Once again I watched a Snowy Owl sleep today. Some Snowies actually hunt during the day, but not my friend. I spent almost one and one half hours on a beautiful clear afternoon waiting and watching. Watching this owl is kind of like watching paint dry. Some day I will see it hunt!
At least my bird feeders on Old Vermilion Trail are now attracting common redpolls in addition to millions of black-capped chickadees.
Common Redpoll
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Sleeping Snowy Owl … moments before sundown
Last night was gorgeous … from a few hours after sunset to sunrise. Shortly after dawn this morning our eternal clouds and snow returned. Thus, what’s a lover of the outdoors to do? The obvious answer … enjoy the night!
The first photograph was taken around 10:20 pm and I title Amity Creek Moonglow. This frozen waterfall is only 200 yards from my front door. Life is good!
For the second and third photos I arose before dawn and drove up the North Shore of Lake Superior to the SplitRock River. I knew with the clouds disappearing over the lake to the east, sunrise should be worth the lost sleep. The colors did not disappoint. My surprise arose when the neatest sunrise photo was actually taken a few minutes after sunrise of the pedestrian tunnel under the highway. I’ve included a fourth photograph in order you’ll understand why I traveled to this remote shoreline.
Ice Pack Snowstorm Goldeneye leads off day #1 of my 7 Day Nature Photography Challenge and edges out Sleeping Snowy Owl in the Snow!
Here in northern Minnesota fellow photographers are challenging each other to the 7 Day Nature Photography Challenge which requires one to post an nature image every day (current or old picture). I have tweaked the 7 Day Nature Photography Challenge in that I am requiring all my images to be from the current day. The challenge was actually welcome as I was bemoaning the weather forecast which has 7+ days straight of cloudy, snowy weather … not a photographer’s friend. Now I look at the forecast as a challenge and fun activity!
Thus, here are today’s winner and loser … as selected & photographed by me during today’s snowstorm. Both birds were cooperative both in terms of being almost motionless which was a major plus given the low light, and that they stayed in place long enough for me to use manual focus (auto focus might have bounced off the snowflakes).
Ice Pack Goldeneye in a Snowstorm
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Sleeping Snowy in a Snowstorm
