BehindTheFalls

Bald Eagles on Lake Minnetonka

2011-12-06T21:21:00.001-06:00

Twelve bald eagles resting in a tree on Lake Minnetonka.

The eagles are hunting and congregating in large numbers on their way south

in search for open water on the Mississippi River as the lakes freeze.

Abundant fish and a successful recovery program

have contributed to Minnesota having the largest population of bald eagles

in the lower 48 states, second only in the country to Alaska.

Balancing Act

2011-07-29T23:18:00.003-05:00

Mallard ducklings on a log

Tree frog on a steel cable

The End of Winter

2011-03-20T22:04:00.000-05:00

A few images as the season ends

Coyote

Early morning Frost

Hornet's Nest

Big Sister Love

2011-02-19T10:31:00.000-06:00

The neat saga of bear life in the north woods continues.

As the day are getting longer and the cubs bigger, life is bustling in the den.

Good views of the cubs are now more frequent.

The yearling cub Hope is now playing with her younger siblings

as seen in this video clip.

The Ultimate Bear Pile

2011-01-22T15:45:00.003-06:00

There are four bears in this screen shot from a web cam.

The bear on top (whose face is showing) is exactly one year old today.

She is lying on her mother named Lily.

Underneath this 300lb-plus pile of bear are two cubs born to Lily yesterday.

Because her cubs are less than a pound each with little fur,

Lily keeps them protected close to her body and

occasionally breathing on them to provide warmth.

This amazing perspective via the internet from the north woods of Minnesota

is the den cam provided by the North American Bear Center.

Both bears looking down at the new cubs.

All yearling bears share their first winter with their mothers in a den

before going off on their own their second year.

Usually the mother bear has cubs every other year so she is not pregnant

when sharing a den. This is an unusual case of a mixed-age litter

and the first to be recorded on a web cam.

The cubs will not be very visible until they get bigger

and the weather starts to warm out of the subzero range this time of year.

For now the cubs can be heard easily when they nurse or cry

and glimpses of them will happen when Lily cleans them or

rakes in fresh bedding (photo above).

Making Ice

2010-11-24T07:16:00.001-06:00

A low of 7 degrees and a wind yesterday morning aided in removing the last bit of warmth

off the top layer of water in Wayzata Bay.

According to the DNR: "Water is most dense (heaviest) at 39º F (4º C) and as temperature increases or decreases from 39º F, it becomes increasingly less dense (lighter). In summer and winter, lakes are maintained by climate in what is called a stratified condition. Less dense water is at the surface and more dense water is near the bottom.

During late summer and autumn, air temperatures cool the surface water causing its density to increase. The heavier water sinks, forcing the lighter, less dense water to the surface. This continues until the water temperature at all depths reaches approximately 39º F. Because there is very little difference in density at this stage, the waters are easily mixed by the wind. The sinking action and mixing of the water by the wind results in the exchange of surface and bottom waters which is called 'turnover'."

Last look at open water in 2010

Tundra Swans

2010-11-19T23:00:00.001-06:00

Tundra swans were flying over the Twin Cities tonight on

their way to their Mississippi River resting stop

near Brownsville Minnesota just north of the Iowa border.

Here is a video taken last November showing the river view

with the sights and sounds of the swans as well as

other ducks and bald eagles.

It is truly a magnificent annual migration scene

that is successful due to habitat restoration on this

portion of the Upper Mississippi.

Best Use of a Boathouse for Fishing

2010-09-25T13:54:00.007-05:00

The award goes to an Osprey, hanging upside down by one leg on a boathouse in Lake Minnetonka.

By hiding itself in the shadow of the boathouse, the osprey can wait undetected for its prey.

Most often, ospreys will hover above the water looking for fish, which makes up 99% of their diet.

This clever bird has figured out how to set up for an aerial dive with little effort and lots of disguise.

A Day in the Wildhood looking for Fungi

2010-09-18T23:10:00.002-05:00

One of the five major kingdoms of living organisms, fungi is often inconspicuous,

hidden in soil or dead trees, not seen until it "fruits' in the form of mushrooms.

Fungi plays a critical part of the ecosystem breaking down

dead organic matter into useful nutrients for soil.

Mushrooms can be beneficial food to humans as well as extremely poisonous.
This is an oyster mushroom, a common edible, that is found growing on trees.

These photos were taken in Wolsfeld Woods.

Fond Memories of Summer

2010-09-17T22:14:00.002-05:00

Campfire, Potato Lake 2010

Images of Big Island

2010-06-09T22:17:00.007-05:00

Bald Eagle's Nest on Big Island Park in Lake Minnetonka

Vista that served as the entryway for the Vets Camp and Amusement Park,

two facilities that once existed here starting in 1906.

View from the north shoreline

Walking trail through a carpet of woodland sedge

Blooming Shrub

Cat Bed - Extra Firm

2010-05-18T21:24:00.001-05:00

Lucky's new sleeping spot,

made from organic materials.

2010-05-14T21:22:00.001-05:00

Fine Art Friday

Wild Ginger, Minnesota 2010

2010-05-08T23:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day

Brought to you by Lily & Hope

Source: North American Bear Center

Here is a neat video of the cub's ability to climb in trees at such a young age.

2010-05-07T19:58:00.001-05:00

Fine Art Friday

Loon on Nest at Night, Minnesota 2010

Source: Minnesota Bound Loon Cam

2010-04-30T22:44:00.003-05:00

Fine Art Friday

Rusted Metal, Minnesota 2009

2010-04-29T21:34:00.001-05:00

Last Minute House Shopping

A pair of wood ducks are wondering if they

qualify for the new home tax credit!

2010-04-09T22:06:00.006-05:00

Fine Art Friday

Clouds, Sunset 2010

2010-04-02T19:12:00.005-05:00

Fine Art Friday

Clouds, Spruce 2010

2010-03-29T20:47:00.004-05:00

Protecting an Ancient Pathway

More on the Sandhill Cranes

The Sandhills are the most abundant crane species in the world

and one of the oldest birds with a fossil record

dating back over 2 million years ago.

Sunrise on the Platte

The Platte River is the important fueling stop
for the migrating cranes of the Central Flyway.

The River is broad and shallow with many sandbars that

the cranes roost on during night. Formed in the Rockies, the

Platte flows east to the Missouri River. During the past 70 years

much of the Platte's water flow has diminished due to irrigation needs.

Strong flows in the spring that scour the sandbars clean of vegetation

are important to the cranes. Now periodic restoration work

has to be conducted to keep the habitat favorable for the cranes.

During the day, the cranes are scattered about eating in farm fields,

gaining body weight for their journey into Canada, Alaska and even into Siberia.

An estimated 90,000 people come each spring to witness

the migration bringing an economic benefit to the surrounding areas.

An abandoned rail bed bridge is a prime vantage point to

watch the cranes arrive at sunset.

Sunset from the bridge

2010-03-26T14:16:00.005-05:00

Fine Art Friday

Sunset, Platte River, Nebraska 2007

2010-03-23T11:45:00.006-05:00

Celebrating Cranes

At this time of year over a half million sandhill cranes congregate

on the Platte River in Nebraska on their migration northward.

This is truly one of the great bird migrations in North America.

Due to the hourglass nature of their migration pattern, the cranes
end up concentrating in central Nebraska during the month of March

allowing for fantastic viewing opportunities of this large flock.

Dawn on the Platte River

The cranes roost overnight on the gravel bars in the

Platte River. This provides them protection

from predators, mainly coyotes.

During the day they fly out to nearby farm fields

to feed on waste corn leftover from last year's harvest.

Sunrise in the blind

There are various blinds set up along the river in which

to view and photograph the cranes without disturbing them.

Observers must enter the blinds before sunrise or in the early evening

before the cranes return to the river to avoid spooking them.

Sandhill cranes leaving the river in the morning to feed in nearby fields

2010-03-13T22:11:00.003-06:00

Setting Up Shop

The red-shouldered hawk arrives to set up territory

in east central Minnesota around the first of March.

Likely to be found in forested areas near wetlands,

this hawk is fairly common.

Red-shouldered hawks catch a fair amount of their dinners

near the wetlands, especially snakes.

They will start nest-building by the middle of April.

2010-03-12T21:20:00.004-06:00

Fine Art Friday

Grave, New Mexico 2003

2010-03-02T22:36:00.001-06:00

Coming out of "Hibernation"

A Big Yawn

With the days getting warmer and Lily's cub getting bigger,

there is more to view on the bear den cam.

The researchers installed a new microphone so

the sound is vastly improved.

Lily did not mind the temporary human intrusion into her den space

in order to swap out the equipment.

The cub, now named Hope, should be opening

her eyes any day now.

This web cam has shown that a mother bear really does not

hibernate but instead sleeps between episodes of caring for

the rather demanding cub.

The only thing that "hibernates" is her ability to eat

and the fact that she cannot leave her den.

2010-02-16T23:00:00.005-06:00

The Audacity of a Chickadee

"I have heard faith described as a bird that feels

the light and sings while the dawn is still dark.

During bleak mid-winter in Minnesota, there are

days when we could name that bird; we would

say that faith must be a chickadee.

One of the most amazing things about the

chickadee is its ability to know, without the

benefit of a calendar, which side of the winter

solstice it is on. One might guess that the bird’s

winter song would be triggered by falling leaves,

falling snow or falling temperatures. But that

can’t be the explanation, because often during

January, when we human beings are muttering

and complaining about the long cold darkness

of mid-winter, the chickadees begin to practice

their spring and summer song.

Faith is like that. It doesn’t take its cues

from the cold harshness of the world,

it takes it cue from the warm heart of God.

And, with the chickadee, it sings for joy."

-Pastor Bruce Benson of St. Olaf College

2010-01-26T13:29:00.003-06:00

The Contrast

If you had to tend to a baby, which nesting situation would you choose?

A. In a den in Minnesota with subzero temps and snow on your back
or

B. On a nest in California with bouts of rain and sun on your back

Both these snaps shots from webcams illustrate

the wonders of nature this time of year.

The birth of a cub and the hatch of hummingbirds both occurred last week
in different parts of the country and in an absolute contrast of climates.

In addition to the obvious visual contrast,

the audio portions of the cams point out the differences of the two sites.

In the bear cam, one can hear chickadees calling, coyotes howling, sleet falling

but most often nothing but the quiet of the north woods in winter.

In the hummingbird's world, there is lots of birdsong, dogs barking,

leafblowers running, cars starting, people talking and rain falling.

The bear cub is creating its own audio show with its unique noises

that signal its state of mind.

2010-01-23T13:33:00.001-06:00

Cub in the den, cub in the den!

Lily had her cub yesterday at 11:38 am CT.

As far as the researchers know, she had just one cub,

judging by her actions and the sounds coming from the cub.

She will keep the cub hidden for quite some time as it stays warm and nurses huddled up in her body.

According to the biologist Sue Mansfield :

"The cubs will be nearly hairless when born so should appear much lighter than Lily. She will likely keep them closely tucked beneath her and we may not even see them – but we should hear them. They will cry if they are cold or hungry. When cubs are comfortable and content they make a motor-like humming sound. There will be no doubt about the fact there are cubs in the den! "

Lily in labor

While we await the opportunity to see peeks of the cub,

the other real story of this event is the passionate work of Dr. Lynn Rogers.

How exciting for him to not only witness for the first time a live birth of a cub in his 43 years of studying bears but also to share this event

over the internet with 50,000 real-time viewers.

And there will be plenty more internet excitement to come as this little cub grows and finally leaves the den in mid-April.

There are always jokes about how Minnesotans get through the winter,

even accusing us of "sleeping with bears" to pass the season.

Well now with our native bear Lily, there might be some truth to that saying.

2010-01-21T17:11:00.005-06:00

The Mother of all Web Cams

Lily the Black Bear appears to be starting labor contractions

with over 9,000 viewers watching her on the internet.

This is shaping up to be the biggest show ever in wildlife web cams.

If she does have a cub or two,

her new family will be the latest in reality shows, only internet-style.

Hopefully the server will not overload and the camera will continue to document this very interesting segment of bear behavior.

There have been many cams documenting birds and their nests.

There is an active hummingbird cam right now in California.

In the last few years, barn owls have provided

an unique view of their behavior through cams in their nest boxes.

The baby owls have some fascinating actions
like swallowing whole, mice and rats as big as them, in a few mad gulps.
The owls will usually start their nesting in March and can be
watched on Cornell's Nestcams site.

One of the new nest cams last year featured a
chimney swift nest which is basically a few sticks
stuck together using saliva to the inside of a chimney or tower.
It is amazing to see how the babies grow in the tiny nest.

But birds are not as cuddly and hug-gable (figuratively) as a bear.
They just can't compete with the cuteness of a bear, let alone a tiny cub.

Lily and her possible cubs could likely be one of the biggest
wildlife events on the internet to date.

Ahh, the wonders of the Internet.
While a bear sleeps in her den outside of Ely, Minnesota,
thousands around the world view into her world from their desktops!

2010-01-10T22:55:00.004-06:00

Da Bear Cam

The latest in wildlife cams is the Black Bear Den Cam located in Ely Minnesota. This show features Lily who has a good chance of giving birth to cubs mid-January. She spent some time tonight eating snow around the entrance to her den.
Here are some photos from her Facebook page of her and her den.

Stay tuned....

2010-01-03T00:02:00.007-06:00

Subzero Robins

Robins greeting the -20 degree morning.
Winter robins are not uncommon in Minnesota,
most often appearing in flocks.
As long as they have a good source of berries
such as crabapples or the hackberries in this tree,
they can survive the chill and snow.

One important thing they need is water.
Robins drink lots of water so having a heated
bird bath will be a hit with the flock
and keep them around.

Puffed out and surviving the cold -
another view of a bird we associate with summer.

2009-12-25T14:04:00.003-06:00

Merry Christmas

Partridge in a pear tree?
No, this is a female pheasant in a hackberry tree.
About the closest we can get here in Minnesota.
With 10 inches of heavy snow on the ground,
this smart pheasant decided to get her food from a tree.

Merry Christmas from Minnesota

2009-12-11T13:11:00.004-06:00

December Bluebird

2009-12-11T10:33:00.002-06:00

Images from a subzero morning

Frost on the screen in early morning light

Ice crystals formed in the birdbath

2009-12-08T21:47:00.003-06:00

A Dusting of Snow

The gentle beginning of a snowstorm

2009-12-06T20:36:00.005-06:00

Creating Habitat for Swans

For the past four years, various government agencies

have collaborated to build 26 islands in the Mississippi River,
restoring aquatic habitat so important for migratory waterfowl.

Tundra swans rest on the edge of one of the new islands.
Rock rip-rap is used to protect the islands from erosion
which caused so much damage in the past.

The islands protect from the river currents and wind action allowing
for aquatic vegetation to grow between them.

The swans eat an estimated 6 pounds of tubers from aquatic plants
such as wild celery, arrowhead and sago pondweed.

Prior to the 1970s, only “small numbers” of tundra swans consistently stopped along the Mississippi River on their way to wintering grounds in the Chesapeake Bay.
In recent years, fall swan numbers on the Upper Mississippi River have swelled to more than 30,000 during late November.

2009-11-30T21:53:00.001-06:00

Last Light of November

Today's Sunrise

Today's Sunset

2009-11-27T23:12:00.007-06:00

A Rest Stop for 10,000 Swans

There are special places
known for seeing masses of birds
at a certain time of the year.
One of these spectacular events is the fall migration
rest stop for tundra swans and other waterfowl
on the Mississippi River in southern Minnesota.

The swans start arriving in late October
from their nesting grounds in Canada.
They will rest and feed here until freeze-up
which is usually the first part of December.
Then they will finish their fall journey by
flying on to winter on the Atlantic Coast.

Tucked in amongst the island rivers are pockets of swans.
20 to 40% of the eastern swan population visit this location
known as Pool 8 on the Mississippi River
which is a National Wildlife & Fish Refuge.

In the foreground are the young swans called cygnets.
They have gray bodies with pink bills.

A family of swans

2009-11-10T22:32:00.004-06:00

Sunset at French Creek Preserve

Hooded Mergansers are one of the showiest ducks in North America, rivaling the wood duck in pure beauty. Seen in larger numbers during spring and fall migration, mergansers will also nest in the Twin Cities using wood duck houses.

Fleeting images of the sun
along the pond's bank
in the short days of November.

2009-11-03T21:50:00.003-06:00

Autumn Red

2009-10-29T21:30:00.004-05:00

Rock 'n Roll Nature

A Katydid pays homage to Lucinda Williams
who was recently married at the
First Avenue nightclub in Minneapolis.

2009-10-19T10:01:00.007-05:00

A muted fall

Finally after two weeks of rain, snow and cold weather, the sun is finally out.

Falls colors are not as vibrant as l ast year's display.

Still some green left at Wood-Rill

2009-10-13T11:24:00.008-05:00

Snow and Snowier

Light dusting on October 10th

A couple inches two days later!

Average date for the first snowfall in the Twin Cities
is around Mid-November but not
unusual to be getting some white with the fall colors.

Autumn Joy Sedum and Snow

2009-10-02T22:14:00.008-05:00

So above and below

Barred Owl

A proud man is always looking down on things and people;
and, of course, as long as you're looking down,
you can't see something that's above you.
-C.S. Lewis

Hornet's Nest

2009-09-28T22:10:00.003-05:00

Purple Reign

Verbena

Kale

New England Aster

2009-09-23T16:36:00.004-05:00

Fading Images from Late Summer

A goldfinch dines on the seeds of a green-headed coneflower.

American Elderberry

A buffer of beggar-ticks (see neat photo essay) grows on the pond edge
dry from the lack of water.

Mushroom

2009-09-12T11:08:00.005-05:00

A Working Waterfall

Vermillion Falls located in Hastings Minnesota was the water power behind a flour mill started in 1853 by Harrison Graham who produced the first graham flour in the state.
Graham flour, a version of whole wheat flour, commonly used today in pie crusts and graham crackers, was touted at the time as being much healthier than white flour.

This site is now an expanded mill operated by ConAgra Foods.
Remnants of the old mill are still incorporated
in the walls of the present structure.

2009-09-11T22:00:00.004-05:00

Hummingbirds on the Defense

This time of year, Minnesota is full of hummingbirds migrating through on their way south. Often they will stay a few days and defend a food source.
This hummer is protecting......

........this feeder station and keeping others away.

Here is the silhouette of a hummer doing the natural thing and guarding a stand of flowers below .....

.....not just any flowers but Jewelweed, a favorite late summer food of hummingbirds.
A plant that truly grows like a weed in wetlands and pond edges,
Jewelweed (also known as the Spotted Touch-Me-Knot) is a natural nectar source for the migrating birds.
These plants are highly prized and the hummers will fight
over who owns these clumps of flowers.
A great plant to have in wetland buffers, Jewelweed
will easily shrivel and disappear with the first frost leaving very little
plant material to have to cut down or rake in the spring.

2009-08-27T23:02:00.002-05:00

Photos of the Gardens at Dusk

Wetland Buffer

Vegetable Harvest

Yellow and Purple Coneflower

2009-08-16T22:18:00.006-05:00

Human on a Stick

A fun way to tour the historical sites along the river in Minneapolis is by Segway.

Guided tours are conducted along the bike paths
that line the riverfront.

Along the river are remnants of the milling industry that made

Minneapolis from 1880-1930,
the "Flouring Milling Capital of the World ".

Gold Medal Flour was produced at the Washburn Mill
which later became part of the General Mills.

Detail of the outer wall of the Washburn Mill which is
now part of a restoration project
that created the Mill City Museum.
The Museum is an incredible look back at the milling industry
with interactive demonstrations of the milling process.
A highly recommended stop for any visitor to the Twin Cities.

And the main reason for the beginning of the riverfront
industry is the St. Anthony Falls that provided
the waterpower necessary to run the mills.

2009-08-15T23:41:00.005-05:00

F1 Tornado hits Lake Minnetonka

One week ago a tornado with wind speeds of 85-100 mph
hit one of the northern bays of Lake Minnetonka.
Fortunately no one was hurt and the damage was
fairly minor with large trees down and roofs damaged.

Here the cattails were flattened where the tornado
came off the lake.

The tornado's path was about 200 yards wide
and it created sporadic damage along a length of 9.5 miles.

For some interesting reading on tornadoes, click here.

2009-08-02T23:03:00.004-05:00

Follow the Bumblebee

With the native plants beginning their blooming,
so too have the visits by the bumblebees.
Here a bee is sampling a woodland sunflower....

....and a purple coneflower.
Bumblebees are major pollinators - very important in crop production.
They can survive in the cooler temperature of the northern climes. They can raise their body temps by a form of "shivering", detaching their flight muscles and moving them to generate heat. That explains why some bees are found buzzing around on the ground in the spring, warming themselves up but unable to fly with the detached muscles.

This is a rather tall, unassuming native plant called the cupplant.

The cupplant is so named for its ability to hold water in the base of its leaves.
Hummingbirds and insects will use this as a watering hole.
Speaking of watering holes, or lack of right now in Minnesota, where rain is much appreciated at the moment. It has been a cool and dry summer to date.

2009-07-22T22:42:00.004-05:00

Friendly for now

These two bucks take time out of their feeding session to preen each other.

The buck on the right has a viral skin growth on its face
that apparently is common in young male deer.
It is not harmful to the animal.

2009-07-20T11:48:00.006-05:00

40 Years Ago Today

Man Lands on the Moon!
Here is a short visual summary of all the complicated maneuvers that went into that historic event.

2009-07-19T22:14:00.004-05:00

Plant Textures

Sensitive Fern
named for its sensitivity to frost

Wild Ginger
woodland perennial that makes a good groundcover in shade

Japanese Painted Fern

June Hosta

2009-05-22T22:26:00.005-05:00

A Walk in the Woods

Here in Wolsfeld Woods, a hole in the tree canopy brings
in light for young maples to start growing on the forest floor.

Budding willows are abundant along Wolsfeld Lake.

Hummingbirds gather the fluff off the bud
to use as nest material.

2009-05-19T20:43:00.005-05:00

Guest blog entry appearing in Birdchick.com

Have you hugged a snag today?

Does this image make you want to get a chainsaw or a pair of Swaroskis binocs?

As any bird aficionado will tell you, snags such as this one, do not have to be an unattended issue in your backyard but rather a hidden magnet for all sorts of bird activity.
Your neighbors might think you are being rather neglectful allowing a dead tree to stand while shedding its various parts over a long period of time but this is certainly less crazy then constructing an artificial snag.

Besides nesting, birds use dead trees for foraging, domain-watching, hunting and just plain hanging out without the hassles of dealing with leaves.

For birding humans, dead trees provide great viewing and photo opportunities.

An ibis "tower" in Sebastian Florida

Many birds of prey, such as this red-tailed hawk, rely on the unobstructed view that a dead tree provides for finding food.

This barred owl is perched on a man-made snag of cut buckthorn. Buckthorn is an invasive small tree that is choking the understory of woodlands here in Minnesota. Creating a few of these mini-perches to be used by the owl is one way to make something positive out of a nuisance situation.

A wildlife pond is not complete without a few horizontal snags. Ducks love to rest on dead trees by the water's edge. Seeing the baby wood ducks each summer makes dragging an 100 pound snag over to the water worth all the work.

And for a non-birding use of snags, you have to give credit to Bruce Stillman who designed what I call "snaghenge"

This work of art is part of the amazing Big Stone Mini Golf Course in Minnetrista, Minnesota.

2009-05-15T22:03:00.003-05:00

Aww...the birds of spring

Every year the excitement of the spring arrivals
in the wildhood never gets old.
The rose-breasted grosbeak is one of these
most colorful visitors to the feeder in early May
that always delights us.
Grosbeaks spend winter in Mexico, Central and South America
and migrate to nest here in Minnesota.

The aptly named indigo buntings are another migrant
from the neotropics
that arrive here in early May to nest.

One of my favorite photos from last year has a local
goldfinch not too pleased with the new finch in town.

2009-05-12T22:12:00.009-05:00

Spring at Wood-Rill

After a striking autumn last year,
another season starts anew at Wood-Rill.
A lack of significant spring rains so far has stalled
the greenery from appearing on the floor of the big woods.

Marsh marigolds are providing most of the color right now.

The weathered skeletons of the forest giants can be seen
rather simply this time of year.

Tree blossoms on the outskirts of the deep woods

2009-05-05T22:25:00.006-05:00

The Art of Being a Turkey

Turkeys are the "new" tame bird of the Twin Cities suburbs.
Like the Canada goose, turkeys are being found everywhere
and are not shy about appearing in one's backyard.
Turkeys imported from Missouri were used to reintroduce turkeys back to Minnesota almost 40 years ago and most of today's birds are from that successful attempt.
With their funny shape, bizarre colors and quizzical nature,
turkeys can be interesting to watch.

Turkeys will fly into trees to escape danger and roost at night.

Turkey in abstract-
actually preening.

This turkey is going out on a limb to make friends
in the wildhood.

Whoa, dude-
headshot of a male in full breeding colors.

2009-04-05T10:32:00.004-05:00

The Pileated Couple

If you are lucky enough to have a pair of these woodpeckers in your neck of the woods, here is how to tell the sexes apart. By the way the word pileated comes from the Latin word pileatus which means 'capped'.

Males have a full crest that extends from bill to neck and a red whisker line on the side of the neck,

whereas the female has a partial crest and the whisker line is black.

Their favorite feeder food is suet and when they are out foraging for themselves they are making big marks in the local woods.

2009-04-03T12:56:00.003-05:00

How birds get their name....

Here is a bird named for a small strip of red that can only be seen from the underside or as the expression goes "a bird in the hand".

Yes, this is a red-bellied woodpecker but probably not the first identifying feature that comes to mind when looking at this bird.

There is much in the way of color and pattern to the red-bellied.

A very common woodpecker throughout the Southeast and Florida, it has expanded its breeding range northward in the last 100 years and is now very common at Minnesota feeders.

2009-04-01T13:22:00.003-05:00

April Fool's Snow

Another fresh snowfall to wake up to this first day of April.
Not as pretty as last year's April Fool's Day.

2009-03-16T22:17:00.005-05:00

Sunset Shuttle Launch

Yesterday's evening launch of the Discovery shuttle
off the coast of Florida

Safe voyage, Discovery

2009-03-04T21:11:00.009-06:00

How birds get their name.....

A female white-winged crossbill

Easy to see the white on the wings but note the overhang on the upper part of its beak.

This side view shows the length of the upper bill which has to cross on one side of the lower bill.

A pair eating with their preferred meal of pine cones.

The crossbills have been common in Minnesota this winter.

This close-up of a crossbill that died shows the unusual bill. Serious bird trivia: White-winged Crossbills with lower mandibles crossing to the right are approximately three times more common than those with lower mandibles crossing to the left as seen here.

2009-02-27T12:52:00.009-06:00

The Minnesota equivalent of Groundhog Day....

...is when the first raccoon shows up in your yard after its winter nap.

Not interested in seeing its shadow, the raccoon is all about eating the suet from your birdfeeders, rummaging for dog food in your garage or tearing off the top of a garbage can.

One other difference from the real Groundhog Day is, in Minnesota, there is never an issue about whether there will be another six weeks of winter.

2009-02-17T20:49:00.002-06:00

Cosmic Clouds

The ground we walk on, the plants and creatures, the clouds above constantly dissolving into new formations - each gift of nature possessing its own radiant energy, bound together by cosmic harmony.

-Ruth Bernhard

2009-02-11T18:16:00.003-06:00

Another Canadian Visitor

Redpolls are another species of the northern boreal forests to migrate to a more "southern" state to spend part of this winter. Yes, Minnesota is considered a place to retreat to if there is a poor seed crop in their Canadian homeland.

Like their cousins the pine siskins, redpolls love the thistle seed and will do their best to drain feeders often leaving a large amount of seed on the ground.

The males are more colorful with a pink chest.

2009-02-08T21:28:00.002-06:00

Cattails in Winter

2009-02-05T08:55:00.005-06:00

Post holiday decorations in Minnesota's spruce trees

Numerous flocks of white-winged crossbills have migrated south to Minnesota this winter. Hanging from tips of spruce branches, they extract seeds from the cones with bills that cross at the tip.

When they don't want to work as hard, they drop to the ground to do clean up on all the cones felled by their visit. The presence of a sudden amount of fallen spruce cones in the winter is a good indicator that the crossbills have attacked.
Check out this video that shows how the crossbill adaptation works.

2009-02-04T19:42:00.002-06:00

A Tale of Two Seasons

Photos of the same hydrangea plants!

2009-01-27T22:21:00.006-06:00

Red-shouldered Hawk

Not usually appearing in Minnesota until the middle of March, this red-shouldered hawk, seen on a January morning, is north of its normal wintering range.

2009-01-26T22:27:00.004-06:00

Cool Jay

With its feathers puffed out to stay warm,
a blue jay surveys another subzero morning.

2009-01-22T20:05:00.006-06:00

The Modern Day Tetradactyl

The pileated woodpecker

Nearly a foot and a half long, the pileated
is almost the size of a crow.
This woodpecker is found in deciduous or coniferous forests with large trees.
A pair will stay together year round and defend their territory
which can be as big as a couple square miles.

The Pileated Woodpecker digs characteristically rectangular holes in trees to find ants.
This work was done over a span of a few weeks.

Wood shavings from the pileated's handiwork.

Pileated woodpeckers can be attracted to birdfeeders by offering suet.

2009-01-20T22:27:00.005-06:00

A Historic Day in the United States of America

Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is the forty-fourth President of the United States and the first African American to hold the office.

President Obama and Vice President Biden are the second set of Senators elected to the high office.

"On this Inauguration Day, we are reminded that we are heirs to over two centuries of American democracy, and that this legacy is not simply a birthright -- it is a glorious burden. Now it falls to us to come together as a people to carry it forward once more.

So in the words of President Abraham Lincoln, let us remember that: "The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 20, 2009, a National Day of Renewal and Reconciliation, and call upon all of our citizens to serve one another and the common purpose of remaking this Nation for our new century."

-THE FIRST PROCLAMATION BY PRESIDENT OBAMA

2009-01-19T21:16:00.005-06:00

The Living Presidents with the President-Elect

From the left: George H.W. Bush (41st President), President-elect Obama, George W. Bush (43rd President), William Jefferson Clinton (42nd President) and Jimmy Carter (39th President).

2009-01-19T21:06:00.008-06:00

The Great Communicator

Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the fortieth President of the United States and, at age 69, the oldest president to assume office. When Reagan campaigned for office, the United States inflation rate was over 14% and unemployment was rising to reach a peak of 10.8% in 1982. Reagan enacted two major tax acts, lowering tax rates, to stimulate the economy during his terms, creating growth and lowering the unemployment rate. Despite his economic success, the national debt rose during his eight years from $700 billion to $3 trillion causing Reagan to reflect on the increased debt as the "greatest disappointment " of his presidency.

On foreign policy, he began a series of summits with Mikhail Gorbachev, laying the foundation for the Soviet reforms and arms agreements that ended the Cold War. He is known for his famous 1987 speech at Berlin Wall's Brandenberg Gate, where he challenged Gorbachev to "tear down this wall." The Wall came down two years later and the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.

Reagan's style of communication and humor endeared him with the title of the "Great Communicator" of which he stated in retrospect:

"I wasn't a great communicator, but I communicated great things, and they didn't spring full blown from my brow, they came from the heart of a great nation, from our experience, our wisdom, and our belief in the principles that have guided us for two centuries."

2009-01-19T08:28:00.006-06:00

Healer

Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. (July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006) was the thirty-eighth President of the United States and the first person appointed to the vice-presidency under the terms of the 25th Amendment. The Amendment was invoked three times under Gerald Ford. The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, allowed Ford to be nominated for the vice presidency to replace Spiro Agnew who resigned under tax evasion charges in 1973. The Vice Presidency had been vacant several times throughout history due to death, resignation or succession to the Presidency. The Amendment also formalized the succession process upon vacancy of the presidency which applied to Ford in 1974 following Nixon's resignation. Thirdly, as sitting President, Ford was able to nominate Nelson Rockefeller to succeed him as Vice President.

Gerald and Betty Ford escort Richard and Pat Nixon to the Presidential Helicopter after Nixon's resignation speech. (White House photo)

One of the highlights of Ford's 29 months in office was his pardon of former President Nixon. In election of 1976, he was defeated by Jimmy Carter who thanked Ford for "all he has done to heal our land."

2009-01-18T21:52:00.006-06:00

Nixon's the One

Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the thirty-seventh President of the United States, and the only president to ever resign the office. The thirteen and a half years he spent as either President or Vice President also meant that he was the longest serving individual to have held the nation's two highest executive posts.

Nixon ended America's involvement in the Vietnam war, opened relations with Communist China and started diplomacy with Soviet Union. On the domestic side, Nixon chose to go off the gold standard stopping the direct convertibility of the US dollar to gold. He battled inflation with temporary wage and price controls and governed during the first oil crisis in 1973. He signed into law the bill that lowered the US freeway speed limit to 55 mph to conserve gasoline. Nixon was president during all the Apollo moon landings and approved the development of the space shuttle.

Nixon won his second term by a landslide. The break-in of the Democratic headquarters during the campaign and the subsequent cover-up by Nixon lead to his resignation on August 9, 1974.

2009-01-18T16:36:00.004-06:00

LBJ

Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908 – January 22, 1973) was the thirty-sixth President of the United States and became president upon the assassination of President Kennedy. During his time in office, he initiated his "Great Society" set of domestic programs. Two legislative outcomes were Medicare (government-funded health care for the elderly) and Medicaid (government-funded health care for the poor). On foreign policy, he was responsible for escalating the American involvement in the Vietnam War from 16,000 American soldiers in 1963 to 500,000 in early 1968.

The 1964 presidential election is known for the introduction of the negative political ad. The now famous "Daisy" TV ad attempted to portray contender Barry Goldwater was a warmonger who would possibly use nuclear weapons in the conflict in Vietnam. The controversial ad was immediately pulled from the air but lived on in news discussions and amongst the voters. Johnson won the election by one of the largest margins in history.

2009-01-16T21:41:00.005-06:00

JFK

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963) was the thirty-fifth President of the United States and the youngest man to be elected President at the age of 43.

In his first year of Kennedy's presidency, the Russians, in April, launched the first man in space. The following month, the United States launched Alan Shepard into space and Kennedy used the success of that launch to declare America's goal to land on the moon. Kennedy witnessed all six of the Mercury space flights. Appearing at Cape Canaveral in November of 1963, Kennedy toured the new launch area for the Apollo Moon Project and saw the new Saturn rocket being readied for testing. Six days later, he was assassinated in Dallas.
Reflecting on his goal for landing on the moon, Kennedy said:
"We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

2009-01-15T22:12:00.005-06:00

72 Hours of Below Zero Weather and counting....

Detail of ice at Minnehaha Falls

Mask of Chief Little Crow near the Falls

2009-01-15T20:42:00.007-06:00

I Like Ike

Dwight David Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the thirty-fourth President of the United States and a five-star general, supreme commander of the Allied Forces in Europe and the first commander of NATO.

In addition to his war record, he is remembered for his foresight in supporting systems that would forever shape America's future. One is the Interstate Highway System signed into law in 1956. Eisenhower's experience with the German autobahns during World War II convinced him of the military and economic benefits of a federal freeway. Another involvement Eisenhower was instrumental in shaping was the fledging space program. During the intense Cold War tension of the space race and its military ramifications, Eisenhower insisted that the development of U.S. space program emphasize the benefit of peaceful endeavors. He championed the formation of a civilian agency to perform space research which lead to the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Agency in 1958. His crowning moment in the space race was the test of the first communication satellite to broadcast from space.

Launched in December 1958, the satellite transmitted the following first message from space:

"This is the President of the United States speaking. Through the marvels of scientific advance, my voice is coming to you via a satellite circling in outer space. My message is a simple one: Through this unique means I convey to you and all mankind, America's wish for peace on Earth and goodwill toward men everywhere."

2009-01-14T22:38:00.006-06:00

The buck stops here

Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the thirty-third President of the United States. Five months into his presidency, Truman ordered the atomic bombing of Japan bringing an end to World War II. He supported the founding of the United Nations, orchestrated the rebuilding of Europe with the Marshall Plan, signed the National Security Act of 1947 which created the CIA and National Security Council and created the Truman Doctrine to support countries who resisted the spread of Communism. His folksy style included the use of such phrases as 'the buck stops here" and "if you can't stand the heat, you better get out of the kitchen".

Truman planned on adding a second story balcony to the White House to be able to get fresh air. The idea was controversial to purists who did not want the historical building changed and the idea became a slogan for the Republican challenger, Thomas Dewey, in the 1948 election. Dewey stated that he looked forward to living in the new "porch" that Truman built. Truman delayed construction until after the election, an election he barely won. As it turned out, the White House needed extensive renovations to its foundation which required rebuilding the whole interior of the main part so the Truman family had to move into the Blair House and lived there for over two years.

2009-01-14T17:25:00.008-06:00

FDR
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945) was the thirty-second President of the United States and the only President to have served more than eight years. The two-term limit was an unwritten rule since the country's founding as many presidents accepted it as convention. Not until the 22nd amendment in 1947 did the term limit become part of the Constitution and that applies to two elected terms with the stipulation that a vice president filling out the reminder of term would not be eligible for a second term if more than two years remained on the unexpired term.

In trying to combat the Great Depression, in addition to new government programs, new taxes were introduced. Payroll tax was created in 1937 to fund Social Security. Most states added income and sales tax to combat declining revenues. The withholding tax came into existence in 1943. To fund World War II, Roosevelt increased marginal tax rates for top earners to almost 90% and lowered personal exemptions for all individuals.

World War II started in Roosevelt's third term and the war in Europe ended shortly after his death in the first year of his fourth term. He served 12 years as President.

Roosevelt's Four Freedoms presented in his 1941 State of the Union speech:

"In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.

The first is freedom of speech and expression--everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way--everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want--which, translated into universal terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants--everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear--which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor--anywhere in the world."

2009-01-12T16:59:00.008-06:00

Engineer • Public Servant • Author

Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was the thirty-first President of the United States and is the most recent cabinet secretary to be elected President. Secretary of Commerce under Harding and Coolidge, Hoover won the election of 1928 by a wide margin despite having no prior elective office, campaigning on the economic success of the Republicans in the 1920's. Hoover's presidential honeymoon was short-lived as the stock market crash in September of 1929 marked the start of the Great Depression. Hoover wrestled with ways to combat the worsening economy but ended up, after four years, being unsuccessful. He raised tax rates across the board, with top income rates going from 25% to 63%, doubling estate taxes and raising corporate tax rates to counter declining government revenue. He signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, which cut world trade in half, worsening the effects of the Great Depression. From the U.S. Bureau of Census: Unemployment was at 7.8% in 1930 when the Smoot-Hawley tariff was passed, but it jumped to 16.3% in 1931, 24.9% in 1932, and 25.1% in 1933.

Hoover was a mining engineer before becoming involved in politics. As chairman of the Colorado River Commission in the early 20's, he oversaw the development of the Boulder Dam to be renamed the Hoover Dam by congressional act while he was President in 1931. Following Roosevelt's victory in 1932, his Secretary of the Interior, Harold Ickes, succeeded in slowly removing Hoover's name from all literature relating to the Dam and did not mention or invite Hoover to the dedication speech in 1935. The name was not restored until another act of Congress in 1947.

Author of at least 16 books from mining textbooks to presidential history to fishing, Hoover writes in his book to children: "I did not "dream about becoming President" until forty-four years after I finished the eighth grade. I was busy on other things. Being a politician is a poor profession. Being a public servant is a noble one."

2009-01-12T10:23:00.004-06:00

The Rise of Radio

John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. (July 4, 1872 – January 5, 1933) was the thirtieth President of the United States and claimed many firsts in the use of radio during his presidency. The first commercial radio station in the United States, KDKA in Pittsburgh, began broadcasting in 1922. Coolidge's inauguration in 1923 was a first followed by a broadcast of a speech to Congress later that year. In 1924, he became the first President to appear in a sound film.

Incumbent Coolidge with running mate, John Davis, won definitively in 1924 and his second term, characterized by the Roaring Twenties, experienced an economic boom. Coolidge lowered income tax rates that had crept up during World War I, reduced government spending and vetoed a farm relief bill. Coolidge, a farmer's son, stated that agriculture must stand "on an independent business basis," and said that "government control cannot be divorced from political control."

Coolidge did not seek renomination in 1928, explaining in his autobiography: "The Presidential office takes a heavy toll of those who occupy it and those who are dear to them. While we should not refuse to spend and be spent in the service of our country, it is hazardous to attempt what we feel is beyond our strength to accomplish."

2009-01-10T16:50:00.006-06:00

The last of a string of Ohio Presidents

Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the twenty-ninth President of the United States and was the first sitting Senator to be elected President. John Kennedy and Barack Obama are the only other two to be elected president while serving in the Senate. Harding was the eighth President from the state of Ohio. From William Henry Harrison's election in 1840 to Harding's in 1920, Ohio produced a large group of politicians that served as Presidents or members of their Cabinets.

In the election of 1920, Harding defeated fellow Ohioan and Governor James Cox by a landslide victory of 60% to 34% in the popular vote. Cox's running mate was 38 year-old Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin Roosevelt. This was the first election where women from all states achieved the right to vote by passage of the 19th admendment in August of 1920.

Harding's campaign slogan was "Return to Normalcy", meaning turning away from the government activism of the World War I era. Harding signed peace treaties with Germany, Austria and Hungary officially ending U.S. involvement in the war. He established the Veterans Bureau which later became the Department of Veterans Affairs. Harding's short-lived presidency was charactarized by scandals, most notably Teapot Dome. He also had a 15 year relationship with Carrie Fulton Phillips, the wife of a close friend. The Republican Party found this out after Harding's nomination, so in exchange for her silence about the affair, the Party aranged for her family to live abroad and receive an annual stipend. Love letters between the two were confiscated by Harding's heirs and remain under court injunction, not subject to pubic review until 2023, the 100th anniversary of Harding's death. Harding died in office in August 1923 of a heart attack while traveling the West Coast.

2009-01-09T11:14:00.007-06:00

American Idealist

Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924) was the twenty-eighth President of the United States. His first term comprised of many domestic firsts including the Revenue Act of 1913 and the establishment of the Federal Reserve Bank. For 124 years, the largest source of the U.S. government revenue was generated by tariff duties. Prior to 1913, there were 19 different tariffs established by the government. In pursuing tariff reform, Wilson laid the groundwork for lower tariffs by creating a federal progressive income tax to supplement the reduced government revenue. In a few years, the federal income tax surpassed tariff revenues as the chief source of government revenue. The Revenue Act allowed rather high exemptions to income tax and a top marginal rate of 7% on those earning over $500,000 (10.7 million in today's dollars). The exemption for married filers in 1913 was comparable to income over $85,800 in 2008 dollars versus today's tax exemption of $17,900, and marginal rates have now increased to 35%. It was the 4th tax act in the 137-year history of the government which went on to create 45 new tax acts in the following 95 years.

Wilson's second term centered on foreign issues relating to World War I. He campaigned for maintaining America's neutrality but German submarine attacks eventually caused Wilson to declare war on the Central Powers in 1917. After the War, Wilson worked to develop his foreign policy "idealism" of world peace and self-determination by helping shape the Treaty of Versailles and forming the League of Nations. Although this work earned him the 1919 Nobel Prize, his own government chose not to ratify the Versailles Treaty nor join the League of Nations.

2009-01-08T21:04:00.002-06:00

Nature Break

Canada Wild Rye

2009-01-07T13:27:00.013-06:00

Commander-in-Chief to Chief Justice

William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930) was the twenty-seventh President of the United States and, to date, the only ex-president to serve on the Supreme Court as the tenth Chief Justice.

Chosen by Teddy Roosevelt as his successor in the 1908 elections, Taft defeated William Jennings Bryan who ran for the third time as the Democratic nominee. The relationship soured in 1910 when Roosevelt did not see agree with Taft's governing and set up one of the biggest schisms in the Republican party. Roosevelt put his name back in the ring for president in the 1912 election. Taft was able to win the Republican nomination for re-election by garnering the support of the delegates despite Roosevelt's popularity with the people.

After the convention, Teddy Roosevelt promptly created the "Progressive" party as a third party contender in the election which divided the Republicans and handed Taft the worst defeat as an incumbent President. Taft finished third with 23% of the popular vote (8 electoral), Roosevelt 27% (88 electoral) and handed Woodrow Wilson an overwhelming victory with 42% of the popular (435 electoral).

2009-01-06T21:27:00.006-06:00

T.R.

Theodore Roosevelt (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919) was the twenty-sixth President of the United States and at age 42, the youngest person to become president.

On September 2, 1901, Roosevelt delivered his “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick” speech at the Minnesota State Fair. In less than two weeks, he would become president due to President McKinley's assassination.

An excerpt from Roosevelt’s 5,300-word speech, as reported in the Minneapolis Tribune:

"Right here let me make as vigorous a plea as I know how in favor of saying nothing that we do not mean, and of acting without hesitation up to whatever we say. A good many of you are probably acquainted with the old proverb, “Speak softly and carry a big stick – you will go far.” If a man continually blusters, if he lacks civility, a big stick will not save him from trouble, and neither will speaking softly avail, if back of the softness there does not lie strength, power. In private life there are few beings more obnoxious than the man who is always loudly boasting, and if the boaster is not prepared to back up his words, his position becomes absolutely contemptible. So it is with the nation. It is both foolish and undignified to indulge in undue self-glorification, and, above all, in loose-tongued denunciation of other peoples. Whenever on any point we come in contact with a foreign power, I hope that we shall always strive to speak courteously and respectfully of that foreign power.

Let us make it evident that we intend to do justice. Then let us make it equally evident that we will not tolerate injustice being done us in return. Let us further make it evident that we use no words which we are not which prepared to back up with deeds, and that while our speech is always moderate, we are ready and willing to make it good. Such an attitude will be the surest possible guarantee of that self-respecting peace, the attainment of which is and must ever be the prime aim of a self-governing people."

2009-01-04T16:23:00.010-06:00

Soldier • Statesman • President

William McKinley, Jr. (January 29, 1843 – September 14, 1901) was the twenty-fifth President of the United States, and the last veteran of the American Civil War to be elected.
He served in the House of Representatives for 11 years before becoming Governor of Ohio.
He was elected president in 1896 and 1900.

McKinley's opponent in both elections was William Jennings Bryan who, at the age of 36, remains the youngest presidential nominee of a major party in American history.
Byran campaigned on the issue of free silver which argued for silver to be minted freely at rate of $1 per troy ounce. The defacto gold standard at the time was $20 per troy ounce and opponents to silver money feared inflation. McKinley upheld the idea of having only a gold standard which lead to the Gold Standard Act being officially ratified and signed by McKinley in 1900.

McKinley was also a supporter of high tariffs on imports and authored the McKinley Tariff of 1890. He argued, "Free foreign trade gives our money, our manufactures, and our markets to other nations to the injury of our labor, our tradespeople, and our farmers. Protection keeps money, markets, and manufactures at home for the benefit of our own people." His tariff proved detrimental to farmers as it drove up the cost of imported farm equipment while prices for domestic agricultural goods declined due to lack of competition from foreign sources.

McKinley chose Teddy Roosevelt as his running mate in the 1900 election which they won easily with 51% of the vote. Roosevelt became president the next year in September of 1901 when McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo, New York.
McKinley's last words were "It is God's way; His will be done, not ours."

Niles, Ohio is the home of the National McKinley Birthplace Memorial. Located just off of Interstate 80 in eastern Ohio, the formal memorial features an unpretentious museum wing displaying many artifacts of McKinley's life.

2009-01-03T23:42:00.004-06:00

Special Series: Countdown to the Inauguration

In anticipation of the upcoming inauguration, this series is going to take a look back at some historic tidbits of past presidents. Using campaign buttons and other memorabilia as a guide for discovery, this is a small nod to the great institution of the American presidency.

2009-01-02T17:27:00.005-06:00

Images way down under courtesy of the Penguin Cam

The Penguin WebCam is capturing more than penguins. Although it only updates every 15 minutes due to the extreme conditions, the cam is plenty fast to record the backdrop of icebergs going by. The icebergs provide their own visual wallpaper on a daily basis while the gentoo penguins sit on their eggs.

Midnight light in the Antarctic

2009-01-01T15:24:00.006-06:00

Did last year leave your head spinning?

2008-12-25T23:43:00.004-06:00

Scenes from the holiday......

lots of snow

lights under the snow

and the cat asleep under the tree.

2008-12-17T11:24:00.006-06:00

Birds of a different season

Fun for birdwatchers: Here is an unusual photo two species of woodpeckers on the same feeder that are normally not present here in Minnesota during the winter.

Flicker and yellow-bellied sapsucker eating suet.

It is not usual for a hardy flicker to stay around during the cold months. Normally an insect eater in warmer times, the flicker can make do with nuts and suet that they find at the bird feeders.

On the other hand, the yellow-bellied sapsucker is definitely out of his element being in sub zero temps. Note how scruffy his feathers are and for a bird used to eating sap, not sure how the suet will work for him.

2008-12-15T10:50:00.002-06:00

11 degrees below zero

Sunrise

Frost on the door

2008-11-30T20:33:00.004-06:00

End of November

The last images of the month showcase the herd of deer that appeared Thanksgiving morning.

This deer looks dressed for the town with a white bow-tie.

Say good-bye to the browns of November here in Minnesota.