Only a day or two

This mayfly will only live for a day or two as an adult.

Just long enough to dry its wings and look for mates.

 

 

 

 

I only spent a few minutes making these images before this mayfly flew away to live its very brief adult life.

More Tundra Swans

I was staying with family near Lake Superior over Thanksgiving and my visit happened to coincide with the arrival of tundra swans during their fall migration south.

It was overcast most of the time I was there, but the sun did come out for a couple of hours on two different days. Once we had some good light, my son Zach and I went down by the lake to photograph the swans.

We had a good time watching the birds feeding on plants in the shallow water close to shore, preening, and resting on the ice. There were probably two hundred tundra swans spread out along the edge of the ice for a quarter of a mile.

As I peered through the camera's viewfinder trying to anticipate action and capture some decent images, Zach would watch the larger group of swans and alert me if any were flapping their wings or flying.

"Flapping dad! Over here!" Zach would say, and I'd swing the camera in that direction and do my best to catch what he had seen.

Working as a team we were able to capture the images you see here. Zach got some turns with the camera and the chance to take some photos as well. I really liked listening to the swans as they talked almost incessantly the whole time we were there.

Often, I find myself grateful for the little things in life. Like spending time with one of my sons watching tundra swans along the shore of Lake Superior on a cold November day.  I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving.

Loons

An adult common loon with its fluffy chick at its side on a northern Wisconsin lake.

The adult loon has caught an appropriately small fish and is offering it to the young loon.

Another loon had just flown over the lake and this loon was taking its chicks to a sheltered spot among some reeds to hide.

I never get enough of the striking patterns in the loons feathers.

This loon is on its side to better reach some feathers for preening.

I feel lucky whenever I hear loons calling and have been very lucky to get to spend time up close photographing these fantastic birds.

Please look at more of my photos at pbase.com/jmercier.