Naturalists Love Flowers
We naturalists sure do love nature, including our flowers and all sorts of bright colors. I thought it was funny that RTPI Conservation Technician Elyse Henshaw and I were both standing by this arrangement before the Art and the Animal exhibition opening recently, cameras in hand, and also taking shots of the tiny flowers on some of the tables. Even during a party we are still unconsciously circulating to seeing and shooting the more natural aspects of our environment. This week I will post a new blog entry with many photos of the terrific Art and the Animal opening party featuring all of...
Read MoreWintering Hermit Thrush
This is one of seemingly many (in the relative sense) Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) I have spotted in the last couple of months as this hardy species has been sticking out the late autumn in a number of my frequented locations. The bird pictured is one of those individuals. The most enigmatic sighting I had recently was with my Shetland Sheepdog a couple of weeks ago as we found a bird foraging in the lawn under a maple tree near the edge of mature woodlands. It looked at us and hopped up into one of the eye-level branches as we approached, casually watching us. It watched my dog...
Read MoreSnowy Owl in Dunkirk, New York
This tremendous photo of a Snowy Owl at Wright Park Beach in Dunkirk, New York was taken this morning by our friend Gale VerHague. She used a basic point and shoot camera showing how easily we can safely photograph these birds from a distance thanks to a good zoom, especially if you have a scope. Giving them space is important so that they can rest during the day and hunt at night – in this case, likely waterfowl on Lake Erie. It is all the more necessary when, as Gale told me, birds like American Crows have honed in on the raptor as they were harassing this individual. Please try to...
Read MorePale Beauty (Campaea perlata)
This looks to be a Pale Beauty (Campaea perlata), an apt name for this moth that “knocked” on my door and glistened under the porch lights and the flash.
Read MoreRoger Tory Peterson – Transformation Tuesday
We’ve all seen who Roger Tory Peterson grew up to become and we frequently post pictures of various adventures throughout his adult life. For #TransformationTuesday here’s an early shot of the young naturalist Roger working those cameras back when it used to be a tad bit more difficult than it is now. If you visit RTPI you can see some of his historic camera equipment on display.
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