Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Wetzel State Park
Took a quick run by Wetzel State Park today.... Ponds were empty for the most part... Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Pied-billed Grebes and a couple of Kingfishers... 3 Solitary Sandpipers flushed from pond nearest New Haven Rd.... 1 Double-crested Cormorant sunning itself on a stump...... word of caution.... Goose hunters in a couple locations....
Monday, September 12, 2011
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Metrobeach
Took a quick trip to Metrobeach before work this morning to see if there was anything on the beach... Nothing on the main beach but as I moved toward the rocky area on the way to the point there was a Buff-breasted Sandpiper working the beach and grass area... I almost scared him off until Tom Heatly waved his arms and pointed him out.... Thanks Tom!!! Got a few pictures.... click to enlarge....
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| Preened for a few minutes while I sneaked up on him |
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Wolcott Mills Metropark - quick stop after work
Finished work today and headed to Wolcott Mills Metropark... It was a nice day for shooting Butterflies... sunny enough that they were active and yet some scattered clouds to keep the light from getting too bright... There was a good breeze, so I had to use fast Shutter Speeds... Most of my pictures were shot 1/500 or 1/640.... Thank goodness my Macro Lens is 2.8 F Stop.... In addition to the Butterflies and Dragonflies I saw today, I was surprised to hear a familiar sound overhead.... soaring above the utility wires was a Red-Shouldered Hawk.... Its familiar call was good to hear... I have not seen one in a couple of years....
The other day I took some photos of a Giant Swallowtail from the side view... I went to Wolcott today looking for this species hoping to get a picture of the wonderful black and yellow plumage on their back and as luck would have it I saw many of them... the thistle is in full bloom.... I am really intriqued by this species... they have a very unique way of flying... they almost hover before they land.... they flap their wings furiously while feeding on a flower. They never sit completely still.... When they hover and then move toward the flower, they look like a jet coming in for a landing.... They have become my favorite..... I was shooting some pictures of a large female when a Male came looking to mate with her... I sat and watched them for about 30 minutes as he attempted to hover behind her and then make his move... each time she flapped her wings and brushed him off.... Finaly she tired of his advances and took off for the woods with him in hot pursuit.... I hope he got lucky with all his efforts..... click on photos to enlarge..
The Thistle at Wolcott is in full bloom.... I was able to view and photograph very two interesting Moths... the Hummingbird Clearwing and the Snowberry Clearwing... They both hover and feed on the flowers looking like a hummingbird and a bee.... However, It doesn't take long to figure out what they really are.... There wings beat so fast that it is hard to capture them in a photo looking still.... here are a couple of the Snowberry Clearwing... the Hummingbird clearwing photos are not fit for publication (I will get them)
I also was able to photograph a couple of other Butterflies and Dragonflies..... it was a short trip, but very productive....
The other day I took some photos of a Giant Swallowtail from the side view... I went to Wolcott today looking for this species hoping to get a picture of the wonderful black and yellow plumage on their back and as luck would have it I saw many of them... the thistle is in full bloom.... I am really intriqued by this species... they have a very unique way of flying... they almost hover before they land.... they flap their wings furiously while feeding on a flower. They never sit completely still.... When they hover and then move toward the flower, they look like a jet coming in for a landing.... They have become my favorite..... I was shooting some pictures of a large female when a Male came looking to mate with her... I sat and watched them for about 30 minutes as he attempted to hover behind her and then make his move... each time she flapped her wings and brushed him off.... Finaly she tired of his advances and took off for the woods with him in hot pursuit.... I hope he got lucky with all his efforts..... click on photos to enlarge..
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| Giant Swallowtail |
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| Giant Swallowtail |
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| Here I come |
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| Male Giant Swallowtail coming in for landing |
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| The Male Giant Swallowtail continues to chase female |
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| Female Giant Swallowtail heads for the woods and here is the male flying after her |
I also was able to photograph a couple of other Butterflies and Dragonflies..... it was a short trip, but very productive....
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Aphrodite Fritillary |
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| Red Meadowhawk |
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| Red Meadowhawk |
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| Red Meadowhawk |
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| Widow Skimmer |
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| Widow Skimmer |
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| Tiger Swallowtail |
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| Tiger Swallowtail |
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| 12 Spotted Skimmer |
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Summer - some dragonflies and butterflies
I havn't been posting much on the blog this summer. I have been so busy that I have barely had time to pick up the camera.... Here are a few pics from the last couple of days... I have noticed that the Butterfly numbers seem to be down this year. This was confirmed by an article that I read in the Detroit News that stated that the wet spring has led to a year of decline for some species.... Dragonflies however seem plentiful..... click to enlarge...
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| Pearl Crescent |
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| Viceroy |
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| Giant Swallowtail |
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| Red Meadow hawk |
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| Calico Pennant |
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| Widow Skimmer |
Monday, July 4, 2011
Some birds from my trip to Melbourne Beach...
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| Brown Pelicans feeding |
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| Brown Pelican soaring above the waves |
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| Brown Pelican during dive at point of impact |
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| Tricolored Heron (converted to sketch photoshop) |
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| George and Little Blue Heron |
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| White Ibis |
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| white Ibis |
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| Tricolored Heron |
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| Woodstork |
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| Woodstork |
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| Woodstork |
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| Roseate Spoonbill |
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| Roseate Spoonbill |
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| Osprey |
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| Nest of Oprey |
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| Tricolored Heron |
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| Tricolored Heron |
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| Tricolored Heron |
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Wolcott Mills Metropark...
I went by Wolcott Mills Metropark in Macomb County MI after work.... There were plenty of Dragonflies around.... Butterfly's were not as abundant... As far as birds go, I heard Yellow Throated Vireo's near the mill.. Warbling Vireo's were also singing... Indigo Buntings were abundant as were Towhees...
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