The Michigan Polar Express yesterday north of Ovid-Elsie. Unfortunately it was too late in the day for good detail.

Pere Marquette 1225

Recovery from knee surgery is going well. Over the weekend I was able to capture a Golden Eagle and a big buck despite the dark, dreary weather.

Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle in Gratiot County (Maple River SGA)

Big Buck

Big Buck in Ingham County.

I took this pic yesterday (too cold and blustery) but had not had a chance to look at it until today. So here is my pic for day 5 from one of my favorite places to take photographs, the MSU 4H Children's Garden. This is another IR shot converted to black & white.

4H Children's Garden

Here is my pic for day 4. It was too cold and blustery at lunch to go outside for the IR photo that I wanted so I reworked this one instead. The photo was taken in natural lighting coming from a high window, no flash. The conversion was done in Lightroom.

YOung Girl   

I was too busy to get out and take a pic today so I'm going with this IR photograph converted to B & W. This was taken early in the morning while kayaking on Ocqueoc Lake in Northern Michigan. You are looking at a boat landing with a sun dog in the sky above it.

Oqueoc Lake Landing IRInfrared photograph.

Here is my pic for Day 2 of the challenge. I only had a little time over the lunch hour to get out and about, unfortunately the sky was not cooperative. This is my rendering of Beaumont Tower on the campus of MSU.

Beaumont Tower

I was picked by my Nephew to the 5 day Black & White challenge. This is my entry for Day 1, a Red-tailed Hawk in our back yard.  I wonder why there are no chipmunks under the feeders today? 

Red-tailed Hawk

My friend asked me to go on an early season Snowy Owl expedition yesterday. We were not disappointed and found this beautiful bird in Northern Gratiot County. It looks like it may be another Snowy Owl irruption this winter! There are more Owl pics available here.

Snowy Owl

Snow Geese that is. I'm finally finished "collecting leaves", so I got in the car and drove several miles to see my first Snow Geese of the year. I wish that I could have gone earlier last week when my sister was there.

Snow Geese

I met this very friendly juvenile Red-tailed Hawk when I was on my lunch walk one day last week. He just seemed to really like his picture taken and I was more than happy to oblige.There are a few more pics here.

Red-tailed Hawk

An area birder found this Saw-whet Owl at Fenner Arboretum this morning. Lucky for me it was still in the same area later in the afternoon when I finished raking the leaves in the lawn and had time to go "chase" it. This is a first time bird for me (lifer). I have wanted to see one for a very long time. Lucky, lucky me.

Saw-whet Owl

On my lunch walk yesterday I saw some Veterinary  students rehabbing an injured owl and a Red-tailed hawk with a very scruffy tail. Click here to see some more bird pics from around the MSU campus.

Great-horned Owl

Great-horned Owl

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Finally got a chance to take a couple of photos. I've been busy with other things. Here are a couple of Sandhill Cranes that are postponing there trip south for a few more days. These pics were taken on my lunch hour walk around the MSU campus.

Sandhill Cranes

Sandhill Cranes