Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw a Monarch!

Monarch-43069.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I saw my first monarch of the year at the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area this morning. There are lots of milkweed plants but no caterpillars.

Tonight at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Dragonflies

Dragonfly-49109.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Not much bird activity at the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area. Lots of these little golden dragonflies though.

Today at the AHATS WOA, I Saw Dragonflies

Halloween Pennant-47578.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Lots of dragonflies out at the AHATS Wildlife Observation Area tonight.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Dragonfly Fight

Dragonfly Fight-46101.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I nearly always see something new at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Tonight was no different. Here is shot of a dragonfly fight. I heard them buzzing and managed to catch two shots, one of which was in focus.

The osprey on the south end of Lake Marsden are feeding young. Not sure how many yet because they are still low in the nest.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Grass Hopper

Grass Hopper_0862.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I saw a couple grasshoppers at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area yesterday. The one on the right is perched on a big blue stem.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Columns of Bugs

Column of Bugs_0938.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

For a minute, I thought the marsh at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area was on fire. It appeared smoke was rising in columns all over the place. Turns out it was bugs. I'm not sure what kind of bugs they are but it was cool watching the columns rise, undulate and fall.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Spider Webs

Spider Web_5401.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

On that foggy morning last week, I saw some spider webs at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Interestingly, they didn't seem to have much dew on them.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Ambush Bugs Doing It

Ambush Bugs Doing It_0778.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I left the big glass at home tonight when I visited the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Saw these jagged ambush bugs doing it on a black-eyed susan. Shot it hand held with my new Nikkor 24-85G VR and the on-camera flash.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Dragonflies

Halloween Pennant_0504.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Saw a couple dragonflies today at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. I also saw the swan pair, the momma common loon and young, a nice national guards solder.

Previously Near the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Dragonfly

Dragonfly_7676.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Found this dragonfly while counting butterflies with St. Paul Audubon on June 30th.

Today Near the TCAAP WVA, I Helped Count Butterflies

Butterfly in Hand_7783.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I joined St. Paul Audubon for the annual butterfly count within the Arden Hills Army Training Site today. It was great fun although very hot (90F or so).

Here is a slideshow. Go ahead and click on the full screen icon on the lower right.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Butterfly

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail DSC_7605, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I saw this eastern tiger swallowtail on a monarda flower in July 2010 at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. There aren't many flowers in the area this year. The guard did a controlled burn last month. Next year should be awesome for flowers.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a House Finch

Bird_5655.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Lot's of birds at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area today. I saw a group of house finches stop by for only a few minutes. The tree swallows were having an orgy all morning. The purple martin made a brief appearance. Saw the yellow warbler for about five seconds.

Made this dragonfly photo yesterday.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Butterflies

Blue Butterfly_3268.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I stopped by the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area after work today and found a bunch of butterflies. I've been away from the area for more than a week so it was nice to be back.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Butterfly

Butterfly on Fence-7150.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

The sun came out briefly today at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area and I saw a red-admiral butterfly.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw No Moon

Thats No Moon-0188.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

That's right this isn't a moon...it's not space station either. It's one of last year's monarda (bee balm) plants. These are really cool when they are bloom.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Butterfly

Fritillary DSC_5918, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

It's going to be awhile before the butterflies reach the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area but I saw a few photos on my new Wildlife Photography Facebook Group and was inspired to post one.

This is a great spangled fritillary feeding on a  monarda (aka...bee balm) flower. It's the only one I've seen at the TCAAP WVA. This one was a little beat up. I hope it got to mate and make more.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Dragonfly on Mullein

Dragonfly on Mullein DSC_2268, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I've been thinking about a getting a Nikkor Micro (aka macro) lens for a while so I can get more close up bug shots. So far, I've always been able to talk myself out of it. I shoot wildlife, mostly birds, and just don't want to lug another lens around and I surely don't want to take the big glass of the camera...that's when all the cool wildlife shots happen. ;-)

Besides, I think I do pretty well with what I have. I used the old Nikkor 300mm f4 AF-ED for this shot. It's cropped quite a bit because the closest focus distance of that lens doesn't allow me to get very close. On the other hand, if I had had a micro/macro lens, I never would have made this shot because the dragonfly would have flow way before I got close enough.

My Top Favorites of 2011

I don't exclusively take photos at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area although I click more there than anywhere else.  Some of my clicks at the WVA made my top favorite list for 2011 (scroll to the bottom for a link to the whole slideshow).

Frosty Barbed-wire

Tree Swallows (they didn't nest here)

The biggest fish I've seen in Osprey claws

Watched this caterpillar for weeks...missed the butterfly

Watched this snake wriggle in and out of this hole.

Two egrets flying by the harvest Moon

Finally caught a deer jumping over the fence.

I made a big print of this, wow!

Here is the complete slideshow with 30 various photos. Click on the four arrows in the lower right for a full screen show.

My Works on Capture Minnesota

From the Capture Minnesota Website:

The best of Minnesota wrapped in a hard-bound, fine-art Capture Book(TM). Flip through the pages and local pride will rise up in your heart and soul. Why? Because the good people of Minnesota shaped the book with their votes. It's publishing like never before: publishing by vote!

Why 144 pages? Because anything less wouldn't be enough to show off the great photos of Minnesota submitted by Capture Minnesota photographers. These pages are acid-free, high-quality and thick, too, so the photos simply pop off the page!

That's right: 200+ photos of Minnesota, hand-picked by your voting and our editors, and laid out beautifully by a team of book artists who've been doing book design for years!

You may vote for my works and views all sorts of great Minnesota images here.