There are 2 subspecies of Bald Eagle. They are nearly identical in ID marks. The only major difference is geographic range. This is in MN so it has to be a Northern Bald Eagle. Most birds do not have distinct subspeciest that can be recognized in field, however others can have several. Most of these can be easily found in a comprehensive bird guide such as the Sibleys Guide to Birds of North America.
The subspecies are in fact completely identical in plumage, and are distinguished only by size, with the northern population on average somewhat larger than the southern one. However, size may vary in clinal fashion, and it is not clear from the data that members of either population stay solely within their roughly-defined regions. (I’d be surprised if they did!) In other words, Bald Eagle subspecies are not well defined and may not truly exist biologically speaking.
Hairy Woodpecker Busy Eating , while another bird in the background photobombs 🙂
ID tips from friends:
the clean white outer tail feathers distinguish Hairy from Downy, in most areas anyway.
Female Hairy Woodpecker. unbarred tail feathers, larger bill, and well developed comma eliminate a Downy
You can also see the size of the bird compared to each suet cake. It’s a hairy.
Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera with a 75-300 canon lens
I filmed this short clip of nature sounds at the Minnesota River Valley National Wildlife Refuge on a nice walk, Oct 16 around 2PM .. enjoying the Minnesota Fall.  This was my first visit to this park.  When you stop thinking, moving, and enhance your awareness to the present moment things start to become more vivid, colors, sounds… this video attempts to share that experience
video description from youtube: Ready for a moment of enhanced awareness? Maybe see some magic?  look around, listen, watch … Nature sounds, crickets, wind, trail, leaves, sun, valley … this video might offer you a mystical minute of enjoying some awareness to the surrounding nature, shot during a walk at the MN River Valley National Wildlife Refuge (in between the noise from airplanes taking off)
Here is another one, this one is more of a quick 360 view
You can watch this on youtube and as full screen for a clearer view here: http://www.youtube.com/v/L5eFs_aG_uI
Ready for a moment of enhanced awareness? Maybe feel some magic? Hear some sounds? See leaves falling off trees in the wind.. Filmed at the MN river valley not far from the river itself. Look around, listen, watch … wind, trail, blowing leaves … This video might offer you a mystical minute.
Minnesota River Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Oct 16 2014
Watch the sky, clouds, sun, big waves and listen to the sounds… filmed on a pier at Lake Calhoun, Minneapolis MN, on Saturday October 4 2014. Temperature must have been about 45, windy so felt colder.
A full lunar eclipse, I couldn’t take photos of the full eclipse, the photos below show the blood moon eclipse winding down as the moon was setting between 6 to 7 AM, October 8, 2014
Here’s a squirrel doing what squirrels do, we take these critters fore-granted here in MN since they are abundant, if you watch them, they are intelligent, agile, flexible, quick and love to eat. I think these photos will help you see that. October 8, 2014
click on photos to see photos in full size, and the squirrel’s details
At a trail at the Theodore Wirth park in Minnesota. Saturday May 10
Looks a lot like Motherwort, but already has the smell of garlic.  Once plant grows it will be easier to tell just by looking at it.  Future posts will show future growth stages of garlic mustard.  Very invasive plant, pull, eat or discard appropriately.
It’s been a cold spring season in MN this year (2014).
I see beauty everywhere I look, in nature. This site and the photos are here in an attempt to share with you some of what I see, for your enjoyment. You will find plants and animals, the flora and fauna, and fungi, along with sky photos of celestial objects, landscape shots, macro shots, experimental concepts, photos of food items, rocks and minerals including some chemistry. These things mentioned here which I photograph, some ancient philosophies have considered to be living, life itself, Biota, Vitae... and were broken into 3 kingdoms, plant, animal, and mineral.
Most of these photos exist in larger sizes. If you'd like a photo without my signature on it you could email me. These photos make great desktop background images, posters, greeting cards, art work, etc.
Some photos are purely for the enjoyment factor, others are meant to identify certain plants or animals offering some education.
Be well,
Ethan
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