Northern Light Show

Northern Lights over the standing remains of Concordia Pioneer Lutheran Church

A major solar geomagnetic storm struck the earth's magnetic field the night of May 10th, 2024. The storm started in the afternoon which gave time to plan on where best to try to capture the resulting Aurora Borealis. I chose a favorite structure in rural Roberts County, SD not far from Sisseton. Pioneer Concordia Lutheran church originally stood about two thirds of a mile east of its current location. The cemetery is still there. According to another photographer met while taking in the light show, three brothers decided to purchase the building and move it to one of their fields rather than see it knocked down. This church meant a lot to them as their parents were both married as well as their respective funerals were held in the church. So in a way, this is one of South Dakota's grandest memorials to loved ones now passed on.

On my way home I also stopped at Zion Evangelical Lutheran just to the east of the Brandt exit off Interstate 29. The light show had shifted to a dancing ribbon of pale green directly overhead that stretched across the sky from the eastern to western horizon. Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for stopping by.

Looking southeast over my Suburu

Zion Evangelical Lutheran of rural Deuel County, SD

Spring of 2023 (March - May)

Pasqueflower fuzz in the evening light

Northern lights over Belleview Lutheran Church

Northern lights over Esmond, SD

Plum brush with butterfly

Yellow warbler

Pasqueflower

Pasqueflower in the rain

Raindrops on pasqueflower

Duckings

Pincushion cactus in bloom

Double rainbow over the yellow mounds area of Badlands National Park

Rainbow over Badlands National Park

After the rain in Eastern Pennington County, SD

Storm building over Wind Cave National Park

July 2022

Snapper turtle close-up

Frog's reading lamp - more commonly known as One-flowered Pyrola

Broad-lipped Twayblade Orchid

Western Prairie Fringed Orchid with crab spider

Black Swallowtail butterfly

White-tailed fawn

Regal Fritillary on blazing star flower

Bumblebee on blazing star

Bobolink on blazing star

Monarch Butterfly on blazing star

Butterfly butt

Northern lights over headlights

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

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