If you’ve been a long-time reader of my newsletters, you’ll know that every once in a while (usually during the spring) I go completely off topic with a story that I’ve written that is offtopic for photography.
Bryan, this is great. I live in Dubuque now and it's fun to read your perspective as a like-minded person who grew up here. I'm actually heading up to Grand Marais next weekend for a few days of me-time and photo-making. While the weather isn't looking great maybe I will run into you out somewhere! I've got lots of Dubuque photos on Instagram if you ever get homesick (IG: will.hoyer)
Thanks for the nice diversion while sitting in my office this morning. I'm around your age (a little older I believe) and I share your amazement at seeing Bald Eagles in the wild. Growing up the only ones I ever saw were at the Cleveland Zoo. In the mid 1980's I saw one far off in the distance in Bar Harbor, Maine and was just awe struck. Years later on a trip back from Grand Marais (probably one of your workshops) I got to see two up close in northern Wisconsin and I was less than awe struck. Seeing these majestic birds picking at road kill sure put a dent in their image for me. Now, when I drive to downtown Columbus from my house on the road that follows the Scioto River, I pass a small parking lot that has, in the last few years, turned into the viewing spot for a nest just across the river. Birders and photographers are there pretty much every day watching this pair of eagles who have nested in this spot for the last ten years or so. Because of how rare these birds were when I was growing up I will never take them for granted and if I see one flying overhead I will just stop what I am doing and look up with a big smile on my face.
Bryan, this is great. I live in Dubuque now and it's fun to read your perspective as a like-minded person who grew up here. I'm actually heading up to Grand Marais next weekend for a few days of me-time and photo-making. While the weather isn't looking great maybe I will run into you out somewhere! I've got lots of Dubuque photos on Instagram if you ever get homesick (IG: will.hoyer)
Thanks for the nice diversion while sitting in my office this morning. I'm around your age (a little older I believe) and I share your amazement at seeing Bald Eagles in the wild. Growing up the only ones I ever saw were at the Cleveland Zoo. In the mid 1980's I saw one far off in the distance in Bar Harbor, Maine and was just awe struck. Years later on a trip back from Grand Marais (probably one of your workshops) I got to see two up close in northern Wisconsin and I was less than awe struck. Seeing these majestic birds picking at road kill sure put a dent in their image for me. Now, when I drive to downtown Columbus from my house on the road that follows the Scioto River, I pass a small parking lot that has, in the last few years, turned into the viewing spot for a nest just across the river. Birders and photographers are there pretty much every day watching this pair of eagles who have nested in this spot for the last ten years or so. Because of how rare these birds were when I was growing up I will never take them for granted and if I see one flying overhead I will just stop what I am doing and look up with a big smile on my face.