Photography

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Nov 03, 2010, Fort Snelling State Park

Oct 24, 2010

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A (non-breading or immature) Cedar Waxwing birds flying, looking, jumping etc..

About to land:

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Close-ups:

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What’s that there?:

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Jumping to another branch, like a ninja wearing a black mask!:

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A Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) eating a frog

After the meal
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Oct 24, 2010
Taken at Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, MN Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Fall Trail

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Oct 24, 2010
Taken at Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, MN Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

green moss and leaves turning (red) in background

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Oct 24, 2010
Taken at Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, MN Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Minnehaha creek in Minnetonka, MN

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Taken October 24, 2010 with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Taken at Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, MN

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Squirrel Indulging, Fattening up for winter

Nov 21, 2010
In the back yard!
Click photo to enlarge

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

The first snow storm of the season caused many tree branches and at times full trees to break and fall.
As it snowed heavy wet snow, driving became unpleasant and most people stayed indoors.
That’s a sign it is time to head out and enjoy this winter wonderland.

These are some photos of the massive beauty of a snow-covered world, taken during snow fall

November 13, 2010 in Minnetonka, MN

Trail entrance

A heavy wet burden

Fallen tree branches, with one perfectly lined in the middle of the trail

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The “Forbidden” Red Fruit

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A “Taxus media”, A.K.A “Hicksii Yew” plant and fruit. All parts of this plant are poisonous.
.

Great for a desktop background image

Shot Aug 28, 2010 ::  Next to the Hennepin Public Library, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

More info:

Taxus media (Hicksii Yew)

This yew can reach 20 feet high in 20 years and while it is narrow when young, it grows wider with age. Both male and female columnar clones produce deep dark green needles on top and pale green underneath. In general, form is broadly pyramidal with a central leader. Similar to Taxus cuspidata, the Anglojap Yew has olive green branchlets which do not turn brown the second year. Bud scales are blunt and leaves are two-ranked. Thrives in sandier soil that is acid to neutral and well-drained. Does well in either sun or shade.
Important Info : All plant parts are poisonous if ingested

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(click photo to enlarge)

Some wild plant, thorns and soft cotton

Great for a desktop background image

Shot Aug 28, 2010 ::  Next to the Hennepin Public Library, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Lake landscapes at Lebanon Hills Regional Park

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An evening at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan, MN

Shot Sept 11, 2010 ::  Lebanon Hills Regional Parl, Eagan, MN

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Sun shining a golden light

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An evening at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan, MN

Shot Sept 11, 2010 ::  Lebanon Hills Regional Parl, Eagan, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

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While on a walk at Lebanon Hills Regional Park with the Nature Spirituality meetup group, we admired and examined some few plant life.. Here are a few:

Very yellow flowers

Admiring … this

Examining

The colors of flowers and that of (wo)man
A purple Aster flower

Leaves of three , let them be – Poison Ivy

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Living nature at Lebanon Hills Regional Park

Shot Sept 11, 2010 ::  Lebanon Hills Regional Parl, Eagan, MN

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A pretty setting for a black eyed chickadee.

Great for a desktop background image

Shot July 02, 2010 ::  Lone Lake Park, Minnetonka, MN

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Another pretty “weed”. A symbol of resilience, adaptation and natural beauty.

Great for a desktop background image

Shot July 02, 2010 ::  Lone Lake Park, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

This little gal is looking for food in this decomposing tree

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Hairy Woodpecker (female)

Photos not enhanced in any way, only cropped from the larger original

Next to Starring Lake, Eden Prairie MN :: April 12, 2010

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A well hidden dark-eyed Junco in April

See photos of a dark-eyes junco taken in March here . Notice the change in color of this bird’s feathers

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Next to Starring Lake, Eden Prairie MN :: March 24, 2010

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An authentic watercolor painting

by nature.

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A Weeping Willow’s (this tree) Reflection in the spring

On Starring Lake, Eden Prairie MN :: April 12, 2010

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

The reflection of this weeping willow has been digitally enhanced. Only contrast was increased and brightness reduced. No other alterations (except for resizing the image from the original larger size).

Digitally editing this photo to increase contrast resulted in this stunning almost 3-D photo

enjoy,

(click each photo to enlarge)

A Weeping Willow Tree in the spring

On Starring Lake, Eden Prairie MN :: April 12, 2010

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

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A Weeping Willow Tree in the spring

On Starring Lake, Eden Prairie MN :: April 12, 2010

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

I like this bird, I don’t see it often enough.

Photo shot from 30 ft away

It is exciting to see a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, and these birds are smart and they simply look pleasant (happy), I think it’s their eyes and face that give me this impression.

You may wonder, why this bird is red-bellied while it clearly is red-headed?
The answer is simple, the belly is red, we just can’t see it.

I am 50-80 feet away from the bird here

I think this bird could have been named “zebra” (for the zebra-pattern black and white color on its back, wings and tail), red-crowned, or red-necked bird.

Red-bellied woodpeckers are relatively new to the North. Like northern cardinals, northern mockingbirds and tufted titmice, these birds are native to the Southeast. It’s only been in the late part of last century that they pioneered northward. Now these birds are found through the Upper Midwest and Northeast from the Great Plains east to New England.

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A Red-Bellied Woodpecker

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A sparrow?

Next to Starring Lake, Eden Prairie MN :: April 12, 2010

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera from about 20ft away

We put a fence,

and life goes on,

“adaptation and growth”

and life goes on,

“death”

(this tree is decomposing into BLOCKS !)

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Here’s a scenic part of the trail

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Trees of the trail

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A sure cure for Arachnophobia (fear of spiders)

Orange Spider

Shot June 27, 2010 ::  On the Winchell Trail @ Mississippi Gorge Regional park (from 36th to 44th Streets), Minneapolis, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

About the trail:

More info on the National Park we will be walking through: http://www.nps.gov/mi…

More info on the restoration work that’s been done in this area: http://www.nps.gov/mi…

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(click photo to enlarge)

Common Milkweed, has white liquid in it’s leaves and flowers. Purported to have been used by Native Americans as gum.
Monarch butterflies also lay their eggs on milkweed, but since there was only a small patch, no Monarch eggs or larvae were found.

Shot June 27, 2010 ::  On the Winchell Trail @ Mississippi Gorge Regional park (from 36th to 44th Streets), Minneapolis, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

About the trail:

More info on the National Park we will be walking through: http://www.nps.gov/mi…

More info on the restoration work that’s been done in this area: http://www.nps.gov/mi…

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Enjoy,

Wild flower, I thought this was a Daisy with fine white petals with a hint of pink and a vivid yellow center, but a friend pointed out this was an Aster flower.

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Shot June 01, 2010 ::  Lone Lake Park, Minnetonka, MN

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Everywhere I look, I see beauty,

Wild flower, Aster flower, white petals with a hint of pink and a vivid yellow center

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Shot June 01, 2010 ::  Lone Lake Park, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

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Shot June 01, 2010 ::  Lone Lake Park, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Water Lilies at Lone Lake

(click photo to enlarge)

Shot June 01, 2010 ::  Lone Lake Park, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera

Full moon, behind down town Minneapolis, with a frozen lake Calhoun.

Photo taken from lake Calhoun on January 28, 2010 at dusk.

The moon was not directly behind Minneapolis, with some photoshop magic I moved the moon to behind the buildings.

I love the sounds these little things make

(click each for a full-screen photo)

White-breasted Nuthatch

Shot April 04, 2010 ::  Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, MN

Taken with a Canon Rebel XSi 12.2 MP D-SLR Camera with a 75-300 canon lens. From about approx. 15ft away