Autumn Awakens

As the warmth of summer fades to a brilliant palette of color, the wilderness awakens. Birds of feather flock together, those less fortunate to flee the callous season to come begin to prepare for an uncharitable time. The sky filled with leaf confetti is only a reminder of the riddle of the past season. The crisp air is far from a hint of the fading summer as the first frost coats the autumn canvas. The first snowfall congregates the final full season of the year as it passes. Absolute as the season falls.

Sandhill Cranes in Meadow - Wood County

South Bluff and Meadow - Wood County Wildlife Area

Meadow Moonrise - Wood County Wildlife Area

Last Light - Wood County Forest

Autumn Fern - Sandhill Wildlife Area

Trumpeter Swans with Cygnets - Sandhill Wildlife Area

Moss and Leaves - Sandhill Wildlife Area

Paper Birch Sunset - Sandhill Wildlife Area

Whitetail Running in Meadow - Sandhill Wildlife Area

Autumn Impressions - Wood County Wildlife Area

Red Moon Rise - Sandhill Wildlife Area

Autumns Arrival - Sandhill Wildlife Area

Autumn Clouds - Lake Dexter

Red Sunset - Pittsville Wisconsin

Wood County Wildlife Area Moon Rise

Golden Forest Impression - Wood County Wildlife Area

Wisconsin Endangered Resources license plate

During this past week I received word that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources selected one of my badger photographs to be installed into the new Endangered Resources license plate running. Until October 19, 2009 the public is welcome to vote for their favorite plate designs. There are four total, the red headed wood pecker, great blue heron, blue bird and the badger are the selected species with a potential to be the next Wisconsin Endangered Resources license plate. I find all the plates to be wonderful and each has a great purpose -Protect the Endangered Resources in Wisconsin!

Click here to read article at on Milwaukee -Wisconsin- Journal Sentinel's web site.

Giant Spider

Today I visited the North Wood County park near Richfield Wisconsin. My focus was set on the autumn colors around the Yellow River. After photographing a small creek within the park I began the hike back to my truck. As I tucked away my equipment I noticed a large clump of leaves slowly descending onto the surface of the forest floor. The scene was quit odd and of course worth a second look. I knew for certain that the size of the spider that could hoist a clump of leaves with the limb still attached to be large. Following the web I found this giant. The base of this spiders back was larger than my thumb, and leg to leg, all of three inches. Though I didn't have my macro equipment on hand I decided to work the scene with with my 135mm lens.

Beginning of autumn 2009

Beginning of autumn - Sandhill wildlife area

Loon and saddle mound - Wood/Jackson county border

Sandhill sunset - Sandhill wildlife area

Sunset grass - Sandhill wildlife area

Forest sunset - Sandhill wildlife area

Twilight fog - Wood county wildlife area

Foggy moon rise - Wood county wildlife area

Sandhill cranes at sunset - Wood county wildlife area

Color Magazine - Merit Award Recieved

Check out the new November special issue of color magazine. The magazine just hit the news stands this week and has wonderful photographic art within. You can check out pages 200-201 to view my merit award from the competition. Here's a link to color magazine

Late summer in central Wisconsin

The past two weeks of late summer have been very inspirational. Fog, for certain, simplifies compositions by adding a dreamy quality and layered effects to an ordinary landscape. All of the photographs below were taken in the central Wisconsin area. This area is known by locals as cranberry county. The rolling sand flats are boggy and the soil moisture can severely change from week to week. The soils in this area can become very drought stricken or water drenched. Its these rapid fowl changes that make this land unsuitable for normal farming but oddly enough wild cranberry thrive. During 1939 President Roosevelt declared this area as a federal waist land due to these rapid changes in soil moisture. I for one am very happy that this land wasn't developed, though efforts to develop this land were made, they failed. Perhaps one day this waist land can be seen as more than a barren environment but instead a rare wilderness gem of Wisconsin.

Cranberry county loons - Wood/Jackson county line

Great blue heron pearched atop barren branches

Tamarack tops in fog

Partridge pea flowers in foggy meadow

Sandhill crane family in wetlands

Peaceful flowage

Flowage fog

Fog rising over flowage

Foggy flowage sunset

Sunset from flowage shore

Partridge pea in meadow

Meadow and passing rain clouds

Twilight rain in the sand flats

Necedah National Wildlife refuge visitors center unveiling and ground breaking

Today I attending the unveiling and ground breaking of the new visitors center at the Necedah National wildlife refuge. There were many in attendance on this cool Thursday morning which was quite a surprise to me. I guess many took the day off from work to attend this historic event. The unveiling of the new visitor center was breath taking... my first response was "WOW" followed by an ear to ear smile. The center will rest overlooking a beautiful marsh and promises to have more to offer than just the scenic location. I can't wait to see the final product and what it has to offer.

Visitors center unveiling

Ground breaking of the new visitors center

Commentary by Art Wolfe

Each month Art Wolfe comments on a few selected photographs that are uploaded to his sites blog. This month I was very fortunate to have caught the eye of the master photographer. To read his commentary you can click on the link below.
http://blog.artwolfe.com/2009/07/arts-comments-onjune-photo-submissions/

Summer time in central Wisconsin

Cattail Sunset - Wood County wildlife area - 2009

Summer Meadow - Wood County wildlife area - 2009

Buena Vista Grasslands Wildlife Area - Portage County Wisconsin - 2009

Lake Dexter Sunset - South Wood County park, Dexterville Wisconsin - 2009

Chickadee - South Wood County Park, Dexterville Wisconsin - 2008

Lightning strike at New Page paper mill