Category Archives: Year 2

Year 2: Birds of the Open Beak (Days 10 & 11)

Background, Year 2, ,

When photographing birds, the preferred image is a flight shot. Realizing that capturing a bird in flight is a challenge, focus on the eyes and beak. Including the eyes plus an open beak makes it appear as if the bird has human qualities, and will enhance whether folks like your pictures.

Thus, I bring you birds of the open beak

Trash Talking Downy Woodpecker (day 10)
Y2-D010-Female-Downy-at-Work

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Smiling Goldeneye (day 11)
Y2-D011-Goldeneye-Mouth

In addition, I enjoyed Lake Superior region photo opportunities early and late in the day using my new Sony NEX-5T mirrorless camera. I have been very impressed with how it performs in low light

Stoney Point at Sunrise
Y2-D010-Stoney-Point-Waves-2

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Northern Lights in the Superior National Forest (full moon washed out the display)
Hwy-3-Night-1

Year 2: Everybody Loves Peanut Butter!

Year 2

Who does not like peanut and jelly? It’s all American after all … even for Boreal Chickadees down from Canada! A trip to the Sax-Zim bog today yielded two new species for me:

  • Boreal Chickadee
  • Sharp Tailed Hawk

As you can see, this Boreal Chickadee was enjoying the all American food near the Admiral Road feeders! In addition I did NOT take any owl photos today. I tried both at sunrise and sunset. The colors in the sky were gorgeous, and I found four different owls, but none of them were kind enough to pose with the crimson skies in the background. Bummer!

Boreal Chickadee
Year-2-Boreal-Chickadee-1 Year-2-Boreal-Chickadee-2

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Sharp Tailed Grouse
Year-2-Sharp-Tailed-Grouse

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Sunrise at Kelly J’s (no owls!)
Year-2-Kelly-Js

Year 2: Dad’s Owls (in memory of Dwight Hoeg)

Year 2

Early this morning I lost my Dad. These are his owls … today’s birds of the day. Over the course of my photography project as his health declined, I enjoyed sharing my photos with Dad. He not only gave me the gift of life, but so very much more.

Dwight Hoeg grew up on a farm in Iowa. During World War II he joined the United States Navy. Courtesy of the USN and my Grandparents, he attended Harvard Medical School and became a doctor. During the Korean War he served as a front line doctor for the United States Marine Corps, and was the second person all American POW’s saw upon being released by the North Koreans. The first person was a general, then my Dad did medical triage.

After leaving the Navy, he moved to Duluth, Minnesota with my Mom (Janet Hoeg). In Duluth he practiced small town medicine, but with a state of the art approach. During his career he was Chairman of the Board of both the Duluth Clinic and St. Mary’s Hospital … all now part of Essentia Health.

Duluth was (and still is) a great place for me and my brothers to grow up. The family has grown and Dad lives on through his sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Dad’s Owls
Dads-Owls

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After a long day of taking care of funeral and end of life details, I had the opportunity to go birding. I found two snowy owls at dusk. Dad would have liked this bird.
Year-2-Dads-Snowy