Mark’s journal of photographic projects, thoughts, and commentary.
It’s been almost two years since I’ve visited Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in Northwest Missouri. Rampant flooding in the spring of 2019 made the area almost impassable, but the waters have now receded, and this late winter is looking to be a lot more stable…so theres hope for a more normal spring this year. … Read more
An eagle, if necessary, will hunt from dawn, till dusk…and compared to us, they seem to be able to see pretty well in lower light. With the sun already set, this young eagle was still successful…making it a better night ahead, despite the sub-zero windchills.
Some recent reports regarding an ongoing study conducted by the journal Science, have indicated a progressive drop in bird species across North America. We are down roughly 3 million birds since 1970. As might be expected, some species are more hard hit than others, while a few have actually increased in that time frame. This … Read more
Mark Twain and Muscatine Iowa have a bit of a history. In 1853 Mark Twain’s brother Orion Clemens became a part-owner of the newspaper. Beginning when he was eighteen years old, Twain’s contributions to the Journal represent his earliest attempts at travel writing. Twain once remarked that he remembered Muscatine for its summer sunsets. I’d suggest that the … Read more
I don’t do a lot of black and white images…but this one just seemed like a good fit. The lighting was tough with that bright, snowy, background. And the bird flew into some shadows too…but even with a micro4/3 system that I’m using from Olympus, I was able to take a fairly poorly exposed image … Read more
“Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.” ― Theodore Roosevelt I think of Roosevelt often … Read more