Blue Heron

I got lucky, this heron didn't fly away. It's friend did.

This was shot from my car, and processed by: Straighten, crop, tune light levels.

Weekend Reflections

Camera Critters

The Ark

Capturing the Wild Balloon

In my last post I showed you a wild balloon which surprised me while I was walking last week. Today I want to share more of that experience...

Approach carefully so as not to scare it!

It's caught! The ribbon is tangled in the brush...

Please help!

Curious Ginger 

What is this thing?

Who cares?!

If you are wondering, I untangled the ribbon and brought the balloon home. It is now tame, and living in my house!

Weekend Reflections

Camera Critters

Shadow Shot Sunday

Nutmeg

The Weekend in Black and White

Weekend Reflections

Camera Critters

Window Art

This window on a house in town caught my eye recently,

so I caught an image!

Weekend Reflections

Camera Critters

Blue Monday

Mid Week Blues

Watery Wednesday

Soaring

Walking one day, eyes on the ground

What are those shadows, soaring around?

Quickly lifting my gaze, this sight met my eyes:

Long-pinioned birds, sailing the skies!

(The birds are turkey vultures.)

Skywatch Friday

Camera Critters

Straight Out of the Camera

In Montana

We are visiting our children, and have been on the road for going on two weeks. 

Our first day out, on a lunch stop in Drummond, Montana,

this cavalcade passed by. 

I had to get up from the table, go outside, and do what I normally don't:

photograph a person!

The Weekend in Black and White

Camera Critters

Walk in the Street

"Ghostie-Kitty!"

This is Ghost.

He was abandoned by his former owner somewhere nearby.

When I first saw him, he was behind our house, 

Prowling the woods. 

He was shedding his fur for summer, and looked very rough.

He was hard to see, so I named him Ghost.

So he adopted us.

We soon learned that he was very friendly,

Unless you were another cat.

He is bold, and not afraid of dogs or raccoons.

He is a good hunter. However, he likes to catch birds.

He likes to go with me on my walks. The first shot was taken on a walk.

The rock he is standing on is in the middle of a small creek.

He was ready to go on, but I wanted to go back.

When we are walking, he falls behind sometimes.

Especially when going uphill, or if a tantalizing smell distracts him.

But if he gets "lost," he hollers.

Loudly.

Then I holler back, and wait. I meow, or call, "Ghostie-Kitty!"

He finds me, and all is well.

I have no idea why Ghost was abandoned,

He was obviously well cared for and loved before.

I think people do their pets a disservice in abandoning them.

But I am glad Ghost found and adopted us.

Camera Critters

Shadow Shot Sunday

Macro Monday

The Edge of Winter

Weekend Reflections
Straight Out of the Camera Sunday
Camera Critters

Nature's Miniatures

This was taken September 19.
It was a sunny day after several rainy ones, and Doggy and I were enjoying the light.
These red mushrooms caught my eye, even though they were exceptionally small.
The birch limb behind them was less than two inches in diameter!

After I put the pics from that day on my computer, I found a spider.
It's in the middle, just under the curl of birch bark, can you see it?
Then just this morning, I noticed another critter, an insect!
If you follow a diagonal line up from the center of the small red mushroom,
through the large one and the spider,
you will find it.
I think it may be the spider's dinner!

So I think this picture will do for
Camera Critters
Straight Out of the Camera Sunday
Macro Monday
&
Ruby Tuesday

Drop on by these great memes!

Update: Gemma at Greyscale Territory has a meme I just discovered, and I'm contributing this pic for it also. It's called Weekend Nature; check it out, and maybe contribute something of your own!

A Ginger-y Post: Camera Critters

I have mentioned before that Ginger likes to go for walks. We traverse the skid trails and access roads on our property, enjoying God's creation. On the last expedition, I decided to use a trail we usually ignore, to see something a little different. Here are some critter sightings:

In a shady grove near a seasonal stream, which is now dry, I saw this tall mushroom. Ginger stood helpfully nearby to show how tall it is!

Walking on, we encountered this ant mound. It's about two feet tall!

I tried to take a picture of the ants on the mound. It was literally crawling with them!

If you click on the picture to view it larger, you may be able to find some,

but they are well camouflaged! Each ant is two colors: the head is red and the abdomen is black.

This shot has at least five ants; two of them are carrying fir needles that are about an inch long.

I hope you can find them!

Leaving the ant mound, Doggy and I walked a while longer, finally leaving the grove and crossing a grassy field to return to the house. The grass was tall! I sat down to try some low angle scenic photography. 

Ginger went on ahead, as she often does, then noticed I had gotten distracted again! I called her.

She came running once she saw me!

This is my contribution to Camera Critters. Drop by this fun meme to see other animals from all over.

A Study in Serenity

 

I like this shot, whether straight out of the camera,
Straight out of the Camera Sunday
Weekend Reflections
Camera Critters

Black and white with a red filter,
no contrast adjustment
The Weekend in Black and White

Plain black and white, contrast enhanced

Or sepia, contrast enhanced!
Sepia Scenes

Buck in Velvet

The Weekend in Black & White
Camera Critters
Shadow Shot Sunday

This guy was in our yard, browsing on shrubs, flowers, and grass the other evening. I followed him around from inside the house, shooting as many pictures as possible through the windows. Isn't he handsome?

This shot was cropped and converted to black & white with a green filter.

Wild Turkeys

Earlier this week Dina posted a picture of a domestic turkey as part of her Thanksgiving post. In the comments, she indicated she wasn't familiar with wild turkeys. Since we see them regularly, I volunteered a  post about them. So for Camera Critters I present Wild Turkeys.
The picture above and the last two were taken last August. The flock is made up of adult birds, probably hens, and half-grown chicks. I don't know if there are any toms here, and I don't have any pictures of the toms showing off for the hens, so you'll have to do without!

This one shows two toms--the ones to the left which have beards! Turkey beards are made of special feathers which look more like hair and hang from the breast. Hens sometimes have beards, but not frequently. This picture was taken in October.

 Turkeys are quite alert. These are carefully watching something...

one of our cats, who is trying very hard to look like he is NOT watching them! Our other cat has twice (that I know of) caught and eaten a turkey about the size of the smaller ones here. 

I learned about wild turkeys at this site:  http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/wild_turkey_facts.html . They are interesting birds!

The Tortoise and the Hare

OK, I know these are not actually alive, but they struck my funny bone! Enjoy your weekend!

Visit Camera Critters to see more!

Tree Frog

This little guy was on the outside of our backdoor window a while back. My husband spotted him, and I grabbed the camera! It's not often you get to see the underside of these cool creatures.

For other Camera Critters, go here.

Camera Critters

This fawn is one of three which have been hanging around lately--I think the apples falling from our trees have something to do with it!
It's not often that the light and everything work when I try to get a shot like this!

To see more camera critters click here.