November 2021

An early November sunset sky over the Falls of the Big Sioux River in downtown Sioux Falls, SD

November of 2021 was tough for me to find time to get out into nature for photos. I did, however, get to shoot photos from the sidelines during my nephews 9A Football Championship game. Also, I was able to take a leisurely day of backroads on my way back from visiting family for the Thanksgiving holiday. This trip yielded great birding opportunities as the last of the snow geese were on their way through and plenty of raptors were around. At Blue Blanket lake alone, I saw up to eight bald eagles keeping their eye on a group of geese resting near the last of the open water. I didn't know if I'd be able to have a full dozen photos to show this month, but the post Thanksgiving trip also produced a superb sunset in Clark County as you will see below. Thanks for checking in and as usual, click on an image for a larger file to view and have a great holiday season!

Faint northern lights above the calm waters of Scotts Slough near Hartford, SD

My nephew at the 9A FB championship game in Vermillion, SD

My nephew at the 9A FB championship game in Vermillion, SD

Juvenile Bald Eagle at Blue Blanket lake near Selby, SD

Juvenile Bald Eagle in flight

Bald Eagle at Sand Lake National Wildlife Reserve in Brown County, SD

Bald Eagle along Highway 10 west of Britton, SD

Short-eared Owl at Waubay National Wildlife Refuge in Day County, SD

Sunset skies in rural Clark County, SD

Good Hope County church in rural Clark County, SD

Sunset skies in rural Clark County, SD

March 2018

An abandoned country school with outhouse north of Miller, SD

March of 2018 has been colder and more wintery than the last handful of Marches.  The first half of the month I was quite busy following sports indoors with all the basketball seasons coming to an end. The last half of the month I tried to get out and witness the waterfowl migrations that pass through every early spring, but there were only a handful of good weather days to choose from.  Finally at the end of the month I was able to travel through the state to go visit family for an early Easter so had a couple more opportunities to shoot photos then.  All that equates to my favorite twelve photos of the month posted here.  Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

The Denny Sanford Center at near capacity for the USD v SDSU Summit League Championship game in Sioux Falls

A bald eagle perched on a icy tree near Silver Lake north of Freeman, SD

Thousands of snow geese near Freeman, SD (This is what the bald eagles are following this time of year)

One of two snowy owls north of Emery, SD I was surprised to see while out and about.  Seems late for them to still be around in the middle of March.

The 2nd Snowy Owl north of Emery, SD

A rare (nearly) clear sky sunset with geese flying north

Sunset over Highway 42 a couple days after the first day of spring

A red-winged blackbird taking flight in western Minnehaha County, SD

A couple ducks escaping into the sunset near Humboldt, SD

A bald eagle in flight north of Miller, SD

Abandoned north of Miller, SD

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.

February 2017

Abandoned under a southwest Minnesota sunset

February was a month of spectacular sunsets.  Thankfully I was able to be out on the road to catch a few.  Unusually warm temperatures brought the snow geese to the area earlier than normal then a cold spell chased them back south again.  Like they say, if you don't like the weather in this part of the country, be patient, as it will change.  Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

Sunset on Feb 1 above POET near Chancellor, SD

A low cloud lit beautifully be the setting sun on Feb 1.

Still standing in Turner County, SD

Southwest Minnesota Sunset

McCook County Sunset

Bald Eagle in the evening light

The Full "Snow" Moon in Minnehaha County, SD

Late afternoon light on tall grass at Newton Hills State Park, SD

Early arrivals in the air above a lone windmill in Southeastern SD

A thirty minute exposure of the stars wheeling around Polaris and the Balancing Rock formation at Palisades State Park near Garretson, SD

Night under the Falls of the Big Sioux in Sioux Falls, SD

January 2017

An unused barn in the still of a winter's night in rural Charles Mix County, SD

January was a tough month to get out and find photos for me.  There were a lot of dreary days and busy work to do inside.  With the short days and early sunsets, it was even tough to find the sun when it was actually clear outside.  I was able to take a couple weekend drives though and here are twelve of the best from the first month of 2017.  Click on image for a larger file to view and thanks for stopping by!

A male northern cardinal among some sumac at Big Sioux Recreation area near Brandon, SD

Sunset through the clock tower of the Old Courthouse Museum of Downtown Sioux Falls, SD

Deep snow and thick ice frame beautiful Zoar Lutheran of rural Day County, SD

Sunset at the church at Broomtree Retreat Center in Yankton County, SD

Sunset with a lone tree near Mayfield, SD

A winter hawk in flight in northeastern Sioux Falls, SD

A mature and juvenile bald eagle converge in flight to give an optical illusion of a three-legged, four-winged creature below the Fort Randall dam on the mighty Missouri River near Pickstown, SD

A juvenile Bald Eagle in flight below Fort Randall dam.

Sunset at Wewela Congregational church in southern Tripp County, SD

The sliver of a crescent moon above Wewela's church steeple

The winter milky way with clouds and a sighting of the Andromeda Galaxy (upper left) at an unused barn in rural Charles Mix County, SD