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Like a 747 dwarfing the smaller planes at an airport, a mute swan makes a big impact as it touches down near smaller waterfowl on the Sauble River at Ludington State Park.

O.K. It's really a Baltimore Oriole. But since it was residing in Ludington State Park, and since my three sons and I were Ludington Orioles during high school, I have taken some editorial license. The colorful songbird had probably recently returned from the south when I came upon him in mid-May on the Island Trail.

An immature bald eagle soars directly overhead as I hike a trail through the dunes near the Sable River at Ludington State Park. The bird circles over me, seemingly checking me out, or is it just searching for breakfast? Either way, I am grateful for the close-up view.

It’s comical to watch geese trying to walk on land, especially when they are only a few days old. This particular group of goslings seemed to be quite fond of the game leapfrog. As they passed by my camera, they clumsily hopped over each other while trying to keep up with the rest of the family.

Kingfishers are incredible in their ability to dive down and grab fish out of the water. The hunt appears effortless and amazingly graceful. I wonder if this kingfisher chuckled to see that a human angler obviously needed more practice with his or her casting skills, thus the fishing line stuck in the tree.

Having multiple camera lenses is a blessing and a curse. After a long snowy hike back from Big Point Sable Lighthouse, I spotted six bald eagles in a row of tall white pines about a quarter mile ahead. Of course, I had my wide-angle lens on my camera, and I scrambled for my telephoto as each bird took flight and soared overhead. Once I had the proper equipment ready, a seventh bird, an immature bald eagle, came into view.

O.K. It’s really a Baltimore Oriole. But since it was residing in Ludington State Park, and since my three sons and I were Ludington Orioles during high school, I have taken some editorial license. The colorful songbird had probably recently returned from the south when I came upon him in mid-May on the Island Trail.

I spotted this loon on Hamlin Lake during a June hike in the Ludington State Park. Photographing it was a personal highlight in a photographic journey that spanned more than a year. I dreamed of reencountering the loon “twice as close” or “twice as close again.” But in six more months of hiking and boating in the park, I never saw a loon again. I am grateful for the opportunity to see this one.

Deep within the forest in the northern part of Ludington State Park lies a pond that my son Brad and I have discovered to be a delightful place. We watched this male wood duck and several others for more than an hour on a late September morning. We waited patiently for them to come closer and then looked for those magic moments when the splendid ducks fit in perfectly with their marshy home.

Attention on deck! A family of Canada geese appears at full alert along the north bank of the Sable River on a summer afternoon. Perhaps they are watching for the fox that lives just around the bend, or perhaps they have already spotted the sly predator.

A three-day-old piping plover is dwarfed by dune grass near a pond in the dunes north of Big Point Sable Lighthouse. The tiny bird has no idea it is a rare endangered species. Michigan Department of Natural Resources piping plover steward Katrina Hernandez and I have spent a couple hours this morning finding the plover and rest of its family after they fled from the cage and fencing designed to keep people and predators away, yet not to restrict the birds from leaving.

I have shot a handful of bald eagles in my years of photography. To make three images including eagles within 35 days of shooting our 366 Project was almost comical to me. The light on this eagle’s wings was too magical to pass up.

I stood on a stool inside of my kitchen and then shot through the window towards my bird feeders outside. I have always loved the color blue. Blue jays are beautiful birds and for whatever reason have always reminded me of my dad. I was happy to make this image.

A pair of trumpeter swans graces the Sable River at Ludington State Park. The threatened native Michigan species has been getting some help in launching a comeback. The band on one of these birds marks it as one introduced to the area by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. The "11K" on the band helps naturalists keep track of its whereabouts.

A rare trumpeter swan fans out its wings on a sunny afternoon at Ludington State Park. With a wingspan that reaches six to seven feet, the impressive trumpeters are the world's largest species of waterfowl.

I spotted this loon on Hamlin Lake during a June hike in the Ludington State Park. Photographing it was a personal highlight in a photographic journey that spanned more than a year. I dreamed of reencountering the loon "twice as close" or "twice as close again." But in six more months of hiking and boating in the park, I never saw a loon again. I am grateful for the opportunity to see this one.

An unseasonably mild February day appears to suit a rare trumpeter swan just fine as it rests in the sunshine on the Sable River at Ludington State Park.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are beautiful birds. This one came for a mid-morning snack at my Papa Bill and Nana Bev's bird feeder while keeping a keen eye out for the fat barn cat that frequents the neighborhood.

I have always loved looking at blue jays. The house I grew up in on the corner of Pere Marquette and Ferry Street in Ludington frequently had blue jays in the yard. I have fond memories of sitting on our porch when I was little, watching the blue jays harassing all the other birds in the yard.