Great Spangled Fritillary
This Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) was a tricky butterfly, staying hidden from my lens in some very harsh bright sunshine and dark shadows, making its individual features all the more bold. That glaring light did hide some of the bright orange shades, and maybe that is part of how it keeps itself safe. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreCotton Candy Sky
I think this should be called a cotton candy sky, gorgeous and delicious for eyes. It is the setting sun to the west lighting up clouds of distant showers and thunderstorms. If we are going to have hot and sticky weather we might as well get some precipitation benefit from it to keep our lands lush, green and full of life. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreGnarly Sunset
I went outside to try to photograph some mammatus clouds a few days ago, with the evening sky revealing those dense pockets of descending cool air after a volatile day after severe thunderstorms and heavy rain showers. It did not go very well! The mammatus clouds to my east were a bit too spread out in distribution and too diffuse, not catching the light correctly for some reason. However, the light was funky to say the very least, with everything on the ground having these odd tones as the sun went below the horizon. This soon lit the cloudy skies to the west with fiery, gnarly tones which...
Read MoreBirds Blending In
Here we have the backs of two different bird species – can you identify them? I have posted them both recently as opportunistic winter birds, and this Horned Lark in a roadway and Savannah Sparrow in grasses have another thing in common here with wonderful camouflage working in two very different situations. It cracked me up how well the Lark blended in to the snow, dirt, salt and sand in the road, even in the bright sunlight. While that is not evolution it certainly worked out well. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreLow Winter Snowy Sun
This low winter snowy sun is everything that I love about January as we watch it slowly climb through the sky against our arctic tundra-like landscapes, the trees covered in snow that will be filled with buds and blooms within only a few months. Please get outside and enjoy this type of weather while you can. Our four seasons are each a spectacle to behold and a wonder to wander through. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
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