I’m still sorting through all the photos I captured in June and now it’s July already. Here are some June captures I found in the files dumped hurriedly onto the computer during the past few weeks.
another tongue:
sipping current nectar:
baby nuthatch:
sparrow? what kind?
western tanager:
red fox “tippy” at sunset:
Hummingbird’s tongue.
Two festivals a week apart have kept me busy. Thanks to everyone who participated in the Rhubarb Festival and Bailey Days this year. It was a beautiful two days by the river in Bailey last weekend and one day fest at the firehouse the week before in Pine Grove.
It’s wildfire season. A wildfire is buring in an older burn area near Pine Valley. Lighting strikes start fires. The wind blows. Virga in the sky more than rain drops on the ground.
Pine pollen. It’s a green world with green windows and people driving green cars - even the gas guzzlers are “green” right now.
Too much talking (at the shows), too much pollen (everywhere!), my voice is dry like the weather.
We get a few raindrops splattering in the green dust some afternoons.
The western tanagers are here. We usually have a pair near our house this time of year. The male is so brightly colored it is possible to spot him immediately in the douglass firs. He is cautious and won’t come too close. He is seen most often with his mate somewhere near. She is yellow green and blends with new growth on the trees. I feel sorry for the male, too bright to hide.
Columbines are blooming, yellow, blue, and purple. Lots of other wildflowers blooming now, too. Wild geranium, penstemons, cinquefoils, blanket flowers, sedums, wild roses . . . too many to name them all.
Summer is here. I missed posting photographs of its arrival while busy with the shows. Soon, I’ll begin catching up by sorting through this month’s photographs to see if I have enough for a June “review” post. For now, I’m out photographing what’s left of June in consworld.
Elk in the early morning yesterday after a night of rain showers in a Staunton Park prescribed burn area. The burned area is turning green with new growth, but the tall grass in the unburned area is still brown.
Some minutes later at upper lake, a heron, startled when I opened the ranch gate, flew across and stood on the other side.
Captured with 100-400 mm zoom at 400, handheld at the gate, the photo above is a crop of the original. I chose an ISO of 1000 for the weak early light.
The bird didn’t allow me too close. It did stay while I drove in, closed the gate, and parked. The image above was taken across the small lake, also at 400mm and cropped to perhaps 1/2 of the original image.
My regret is that I didn’t change batteries after capturing the elk images earlier. I suppose, at 36 degrees F, it was cold enough to weaken the battery. I’d forgotten about the cold’s effect on battery life because these spring days seem warm to me. An early morning above freezing is a wonderful thing this time of year.
As I changed battery, the heron stretched its neck, then its wings, walked a few steps and took off. I got the battery in and was able to capture a few images as it flew over middle lake toward lower lake where it stayed until I left the area.
I’ll go back in a day or two and try again. After the heron left, I walked around upper and middle lakes and was able to capture images of a sparrow and a red wing blackbird.
I was surprised to see how far the sparrow could turn its head. I wish I could do that.
The redwing called again and again while I photographed.
When I got home, wild buttercups (aka pasque flowers) with raindrops were waiting for the camera.
It was a good day for photography.
When I was a child, my mother sang to me about a happy robin coming in the spring.
Though I was happy to see this robin a couple of days ago, I’m not sure the robin was happy about all the melting snow about.
The snow lasted a couple of cold days, but it’s warmer now and the snow is gone except in areas of deep shade.
This is April in Consworld, snow and melt, cold nights and warm bright days, anticipation in every twig and species, and spring fever in me.
I want to photograph the snow showers and melt, the winterbuds unfolding, and the early wildflowers. I want to walk along the creek and around the ponds in the mornings looking for spring birds and landscape views to capture. I don’t want to do any work. I want to play.
Five shy wild turkeys have been passing by my window this week.
The turkeys leave at the slightest sound or movement, so I captured these images through the dirty double pane glass on a dark and snowy spring day. Even so, they noticed me watching them and hurried away.
This grinning bird’s no fool.
It’s eating Con’s special suet.
It’s snowing again and many birds are waiting for a turn at the feeders. This dark eyed junco waits with feathers fluffed against the cold (23 degrees F) while nuthatches feast at a nearby feeder.
Snow falling through bright, cloud-filtered sunlight today
A chunk of suet, happy stellers jay
It isn’t a recipe. The Bird was doing the grilling, or hiding, or something in the grill. He winked his grey eyelid at me and I caught it in mid wink. Then he flew away. Image from a morning walk through a picnic area in the Garden of the Gods.
For another large rock from the Garden, click the thumbnail below. I don’t recall the name. I’m more interested in the direction of the sunlight on them than the names given to the rocks. This one’s huge and close to the road, you won’t have to look for it if you visit the Garden.
Con Daily's photography reveals her passion for nature and wildlife in her world.
