The Sandhill Crane migration path in the U.S. includes the Baker Refuge northeast of Battle Creek, Michigan. Each year thousands of these enormous birds (4' tall, 6 - 7 ' wingspan) tarry for a while in a large, marshy lake. They have a very distinct call (youtube video to follow) and are an impressive sight as they all land within an hour-long time frame each evening. Bellevue, Michigan. 20 October 2007.

Another deer-in-the-backyard shot. Tonight we are going back to the Sandhill Crane refuge, so I expect to have some shots of those huge birds in the next couple of days. 12 October 2007.

We had visitors in our backyard recently, though the low light proved a bit of a challenge. This was actually shot handheld, 1/30 sec, f2.8, ISO 1600. 12 October 2007.

Kleinstuck Preserve. Kalamazoo, Michigan. 5 October 2007.

Kleinstuck Preserve. Kalamazoo, Michigan. 5 October 2007.

Kleinstuck Preserve. Kalamazoo, Michigan. 5 October 2007.

A walk in the Kleinstuck Preserve revealed any number of fabulous things, including some interesting fungi. Kalamazoo, Michigan. 5 October 2007.

I don't remember exactly where this summer cottage was, except that it was somewhere between Kjelkenes and Sogndal, Norway. The grass, etc., that grows on some roofs is for extra insulation (it's also a fire hazard). 30 June 2007.

Okay, so enough of the South Haven pier, already. Besides, I promised Katie and Erin pic's of Scandinavia and only got a few posted before life intervened over the summer. So... this is in a lovely little town on the coast of Norway. It was an incredibly beautiful day-- the one cloud in the sky is in the photo (I made sure to get it in the frame, otherwise it would have looked too surreal). Bremanger, Norway. 30 June 2007.

One last photo of sunset at South Haven, Michigan. And no, those aren't dust flecks you see when you click on it to enlarge it-- there are a few planes headed toward Chicago, and the brightest one (near the top, almost over the lighthouse) is either a planet or a star. 28 September 2007.