The Things I Saw Today

Another day has come and again I was blessed with interesting wildlife observations.

As I was performing largemouth bass size assessments a…

Word For The Day: Oviposition

Since my last post I spent time watching damselflies go through the “oviposition” process. During oviposition, female damselflies are depositing eggs on submerged aquatic material or in other suitable areas.

In today’s photos, the male remained attached to the female as she deposited eggs. He sticks around to protect her from other male damselflies. It is quite an interesting process.

While I was out I did see other interesting things featured here.

If You Cannot Find Real, Go For Fake

Yesterday my angling prowess was exceptional, today… not so much. I tossed plenty of offerings to the bass world with each being declined except for….

Proving I Can

More often than not I get skunked when I go fishing. This morning though, I was catching bass on at least one of every five casts. To preserve this fishery each fish was released to swim away.

While I went home empty handed, I thoroughly enjoyed my time tossing lures.

A Little is a Lot

After nearly 24-hours at the great healing spot to the north, I spent time sneaking along the edge of a small pond in the rain. Easy photography subjects included a….

Resist the Temptation to Count

I’ve suggested many times that people do not follow me when I am traveling down the road. I never know what I might see and when I do notice something interesting, I am likely to stop - like this morning.

Ahead of me on the road was…..

Nice Looking Birds and More

Some days are better than others when it comes to observing wildlife. Today I enjoyed birds in nice settings along with a woodchuck and wildflower.

Big Boy (Steam Locomotive) On the Move

After viewing the Big Boy Steam Locomotive in place last Saturday in Omaha, I decided to drive to Tama this morning to see it moving. Wow, what an engineering marvel for their time!

See a video at this link:

Big Boy Steam Locomotive Eastbound to Tama

After the Rain

After the much appreciated rain (1.8”) I wandered our pollinator habitat to see what might be blooming. Other than golden alexanders, I am a little early for blooms other than a few. I found one large beardtongue plant worth studying. A dandelion head also made for an interesting image.

Big Boy and the Mass of Humanity

Today my nephew and I made the trek to Omaha to view the “Big Boy” steam locomotive in person. As expected, we were far from the only train enthusiasts taking time to see this…

Wetland Safari

Sometimes, instead of a longer distance hike or a challenging climb, I can find enough to satisfy my unending curiosity by…

I Believe There are Fungus Among Us and Stopped in My Tracks

Crazy or not, today I donned my bug shirt, face mask, and mesh gloves while carrying my Thermacell for a walk in the woods. I have no doubt that the Thermacell made the difference between…

Even with Issues, the Diversity is Amazing

A frequent topic of discussion (myself included) is the water level and its impact on fishing/recreation on the Wapsipinicon River. Some attribute the decline of the fish population on the presence of predators. Others (myself included) are frustrated by low water levels - so much so that I will be selling…

Things I Found Looking Down

During my hyper-bug infested walk in the woods today I found a number of things I found interesting. There was no rhyme or reason to the subjects. This was just what I found interesting today. Oh - the biting bugs got me through protective clothes that had been sprayed. It was miserable!

Cue the Rainbow, Then Remember the Holiday

Hopefully many of you were able to see the birth, full bloom, and fade away this morning of our rainbows at sunrise. I will admit it was just luck that I enjoyed the process, but oh was it worth it. First there was just a bit of a rainbow to the north, then a full double rainbow looking west, followed by a vivid glimpse of the rainbow’s end to the south. Rain then filled the sky and the rainbows were gone.

Dew Drop Macros

Very early this morning conditions were ideal to practice a bit of dew drop macro photography. My subjects were simple - dew drops on grass, rattlesnake master, and dandelions. I like how they turned out.

Found One! (and more)

Quite often I go out with my camera without an agenda. I find and I photograph. Today though, was different. When I hit the water in my canoe I was looking for warblers - especially a…

Marten’s Lake (Segment B) - Sweet Marsh Update - Beware Paddles and Props

In the event you might be considering paddling or taking a boat on Marten’s Lake (Segment B) at Sweet Marsh this weekend, be prepared for plenty of aquatic vegetation near the boat ramp. Since I only paddled the channel heading out from the ramp, I do not know if conditions improve in the deeper water. I am guessing they might, but do not plan your trip on my guessing.

During my short outing at Marten’s Lake I shot a few photos, but none were of anything unusual.

Paddling in thick vegetation was challenging, but much better than some things I could have been doing.

An Important Spike with Little Ones

Pushing out of the ground in an isolated location in Bremer County is a single “beefy” spike I believe is a…

Unusual Pictures and Not So Unusual

During a much needed wander in a favorite timber I found some unusual picture compositions along with ordinary subjects that caught my interest. Let’s begin with the not-often-seen images.