River Pilot
Piloting on the Mississippi River was not work to me; it was play — delightful play, vigorous play, adventurous play — and I loved it… Mark Twain in Erupti
Journal
Mark’s journal of photographic projects, thoughts, and commentary.
One Remains
And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the … Read more
Ice Capades
A lot is happening on the ice around here of late. Or what remains of it I should say. As melting progresses, eagles know there is food not only in the newly opened waters but also within the ice itself. So the thawing exposes a lot of good grub, well, as far as eagle tastes … Read more
Ice Age Hunter
Great Blue Herons are extremely capable hunters. This one was working the edge of the ice and open water, looking for a slow-moving fish to snatch. It consumed several in just a few minutes’ time. Many people think this bird looks prehistoric and that’s really not a stretch since it’s a descendent of the two-legged … Read more
Eagle Eye
I am constantly amazed at what an eagle can see. Of course, most people know they have great eyesight, but its only when you get an elevated perspective on the river, that you can literally see how difficult it is to pick out fish from the waves and currents. Yet they just don’t seem to … Read more
Oh Ben
Just sitting down to a little breakfast and started thinking about…well, eagles. Most of you probably know Ben Franklin was opposed to having the eagle as our national symbol. He had watched many of them over the years and viewed their behavior as a bit unsavory. They will, after all, resort to thievery, or scavenging … Read more