Normally great blue herons are hard to find and photograph. However, two of these huge birds are hanging out in the same place and making themselves very willing to have their photographs taken this summer!
Today’s photos are from one twenty-four hour period in Duluth, Minnesota. The day started in the wee hours of the morning as I photographed a thunderstorm leaving the area out over Lake Superior. After a few hours of sleep, I resumed my photographic journeys by capturing this kingfishers and goldfinch, but wait … there’s more! A trip up to Enger Tower yielded these classic Duluth views!
I hope these photographs start to explain why Duluth was just voted #1 outdoor town in American by Outside Magazine. My hometown, I think I will keep it!
Fire Storm Over Lake Superior
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American Goldfinch vs Bee
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Belted Kingfisher
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Duluth Vistas
Taking bird photographs on dark gloomy days is at best difficult. The combination of rain, heavy clouds and fog dramatically limits the available light. Given birds tend to move around quickly, not being able to use fast shutter speeds is a real handicap. My only solution is to find birds at rest … surprisingly today’s bird was a hummingbird … one of the most active birds around! You can tell just how dark it is by looking at the ruby-throated hummingbirds throat. Although it is ruby colored, the available light (or lack thereof) made it look black.
Day 208: Great Blue Heron
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Day 209: Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
