If you get to Duluth yet this summer, the Great Lakes Aquarium on the south side of the harbor complex is well worth a visit — for an exhibit of paintings and photographs of birds.

Duluth resident Karl Bardon's multiple talents are on display in a selection of stunning photos and beautiful paintings. The photos are relatively recent work, and include the best single photograph of an owl I've ever seen. The paintings reflect a near life-long interest in art.

Karl has worked at Duluth's Hawk Ridge as a raptor counter during the annual fall raptor census since 2007. In summer he works for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on the state biological survey program. He began and continues a non-official count of non-raptor bird species in the fall as well. He has worked in the Arctic radio tracking eider, in the Gulf of Mexico studying trans-Gulf migration from the platform of an oil-drilling rig, and searching for Tapaculos (bird species) in Chile. He also has spent many seasons as the waterbird counter at both Whitefish Point in Michigan and Cape May, New Jersey. His bird-related field work is extensive.

His paintings ( art degree came from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis) reflect his broad interest in birds. The photos are chosen mostly from a set he did one foggy spring day on Park Point when grounded warblers let him get within touching distance for detailed portraits. The owl photo that hangs outside the exhibit gallery, shows a Great Gray flying with a vole in its mouth. This is a large image, detailed, the colors of the bird and its northern-Minnesota setting looking like the work of an artist carefully choosing his colors. It's an extraordinary photo. Other owl photos from northern Minnesota accompany it. All are for sale.

Karl told me that his specialty has been waterbirds, having spent many seasons at Whitefish Point and Cape May. "But after witnessing the awesome migration through Veracruz, Mexico as an official hawk counter in 2006," he said, "I decided raptors are pretty cool, too." This fall will be Karl's fourth season at Hawk Ridge.

He grew up in North Oaks in the Twin Cities where his father got him into bird-watching at an early age, A quick synopsis of his birding work can be found at the Hawk Ridge website (http://www.hawkridge.org/about/staff.html#Karl).

Karl is as active in Minnesota birding as his time allows, certainly one of the state's best birders, one of its most productive. This exhibit gives him a well-earned spotlight. See it if you get to Duluth. It closes Sept. 8.

The aquarium is worth a visit at any time. Exhibits cover Minnesota waters, Lake Superior at the fore, of course, plus some salt-water displays. There are a few birds on display, lots of fish in aquariums that stand tall, floor to floor, and wonderful exhibit of otters, with chances for you to watch those animals being fed.

Below, Karl's photo of a Blackburnian Warbler.