Minneapolis Photographer Mitch Rossow’s daily photos of Minneapolis and the Twin Cities.

Back to the birds! My cousin Jenny and I were out stalking this Eagle and it’s mate. They’ve built a nest in the back of an industrial park in Northern St. Paul. We had fun taking pictures of this lovely if noisy couple. I have to confess, I can’t tell a male bald eagle from a female. Their genders seem as similar as geese. I guess it’s a good thing I’m not an eagle eh?

Minneapolis Photographer Mitch Rossow presents daily photos of Minneapolis. Cityscapes, People & Perspectives: Mitch explains composition and techniques.

Remember the Mirror lens that caused the ring effect? (Example) This is from it’s replacement, the Tamron 200-500mm. Same power, 500mm, but better out-of-focus areas — check out the leaves and branches behind him.

Minneapolis Photographer Mitch Rossow presents daily photos of Minneapolis. Cityscapes, People & Perspectives: Mitch explains composition and techniques.

Big Brother Grackle is watching you.

Minneapolis Photographer Mitch Rossow presents daily photos of Minneapolis. Cityscapes, People & Perspectives: Mitch explains composition and techniques.

The new 2008 geese are out!

Minneapolis Photographer Mitch Rossow presents daily photos of Minneapolis. Cityscapes, People & Perspectives: Mitch explains composition and techniques.

I just love these guys, they are so cheerful and cute. My friend Karen pointed out that warblers hop around a lot and it’s true. They can be very frustrating with a long lens (focused, theres that branch… now where did he go?).

One of the fun things about photographing all the birds with a big lens is that you realize the amazing diversity of birds. They were all sparrows, crows and robins to me before I started shooting. I never noticed these guys before. I still don’t recognized them with the naked eye, the lens let’s me identify them — though I am getting to know their chirp.

Minneapolis Photographer Mitch Rossow presents daily photos of Minneapolis. Cityscapes, People & Perspectives: Mitch explains composition and techniques.

This little buckarooo was gathering mud along the path on Lake of the isles to build a nest. Low morning sun is great for photographing birds, the low sun allows for capturing the iridescent quality of their feathers.

S orry about skipping yesterday, I have a lot work to do!

Would you believe that this is a blackbird? Gackles are right up there with sparrows on the unnoticeable list and look black most of the time. Their feathers are quite iridescent and in the right light, they can be down right spectacular.

A lot of my images have been post-processed to enhance colors and detail, but this guy was so colorful that I left the image alone.

I caught this fellow in a maple tree on the North end of Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis. I was using my new Nikon 500mm Reflex lens that, though powerful and light, is starting to bug me with it’s ring bokeh effects.