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Today was our last day in Maui. It took me a week to build up the courage to get close to these crabs and make the photograph I wanted. They moved so fast that it was hard to get them in focus while making sure none of them were crawling up my legs. They looked like hard-shelled spiders to me, which is about as freaky as it gets. F2.8 at 1/400, ISO 100, 70-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Target Rich Environment

Due to the shutdown, we are spending almost all our time between the farm and home. Tonight’s sunset helped showcase the patterns in the trees across our yard. It gave it almost an abstract feel with a touch of realism.

The Pere Marquette River Flats south of Ludington is a mecca for waterfowl. As the sun rises this morning, the river and marsh come alive with Canada geese. F2.8 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200 mm at 200 mm

Lisa Cooper called and informed me that she and Paul had some baby barred owls in their backyard near the Lincoln River in Victory Township. It took me several minutes to spot this baby, even though Paul and Lisa were pointing right at it. The little owl blended in perfectly to its surroundings.

The Three Musketeers

I lay on my stomach, trying to get the composition I was searching for. Tulips are one of my favorite spring flowers. The lady who owned our home prior to us, planted many around the yard. I love watching them bloom.

The red blossoms on this tree stood out among the blue, cloudy sky and really brightened my day.

Wintery Perch

We had a family dinner at my brother and sister-in-law’s for the first time in a long time because of COVID-19. Paul and Sue’s back deck is surrounded by many trees – you truly feel as if you are having a picnic in the woods! Tonight, we were visited by many different varieties of birds as we enjoyed each other’s company.

Brad and I are both scurrying to find a picture of the day before speaking to the Alpha Graduates of Ludington High School. We have been frantically busy all day at the gallery so have little time to shoot today. I make a couple images on the Lincoln Hills Golf Club grounds I don't especially like. Then this robin appears just in time! F4.0 at 1/200, ISO 200, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

I love the return of spring and all of the pretty flowers and blossoms, but what I love the most is the singing birds. This robin was hard at work finding food near the public boat ramp off of Lakeshore Drive on Lincoln Lake. F5.6 at 1/1600, ISO 1000, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm

Rachel hates snakes with a passion. I hate spiders equally as much. We like to torture each other and text random snake and spider photos to each other. While mushroom hunting with Paul and Lisa Cooper today, I shot photos of this large snake with my iPhone and then sent one to Rachel. I know paybacks will be coming my way soon.

Later tonight my dad and I have to present a slide show at the West Michigan Birding Festival, so I got up early this morning and set out to make at least one more good image of birds. I headed to Lincoln Lake to see what I could find. After many failed attempts, I finally got one photograph that was sharp and well composed. F9.0 at 1/2000, ISO 800, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm

While meandering back to our cabin along the Pere Marquette River, I spot at least a half dozen butterflies fluttering in the sunshine on the edge of a stand of large red pine trees. Patience and perseverance finally gets me as close as I want to get to one of the Red Admirals. The colorful butterflies seem to be springing up everywhere this April. F6.3 at 1/640, ISO 100, 105mm lens at 105mm

I have watched these goslings for weeks. I knew that I wanted to make a photo of them and tonight seemed like a good night for it, as they were perched on a mound surrounding their mom. As I was getting in position, the mom and goslings swam off their mound. Two other geese started to come near, and the daddy scared them away. It wasn’t the photo I was going for, but it turned out better than I envisioned.

My high school friends Bryan and Veronica Copenhaver have recently moved back to the area after living in Alaska for several years. Brian called me to say they had a white egret in their pond. Sean and the kids and I drove out there in the rain and found the bird. Just as I was rushing into position to make my first image, a truck drove by and scared the bird away. I ended up photographing this pair of geese on their pond instead.

This rabbit was so fat that it really didn't hop very well. It waddled around our neighborhood more like a little piglet. My daughter Julia got a huge kick out of watching our furry, fat neighbor. F4.0 at 1/80, ISO 1000, 70-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Parents escort a squadron of Canada geese goslings on an evening voyage across Pere Marquette Lake. Perhaps the youngsters are practicing the precision V-formations they will be part of when they learn to fly. F2.8 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200 mm at 200 mm

I was shocked to be standing in my kitchen and to look out the window at our bird feeders to see two indigo buntings and two scarlet tanagers all at the same time. I haven’t seen either of those species in my yard before, let alone four of them at the same time. I snuck back outside to my truck and got my camera and big lens just in time to get a photo of the one remaining scarlet tanager.