Joel Dinda's photos with the keyword: maple river

On the bridge at Maple River State Game Area , north of St. Johns. Do notice Joan's Garmin Forerunner watch, dwarfing the watch on her other wrist. Photo taken 9/8/2013. We originally bought a matched pair of Forerunners ( model 305 , I think) to use as cyclometers (bicycle speedometers) 'round 'bout 2009. I'd been using a different fitness watch for a few years, but a system update on my computer had rendered it obsolete. So we bought these. They were fine for bicycling; we'd mount them on the handlebars. We'd also wear them when, like here, we were deliberately exercising. But for general use they were pretty ugly. They were excellent exercise watches, though. Nowadays we own a matched pair of Garmin's Vivosmart HR+ watches. Joan wears hers as her main watch, while I mostly wear my Galaxy Active2 . The Active 2's a decent watch, but (despite its name) a horrible activity tracker. So if I'm counting steps, or miles, or elevation changes ("stairs"), the Garmin's on my other wrist.

Long experience says I'm horrible at identifying pipers--even with the bird in front of me and a book in hand. Somebody help! (Thanks.) I was (also) a horrible photographer at Maple River State Game Area. A good share of the problem was actually the birds--except for this fellow, the only birds we got close to were swallows--but another issue was the photographer. I was overexposing egrets, getting the focus wrong on shorebirds, and having autofocus issues trying to photograph the rare heron or sandhill that flew half-way near us. So my absolute best shots were slightly-out-of-focus herons on the far shores of the ponds. Enjoyed the walk, though.

Again. (I have more.)

Another Maple River photo.

Another photo from the Maple River State Game Area, north of St. Johns, but taken a year and a half ago

One last photo from our walk at the Maple River State Game Area. St. Johns, Michigan.

From our recent visit to Maple River State Game Area.

Just because.

Another photo from Saturday's walk at Maple River.

This is Unit B, looking west from from the viewing platform.

What with yesterday's excellent weather, we made our way to Maple River State Game Area and wandered around on the levies. We went mostly to walk, but it's a bird watcher's paradise. Yesterday we saw: * Paired-off Canada geese, nesting. Hundreds of 'em. * Hundreds of ducks. Lots of variety. * A few gulls. * Some swans, possibly tundra swans, in the distance. Joan was hoping for more, and closer. * What was likely a golden eagle, but too distant to be certain. * The usual small birds. Mostly starlings this time. We also heard lots of frogs, which was fun. I didn't bring my DSLR, as we were out mainly for exercise, and the still-brown foliage and flat terrain makes for dull pocket-cam photography. But this family brought serious gear, and presumably got some fine views (& photos) of the geese.

There's a heron wading on the far edge of the pond. (There generally are. That's one of the reasons we visit.) I was fighting the camera's autofocus the entire walk. This shot came out all right. Mostly the others didn't.

Maple River State Game Area, north of St. Johns, Michigan. We saw Sandhill Cranes, Herons of several sorts, lots of ducks, a few geese, and some hunters setting out decoys. A fine afternoon.

Maple River State Game Area, north of St. Johns, Michigan. Taken last spring; scanned from a slide.

At Maple River State Game Area, north of St. Johns, Michigan. The bridge spans a ditch between two dikes. A very different view, here .