Today I thought I would share with you a little slice of my adventure to "The Eagle Shack". The past couple of years I have gone out to the shack and have been able to see visits from Northern Goshawk and also the very lovely singing Bluebird. I arrived about an hour before sunrise, the time when you are just getting to see a little bit of light in the sky. As I was walking out to our shack in the field I saw an Adult Eagle fly into one of their favorite trees in the treeline that edges the field. It is very foggy and quiet as I make my way to the shack.
 

Once inside I set up my tripod and camera and prepare to wait. The sun is still not up over the horizon, but the light is enough so that I begin to see a lovely misty fog that is shrouding the trees and laying low along the field. I decide to use a wide angle lens to take in the scene. I am in my element just listening to the birds awakening to the dawn of day.
 

After a short period of time the sun is coming up over the horizon and I decide that I had best change to my 500mm lens in case I should see some bird activity. As I am in the process of doing this I look up to see a coyote coming out from the woods and into the field, he is cautious. I make a noise in my haste to try to get a lens on my camera and he begins to retreat. I freeze. He listens and watches. There are some Ravens on the ground picking at something that I can't see. All of a sudden he lunges at them and they scatter. He has gotten himself an entire carcass of something that appears to be just bones. He is retreating with his prize and I am frantically trying to get my lens on my camera and get it mounted back on my tripod. I am only able to get one parting shot. I didn't even have a chance to change my settings! It is enough. Not the greatest, but it shows him well enough.

You never know what might happen when you are out and about in nature. Sometimes I miss the shot and sometimes I just hold that image in my head. Either way, I feel blessed to be part of it.

Till next time,

Helen Denoyer
 

I did have an agenda to try to fill on this beautiful afternoon, I was in search of Sandhill Cranes. I can say that I was rewarded with several pairs of them on this lovely afternoon. I captured numerous images with my camera but I also took the time to just sit and watch. They are so marvelous and the call they make is unmistakable. 

This is just one crane of a pair that came very close to me, I stood as still as I could against the back of my car and waited for them to walk my way. They did, and to my surprise never saw me. They were about 10 feet away and continued grazing and walking by. I've never been that close to them before, I was thrilled.

I hope you find him as amazing as I do,

Helen

What a fabulous example of Fine Art painted by our Creator. The detail displayed by the outstretched wings of this Common Loon are exquisite. There is certainly nothing "common" about this magnificent creature!

As I pulled into the parking lot and it began to downpour. I knew that the forecast was to be sunny for the better part of the day so I decided to sit and wait it out. I didn't have to wait long, 25 minutes later I could see some breaking up of the cloud cover. I got out of my car, collected my gear and began to walk down the beach toward the inlet to Lake Michigan. As I sat there with my camera, I took in the sounds of the gulls interacting with each other, the birds chirping and the waves that were silently lapping onto the beach. I was in my element.
 

This is what I wanted and what my soul craved. This peaceful beautiful scene that unfolded before me. I am sharing it with you.
 

God Bless,
 

Helen
 

I looked forward to my Fridays off from my full-time job to go with my friend Diane out to our "Eagle Shack". Going to our shack is something that we both look forward to in the winter. 

Our "Eagle Shack" is located on a piece of private property that I had stumbled upon a couple of years back. A neighbor who is a trapper, has been feeding the Bald Eagles for several years now. I approached him and asked if my friend and I would be able to put up a blind on the property to take pictures of the eagles. We met with the owners and were given exclusive rights to be on the property and to put up a blind. What a privilege!

This was our 3rd winter photographing "Our Eagles". They are addicting. We brave tromping through the snow in all kinds of wicked winter weather. I am usually the one pulling our gear in a sled to our shed, while Diane is usually dragging a road kill deer or hauling a bucket of fat left outside by our trapper friend for the eagles. We have a small propane heater to help keep us from freezing to death as we sit and wait for the eagles to arrive. Sometimes they don't. We sit and sit for hours on end waiting.....we whisper and we watch....and we hope.

Some days we go home with nothing in our camera but "test shots" of perhaps a Raven or a Seagull. But Oh! What a reward we are given on other days when our beloved eagles do show up and come to fill their bellies on the feast we offer them. Sometimes they come in at the first light of day, other times they have been in search of a feast by running the river looking for fish. This winter has been tough, for most of the lakes are entirely frozen over and some of the slower moving rivers as well. They know where we are, and they know we have food to sustain them.

This winter we counted 21 Bald Eagles that had arrived back in the tree line of our field. We were in awe! The usual number that we are more likely to see at one time is 3. We have been blessed. We know it.

I am honored to share with you a little bit of our experience and our view from our "Eagle Shack.

With the changing of the seasons I once again have to say good-bye to "Our Eagles". The lakes are opening up, and the rivers are flowing. The Eagles once again spend most of their day soaring over the water in search of a catch. Courting is beginning to take place and the nests will soon be home to new eaglets.

I am in awe of "Our Eagles" and feel God has given us a gift to be able to witness the interaction of these majestic Raptors. Perhaps I will be fortunate to see one of "Our Eagles" soaring over the river while I am enjoying it's cool waters this summer. I hope so. Until then. Be well our beloved eagles!

I hope I have given you a little bit of a view into these fantastic Birds of Prey. It is no wonder they are our National Bird.

Till next time,

Helen
 

Emily graciously agreed to model a few of the gowns that I have available for Maternity Sessions. I couldn't of asked for a lovelier model to show off these beautiful maternity garments.

Thank you, Emily!

If you are interested in a Maternity Session or know of someone who is expecting please give me a call or contact me via my website!

Helen Denoyer

Last weekend my Water Iris started blooming again and it got me thinking that perhaps the local Iris Farm is in bloom, so I took a quick little trip with coffee in hand to check it out! I was in luck, there were a number of varieties that were showing off their beautiful colors. Not only were they in bloom, but the sun decided to shoot sunrays through the clouds! I was in heaven!

This Iris was just one of the beauties!

Hope you enjoy!

Helen

You will hear the sounds of the Loons calling, the Trumpeter Swans trumpeting and various warblers and other birds as they awaken to a new and glorious day.

The video starts out dark so don't think you don't have the picture! It is intentional. A bit on the longer side of a video, but it encaptures the sunrise in all it's glory.

Enjoy!

Helen

Yesterday I spent a few hours on the shores of Grand Traverse Bay enjoying the Air Show Gala going on during The National Cherry Festival, here in Traverse City. It was a spectacular day with temperatures in the 80's and blue,blue skies with lovely billowing clouds. This is a sneak peak at the Black Diamond Jet Team Airshow. It was a real treat to see. For more info on the Black Diamond Jet Team click here: http://www.facebook.com/BlackDiamondJetTeam

More pictures of the Airshow including Team RV can be seen on my webpage under the heading "Local Events" here: http://hdshutterwinks.com

Jack in the Pulpit

These guys were all along the roadside on a backroad I traveled on. I didn't see them until I got out of my car to look at Trillium and they were all over the place. They are very easy to miss and they tend to blend in with their surroundings. This was from the trip that I went on last Friday in search of wildflowers, so now I can say that I was successful.

Friday morning I was up and out the door before sunrise in hopes of catching some of the best lighting conditions nature has to offer. As the sun is coming up it casts lovely shades of pink and orange and already I am captivated. I am a morning person in general and I absolutely love watching the sun come up. Every day is so unique and I look forward to seeing all the variations of a sunrise.

This particular morning I am headed for Pierce Stocking Drive which is partway between Empire and Glen Haven, MI. I am going to be looking for wildflowers, and of course while I am doing so I hope to see some wildlife as well. On my way I have chosen to drive a little bit off the beaten path and I am on a winding road that has a few houses scattered here and there. As I crest the top of the hill I see this lovely Gargoyle surrounded by Grape Hyacyinth and the rising sun is setting it aglow. What a lovely little scene this home has to welcome it's visitors! I had to stop and capture it. I hope you enjoy this little guy.

Helen

HD Shutterwinks Photography