Welcome
We have already reached the end of the year 2020. Many of us would have wished it had been a different year. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic many families have lost loved ones, others have lost their jobs and are having a hard time financially.
Due to the pandemic, we had to cancel our long awaited cruise through Europe in August. This trip would have given me the opportunity to take some interesting pictures. In addition, we have been very limited to going to places. As I mentioned in a previous magazine, it has also been a year of great joy for the birth of our second grandchild, and we have been blessed to keep our jobs and our health.
Almost at the end of the year we said goodbye to a great friend who lost her fight with cancer but we know she is resting in the arms of God.
This year has been like a journey through a dark tunnel but I am sure that with God's help we will see clarity again. There is always a calm after the storm also.
We wish each one of you a new year rich in blessings, where we can once again fearlessly embrace our loved ones and friends whom we cherish. And for those of us who love photography, a year full of new opportunities.
Until next time and Happy New Year!
Wild Life Around Us
THE CITY OF CHICAGO
For those of us who like architectural photography, Chicago is like a paradise. The photo opportunities in this city have no limits. At every corner you can find interesting details of old and new buildings and we often find new buildings that have spectacular architecture. I would like to plan to visit the City more often, at least in the summer months because during the winter it is really cold. These photos that I share here were taken at the end of November of this year.
Matthiessen State Park
OGLESBY, ILLINOIS
Canyons, streams, prairie and forest combine to delight visitors at Matthiessen State Park. Located in central LaSalle County, approximately four miles south of Utica and three miles east of Oglesby, Matthiessen is a paradise for those interested in geology as well as recreation and photography. Visitors can expect to see beautiful rock formations in addition to unusual and abundant vegetation and wildlife. All of this, along with park and picnic facilities, make Matthiessen State Park a popular choice for a special outing.
NATURE OF THE AREA
The many unusual and beautiful rock formations make a trip to Matthiessen State Park an educational as well as a fun experience. Exposed sandstone can be seen throughout. The main canyon, consisting of the Upper and Lower Dells, provides an unusual and interesting walking tour. The Upper Dell begins at Deer Park Lake and continues to Cascade Falls, where the canyon drops 45 feet and the Lower Dell begins. The canyon, formed by water erosion, is approximately one mile long, from Deer Park Lake to the Vermilion River. Visitors may observe ground water seeping out along the sandstone of the canyon walls. As the ground water evaporates along the canyon walls, the minerals that are carried in solution in the water contribute to the beautiful coloring of the rocks.
The park has several mineral springs, and each was a popular spot for the large deer population that used it as a salt lick.
HISTORY OF THE AREA
Matthiessen State Park was named for Frederick William Matthiessen, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist from LaSalle. He originally purchased the land near the end of the 19th Century and developed it as a privately owned park for many years. Mr. Matthiessen employed about 50 people to construct trails, bridges, stairways and check dams. The area was originally referred to as ?Deer Park,? in reference to the large deer population. The original 176-acre park consisted primarily of a long narrow canyon with a small stream flowing through it. At that time these formations were called ?dells,? a name that has stayed with the park. After Matthiessen?s death, the park was donated to the State of Illinois, which opened it as a public park. In 1943, the state renamed the park in honor of Matthiessen. Since then, the park has grown to 1,938 acres and includes much of the significant natural areas along the main dell, some former prairie land, and some forest land south of the original park.
Spring Valley Nature Center
Spring Valley is a 135-acre living museum featuring beautifully restored natural areas, walking trails, a natural history museum, re-created 1880’s working farm with livestock along with unique summer camps and family programs. For those of us who like to take pictures, it is an interesting place where we can photograph wild vegetation, birds, livestock and other wildlife, as well as interesting objects that were used on the farms.
Sandhill Cranes
Taking pictures of birds in flight is a challenge for me, besides it is not something I do very often, and I also consider that a 300 millimeters lens is not the most appropriate in most cases. Anyway, in past days I tried it and here I share the result.
I traveled for two hours to the Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area in the state of Indiana, where between the months of October and November a considerable amount of Sandhill Cranes migrates on their journey south to spend the winter months there. This year it is estimated that the number of these birds exceeds 30,000.
Their main activity is during sunrise and sunset. At dawn, after socializing for a while, they fly to nearby fields in search of food; and at dusk, about an hour before sunset, they return to spend the night there again.
There are other sites in the United States where cranes stop on their way south during the fall or on their way back north during the spring. One such site is in Nebraska and it is estimated that over 600,000 cranes pass through there.
Below I share this information that I have found on the web that will help answer some basic questions about Sandhill Cranes and cranes in general:
1. Height: 3 to 4 feet, Weight: 6 to 12 pounds, Wingspan: 6 to 7 feet, Lifespan: 20 to 40 years.
2. During migration, 75 percent of the sandhill crane population can be found along a 75-mile stretch of the Platte River in Nebraska.
3. Sandhill crane offspring can be ready to leave the nest and even start swimming just eight hours after they hatch. Although the chicks are independently mobiles, they will stay with their parents up to 10 months after being born.
4. A female sandhill crane usually lays two pale-colored eggs with brown markings. She shares incubation duties with her mate for up to 32 days.
5. Both parents build a nest from cattails, sedges and grasses, but it’s unknown which parent chooses the nesting site. Nests can be up to 40 inches across and 6 inches high.
6. Sandhill cranes mate for life and attract their parents via a courtship dance with moves like jumping into the air, bobbing their heads and stretching their wings to span up to 7 feet.
7. During migration, these cranes may travel more than 200 miles a day. They’re fast fliers, reaching speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.
8. Most of their diet (90 percent) is plant material, including waste grain, roots, berries, and nuts. Insects and snails are on the menu, too.
From My “Backyard”
Photos taken in or from my backyard.
Last Frame
In early December of last year we had the opportunity to visit the great city of New York, which we had not visited since 2004.
New York, like Chicago, is like a paradise for photographers interested in taking architectural pictures. I was fascinated to see how beautiful the new One World Trade Center looks in the place where the twin towers were, and this brought me a mixture of emotions when we visited the memorial that has been built there and remember the tragedy of that September 11, 2001.
It was interesting to visit the new train station designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava at the World Trade Center, known as “Oculus”; to walk on the majestic Brooklyn Bridge, and to visit the Hudson Yards area where they have built a new tourist attraction called Vessel, which looks like a honeycomb.
In the following link you can see some of my photos from the trip to New York:
www.montesphotography.myportfolio.com/new-york-city
With this photo I close the pages of this magazine, I hope to be able to share with all of you new photos in the coming year. Thank you for the messages of support you have given me through previous issues. They are always appreciated. Enjoy the pictures.
Happy New Year
Credits:
©Francisco Montes Photography