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.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Vine on Barbed-wire

Vine on Barbed-wire_0864.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I worked this vine for a while with the Nikon P310 because I was too lazy to bring the other gear to the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area.

This is what else I saw: trumpeter swan, eastern phoebe, eastern kingbird, eastern bluebird, cowbirds, American robins, some sort of warbler and a woodchuck. Oh...and the osprey landed on a nearby tree in front of the sun and ate a fish.

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 an Osprey

Osprey_7466.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I think the osprey chicks have hatched at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Mom is long longer sitting low in the nest and dad is bring more food.

After bringing a meal to the nest, dad headed into the lake for a bath. Here is a severely cropped shot of him drying off after a plunge.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Woodchuck

Woodchuck_7170.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I've been seeing this woodchuck/groundhog and a young one on the side of the road at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area for last few days. Here is a shot as it ate the top of a dandelion.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Deer Teats

Deer_7123.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

This doe came up on me at dusk while I was at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Once I saw her full teats, I anxiously looked for a fawn. Didn't see any fawns though. I guess mom had it stashed somewhere safe.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Muskrat or Something

Muskrat_8736.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I'm pretty sure this is a muskrat I saw along the road by the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area tonight. It has a young one with it but they ran into the trees and tall grass before I got an angle for a shot. This shot was handheld with the 500mm f4 + 1.4xTC.

Saw a nice sunset too:

Previously Near the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Baby Killdeer

Killdeer Baby crop_5441.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Here is a close up crop of a baby killdeer near the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area.

Previously Near the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Watertower

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

Here is the water tower within the Arden Hills Army Training Site with Minneapolis in the background.

Here is another view of the water tower in front of a great sunset.

Today Near the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Deer, lots of Deer

Buck_5808.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

There are around 60 deer with in the Arden Hills Army Training site near the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. I saw many large bucks over the weekend. This guy on the right was one of the smaller ones who stopped and posed for me.

Today Near the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Baby Killdeer, Again

Killdeer Baby_5480.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Here is a much better shot of one of the three baby killdeer I watched today and yesterday near the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. These are fast little buggers but they'll stop frequently. The trick is to track them in the viewfinder as they run then quickly grab focus and click away. This little one only paused for a few seconds behind the puddle.

After about 20 minutes of watching the killdeer, they wandered off and this northern flicker stopped by for a drink.

Today Near the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Killdeer

Killdeer_4421.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

This is the best baby killdeer image I got tonight near the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. They are very quick. Got some better ones of the parents.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw the Bluebird Kids

Bluebird Kids_8420.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

For the last several weeks, I've only seen one young bluebird. Tonight, I saw three hanging out with their parents at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Dove Danderuff

Dove Danderuff_8143.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

The area doves rarely perch on the barbed-wire at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area when I'm around. I snuck up on this one when I first arrived and only got 3 photos. This one shows it shaking off some dandruff.

I briefly saw a coyote on the road within the AHATS. Once it saw me it took off. This is the second time I've seen a coyote come up the road like that. Poor light, bad angle and fence in the way.

I saw what I think is a green heron, a great blue heron some egrets in the sunset.



And a buck with a gigantic rack...nearly a 100% crop:

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Lupine

Lupine_7587.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

The national guard did a prescribed burn at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area on May 31st. This morning, I saw the first lupine after the burn.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Young Bluebird

Young Bluebird_6929.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Mom and dad eastern bluebird were working hard to feed this young one this morning at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area.

I also saw the purple martin fighting with the tree swallows again. There were four common loons on the lake, also fighting.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Goose Family

Gosling_6690.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

A Canada goose family of two adults and one gosling wandered into the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area today. I really don't like geese. They are obnoxious and their kids are ugly. The light was good so I shot them anyway.

All three of them walked back and forth along the fence seemingly unable to find their way out.  In the end, the adults flew over the barbed-wire fence and left the gosling alone.  I left at that point.  I suspect the adults will come back but maybe they won't.  The raptors gotta eat too.

Today Near the TCAAP WVA, I Saw an Interesting Sunset

Watertower_6245.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

The sunset was interesting near the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area tonight. I was about a 1/4 mile down the road because I want some reflections off the lake.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Venus Transit the Sun

Venus Transit_6126.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I got to witness Venus transit the sun tonight at the TCAAP WVA. I set my binoculars on my camera setup and focused them on a white board. Venus is the dark round spot in the lower right of the Sun. The other dark spots are mostly sun spots but there are some scuff marks in the white board I used too.

Here is the setup:




And some pareidolia for you:

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw New Growth

New Growth_5932.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Four days after the controlled burn, the plants are already recovering at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Goldfinch

Goldfinch_6051.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I saw a goldfinch on the barbed-wire at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area.

Briefly spoke to a portrait photographer who was having what looked like an engagement shoot at the WVA. I bet she spends lots of time in post-production. She doesn't use flash where I felt a little fill flash would have helped a lot. She also told me she hates birds because they are scary.

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 Mrs. Bluebird

Bluebird Eye_5539.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I was real still and quiet tonight and this bluebird stopped by very close.

I also a River Otter tonight but it was very far away.