The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is one of my favorite places to visit. I love being there in the early morning or late evening when the swamp is quiet. If you prefer, you can take your canoe or kayak, but I prefer to hire a guide and a boat. We can explore parts of the swamp that the tourist cruises don’t see. There are trails to hike also. I’ve hiked one a few years ago but I want to do more.
Pleas click on caption to see image at higher resolution.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
I had the opportunity to watch some male American Goldfinches as they molted from their non-breeding plumage into their breeding plumage. I included an older image of a male American Goldfinch in his non-breeding plumage, from our feeder at our former home, as the starting point. The remainder were taken over the last few weeks.
Please click on caption to see images at higher resolution.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
It’s breeding time so, birds are starting to show-off their finery. I’ve had the opportunity to photograph some male and female Yellow-rumped Warblers in their breeding plumage. Her, in the Atlanta area, we have the Myrtle subgroup while. In the Sacramento area, we had the Audubon sub-group. So, I included one of my pictures of a male from the Audubon sub-group for contrast.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
I enjoy watching Nuthatches as they forage in trees. These energetic, small, birds fly in and grab a trunk or branch that is many times their size to perch on. They quickly move up and down the trunk and branches of trees looking for insects. When they climb down, they face downward.
In 2 prior posts, I misidentified a White-breasted Nuthatch; I called a Red-breasted Nuthatch. I did do my due diligence in identifying them but still go confused. Lesson learned.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
Scottsbluff National Monument is a small butte, with a small surrounding grassland, in Gering, Nebraska; next door to the town of Scottsbluff. The monument is one of many buttes in a broad valley. The valley eroded away leaving the buttes standing. The North Platte River runs through the valley and next to the monument.
Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
We recently visited Acadia National Park. Overall, I liked the park, but the area had more of the feel of a beach resort than a national park. It is served by Bar Harbor ME, a typical tourist resort town.
The Park Loop Road is a beautiful ride but much of the coastline is obscured by forest. There are several trails and if I ever go again, I need to explore those because I think I missed some scenic views. The weather wasn’t cooperative.
Cadillac Mountain is the go-to place for sunrise; the first place where the sun shines on the United States in the morning. I didn’t prepare well enough. I learned, several weeks ahead of time that reservations are required for any time of day to drive onto Cadillac Mountain. For sunrise, they open 20% of the 3:30AM slots several weeks ahead then open the remaining slots 48 hours in advance. I had a reservation in my sights but didn’t press pay fast enough so I lost it. I took all of 15 seconds but was too slow. I settled for sunset. It was quite nice but not spectacular, again the overcast skies. I did my sunrise on the Park Loop road.
Acadia has 4 units, Northeast which contains the Park Loop Road and Cadillac Mountain, the Southwest Unit which contains the lighthouse, Schoodic Peninsula which provides a drive along the coastline and Isle Au Haute which is available by ferry. Our trip was a good survey trip. We allowed 2 ½ days which wasn’t enough.
Please click on caption to see images at higher resolution!
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
When you drive through Badlands National Park, on one side of the road is prairie grassland. The other side is a wide, highly eroded valley. You are riding on the edge, the dividing line. Both sides were intriguing. The prairie was green but transitioning to golden brown, flat to the horizon. The valley is flat and desolate occupied only by scrub except where water flows through. Where the prairie meets the valley, the transition zone consists of beautifully eroded sediment layered in gray and rose-colored bands. The rock is crumbly, almost like dried mud. It is the results of how nature sculpted these erosional features that make the park interesting and beautiful.
Please click on caption to see images at higher resolution!
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.
Earthwatcher 