The Gee M
@gee-emm
Englishman in Minnesota. Woke boomer. Atheist. Punk. Human. Husband. If you add me & all you re/post is political bollocks and spam, you're getting blocked.
Per my previous post.... This is Dennis........Hopper. Also the Eastern Pondhawk.
A wonderful day to get outside and take a walk around our pond. So many dragonflies, mainly Blue Dashers, but also an Eastern Pondhawk. As I was taking dragonfly pictures, I felt eyes watching me. On a Coneflower next to me, a grasshopper. I called him Dennis. Sony A7r4ma. Tamron 25-200 VXD G2.
#BirdOfTheDay #SummerLovin Turkey Vultures are a good weather migrant here in Minnesota. They start moving up as the last of the snow recedes and start heading back south as the first frosts appear. This dead tree by the Mississippi is always host to them in great numbers during summer.
#BirdOfTheDay #ScreenFiller Those moments when you sit and wait for the opportunity, 200-600mm in hand, and the bird gets so close that even at your 200mm end, it is almost too close to fit the whole bird in the frame. Sony a6400/A7r4ma Sony FE200-600G Minnesota.
#BirdOfTheDay #BlueSky Alt theme for today. A few from my urban Peregrine observations the other week here in southeast Minnesota. Four successful fledglings. Here are two of them plus mum and Dad fly-bys. Sony A7r4ma. Sony FE200-600G.
Eastern Amberwing and Eastern Pondhawk enjoying our pollinator patch today. Sony A7r M4A. Tamron 25-200 VXD G2.
The impressive architecture of the Mayo Clinic Plummer building in Rochester, Minnesota. I was there observing the Mayo Peregrine fledglings but couldn't resist some shots of the wonderful building.
So many cherries... This tree has really produced over the past 4 years. First harvest today, two colanders full, netted 6 lbs when pitted. A little tart, but juicy and very tasty.
Urban Peregrine Falcons - Minnesota We checked in on the fledglings that we banded only 5 weeks ago. All are doing well. Dad was chilling on a nearby hotel sign. Mum kept doing flybys to keep an eye on us. Sony A7rM4a. Sony FE200-600G.
Nice! I'm out to see some urban Peregrines this weekend, nesting on the Mayo Clinic building in Rochester, Minnesota. Pairs have nested there for 39 years continuously, producing over 80 eyasses. We banded this year's young in May. All have fledged.
Someone at work was bitching the other day about how terrible @governorwalz.mn.gov was and how he FORCED a new flag on us. I bought a new t-shirt for work. Happy Thursday everyone. 😁 Minnesota state flag. ✊🏻
#BirdOfTheDay #Touchdown 1) Cliff Swallow with an up-side-d9wn touchdown 2) Sandhill Crane touchdown from his crazy jumping 3) Juvenile Bald eagle touchdown so close that even at the 200 end of my 200-600, it was too close 4) Female Peregrine Falcon coming in to touchdown at the eyrie
#BirdOfTheDay #BirdsInTheirElement A Bald Eagle selection today. 1) Taking a bath in the Mississippi 2) Eating on a branch 3) Hunting in winter at Lock & Dam 5 4) Eating on the fly
#BirdOfTheDay #OutForAWalk A Brown Headed Cowbird forages in the grass for grubs and bugs. Sony A7rM4a. Sony FE200-600G.
#BirdOfTheDay #InFlight 1) Peregrine female dive-bombing us as we recovered her chicks for banding. 2) Turkey Vulture over the Mississippi in southeast Minnesota. 3) Juvenile bald eagle. 4) Osprey.
#BirdOfTheDay #YourChoice Pushing it a bit with this selection. 😁 1) Beach day on the Mississippi river for a captive eagle. 2) Archaeopteryx 3) Friend John, demonstrating the facial disc and offset ears of owls. 4) Me with a Peregrine during one of our education programs. Best volunteer job!
#BirdOfTheDay #SilentPresence A Tiercel Peregrine falcon watches out from his ledge. Not too far from his eyrie where his four young are waiting to hatch. He's quiet now. Conserving energy. At any moment he is ready to protect his nest with all his might.
I really love Wells-Next-The-Sea. One of my favourite photos of my two youngest was taken on the beach near Pinewoods. They're 26 and 29 now. 😁
Having a shit day, like me? Well, here's some puppy therapy. Our two Malamute girls. 2 1/2 years old now and they still play hard like this. Keep smiling. We'll get through this.
It's that time of year again. Alaskan Malamute summer snow. Blowing out the winter undercoat like crazy now. Lots of brushing, if I can stop them playing for long enough. 😁
Cliff Swallows building their nests under an eroded limestone bluff. It was dark under there but cool in the heat and humidity. I spent around 30 minutes just enjoying the birds going about their work. Quite a bit of processing to get clarity from ISO 12800, the highest I've ever pushed a camera.
You definitely have to be careful when ringing/banding these beautiful creatures. Mum is never happy. We have hard hats and umbrella protection. 😁
Friday was avoiding momma Peregrine while we banded her four babies. Today, 2 programs at 2 MN state parks. Birds were handled for research under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey & in accordance with all state permitting requirements.
Goldfinches.... Sitting out by our pond, being soothed by the sound of running water, I enjoyed watching quite a few American Goldfinches chasing around. Sony A7rM4a. Sony FE200-600G.
Friends watching me plant up the boxes by our pond. Sony A7rM4a. Sony FE200-600G.
#BirdOfTheDay #LinedUp Barn Swallows on our fence, waiting for me to finish mowing so they can scoop up the insects I disturb. Sandhill Cranes foraging in the recently harvested corn fields. American White Pelicans scooping. Southeast Minnesota.