Trumpeter Swans of Monticello, Mn

[rtbaum]

With projected highs of -3F for today, I seized the opportunity to travel upstream to Monticello yesterday (temp hovering around the 20's). Monticello is rather special place for local birders and photographers. Trumpeter swans were extirpated by over hunting and over development in the early 1900's. Several attempts were made over the years to reestablish a breeding population without success. In the mid 1980's, Carroll Henderson (Mn DNR commissioner) in conjunction with the Hennepin parks established succeeded in establishing a captive breeding program with eggs from Alaska. From that program came a female named #6.

Enter Jim and Sheila Lawrence of Monticello. Sheila was a bird lover that lived on the banks of the Mississippi river that liked to feed the mallards and Canada geese that were attracted to the open water created by shallows and effluent of the nuclear power plant upstream. In 1985, she saw a strange looking bird joining her flock. It was confirmed that #6 had arrived and decided to stay for the winter. By Jim's account, Sheila and #6 established something of a friendship and #6 spread the word. At present time, roughly 25% of the Midwestern population come to her residential home for the winter. This population has now spread like the ripples in a pond to Iowa, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, Michigan, Illinois, and Nebraska.

Sheila passed away in 2008, her dying wish was that her swans continue to be fed. Jim continues to feed the birds every day at 10:30 and 2:30. The flock is monitored to determine diet and health by the DNR and Jim, tagged birds are noted, and the Trumpeter swan is firmly established in Minnesota.


This day gave me the opportunity to practice shooting at higher ISO and hand held

[Brownbear]

Thanks for sharing the story behind the swans... That's a whole lot of swans!

The first image is especially beautiful for me for the light and the composition, and the beautiful background. Beautiful sharp focus on two swans.

The top edges of the wings look a wee bit bright, not sure if you can bring the exposure down just a little on the wings. If it were my image (i wish) I would crop a little bit off of the bottom (the road)...

[FrankMi]

It is always great to get the background story on an image. Thank you both the story and images Randy.

[rtbaum]

Thank you, Christina; I played with the notion of the cropping to remove the river, but left it as a part of the environment. I had you in mind as I set out, you have been instrumental in my development. I shot these handheld at a high shutter speed and f/8, letting iso set its own level. All part of my new program of IBD (ISO be Damned)

[rtbaum]

Thank you Frank. One of the few givens in my neck of the woods is plentiful swans. At any given time, there are roughly 2500 swans in this one small residential lot in the winter.....quite a spectacle and very loud.

[Brownbear]

And thank you for sharing. It's a beautiful image and it is truly nice to know that somehow I've been a part of it.

By the way, I'm truly inept at cropping.

IBD... LOL Actually I tried photographing some eagles at an iso of 6400, just yesterday. It was getting dark and the light throughout the entire day was dismal. While I managed a few okay shots earlier in the day, I can say that the majority,likely 99% will end up in the trash bin... eagles or not. I will have to return on a sunny day for another try. ie; IDB works only at reasonable levels.

Thank you, Christina; I played with the notion of the cropping to remove the river, but left it as a part of the environment. I had you in mind as I set out, you have been instrumental in my development. I shot these handheld at a high shutter speed and f/8, letting iso set its own level. All part of my new program of IBD (ISO be Damned)

[rtbaum]

As far IBD, I kinda think white birds surrounded by white snow may help