project. My hours dedicated each day to birding have rapidly increased. Here are the last three days in preparation for tomorrow’s grand finale!

Day 362: Night Owl! (Northern Hawk Owl at Dusk)
362-Birds-365-Northern-Hawk-Owl-Perched

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Day 363: Mallards … Fearless or Foolish? (last freighter of the shipping season)
363-Birds-365-Time-to-Move-Mallards

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Day 364: Adult and Immature Bald Eagles at Lester River
364-Birds-365-Bald-Eagle-Adult 364-Birds-365-Bald-Eagle-Juvenile-Perched

Day 361: Visitors from Up North

Year 2,

Hard to believe … on Thursday one year of photographing birds will be done, but for the moment the pressure is still on! Today I first went to Canal Park at the entrance to the Duluth Harbor and had fun watching the two Northern Pintails and five million mallards. Pintails are rare in the Duluth area, and with the shipping season closing on Monday or Tuesday, the canal will freeze up quickly and make for very few ducks.

Originally I had not planned on going out birding again today, but given my wife was out of town, I decided to head up to the Duluth airport just before sunset in search of snowy owls. Jackpot! I will have to return for an evening with decent light and watch this snowy hunt.

Northern Pintail
361-Birds-365-Northern-Pintail

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Duluth Airport Snowy Owl (I think I’m being watched!)
361-Birds-365-Duluth-Airport-Snowy-Owl-4