Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Warbler and a Butterfly

Warbler DSC_2284, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Windy in the 50Fs tonight at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. This little yellow-rumped warbler stopped by for only a few seconds and landed on the goldenrod.

This clouded sulfur butterfly might be the last of the summer:

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I saw the Original X-Wing

Original X-Wing DSC_2287, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

The dragonflies have thinned out a little now that fall is coming on strong. It's getting more difficult for me to get out to the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area with enough light for decent photos.

This is an old photo from June 2010.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Coyote Hunting

Hunting Coyote DSC_5128, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Didn't get out the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area tonight. Met my new neighbor and had a pop-in visit from an old friend. Also dropped off some photos with my framer.

This shot is from March 2011. It was early morning and cold. It's rare for me to see coyotes here because they are very skittish and nocturnal mostly. I held very still and had the wind in my face so this guy got fairly close. At one point it looked like it would come even closer but I moved, more liked slightly twisted, and it looked up in my direction and ran off.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Frosty Sign

Frosty Sign DSC_0858, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I didn't make it out to the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area for the great sunset tonight because I was in a studio learning about portrait photography.

Here is a shot from last February. I'm really looking forward to snow...really. I hope we get a lot like we did last year.

Yesterday at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Sun Rays and Shadows

Sun Rays and Shadows DSC_2041, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Yesterday, I went to the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area twice, sunrise and sunset. I haven't seen much wildlife there in a while but I did see some geese and a few other birds.

This Morning at the TCAAP WVA, I saw My Shadow

My Shadow DSC_3599, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

This is what my shadow looks like in the early morning at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. I was hoping to get some photos of fog on the lake but there was no fog.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Sparrow

Sparrow DSC_1948, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I'm pretty sure this is a Song Sparrow at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. I haven't seen them around much for the last few months so I'm going to assume that this one is a migrant.

I also saw about 50 Canada geese, some eastern phoebes, blue jays and some wood ducks.

Yesterday at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Geese Flyover

Geese Flyover DSC_1836, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Last night, I was out at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area experimenting with flash during the sunset when these geese flew over. I had the 10-24mm ultra wide lens on when these geese decided to fly over me.

Yesterday near the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Caterpillar

Caterpillar DSC_1687, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

This guy better hurry up and butterfly. It's already froze hear and it's expected to be in the 40s (F) this week, near the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area.

Today near the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Cygnet

Cygnet DSC_1650, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

This is a shot of the cygnet that I watched from the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area most of the summer. About a month ago it left with it's family. Today, I found out that they moved about a half mile south to Sunfish Lake. I couldn't see them from any public areas so I was perplexed as to what happened to them.

Today, I was allowed to wander within the Arden Hills Training Site. My host said she saw the swan family in Sunfish lake so I started my journey there. This good news is this cygnet looks big and healthy. It was feeding while I watched and eventually ended up near shore and stretched it's wings for me.

The bad news is I saw a swan shaped pile of feathers in the cattails. I sure looks like a dead swan although I couldn't get a very good view of it. My host is going to canoe out there tomorrow to investigate. We suspect it might be the swan with the mandible problem.

I think is my favorite shot of the day. It isn't the sharpest pan of this duck but its sharp enough and the cygnet is in the frame.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I saw an Eastern Blue Bird

Eastern Blue Bird, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

This is the first bird portrait I posted on Flickr from the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. I made it with my Sony DSC-W150 point-and-shoot camera on June 4, 2008.

Here is a more recent bird portrait that I made on September 11, 2011.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Swan Chasing Geese

Swan Chase DSC_1522, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

The swans at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area do not like Canada geese. Tonight, this swan chased about 40 geese out of the lake.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Wise Guy

Always one wise guy DSC_3383, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

It drizzled and rained off and on all day today so I didn't make it out to the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area.

I made this shot last May (not sure if I blogged about yet) as I was walking out of the WVA for the night. It was very dark for photography but the D7000 handle the very high ISO just fine in this shot.

-Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm f4 AF-ED, f5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO 6400, no flash

Yesterday at the TCAAP WVA, I saw trees

Trees DSC_1238, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I made a shot of these trees last week in the early morning fog at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Here is an evening shot.  I think I like the fog shot better.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Swans

Swans DSC_1265, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I got word from the environmental specialist for the Arden Hills Army Training Site (she manages the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area too). She got a good look at the swan that looked like it had some sort of dangling thing from its jaw. I've been watching that swan all summer and was very curious as to what the heck was going on with it. I suspected it got tangled in some plastic or fishing line.

She got a good look at the swan and determined that it has some sort of injury to its lower mandible and its tongue is the dangling thing. Obviously, it can eat or it would perished long ago. It is also able to preen and otherwise keep itself clean. She's going to talk to some swan specialists to find out if its worse the stress to the swan to capture and rehab it or if it should be left alone. I'll keep you posted.

I'm pretty sure neither of the two swans in this photo are the injured one. I zoomed in real close on the computer and didn't see the injured one. Haven't seen the cygnet in weeks...

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Flowers...lots of flowers

Flowers DSC_5808, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

The black-eyed susans are long gone at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Here is a shot of what you missed about 2 months ago.

Yesterday at the TCAAP WVA, I Experimented with Flash

Big Blue Stem in Sunset DSC_3560, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I finally broke down and got an SB-700 Speedlight the other day. I've wanted one for a long time. It was especially difficult not to run out buy one after the Joe McNally/Dave Hobby Flash Bus tour I attended last spring.

My main reason for upgrading my flash was I needed better light (wireless light) on the hummingbirds in my back yard. I also plan to learn more about portrait photography from a friend just in case anyone wants to pay me to do that for them.

I tried a bunch of different ways of lighting the bridge at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. None worked very well. This time of year the big blue stem has great color so I wanted to try and bring that out with a properly exposed sunset in the back ground. I think this shot it fairly decent. What do you think?

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Canada Geese

Canada Geese DSC_1120, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

That's not a typo. Canada Geese is the proper name for these birds. Often people call them Canadian Geese, but that's incorrect. These geese are likely from Minnesota so they'd be American Geese.

I've mentioned this before and I'm going to say it again: "I hate Canada geese." They are loud and obnoxious and their babies are the ugliest baby birds. Still, even though I hate them, I still shoot them when they fly over.  Can't have enough practice with birds in flight.

This summer I've been fortunate that the trumpeter swans have been vigilant in kicking the geese out of Lake Marsden. Here is a shot from last year of a trumpeter chasing about 50 geese out of "his" lake.

Yesterday at the TCAAP WVA, I saw the Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon DSC_1026, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Didn't get out to the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area tonight because I was shooting hummingbirds at my feeder with my new Nikon SB-700 Speedlight.

Here is a shot of the moon from last night. If you look closely, you can see a couple great egrets flying over the moon.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Cotton Balls

Cotton Balls DSC_3523, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Today, I got up early enough to see the sunrise at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. When I got there, the sky was perfectly clear. After about an hour, the clouds started rolling in as little puff balls.

I found this composition for the first time today.




I got my best shot at the TCAAP WVA of a black-capped chickadee.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Plane

Flying DSC_0431, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I see planes every single day I'm at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Tonight, the clouds lit up all golden so I made a shot of this small plane flying towards the sun.

Two trumpeters were on the lake but there weren't the family from earlier this summer. It's been a few weeks since I saw the cygnet. There was a loon on the lake and I watched an Osprey nearby for about 2 hours. It waited until I didn't have enough light for a decent shot an then flew over to the lake to wash its claws.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Layers

Layers DSC_0336, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Today was pretty hazy at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Here is a shot of the layers of haze. The local media was speculating at the time that the haze was caused by fires way up north of here near Ely, Minnesota.

I also saw a loon, a sparrow and an eastern phoebe. I could hear an osprey squawking off in the distance.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat DSC_0214, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

There hasn't been a lot of bird activity at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area lately. This common yellowthroat female or juvenile stopped by for only a few minutes. I saw a loon on the lake and a phoebe, just briefly on the barbed wire.

Mostly I saw planes.

Today and Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Sunsets

Sunset and Reflections DSC_3442, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

As of now, there are 300 sunsets at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area in one of my Flickr sets. I try not to make more because I think I'm bored with them. Regardless of how I think I feel about them, I still shoot the sunsets. I just posted five sunsets tonight. Four of them have been sitting on my D5000 for weeks.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Dragonflies and Swans

Dragonflies DSC_9958, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Made it out to the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area tonight. There was a hawk in the area so I didn't the usual phoebes and finches.

The dragonflies were slow as it was kinda cold out.



Right near dusk, two trumpeter swans landed in the lake.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Face

Face, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I didn't make it out to the viewing area today or yesterday. I was at the Minnesota State Fair on Saturday and busy today.

This is a binocular view that used to be bolted to the bridge at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. It got stolen last year.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Phoebe Showing Off

Phoebe Showoff DSC_9301, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I'm not sure what's up with this eastern phoebe, but it's a first for me at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Many birds use the barbed-wire perch to hunt for bugs. Lately, the phoebes have been most common. This particular bird, for no apparent reason, fanned out its wings for me before flying off.

I also saw some trumpeter swans tonight. Three flew in but only two landed. The third flew off. I wonder if the one that flew off was chasing the other two. I haven't seen the family for a couple weeks now. Hope the cygnet is still growing.

The last item of note from tonight: A putrid smell wafted through all night. It was almost certainly rotten meat. I looked around a bit but didn't see any bodies.

Yesterday at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Frog Snacking on Ants

Snacking Frog DSC_9256, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Didn't make it out in the sauna that was our weather around the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area today.

Here's shot from yesterday of leopard frog eating ants.