WINTER STICKS AROUND

 

I was out taking pictures late Monday morning.  Pristine scenes were all around me.  Then the weather turned squally and whiteout conditions sent me home.

MITCHELL CREEK MEADOWS GOATS

 

Ten goats make up the herd at Mitchell Creek Meadows Nature Preserve, not far from my neighborhood.  Originally from Idyll Farms in Northport, the goats help control stubborn invasive species and recycle spent Christmas trees.  These curious critters stay safe in their indoor and outdoor barn and are always fun to watch.  

STARK LANDSCAPES

 

ANOTHER HAWK

 I spotted a red-tailed hawk on a power pole outside a subdivision.  It looked in one direction, then another, seeking prey.  It suddenly lifted, and I thought it was going to fly, but it had other business in mind.  Finally, it spotted something on the ground and took flight, giving me a full look at its beautiful red tail.

FAVORITES FROM 2024

 

Happy New Year!  It’s a time to reminisce over the past year and look forward to what lies ahead.  Here are my favorite photographs from 2024.

#10:  Always up for a sunset, I photographed this one on a hot summer evening in Kingsley farm country.

#9:  Stunning fields of sunflowers along U.S. 31 on the way to Elk Rapids caused me to stop and take pictures of the scene.  I wasn’t the only one.

#8: Many memories were made when I visited my friends Phil and Patricia in Minnesota.  One of them was the chance to photograph Osprey for the first time.

#7:  Leelanau cherry blossoms always make for beautiful scenes.  The clouds that day only added to the picture.

#6:  I never tire of Sandhill Cranes and it was delightful seeing them arrive in droves at Logan’s Landing during the fall bird migration.

#5: In February, I visited my brother in Punta Gorda, Florida.  I especially loved the Venice Rookery, where egrets were in breeding plumage.  

#4:  One of my favorite places near my Traverse City home is the farmland west of Kingsley.  It is abundant in birds, wildlife, and beautiful scenery.

#3:  This past Christmas week, I photographed a beautiful Snow Owl as it took to flight.  I felt especially lucky because I hadn’t seen a single Snowy last winter, probably due to the warm weather.

#2:  A windy day often sends me to Frankfort to photograph the wind, waves, and dunes near the lighthouse.

#1:  My favorite picture this year was taken at Arcadia Marsh with good friends Don and Diana Burton.  It wasn’t sunny, but the grassland colors were just right.