Naked Ladies and Other Scenes from my Travels

What kind of a nature photographer would I be if I did not stop to photograph naked lady lilies (aka Belladonna Lilies) growing along a road. These are such pretty flowers and they looked very nice against a dark, rainy sky.

Other observations for day are labeled in the captions.

Years in the Making

Three years ago we began our little prairie planning project. Our start date coincided with a multi- year’s long drought. Still, I tossed out prairie grass and wildflower seeds in hopes of some success.

This morning I noticed several clumps of…

Green Herons Galore

What began as a fishing trip morphed into a documentary style project that transitioned into a bird study outing. I saw not one, not two, but many green herons. Of the green herons, two were very tolerant of this guy in a canoe. One of them never did show being wary. Camera sounds, me moving, and even my voice did not seem to concern the two birds. The experience was amazing.

Birders and wildlife photographers will tell you seeing green herons from a distance is not all that difficult. Getting frame-filling pictures can be…

“My Knees Are Still Knocking…” (A Day With Gramps)

Early this morning I picked up one of my grandsons for a day of fishing. Our angling outing began not far from their home where we had many small fish moving around, but none were biting on our crawlers.

While there I received a call about a possible injured hawk in Waverly. With no fish-catching action happening we headed to the location to check out the hawk. The good news is that the hawk appears to…

A Very “Macro” Morning - Including Mayflies as Art

What began as a test of my GoPro to shoot still pictures quickly transitioned to a morning of macro photography with my Nikon. One opportunity after another was found, some requiring walking in the river or in long grass for the pictures. But, I think the results were worth the effort.

As I am writing this I am struggling to decide whether I prefer to lead with the oyster mushroom images or the “Mayflies as Art” photos. Both intrigued me as I varied my camera settings in search of the “best” picture to document the view. I think I will begin with the fungi photos.

Morning Views

While quietly enjoying the Wapsipinicon River this morning I shot a few photos. Stories for each are not needed, especially since the sightings were so random.

Montgomery Bell State Park (Burns, Tennessee)

Kristy and I spent the better part of a week enjoying a family reunion at Montgomery Bell State Park. This video shows some of the natural views I enjoyed.

Scenes From Montgomery Bell State Park Video

Sunflower Family - Native and Domestics

Early this morning I had a plan to go fishing - largemouth bass, crappies, and bluegills were the target species. As I approached the fishing hole all plans were delayed as a large field of sunflowers chasing the rising sun caught my attention. Even with a boat behind the truck I turned around to work the scene. It was then that I noticed compass plants in the foreground. The juxtaposition of native and domestic plants of the same family called for a photo or two or three.

I Haven’t Seen This Before

Before I delve into today’s thoughts, allow me to explain that no - I have not missed days shooting pictures. My wife and I traveled to Tennessee where we joined many other family members for a family reunion. Trust me… while in Tennessee I shot many pictures and will share some soon. First though, I want to review them.

Today I found something I do not remember seeing before - a…

Not Natural, But Interesting

While I saw and photographed a few naturally wild critters and flowers today, the most interesting observations occurred when a helicopter crop duster and their support vehicle used the edge of our property as their “home base.” For several reasons watching the spray work was fascinating. First - Flying a helicopter as is needed for spraying is not for the faint of heart. Second - As a drone pilot, watching the helicopter maneuver was most interesting. Third - Having investigated a couple of crop duster crashes - including a fatality - caused me to have plenty of uneasiness during the operation. Still, I watched and photographed and all went well today.

Corn Sweat Road

For more than an hour this morning a heavy blanket of corn sweat fog blanketed our area on this dirtball called earth. Visibility was limited to next to nothing in some areas making for surreal conditions. Knowing the rising sun would quickly burn the fog away, I quickly got out to shoot some pictures, as seen here.

After the fog began to evaporate I noticed how bright our sunflowers were. This was one of them.

Not So Sure on the App - Since My Last Post

Since my last post I have shot a number of what I consider to be interesting pictures. Following are some of the details.

This morning I found a wildflower I did not remember seeing before. According to my identification app, I was seeing a “sharpwing monkeyflower.” As expected, I was thrilled to find a “new to me” plant. Then, when I got home and did some more research, I began to doubt the app. Now I think I found a white version of an Allegheny monkeyflower - a wild plant that is common this time of year. Rare or not, the blossom was quite pretty.

I Hear You Mr. Dickcissel!

For the past days, maybe a week or so, we have had male dickcissels calling around our farm. The noisy fellows are concentrated around our wildflower areas or among our sunflowers. Since these birds have been tolerant of us I shot some pictures. I can hear them calling, just by looking at the images!

Dickcissel Trivia:…

With Rain Comes Beauty

Once again our landscape was drenched with rain during the overnight and early morning hours. While most folks might opt to remain indoors when conditions are moist, I was out shooting pictures as soon as the raindrops were ending. I really had no choice since the humid conditions were ideal for the rapid proliferation of…

My Favorite Was Something Different and 1,000,000 Images Milestone (A Long Time in the Making)

As I explored several bodies of water today many nature photography opportunities were recognized. First and a couple more times were spotted sandpipers. This species bobs almost continuously as they work along the water’s edge.

If Buttercup and I Were Critters

I have this pal... let’s refer to him as “Buttercup.” Over the duration of our friendship I have learned that Buttercup’s bubble of comfort/personal space is much more enveloping than mine. In other words, Buttercup is fine with being close. For me, my bubble of space that another dare not invade is much larger. As a result, Buttercup and I do not always sync up. Simply put, Buttercup sometimes invades my personal space.

So what might this have to do with my pictures from today? As I was exploring I saw a couple of critter examples of multiples of the same species. In my mind I correlated their “togetherness” with an outing in the woods I had with Buttercup. One of us was comfortable in…

Images From Anne’s Garden

Several years ago our Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners decided to create a “test plot” to showcase pollinator habitat. Commissioner Anne led the project and the display was named “Anne’s Garden.”

Each time we have a meeting during the warm weather seasons I…

Planting Seeds

Our message at church today was about planting seeds. Specific to the church, the challenge is to instill a desire to continue a church - a faith body - into the next generation and beyond. Without planting seeds, faith families wither. Soon the church itself is no longer able to sustain and closes to become a coffee shop, art gallery, or maybe a private residence.

As I listened to the message I thought how the concept was appropriate for any organization. Specifically I look at the…!

An Early Indication?

In front of our cabin on Indian Pond I am seeing something that I hope is nothing, but I cannot be sure.

Over the years the water depth of Indian Pond has changed. Where we used to have boats and skiing and tubes being pulled we now have at least five areas where floating pondweed has become established. Floating pondweed grows in shallow, nearly calm water.

What might this mean? Over time Indian Pond has silted in. The pond is shallow and more often than not the water is calm. Now we have multiple…

Five Challenges Completed

After I had photographed a green heron this morning - a bird I see frequently but do not necessarily document - I then photographed a rough-winged swallow in an unusual pose. I sensed a pattern of “difficult compositions” being recorded. I wondered if my morning would be two and done or would there be more.

Then I had not one, but two eastern…