Tag Archives: MN South: Minneapolis

Bird Photography by Bicycle

Bicycling, birding and photography are a great combination. Yesterday I took a 24 mile ride on the Luce Line Trail. This rails to trails route which starts in the western suburbs of Minneapolis and proceeds into the rural countryside allows one to get some great exercise and also access areas not reachable by car. While one certainly may walk your local trails, when on a bicycle the birding photographer may quickly ride between prime habitat locations, and then either slow down or dismount for birding. By keeping a good lookout which in transit, unexpected sights will often present themselves.

My setup for birding photography is simple. I have a handlebar bag where my camera is stored for easy access. In addition I have a monopod lashed to rear bag for stabilizing my camera during long distance zoomed shots.

Here are a few photos from my Luce Line Trail bike ride. Please realize songbirds are just starting to migrate into the area. Photographic opportunities are yet a bit thin this spring.

Some of my equipment
Hoeg-with-Monopod

———-

Hoeg-with-Rear-Panier

———-

Yellow-Rumped Warbler
114-Birds-365-Luce-Line-Yellow-Rumped-Warbler

———-

Yellow-Warbler
114-Birds-365-Luce-Line-Yellow-Warbler

———-

Baltimore Oriole
114-Birds-365-Luce-Line-Oriole

Day 063: Cardinals – Red on Green & Red on White

As another Winter storm bears down us here in northern Minnesota, this fact combined with having our two grandchildren visiting (ages 2 and 3.5 years) meant extremely limited time for my morning bird walk this morning. Both of these cardinals were at the extreme limit of my zoom lens, but at least they were happily singing to greet the impending storm!

Red on Green
063-Birds-365-Cardinal-Red-On-Green

———-
Red on White
063-Birds-365-Cardinal-Red-On-White

Day 062: Just One More Berry Please!

This Cedar Waxwing may not be able to fly after gorging itself on berries this morning. In a few hours it will also be quite tipsy! It is amazing to watch how much food one bird can eat when they finally discover a good food source at the end of the Winter when sustenance is otherwise scarce. Enjoy the photo sequence of one Cedar Waxwing as it it has  … just one more berry!

Uff Dah … not one more berry!
062-Birds-365-Bloated-Waxwing-1

———-
Well … maybe this one.
062-Birds-365-Bloated-Waxwing-2

———-
Got it!
062-Birds-365-Bloated-Waxwing-3

———-
Open mouth wider.
062-Birds-365-Bloated-Waxwing-4

———-
Hmmmm …
062-Birds-365-Bloated-Waxwing-5

———-
Down the hatch!
062-Birds-365-Bloated-Waxwing-6

———-
No room!
062-Birds-365-Bloated-Waxwing-7

———-
What do you mean? Fly now? Are you kidding!
062-Birds-365-Bloated-Waxwing-8