Hawks

While photographing sunflowers the other day, I heard the incessant, high-pitched screeching of baby hawks.  There obviously was a nest in one of the trees lining the edge of the field.  One long, loud screech in reply made me look up from what I was doing and turn my head in another direction from the flowers, and that's when I saw this hawk watching me.  I wondered how long it was there before I noticed it!  As soon as it saw that I had my lens focused on it, it bent low and let out one more long screech before flying off. 

I'm excited for the slow change of seasons that will take place in the next few weeks--hawks are becoming more visible again.  This morning, unlike yesterday's clear, blue skies, the sky was gray and foggy.  I was out early taking pictures again when a movement way up high and in the distance caught my eye.  Through the fog I noticed the fuzzy outlines of two hawks in a tree that was sticking out apart from the rest along the river.  Hawks do not like to be photographed and these two quickly took off when they noticed I noticed them.

Field of Sunflowers

I've passed this field of sunflowers every day since they've grown, but yesterday was the first time I joined the many others who couldn't resist pulling off to the side of the road to photograph them.  Here's an up-close and personal look at these cheery flowers!

Bumps on a Log

Frogs aren't the only bumps you might see on a log!  I found these two turtles basking in the sun.  I later returned to the same spot as the sun went down, and they were there, seeming to still enjoy the warmth held by the log.  I love the mirror-like reflection that enables us to see the underside of the turtles, where we wouldn't have the chance otherwise if they were on land.

Birds, Bears & Other Wildlife

It was a hot, hot July morning, when the temperature would later soar well over 100 degrees and a thick haze and high humidity was already heavy in the air.  I was in one of the state forests doing a photo shoot with the rising sun, which did not cooperate.  Oh it rose, alright, but it was stuck behind the clouds which also prevented not even a glimpse of the valley below in every direction.  I climbed down from my perch and drove around the forest until I came upon an open swampy area.  The sun, straining unsuccessfully to throw it's rays, instead cast a deep golden hue upon the scene.  Because of the heaviness of the fog, the light reflected off it rather than burning through it, causing a diffusion of details and color--all except for a nearby tree which happened to have a heron sitting on one of it's branches.  The big bird then flew off into the orange haze, settling on solitary long branch jutting upward in the distance--they, too, meshed with the diffusion.  The colors are real; no editing was used. 

                                                        I caught this bird in flight on another day.

        These barn swallows were just a few of many who then broke off into pairs to do their nesting thing.

  Backyard birding on lazy Saturday afternoon allowed me to notice this hummingbird perched on a branch...

                                                         I followed it to another...

                                                    ...and saw this Eastern Bluebird in a tree...

                                                       ...and this sparrow on a garden stake...

A finch enjoyed a few seeds.

This bird joined the others who visited our backyard...

...and this cheery robin foraged for bugs in in the grass.

A trip into town via the meadow route always provides a glimpse of  a heron.

                   *     *     *     *          And now for Bears and other Wildlife          *     *     *     *     *

This bear nearly jumped out of an apple tree to quickly obey it's mother's barked orders to come and follow her and it's two siblings into the nearby cover of evergreens when they saw me coming down the road.

                   This bear was all decked out with identifying and tracking 'earrings' and a 'necklace'.

                                    These two chocolatey black bear cubs played in the woods.

                                      *     *     *     *          Other Wildlife          *     *     *     *     *




                                      A red fox was wandering along the crest of a hillside.

                                       This little wood frog inspected me as closely as I inspected it!

                             A beaver walked across the causeway to enjoy the ponds on both sides.

                       This herd of white-tailed deer nibbled the fruits found on an orchard's ground.

What's Buggin' Me!

The fascinating world of insects, brought to you up close and personal.




               These damselflies caught my attention by their vivid colors and their big, alert bug eyes!

                         This bee was so smothered in pollen, it almost looks like it's wearing a fur coat!

                                               I was captivated by this bee in silhouette.

                                    This tiny bee shone with metallic flashes as it darted about the lilies.

                                                              What the heck is THIS??? 

                 And whatever this insect is, it stayed on the hood of my car for about 8 miles while I drove!

                This leaf-looking bug, a Katydid, was crawling on my computer table the other night! 
                                   These are the noisy bugs you hear on hot August nights,
                                     singing as part of a trio with the crickets and peepers.

                                                 This rusty fencepost was home to this bug
                            and also the tiny spider (who seemed to be as curious of me and I was of it!)
                                       that's peeking out from the post in the image after that.

                                                                    Speaking of spiders... 
                I just had to include this web, shining with iridescent colors; the spider was not present.

                                                  This worm was hanging by a thread of silk.

                                               A morphed 'pillar....  now a beautiful butterfly.

  This fly took a break from it's buzzing and landed on a tree trunk where it basked in the warm morning sun.