Sunday, December 31, 2017

December 2017

An early December sunset over a prairie windmill near Hartford, SD
This December was a month of extremes.  For the first three weeks, the weather was dry and quite warm across most of the state.  An early influx of snowy owls seemed to make their way across the whole area including a sighting right here in northwest Sioux Falls.  About Christmas time, the weather started getting colder and soon snow covered the whole state. As I write this, on the evening of December 31st, we are experiencing the coldest temperatures of the young winter season with teens below zero temperature actual and even colder with the windchill.  All this, plus a holiday trip to the western part of the state made for great month of photography opportunities.  It wasn't easy, but here are 12 of my favorites from the last of 2017.  Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

A snowy owl in a field on the northwest corner of Sioux Falls taken December 2nd

Sunset with a thin layer of ice over Lake Alvin Recreation Area near Harrisburg, SD

The fishing pier with an icy sunset at Lake Alvin

Close-up of a prairie windmill at sunset near Hartford, SD

Pre-dawn clouds over Badlands National Park

Spearfish Canyon after a snowfall on the Winter Solstice

Snow covered pine in Spearfish Canyon

A bluejay in Custer State Park

Snowfall on bison - Custer State Park

Snowfall on bison - Custer State Park

Another snowy owl sighting in northwest Sioux Falls on the last day of the year.  This time there was plenty of snow and sub-freezing temps to accompany the bird.  In this photo it is perched atop a four story apartment building and fluffed up against the cold temperatures.

Saturday, December 2, 2017

November 2017

Evening scene in rural Brown County on the southern end of Sand Creek NWR
When November comes around the daylight is less and most of the remaining evidence of the growing season has fled or is about too.  It seems I don't get as many chances to find good subjects to photograph, but then interesting things seem to happen on a free weekend or trips home for Thanksgiving... And the area I get to live in seems to always offer up new and unique things to photograph.  A little surprisingly, this month's collection of photos is one of the most colorful of the year.  There was some snow early in the month to the North and the end of the month showcased amazing sunrise and sunset colors.  So here are twelve of my favorites from the month that was.  Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for stopping by!

Bald Eagle taking off near Forestburg, SD

First snow in Sanborn County, SD

Took a road trip to Grand Forks, ND for work and found this beautiful steeple at sunset just to the southwest of town.

Some last Autumn color backlit by the late afternoon sun at Terrace Park in Sioux Falls

Terrace Park, Sioux Falls

A Minnehaha County rural sunset

The Little Church on the Prairie at The Joy Ranch just outside of Watertown, SD

The last light of the day shining through the dust of the late harvest  activity in Clay County, SD

Clay County sunset

Sunrise above Sioux Falls - looking south down Main Avenue

Another Sioux Falls sunrise photo with the Clocktower of the Old Courthouse Museum in the foreground.