January 2021

Early January sunrise of the Falls of the Big Sioux

A relatively mild January brought a couple opportunities to get out into the world with camera in hand. This winter has brought more owl activity than any in recent memory. Particularly an abundance of short-eared owls in many locations. A particular group near Brookings has been the highlight of many birding enthusiasts since after Christmas. The evening I made it up there brought beautiful golden light to watch three hunt over a hayfield near the Big Sioux southwest of town. Later in the month, I heard there were no less than four snowy owls in the Redfield area, so I took a Sunday afternoon drive to investigate. I was able to see and photograph three individuals including a very white male shown as the last photo in this post. As January's go, this one was a good one. Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in. 

 

Short-eared owl in the evening light

Frosty morning

Red barn on a frosty morning

Midway Lutheran (rural Moody County)

Lake Madison Lutheran

Winter scene after fog and frost

Great horned owl

Purple Finch

Red fox locked

Short-eared owl on the prowl

Snowy owl

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.

September 2017

Sunset over Spirit Mound in rural Clay County, SD

September in South Dakota is a joy for a rambling photographer like me.  Summer thunderstorms give way to soft fall evenings as the month progresses.  Birds and butterflies make their way through the state on their migrations south.  The leaves in the high country start to change in the latter weeks, paving way for a colorful October and cooler weather.  It was an exceedingly hard month to trim my favorites into 12 photos this time.  I started with nearly 80 photos and some were very hard to leave on the cutting room floor.  That is a good problem to have I guess.  As always, click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

A beam of aurora that made it's way almost directly overhead and westward early in the month... taken a few miles northwest of Hartford, SD

The Painted Lady Butterflies were particularly thick this month.  Here is one on a sunflower at Lake Herman State Park near Madison, SD

Sunrise through the tall grass at Mokoce Washte Native Prairie near Wall Lake, SD

White Pelican at sunset at Dewey Gevik Nature Area also near Wall Lake,  SD

A mountain bluebird amidst the fall colors of southern Lawrence County, SD

Spearfish Falls at Savoy, SD

First light on Badlands National Park

Badlands Bighorn in the early morning light

A favorite fall view from Vanocker Canyon in the northern Black Hills

Autumn evening above Lake Oahe in Campbell County, SD

The Missouri River hills in Campbell County, SD

August 2017

Sunrise on a hazy morning at Badlands National Park

August of 2017 was a month dominated by road trips, interesting skies and the Great American Solar Eclipse.  From sunrise in the Badlands to storm clouds over the flatlands of Eastern SD, the views were spectacular as usual.  Sprinkle in a couple nice wildlife encounters... Like my first bobcat in the wild at Badlands National Park and a trip to Poole, NE for a glimpse at the total solar eclipse... It was quite a month.  Here are twelve of my favorites from the month that was.  Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

Evening storm cloud in Moody County

Rural sunset in Minnehaha County near Wall Lake, SD

Storm clouds brewing over Zell, SD

Evening thunderheads with lighting as seen south of Bridgewater, SD

Sunrise in Badlands National Park

Bobcat at Badlands National Park

Sunrise at Badlands National Park

American Bison dusting itself at Badlands National Park

A second after totality when the sun starting coming out of the moon shadow during the Great American Solar Eclipse as seen in Poole, NE

Full white rainbow, or fogbow above Lowry Pilgrim Community Church in Walworth County, SD

Monarch in migration mode at Sica Hollow State Park

April 2017

An exquisite sunrise scene on the first of April from Fort Pierre National Grasslands

April provided plenty of starts and stops to spring in South Dakota this time around.  The month started relatively warm and pleasant but ended in a rainy, snowy mess.  I was able to get out to Fort Pierre National Grasslands and sit in a blind on April 1st to watch Prairie Chickens and Sharp-tailed Grouse vie for their hen's attention.  It was a near perfect early spring day with a gorgeous sunrise across the grasslands and soft, evening sunset which I enjoyed with some pasqueflowers in Hanson County. As always, click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

Two cattle trucks on US Highway 83 against the red dawn horizon

Greater Prairie Chicken 

Greater Prairie Chicken roosters fighting for the best lek location

Pasqueflowers at sunset

Chorus frog doing his thing

The first plum brush buds of the year

Ruby-crowned kinglet 

Early Morning Rain

Rainbow over the Missouri River Hills

Green dragonfly amongst the buds

An Aurora surprise - reflected in a fishing hole near Hartford, SD