Mark’s journal of photographic projects, thoughts, and commentary.
For an eagle, a good afternoon basically involves enjoying some sun and digestion. A morning of successful fishing will do that for a bird. You can tell this eagle did well by the bulging crop below its chin. Miss America will sleep well tonight.
Wintertime here can mean a lot of different things to different people. Some are depressed and long for the warm summer days in the distant future. Some love skiing, or making snowmen, or pelting their siblings with balls of white while hoping school gets canceled tomorrow so they can do more of the same. And … Read more
It’s early morning and this bird has a “rise and shine” attitude. It’s a good time to stretch and limber up after a cold night sitting in the trees. It always amazes me to see Bald Eagles standing on the ice. Usually, my feet are freezing so I relate somewhat. Thing is, eagles don’t really … Read more
Dam birds…that’s one way to look at our eagles of winter around here. Now you might find them just about anywhere…even in open fields with no water around…but the vast majority will be found on the bigger rivers. As it gets colder and freezes everything up they congregate even more on the Mississippi…just below the … Read more
I think the brown birds, the immature eagles, are my favorites. No doubt, they don’t have the high contrast…the dynamic and brilliant white heads and tails of the adults…but they do have a lot of variety in their plumage. Some are very dark, some are quite light, and others have a nice mottled mixture of … Read more
Muscatine Iowa is an old river town. I appreciate it more now than I used to…maybe due to age (and hopefully some more wisdom) I can see how it’s past is rich with history of life and development along the Mississippi River. Life here is pretty quiet compared to the big cities…and I’m alright with … Read more