photography

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By Youngster Playing
Youngsters!
This juvenile red-shouldered hawk had a prize in his talon.
When he came out of the trees I thought he had a mouse.
But, no, it was a pinecone.
I have watched all sorts of immature raptors playing with sticks and pinecones.
Great way to build strength and agility for the hunt and future nest building.

By JL Neighborhood 4 photos August 26, 2017
The cooler air has a lot of birds out and about.
 
This fledgling osprey has a nice sized fish dangling below her wing and her “rivets” are glowing.
 
 
A spectacular osprey launch.
 
 
Accipiters can be tricky to identify.
I believe this is an immature Cooper’s hawk who zipped past me and into the far pine trees.
 
 
It is always a little disconcerting to see long legged birds way up in trees.
However, they often do just that!
But I didn’t let that stop me from photographing this great egret.
 

By JL Neighborhood, 5 photos 8/23/2017

In between watching eclipses and aerobatic bald eagles, I have kept my eye on other interesting critters …
This is father osprey plowing into the lake for a fish.


A white-tailed buck very calmly glanced my way and then went back to browsing.


Something must have tickled this great blue heron’s toes – he sure made a spectacular leap and didn’t take flight!

It was great fun watching the pileated woodpecker stop his hammering just long enough for me to get his portrait.


The three brassy little skipper butterflies were sharing a button bush blossom.

By JL Solar Eclipse August 21, 2017
 
I started out with a short lens and caught the moon about 4/5 the way across the sun.
 
 
 
Realized I needed a longer lens, changed to my 400mm and got almost as much of the 93% eclipse as was possible for our area.
 
 
Then I got the moon as it was exiting the solar disk area.
 
 
My crabby left arm jerked, I lost some of my rigging to protect the camera lens and got this very interesting shot.
 
I hope that each of you in some way or another got to interact with this wonderful spectacle.
 
 

By Bald Eagle Foot Check! August 20, 2017
Way, way, way across the lake
I watched a 4 year-old bald eagle just about drop its fish.
Being eagle, it simply stalled in mid-air
reached down between its feet
totally let go of the fish with one foot
rearranged the slippery critter
clamped both feet on the fish and headed for shore.
The mid air stall was impressive!

By Hershey
Hershey came by yesterday.
Gave me a gift: his majesty and artistry as he landed above me.
I am delighted to share it with you.
– please have your audio turned up –