Senior/Junior

During my morning exploration I found a tree hosting turkey vultures - all adults. This bird was on the top of the tree.

Flying nearby (in lesser quality light) was this young turkey vulture. Notice how the face is not red yet. In four to five years the head will become bright red.

It won’t be long before the turkey vultures head south. Generally vultures are fair-weather birds and are seldom seen when there is snow on the ground. (Of course there are always the early arrivals and late departures, but the bulk of the vultures are not around when snow is.)

Pics From the Weekend

Once again we enjoyed a pleasant “outdoor weekend” with family and friends. Temperatures were cooler than last weekend, but the sights and sounds were nice.

Following is a sampling of images..

Signs of Water Health

Right near my dock I noticed a stick in the water where I was going to drop my canoe. Since I am particular about my canoe, I was prepared pull the stick out of the way. As I went to reach for the branch I noticed a freshwater bryozoan that was established on the branch. Since freshwater bryozoans are rather fragile and are indicators of good water, I opted to work around it as I took some pictures and went on my way.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Green Dragon Seed Comparison

Last week I found and photographed two red-berry (seed) clumps. I knew one was a Jack-in-the-Pulpit plant, but I was not sure of the other.

According to my app, the second clump of seeds was a “green dragon.” Green dragon plants are…

So Which Is It?

My fugus app tells me this is either a giant puffball or a mushroom found in Europe. I suppose I should lean toward the puffball ID, but I am not quite sure. Maybe time will tell.

What a Weekend!!!

What a great weekend spent with family and friends. So much happened, so many experiences, so many pictures For now I will share some that I really liked.

Mostly Yellow and Some at Twelve Feet

Most of today’s images feature domestic plants - giant sunflowers. Cultivated or not, there is something pretty about bright yellow flowers high in the sky. Today the sunflower heads were…

Scenes From Rural America

This morning’s moody weather helped to make a few interesting “Rural America” pictures.

Subtle Changes with a Life Bird For Me

Unless you are studying the environment, you may not realize how fast the season is changing. Soybeans and corn are beginning to yellow. Leaves on trees are changing their hues - some very slightly and others more pronounced. And, the bird migration to warmer climates is well underway.

As I paddled the Wapsipinicon River this morning I was treated to four warbler species. One of those - the…

No Chlorophyll Yet Surviving and Exotic/invasive Fungi

During my explorations today I found Indian Pipe growing. Indian Pipe is an unusual plant in that it lacks chlorophyll. This plant gains its nutrients by parasitizing fungi that feed off tree roots. What an interesting plant.

During my studies I learned something interesting about golden oysters…

Observations From Big Woods Lake

Each of the following images was recorded at Big Woods Lake this morning. I shared the water with several….

Emotions and the Healing Power of Nature

There are times in the Public Safety world when you walk away from an incident with emotions challenging your mental well-being… you don’t know whether to cry, run, or puke… sometimes it is tough while at the same time you are excited by the hope of what the future might hold. Feelings bounce back and forth in your head at rapid-fire rate from one extreme to the other until the adrenaline wears off.

Today we had an incident that, based on the initial page, we thought might be completed with one ambulance and a fire/law response. That all changed when responder family arrived on scene and recognized more help was needed.

Apparently EMS folks from across the county heard the request “we need…

Bokeh, Blur, Shadows, and Critters

After a brief, but important project this morning that ended well, I “settled” by enjoying a prairie walk at a location I have not strolled for weeks. As I walked with my camera I was watching for…

My Day in Segments, My Day in Pictures

As the title suggests, the activities of my day varied from one theme to another. I’ll do my best to provide concise descriptions by topics.

Morning Prairie Plants

Kristy asked that I try to document the prairie plants near our mailbox. These are what I got, considering how “busy” the area is.

Not Quite Equivalent to Another Dent in the Bucket

One of my goals, before I kick my bucket, is to dent that bucket real good. On my list of bucket dents is to paddle a canoe in the Okefenokee Swamp, or somewhere similar, among flooded trees. To date that has not happened, but the thought is there.

Tonight I made a very poor substitute for the swamps when I paddled among the trees and yards flooded by the Wapsipinicon River near our cabin. There was plenty of water and fortunately I knew where to watch for yard items (aka underwater obstructions).

Sadly, some cabins did take on water. We were fortunate and stayed dry, allowing time for me to…

Photography and Emotions

Photography, painting, word works… each has the power to generate emotions within the viewer. An artist’s work can be viewed and with little or no explanations the people seeing the work may experience the gamut of feelings. From happy to sad, excited to scared, or maybe even sympathetic - the thoughts are there.

Today I am going to share two images, initially with no explanation. Please, just look at the pictures and think about the feelings the images generated. I have a feeling you will react emotionally to what you see.

Picture #1…

Right-side Blow Hole

Interesting information I learned today after finding and photographing a slug.

• Slugs breathe out of a hole on their right side. Inside that soft body is a lung filled with an extensive vascular network.

• Slug eyes are located on top of the “antenna-like” structures on the head of the slug.

• Slug eyes are very primitive - allowing them to “see” only light and dark and some movement.

• Slugs can regrow…

2-Hour Outdoor Photography Challenge

This morning I gave myself a 2-hour outdoor photography challenge. At best I was hopeful I might photograph a great blue heron or two. Instead, circumstances worked out that I had a great egret allow for many photos at close range.

Following are a few of those images. There may be more later, in a video, when I have time to edit the files.

Correcting My Reduced Pee Stream

Over time a guy’s outboard pee stream tends to change. The flow rate may be reduced to a spit and sputter or maybe it is just inadequate. A reduced pee stream is reason for concern. Is your plumbing in trouble or do you maybe need to replace your impeller/water pump? Unless you invest the time needed to determine what is going on, you risk catastrophic damage to your outboard. When your pee stream is reduced, you need to pay attention.

A couple of times during recent outings I have noticed a lack of force in my pee stream. There seemed to be ample flow to keep the engine cool, but not what I expected. Fortunately I have not experienced any complications yet.

After fishing with Kristy today I did some investigating as the stream changed again. First I had force, then sputtering, then almost nothing and suddenly force again. By pulling the outboard cover off and straightening the pee tube I was able run a thin (but stiff) wire in the tube. As expected I was able to remove a partial obstruction that appeared to be an insect or spider nest from inside my pee tube. After that extraction the flow was great and consistent.

I had a similar situation a few years ago so I was not entirely surprised. Maybe I need to cap the output line/opening when the boat is not being used? Maybe just a small piece of tape to cover the outlet when off the water? What I want is something simple to prevent this situation from happening again. At least I know how to fix the problem.

For those wondering, we did catch bluegills today - mostly small fish, but we caught fish!

A Weather Outburst

Every now and then Mother Nature demonstrates we are not in control as a storm travels through the area. This cloud formation, I believe to be a shelf cloud, brought strong winds, heavy rain, and cooler temperatures - all in a matter of minutes.