Joel Dinda's photos with the keyword: saint johns

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.

The other place we go for Thanksgiving. Photo taken on Thanksgiving Day of 2013.

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.

Click here for a BIGGER version . At the Maple River State Game Area, north of St. Johns, Michigan. The SGA is a joint endeavor between the State's Department of Natural Resources and Michigan Ducks Unlimited. We saw lots of birds, but few up close. The photo's stitched together from six smaller photographs. The visible distortions are partly the software and partly the wide angle lens I was using.

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.

Another photo from Saturday's walk at Maple River.

Another photo from our wander around the Maple River State Game Area, north of St. Johns. Where we expected water we found mud flats. Where we expected Ducks & Geese & Cranes & Herons we found Pipers. A fine afternoon.

Never used to see Cormorants much of anywhere. Despite the caption I wrote for the Sandpipers pic, we did see other birds at Maple River. But few were close by....

Another pic from Sunday's excursion to the Maple River State Game Area. Once again the ISO's too high, but it's less obtrusive. Just wanted to mention that our feet got wet; there are several places where the water's overflowed the levees.

Fleeing from our attention. Another photo from our visit to Maple River a few days back. Personally, I like Joan's photo of this family better.

Maple River State Game Area, north of St. Johns, Michigan.

Another ice storm photo from the farm.