Day 102: Northern Lights to Green Heron Sunrise

If you are serious about photography, sleep will often be a precious commodity. Last night I was alerted that the Aurora Borealis was shining over Lake Superior. Without hesitation I headed out at 1:45 am to enjoy the display, and take some photographs. Knowing that true darkness ends about two hours before sunrise, at 4:00 am after spending a delightful two hours watching and photographing the Northern Lights, I drove home and got back in bed.

However, after only 1.5 hours at 6:00 am I was out of bed and hiking over to some ponds which had only become ice free within the past two days. The first light of morning … the golden hour … will enhance any photograph and display a bird’s plumage at its best. In addition, I knew that given all the lakes in the region except Lake Superior were still 100% ice covered, migrant birds would be enticed by the four small ponds that were my destination.

I was not disappointed. For 20 minutes I worked myself into position to photograph a green heron without spooking it. I hope you enjoy my heron photo, as well as the other pictures. My first photo is the Northern Lights display with the Aurora reflecting onto the Lake Superior ice!

Northern Lights Over Lake Superior
Northern-Lights-Brighton-Beach-Ice

———-

Green Heron Migrating Through Duluth, Minnesota
102-Birds-365-Green-Heron-1

———-

Hey! You! Get offa my pond!
102-Birds-365-Goose-Squacking-At-Buffleheads

———-

Green Metallica Mallards
102-Birds-365-Mallards-Times-Three

———-

Morning Bufflehead
102-Birds-365-Bufflehead-Close-Up

One thought on “Day 102: Northern Lights to Green Heron Sunrise

  1. Thanks Richard.
    I am loving your photos on 365 project and also enjoy looking at your others in this website. When you said you witnessed the Northern lights I was so pleased to be able to see your photos. Thanks for sharing.
    Denise

Leave a Reply