March 2021

Sunset beyond a old country school

The first part of March was quite difficult to get out of doors and into the great wide open for photography. The weather was fine, but I was swamped with work at the day job. A couple images shown here are composites of time lapses I created for said day job. The traffic light photos of downtown Sioux Falls were created from around 20 to 25 minutes of multiple long exposure traffic shots. These images were all pulled together into time lapses used to support Midco Sports Network's basketball tournament coverage. Later in the month I found the first blooming pasqueflowers (for me) of the young spring season. Then at the very end of the month I took a trip to the Fort Pierre area to sit in a blind in order to watch the Greater Prairie-chickens dance and boom for their hens on a lek in rural Stanley County. All in all, it was pretty photogenic month as far as Marches go. Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

About 20 minutes of traffic on 6th Street in downtown Sioux Falls

Traffic composite looking north over Minnesota Avenue in Sioux Falls

Spring equinox sunset in rural Lincoln County

Frost melt reflects the sunlight and trees above a newly blooming snow trillium wildflower in Newton Hills State Park

Snail shell found in the leaf litter of Newton Hills State park

First pasqueflower of the year in rural Hanson County, SD

A bouquet of South Dakota's state flower

Sunset in rural SE SoDak

Greater Prairie-chicken dancing to impress a hen

Greater Prairie-chicken at Fort Pierre National Grasslands

Pronghorn in the morning light

 

February 2021

February sunset on fresh snowfall

With a mild winter nearly all winter this time around, the temperatures dropped to below zero for nearly two weeks straight once we got to February. That plus a lot of work at the day job kept me from getting out much with camera in hand. Even so, the times I did escape provided photography magic nonetheless. Here are twelve photos to remember February of 2021 by. Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

Deep winter stars cape above an outbuilding in rural Turner County, SD

The old Brothersfield Evangelical United Brethren church under the winter stars

Early winter shadows

Late light on a winter's day

Benton Lutheran's silhouetted steeple at sunset

Prairie windmill at sunset

Nearing sunset after a fresh snowfall earlier in the day

Winter poetry written with the evening light

Fog rising in the Big Sioux River Valley after the sun went down

Late winter fog in the evening

A watercolor winter scene over the Big Sioux River Valley 

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 2020

 

Sunset sky over the Arc of Dreams in downtown Sioux Falls

December of 2020 was a surprisingly colorful month for early winter in South Dakota. There was little to no snow but plenty of sunrises and sunsets as well as a few frosty days to exercise the camera muscles. Here are 12 favorites from the last month of the ill-fated 2020 for you to check out. Let's hope 2021 is as good as this last one was bad. Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for stopping by!

Frost on cattails with a red barn in the distance

Frost and fog with an abandoned prairie house

Sunrise with American Bison at Wind Cave National Park

Frost and fog at sunrise - Custer State Park

Frost on grass - Wind Cave NP

Frost on small leaves - Wind Cave NP

Frost on wild rose hips - Wind Cave NP

Coyote in the frosted prairie - Wind Cave NP

Bison on a frosty morning at Custer State Park

Barred owl in heavy snow - Big Sioux Recreation Area

American tree sparrow in snowfall - Good Earth State Park

November 2020

Cows moving along the ridge at sundown somewhere north of Kimball, SD

November of 2020 saw mild weather for the most part, but I was work bound for most of the month and it was hard to find time to pursue photography. Thankfully, the long Thanksgiving weekend plus some work with friends in West River country helped to get out and get some various shots over multiple terrains found in SoDak. Here are a dozen of my favs from the month that was. Click on an image for a larger file to view and thanks for checking in!

A ferruginous hawk in rural Hughes County

A tree sparrow at West Bend Recreation Area

Sunset captured in an orb of glass at Family Park in Sioux Falls

Sunset sky of a fishing dock at Family Park in Sioux Falls

Sunrise colors reflected in the pools of upper Falls Park in Sioux Falls

An abandoned farmhouse at sunset in rural Brule County, SD

White tail buck near New Evarts, SD

Red fox in Corson County, SD

Sunset skies over Rabbit Butte in Perkins County, SD

Last of the daylight over the prairie hills south of Midland, SD

Moonrise over St. Peter Lutheran south of Midland, SD