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A male cardinal tries to pinpoint a nearby female cardinal's "mating call" in a botanical garden at Michigan State University. The alluring call is actually coming from an application on my son Brad's iPhone. F7.1 at 1/800, ISO 800, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Growing up, some of my best memories are in the orchard at our family farm. Whether it was picking apples, playing baseball, or swinging on the tire swing, there was always activity amongst the apple trees. Joshua loves to climb this tree in my backyard, and while watching him one day, I noticed this specific clump of apple blossoms. I knew I had found my photo of the day.

From its perch high above one of the outdoor botanical gardens on the Michigan State University campus, a young hawk keeps a sharp eye out for its next meal. It amazes me how well wildlife can coexist with the roughly 40,000 MSU students and thousands of other people on campus daily. F3.5 at 1/1000, ISO 800, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Squawking as she goes, a female mallard flies over the Red Cedar River at deck level with a male pursuer on her tail. Love is in the air today at Michigan State University. F5 at 1/800, ISO 800, 80-200mm lens at 135mm

A male mallard drops down for a landing on the Red Cedar River at Michigan State University. The Red Cedar offers a myriad of natural views to MSU students. More than 40 years after graduating from MSU, I tend to slow down more and linger longer in order to drink in all the beauty that exists on one of America's most beautiful college campuses. F5 at 1/800, ISO 800, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

My mom loves her hummingbirds. They are often the topic of conversation with anyone who enjoys summer days on the farm’s porch. I sat most of the afternoon, working on my patience, and watching these fast birds. Finally, I was able to capture one in my lens that was sharp but showed movement in the wings.

I was able to sneak up on a young mourning dove that thought it was totally hidden from me. My new Sigma 70-200mm Macro F2.8 lens came in handy because I could hand hold the lens in the thick bushy tree and get my camera within three feet of the beautiful bird. F5.6 at 1/320, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

Like clockwork, it is the end of May and I find a mute swan at its usual nest site with her newborn cygnets near Long Bridge on Pentwater Lake. I shoot quickly so I don't scare them. F3.2 at 1/200, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 120 mm

I am on a scouting mission for a photography workshop Brad and I will be teaching this week. As I head out the Island Trail at Ludington State Park this red-headed woodpecker chooses to land on a tree right in front of me. I keep my body motions slow but my fingers moving fast to get the correct exposure. One good shot is all I need. Click. F2.8 at 1/1250, ISO 200, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

With huge telephoto lenses you can isolate the prettiest, most colorful parts of the sky in your photographs. The trick is to be patient and wait for something interesting to come into the viewfinder. After several minutes of enjoying the Lake Michigan sunset, a seagull flew into the scene. F5.6 at 1/6400, ISO 500, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm

Canada geese are beautiful creatures. I think a lot of Michiganders take their beauty for granted because we are so used to seeing them all the time. They are loud and can make a mess of a yard in a hurry, but they are truly picturesque. F5.6 at 1/800, ISO 800, 600mm lens at 840mm

Showing off for the girls, a tom turkey struts through a West Michigan orchard. This is one of those "wing shots" for which you need to be prepared. My camera with zoom telephoto lens was preset to a high shutter speed and high ISO in anticipation of moving wildlife that often have to be "shot" quickly without the aid of a tripod or monopod. F4.5 at 1/320, ISO 800, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Turkey vultures are one of the ugliest birds on the planet when seen up close while perched or on the ground. But when they take flight, wow, are they beautiful fliers. This one soars over my head while I am searching for the $500 pair of glasses I lost yesterday while stalking deer and coyotes at our river property. F3.2 at 1/4000, ISO 320, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

I swing my camera like a shotgun to get and stay on target with this suddenly appearing female wood duck as it performs a high-speed fly-by on the Pere Marquette River. I love the rush of spotting fast-flying wildlife and trying to make good "wing shots" of them. F3.5 at 1/640, ISO 1600, 80-200mm lens at 135mm

Just after we rounded one of the many bends in the Pere Marquette River tonight, a mature bald eagle landed in a tree less than 50 yards away from our drift boat. Our guide, Josh Mead, stopped the boat long enough for me to get my 70-200mm lens on so I could make this photograph of the beautiful river hunter. F3.5 at 1/500, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

Bald eagles in Michigan are becoming so prevalent now that my dad and I have spotted at least one on almost every Tuesday of this year while traveling the state for "Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed." When I was a kid, if you saw a bald eagle in Michigan, it was a big deal and you couldn't wait to tell everyone. I am so glad the eagles are making a strong comeback nationally. F3.5 at 1/500, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

One of the best parts of summer in Ludington for me is to go boating on Hamlin Lake. Today we took the boat out to find some photos and these two bald eagles flew low right over us. I was glad I had my big lens already on my camera ready to make this image.

This rare piping plover and its mate are among only about five-dozen breeding pairs identified by Great Lakes researchers. That is about five times more breeding pairs than in 1983, before protection measures were implemented. A wire cage enclosure over its nest helps keep out predators such as wild animals and dogs. The birds are small enough to enter and exit the cage as they please. The area is posted and roped off to further protect the birds. F7.1 at 1/1600, ISO 400, 300mm lens at 300mm