Summer Sun
Here’s a weekend project for you – yep, more homework! Go find the sun and bask in it however you please Discover a place outdoors or more life that you have never seen before during this sensational summer weather Be reminded why the blue sky against the green landscape is one of the best sights there is Enjoy every moment of it that you can with your friends and family!
Read MoreGrass Pink
This Grass Pink, or Deptford Pink, (Dianthus armeria) is truly exceptional in terms of vibrant color for such a tiny plant. The wildflower is native to Europe, and though nonnative in our soil it does well without becoming invasive or dominating any landscape. What are we do to about such species? Try to remove them all at tremendous cost and inevitably failing? We have to focus on protecting our greatest conservation priorities and selectively dealing with the most dangerous invasive plants that crowd out or harm native endangered wildlife. There is no way to turn back the clock and restore...
Read MoreBrown-headed Cowbirds
We seem to be at the peak season of reports of, “Why is this pretty bird feeding this huge baby bird that is twice its size?!” all thanks to the native Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater). Here we have a photo of a male followed by a female. The species is a brood parasite with the female laying eggs in nests of other birds to leave the burden of raising young to these unsuspecting parents by fooling them into thinking it is their own egg. It is also a rather clever way of not putting all of your eggs in one basket. These blackbirds are found in typical types of blackbird...
Read MoreCandy-striped Leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea)
I came across this Candy-striped Leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea) yesterday morning while camera-less and with my dog. At that point it was, of course, sitting on top of one of the petals of this coneflower in the bright morning sun, looking wonderful. By the time I grabbed my camera and went back over there it had hidden itself on the underside of the flower. The constant northwest wind as of late was blowing the plant all over the place, making a capture even harder. This was the best I could do of a species I would love to see and photograph properly again soon. There is so much...
Read MoreOrchard Oriole
This adult male Orchard Oriole finally gave me a decent couple of poses on a recent morning! My guy was foraging, singing, and defending his territory against various avian intruders when he paused to let me shoot him for a few seconds. His chestnut-like tones look fantastic against the green leaves and blue sky. Someday I want to get a photo of an Orchard Oriole and a Baltimore Oriole for a better visual comparison of their sizes. Orchards are noticeably smaller than their cousins, just a bit larger than our vireos and warblers. It is hard to believe this fella will be heading south for the...
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