Showing posts for '#wildlife'. Clear search
Home Security
November 14, 2022 - With its large eyes enabling it to see a wide angle and long distances, the osprey likes to perch high above the water t...
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Returning Home
October 19, 2022 - Ospreys, also know as fish hawks, will nest in any location where there is water which provides it with an adequate supp...
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Returning from the Hunt
October 17, 2022 - While the osprey is a very effective fisherman, sometimes referred to as the "perfect" fishing machine, there are occasi...
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The Greatest Fisherman
October 14, 2022 - The osprey has a lot of genetic adaptations which make it what could be referred to as the "perfect fishing machine".
T...
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Circling the Lake
October 12, 2022 - With a wingspread of about 6 feet, high flight speeds especially when diving and keen eyesight, ospreys are very effecti...
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Going Fishing
September 19, 2022 - This male Belted Kingfisher has taken to perching in a dead tree outside my office window late afternoon while looking f...
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PeWee
September 16, 2022 - This Eastern woo-pewee Flycatcher is a newcomer to our yard. During the autumn they migrate to Central and South America...
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Grus Canadensis
February 08, 2022 - A sandhill crane looking for a meal - - mainly seeds and tubers - - located in a wetland area west of Vero Beach.
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I See You
February 05, 2022 - While bucks and does normally remain separate from each other except during the mating season the doe was feeding about...
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Water Landing
January 20, 2022 - Softly touching down to join the other white pelicans feeding nearby on the intracoastal waterway.
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White Pelican
December 02, 2021 - The brown pelican is found year-round in Florida. Adult white pelicans are winter visitors to the state. During the summ...
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Eastern Bluebird
November 08, 2021 - We had the good fortune to visit Pawleys Island South Carolina for a couple of months before we had to ruch home and seq...
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Clean Up Crew
November 03, 2021 - Always on the lookout for an easy meal, these birds feed on carrion and help keep our roads clean. They always are on th...
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Fanned Out
November 01, 2021 - These birds are very nomadic and can be found throughout the US. They are commonly found at feeders.
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The Catch
October 29, 2021 - After standing motionless - - that's the both of us -- for quite some time, this egret was rewarded with an unsuspecting...
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Kite in Flight
October 28, 2021 - This raptor is fast and accurate when after its prey. The best way to describe it is as swoop[ing down. talons extended...
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Caracara
October 20, 2021 - The Caracara looks like a hawk, is related to falcons and behaves more like a vulture. It also is very capable of killin...
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Cautious Predator
October 05, 2021 - Checking the area for possible prey or just checking around to ensure that there are no intruders close by. Either way,...
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Feeding Pelicans
September 23, 2021 - The baitfish pods were riding the waves and the pelicans were cruising the tops of the waves and feasting on the bait po...
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Searching
September 22, 2021 - Flying in circles lower and lower until the baitfish are sighted and then the diving begins.
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Juvenile Gull
August 20, 2021 - While there were not a lot of birds out and about during our drive through the Shiawasee National Wildlife Refuge, at le...
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Spotlighted
August 17, 2021 - The original photo was okay from my perspective, but pretty ordinary as the background and composition appeared unintere...
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Adults Only
August 16, 2021 - At the Shiawasee National Wildlife Refuge, where the herring gulls were busy searching for food as usual. Good opportuni...
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Up and Away
August 12, 2021 - The Amur tiger also is endangered. Again I photographed this one in captivity at a preserve.
Here are a few facts shoul...
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Exposed but Patient
August 06, 2021 - Not exactly pristine water, but definitely provided good fishing grounds for a variety of birds including this egret....
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Adult & Juvenile
August 04, 2021 - First outing at the Shiawasee National Wildlife Refuge which is home to many bird species. Not the best lighting or back...
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Pine Marten
August 03, 2021 - A pine marten belongs to the weasel family. Size wise it is about the size of your house cat.
It is widespread througho...
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Pouncing
August 02, 2021 - If you have been targeted by a leopard, like this amur leopard, you better start praying. This big cat cab run faster th...
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On the Prowl
July 29, 2021 - I was fairly low to the ground and fortunate to have this curious cat approach head on. I also was fortunate that I am m...
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Little Bandit
July 27, 2021 - This young raccoon appeared to be exploring its surrounding, perhaps for the first time. Even though it quickly climbed...
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Taking A Break
July 26, 2021 - After a major windstorm at night, we had several trees come down in our neighborhood. This blue heron, that usually is f...
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Standing Tall
July 23, 2021 - As opposed to the wildlife encounters out in the western parts of the US, this setting is not only closer, but much easi...
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Taking Flight
July 22, 2021 - Just as I stepped outside my home (camera in hand), these wood ducks took off. Fortunately, I was cooridanted that morni...
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Cooling Off
July 19, 2021 - Today the wolves were smarter than we were. They found a nice cool spot in the shallow end of the pond while we stayed o...
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Batter Up
July 16, 2021 - When a 9 foot grizzly picks up a log to play with and decides to play baseball, you begin to realize just how strong the...
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Fly Ball
July 15, 2021 - The cat was beyond nimble and its was beyond quick. Maybe its name should have been "Jack".
This was a demonstration of...
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Hey, I'm Lonesome
July 14, 2021 - If you ever have heard the call of the wolf, to its pack, you'll know her your dogs howling originated. For me, this is...
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Which Way Did He Go?
July 05, 2021 - When the sun comes out, the turtles also come out to catch the warmth. Only difference between them and us is they do no...
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Giant Size
July 02, 2021 - I must admit when I first saw this 'gator, I did think it was real because it was absolutely still and because it was th...
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My What Big Teeth
July 01, 2021 - Another 'gator in our path on Blue Cypress Lake. This one must have decided we were getting to close.
Don't worry about...
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Waiting for Dinner
June 30, 2021 - My first excursion on an airboat on Blue Cypress Lake just west of Vero Beach Florida to check out the area and the wild...
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Incoming
June 18, 2021 - This great blue heron stands about 4 feet tall when not stalking prey. It is the largest heron in North America with a w...
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Great Blue
June 17, 2021 - Great blue herons are outstanding fishers. You can find them wading through the water or waiting very patiently for thei...
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Border Security
June 16, 2021 - With the nest nearby and the cygnets are in the area, geese are not welcome.
In fact, neither are other swans, muskrats...
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Morning Takeoff
June 15, 2021 - When the mute swan lift off with their almost 6 foot wingspread, you can here the wing beats all the way across the lake...
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Mute Swan & Cygnets
June 11, 2021 - These multicolored cygnets that are growing quickly soon will be all white just like the pen - - "MOM".
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The Chase Is On
June 08, 2021 - Anytime geese get too close to the swans' nest or the young cygnets, the male swan (the pen) does not hesitate to announ...
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Keep Your Distance
June 07, 2021 - This is what happens when you get to close to a goose and its goslings. Of course, turnabout is fair play as the geese o...
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Mute Swan & Cygnets
June 04, 2021 - Mom is out showing off the remaining cygnets who certainly have grown since they left the nest. I guess that is what eat...
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Hard to Swallow
June 02, 2021 - When the tide rolls out the fishing gets easier. This pelican was drifting around close to the shoreline having an easy...
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Togetherness
May 26, 2021 - After only 15 days from hatching, the four cygnets that have successfully evaded the predators remain safe and stay clos...
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Battle Is On
May 25, 2021 - Once again, a Canadian goose trues to enter the perimeter of the swan's territory. Given their relative size, the goose...
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Newborns
May 24, 2021 - Mom and the goslings came up out of the lake to check out the feed on the ground that the birds had shared. Then they de...
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New Family
May 22, 2021 - Three new families of geese with their goslings seemed to appear out of nowhere this particular morning. It was surprisi...
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Downy Comforter
May 17, 2021 - After taking a headcount and making sure all 7 cygnets were back at the nest, Mom started to settle them in for the nigh...
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Target Acquired
May 10, 2021 - In yesterday's post, this heron was caught up in the wind stalking fish. Today at the same location, it was calm and its...
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Bad Hair Day
May 07, 2021 - No big surprise here. I'm out with the camera and we have another cold and windy day with possible rain on the horizon....
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Trio of Competitors
May 06, 2021 - The tide was out and the tidal pools held lots of crustaceans and bait fish. The focus of these birds was totally on the...
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"Big Wing"
May 04, 2021 - The formal name of these humpback whales - - Megaptera Novaeangiae -- means translates to "Big Wing of New England".
It...
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Megaptera Novaeangliae
May 04, 2021 - Humpback whales can be found in every ocean of the world. Being out in an inflatable boat with these baleen whales avera...
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Constant Activity
April 29, 2021 - Moving on we arrived at the rookery to watch thousands of Atlantic puffins fish and return, fish and return, and on and...
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Getting Down
April 28, 2021 - Photographing whales while out on the water is exhilarating. Out in an inflatable close to the water makes it an amazing...
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Ocean Spray
April 28, 2021 - After looking out at the North Atlantic we got out early in the morning in the hope of photographing humpback whales. On...
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Immovable
April 21, 2021 - I was thinking about naming this swan after the historian, Herodotus. as nothing keeps her from her appointed task of pr...
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The Waiting Game
April 21, 2021 - Our swan couple have settled into the incubation period. She, the pen, spends most of her time sitting on the eggs. Our...
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Finishing Touches
April 20, 2021 - The clutch has been complete for at least 2 weeks. The pen will incubate them for about 5 or 6 weeks before the cygnets...
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The Beat Goes On
April 20, 2021 - The spot they picked has a lot of material around the site. This was one of the main reasons this site was selected as t...
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Protecting Mom
April 19, 2021 - The Canadian geese always seem to "test the water" with the swans. Inevitably there are multiple geese - - sometimes as...
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Curiosity
April 16, 2021 - Daybreak at the lake and a curious doe carefully approaches the nesting swans. The swans immediately went on alert and t...
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Success - The Clutch
April 15, 2021 - "As the egg travels down the tube it gets larger and larger. This is because during its passage (it takes about a day or...
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Finally - Results !!!
April 14, 2021 - "After fertilisation has taken place, the egg travels down the oviduct by muscular contractions, similar to the way that...
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Post Ritual Bathing
April 13, 2021 - This is the last shot I captured through the entire mating ritual. Must admit that I was not sure if this was just like...
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Bathing Ballet
April 13, 2021 - After mating and before returning to their daily routines the swans complete a bathing and preening routine together. Ev...
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The Final Step
April 12, 2021 - After the mating has been completed, the swans l go about their daily business of feeding and defending their territory,...
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An Act of Love
April 10, 2021 - Swans normally are very graceful and beautiful to watch. When you see the mating ritual, grace and beauty take on a whol...
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Creating New Life
April 09, 2021 - The next stage is when the male mounts the female. First he will paddle himself alongside her facing in the opposite dir...
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Strengthening the Bond
April 08, 2021 - My first post showed the early stage of the mating ritual of the swans. This is the next phase where the two swans start...
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The Courtship Begins
April 07, 2021 - Swans going through the mating ritual is a pretty elaborate process and a long ritual primarily because the displays the...
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Side-by-Side
April 07, 2021 - This is the very beginning stage of the elaborate mating ritual of these mute swans.
The swans will be close to each ot...
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Private Island
April 06, 2021 - I mentioned in yesterday's blog "Almost There", some of the key requirements for a swan's nest. Here are two other key p...
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Almost There
April 06, 2021 - Almost There
Month DD, YYYY • Leave a Comment
The finished nest should have the following features:
A depressio...
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Material from the Moat
April 05, 2021 - There are several key factors in creating the nest into which the eggs will be hatched and the cygnets born.
First, the...
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Working Together
April 03, 2021 - After selecting a spot, the real work of nest building has started by gathering twigs, leaves and other vegetation. When...
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Gathering Materials
April 02, 2021 - Both partners are in the gathering process, Eventually he will start passing materials to her so that the nest can be fo...
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New Beginnings
April 01, 2021 - For 5 years I have been watching the swans return, build their nest on the other side of the lake and give birth to as m...
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Female Redhead
February 21, 2021 - This is one stalwart redhead that came in for a quick landing on our snow covered lake with temperatures just above sing...
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Spooked
February 12, 2021 - These two does had just finished crossing the ice on the lake and came ashore right behind our home. Their ears perked u...
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Focused & Hunting
February 10, 2021 - Right after the deer went on alert, raised their tails and took off running, along came a large coyote on their scent. T...
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Life on Ice
February 09, 2021 - With less human activity in the area, the deer herd has grown and the number of does appearing daily appears to have dou...
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Playtime
December 02, 2020 - At the beginning of this year while in South Carolina, I was fortunate to happen upon several river otters fishing and p...
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Standing Tall
November 30, 2020 - Grizzly bears normally weigh between 300 - 900 pounds which is enormous. When you encounter one in the field, they look...
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Close Encounter
November 23, 2020 - Rarely seen, especially during daylight hours, this mountain lion jumped down from a tree crossing our path as it took o...
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Ready for Action?
November 20, 2020 - The mountain lion is the fourth largest cat in the world. Males tend to be larger averaging around 8 feet from nose to t...
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Double Trouble
November 12, 2020 - These two raccoon kits had a wonderful time peering out at the world from their protective cover in this hollowed out lo...
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Challenging
October 23, 2020 - A male deer is called a buck. The size of the buck depends on many factors, including longevity, his herd's sex composit...
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10 Pointer
October 21, 2020 - Deer are social animals who group together in herds, but only within their own sex.
Except for during the breeding phas...
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Brave Bulls - 2
October 01, 2020 - Brave Bulls
Another part of our visit to the Domecq family ranch in Cadiz Spain included watching the young bul...
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Brave Bulls -1
September 26, 2020 - Part of our visit to the Domecq family ranch in Cadiz Spain included watching the young bulls brought into a fenced area...
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The Chase Is On
September 09, 2020 - I have the good fortune to live on a small lake in Michigan, and have been able to watch a swan couple raise and protect...
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Andalusians
September 01, 2020 - After crossing the Atlantic our second port of call was Cadiz Spain. Cadiz itself stands on a peninsula jutting out into...
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Hummingbird Moth - 1
August 23, 2020 - Just like the hummingbird, the hummingbird moth’s buzzing and humming sound is created by its rapid wing movement.
Th...
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Tiger Bee Fly
August 20, 2020 - I have photographed tigers, bees and flies, but this is a new one for me.
Source: Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources...
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Perfect Bond
August 19, 2020 - Butterflies and moths have one thing in common. They have four stages of life - - egg, larva which is the caterpillar st...
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Insect with a History
August 17, 2020 - Here is something that caught me by surprise. “Dragonflies were one of the first insects to occupy earth. Although they...
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Watchful Eye
July 23, 2020 - This mountain lion took the high ground to overlook the approaching photographers. You can see the tension in its muscle...
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Cooling Off
July 05, 2020 - Taken last year on a very hot humid day. I think the wolf was far smarter than I was as it decided to focus on me, but f...
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Mirrored
June 26, 2020 - This black capped heron stood motionless while I approached, and then to my surprise, posed for the photo while keeping...
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Break Dance
June 19, 2020 - There was a bird frenzy at the feeders with lots of seed falling to the ground. This squirrel appearing to be dancing wi...
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Catch My Drift
June 17, 2020 - This female mallard appeared to be having a good time all by herself just bouncing and drifting on the choppy water.
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They're Back
June 14, 2020 - Normal peak fall migration for hummingbirds is from mid-July throughout September. They can fly up to 30 miles per hour.
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Call of the Wild
June 11, 2020 - Visiting a wolf rescue where I was able to get closer to the wolf pack then ever before. Must admit it became a chilling...
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First Outing
May 22, 2020 - I have been watching the swans nesting, and chasing away intruders from the area for quite some time. The other day, I l...
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Muddy
May 11, 2020 - The ibis can be recognized by its long legs and its extremely long, down curved bill. It uses its bill quite effectively...
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Deer Feed ???
April 19, 2020 - I think I have been duped. All along, I though I was buying bird food.
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Over Here
April 14, 2020 - Wandering around looking upward in the trees for new bird species when I felt eyes upon me. Not exactly a new bird, but...
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Awaiting Dinner
April 12, 2020 - Often referred to as “Clowns of the Sea” or “Sea Parrots’, Puffins are fantastic flyers, flapping their wings up to 400...
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Coyote Cluster
April 06, 2020 - Looks like Mom has had enough of the kids for now.
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Roadkill
April 03, 2020 - Doing their job, cleaning up the roads in South Carolina.
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Bluebird of Happiness
March 29, 2020 - The eastern bluebird is among the three bluebirds that belong to the thrush family. It is also known as the American blu...
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Whale's Tail
March 22, 2020 - We set out before sunrise In a Zodiac inflatable boat in the cold waters off the coast of Bonavista Newfoundland looking...
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Close Encounter
March 06, 2020 - We were advised repeatedly to stay together as a group so we appeared to be a very large animal to the leopard. Even tho...
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Lightening Strike
February 29, 2020 - I had just photographed this leopard stalking when it moved so quickly, there was no time to think about the shot or mak...
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Amur Leopard
February 23, 2020 - This is an Amur Leopard, one of the most endangered species in the world.
They like to hunt alone and have a tactic t...
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Hard to Swallow
February 17, 2020 - Brown Pelicans are primarily fish-eaters and require up to four pounds of fish a day.
They normally feed by diving on t...
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Follow My Lead
February 09, 2020 - It appeared as though the adult brown pelican was trying to teach the juvenile how to fish in shallow water. My best gue...
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Wind Beneath My Paws
December 02, 2019 - Not as commonly seen as Bobcats, and even more rarely seen during the day, this Canadian Lynx was just as surprised to s...
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Eyes on You
November 25, 2019 - Found myself separated from the rest of the group when I felt I was being sized up as a potential meal. If you have seen...
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No Escape
October 21, 2019 - Amur leopards are critically endangered. Estimates are there only are about 70 left in the wild.
The leopard is the s...
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Big Bad Wolf
October 18, 2019 - Mama wolf coming over the hill warning us away from her pups. Look in her eyes. Did you get the same message I did?
Che...
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Preoccupied Pups
October 14, 2019 - These wolf pups were so cute I wanted to bring them home. Fortunately, sanity overruled emotion and I backed off.
In No...
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Pounce
September 26, 2019 - You would be amazed at how far these cats can leap -- 15 feet in the air and about 25 feet horizontally. To find out mor...
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You Coming?
September 23, 2019 - Got to spend a couple of hours with a pack of four wolves. It was hot and humid so the wolves were a bit lethargic. The...
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Side by Side
September 16, 2019 - It was unusually hot and humid -- 90 degrees. The wolves were smarter than we were. After wetting their feet in the lake...
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Growling Grizzly
August 30, 2019 - This about 9 feet tall and not very happy at the moment. To get the whole story go to My Portfolio at
https://www.fanar...
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Hungry Eyes
August 14, 2019 - It was early morning and this this red tailed hawk was perched in a tree scouting the ground for breakfast. Fortunately,...
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Not So Wily
June 11, 2019 - Between the coyote and the hawk, the squirrels and birds have scattered and are in hiding today.
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Regal Eagle
May 07, 2019 - I very cautiously approached to try and capture the spirit of this magnificent eagle, and as I did, it's attitude spoke...
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You Following?
April 22, 2019 - Really surprised me to see this coyote exposed during daylight hours, but happy to capture the regal stance.
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Staredown
April 15, 2019 - They are becoming emboldened and don't hesitate to come out during the daytime. Always right next to my pal Mannie as he...
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Swing Time
March 07, 2019 - Winston Churchill introduced the Barbary Apes to the Island of Gibraltar. They now roam freely, they are playful and alw...
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Melanerpes Carolinus
January 10, 2019 - This red bellied adult male woodpecker was checking out the feeders before swooping in to claim its perch among the othe...
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