One Picture

Today was a slow day with only one time for my camera to be recording images. For most this picture is a run of the mill picture of a great blue heron. For me it was the first picture of a great blue heron recorded in a very long time… too long. And, since GBH’s are…

Several Topics

Since my post yesterday several activities have interested me that might also interest you.

Last night I was called about a young bald eagle that was not behaving as expected. Since the bird offered no resistance, this one was easy to catch and take to Black Wildlife Rehabilitation Project. I have not heard what, if anything, was learned when the bird saw a veterinarian.

Plants and Pollinators

This morning was another time or three of wandering our CRP where wildflowers and grasses are finally growing after the drought threatened any success. The wildflowers I enjoyed today were common and each species has been featured recently. Still, they were pretty so I photographed them.

Along with the plants there were many pollinators busy at the blossoms. Most did not remain in position long enough for pictures, but a few did.

For those wondering… the biting bugs were atrocious. My tool to combat them was….

Art Out of Ordinary

With continued limitations on my activity, I am now - when it works - attempting to create art of ordinary observations. Following are views from today.

No Common Theme, Just Pictures

Today was one of those days when I saw and photographed a few things, but nothing with a common theme. I’ll just put the pics out for review and stop at that.

On A Dew-covered Morning

On a calm, dew-covered morning the landscape is wet. Roaming among the grasses and wildflowers leads to a wanderer becoming wet and bitten…

Same Scene, Several Depictions

Today, both going and coming back from the healing spot to north, several of us stopped at “our” tree to “see” it from various perspectives.

After looking at each of the views, I am not sure which I prefer. All are interesting on their own. Maybe it isn’t even…

We Need These for Those

As I wandered our wildflowers on this very calm morning I was surprised by the number of tiny pollinators that were out doing just what we wanted - pollinating. Interestingly (almost troubling), I did not see any bees on the blossoms. Hoverflies and spotted cucumber beetles dominated…

Under Our Feet

I would bet there are plenty of people who really look forward to walking barefooted through grass, enjoying the freeing sensations between their toes and on the bottom of their feet. I am one of those persons.

I would also bet that most people may not realize what is under our feet when we walk barefooted through the grass. This morning’s dew was a revelation, at least in our yard.

The sun shone at the proper angle to light many lawn wolf spider webs spread over our yard. Spiders or not, it was impossible for me to deny the beauty of the dew drops on their intricate webs, so I went exploring with my camera. One web in particular had great detail and an,,,

Dodging Drips

Today was not a good day for outdoor photography. Rain, drizzle, rain, repeat… and it just kept raining.

During a period of light rain I shot some flower photos… just because I needed to get out of the house to breathe fresh air.

Maybe…

Experimentation Time

Due to the lighting conditions when I was able to get out and walk, I used my photography time to experiment with shooting close-up images of wildflowers with an intentional controlled soft focus effect. When the background was not what I wanted, I then went artsy for the blossoms. I definitely need to improve my skills for these types of photos.

Reality and Altered Reality

My morning walk among the flowers generated thoughts about today’s post. Do I shoot and share pictures without alterations or may I take liberties to adjust as desired with declaration? I am opting to share some photos with no editing and some that are less specimen images and more “nature as art” style photos (edited).

Let’s begin with the unaltered images. For these photos I will feature a couple of the dragonflies calling our pollinator habitat home. Two observations were apparent. The dragonflies really like to use last year’s dead vegetation as hunting posts. Both came back to the same stalks time and again. The second observation was…

God’s Handiwork

Being an early riser, mornings are special. The sun lights the landscape with warmth, dew has settled on blossoms, and the new day offers a fresh start.

This morning I began my day with a quiet walk in our prairie project. No matter where I looked I saw God’s handiwork. My only obligation was to look around and enjoy. I did record some images to share with others, but for the most part I just took it all in. The views were so pretty!

Hopefully a picture or two might brighten your day too!

Since Yesterday’s Post…

Since yesterday’s post I have photographed more wildflowers.

Scenes From Alcock Park

Today I am sharing a few views of Alcock Park in Frederika. Flooding continues…

Something Different

There was something different about my pollinator habitat exploration for this picture. Apparently our grand-dog has an appreciation for wildflowers too!

Following is a sampling of our CRP flower patch.

Photo Challenge

For more than 22-years I have recorded at least an image a day and shared it - all without missing a day. On Monday I had a medical procedure done that is making photography challenging. Still, I do not want miss a day so I am fumbling through the process. Following are photos from Monday and Tuesday.

Fauna, Flora, Water

Today consisted of a mix of imaging for me. Early this morning I photographed a killdeer doing its best to not be seen… but I saw it.

One Less Tick - Thank A Warbler

Last night, just before the rain began, I enjoyed an insect feeding show. Prothonotary warblers and blue-gray gnatcatchers were flitting around the trees along the river grabbing snacks. The gnatcatchers were higher in the trees much of the time. The prothonotary warblers were closer to my position in my canoe.

I tried hard to see what the birds were feeding on, but only confirmed with this picture. It sure appears to me that this prothonotary warbler was feeding on a blood-filled tick, maybe filled from a deer or some other mammal. I am glad the insect has been digested!

In addition to this picture, I will…

A Common Theme - Water

Without realizing it my photography today had a common theme - water. That water may have been in the form of a lake, dew drops, rain drops, or humidity. Regardless of how described, water/moisture played a role in each of my many photos from this day.