You kids get off my lawn. Happy Sunday to all.
Tag: nature photography
Remembering Bunnyville
For each of the last several years there has been a place in a field close to home that we dubbed Bunnyville. Home to a family, or perhaps families, of Mountain Cottontail rabbits.
Each spring and summer a new batch of bunnies would appear like clockwork and inhabit the flower filled field and forest edges nearby.
However this year we are Bunnyless! Predation by a cast of characters which include the Ermine, Golden Eagles, Bobcat, Coyote, and Foxes over the previous winter appear to decimated the Rabbit population in our area.
It is a strange thing to experience a summer without out the rabbits although the Penstemon in are garden are relived. Yet a summer without baby bunnies of groups of teenage rabbits frolicking in the fields is a stage thing indeed.
The grasses a growing longer without the natural lawnmowers….
They always put a smile on our face and it is sad to realize the sun may have set on Bunnyville. There is always hope the rabbits will return after all it only takes a couple.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend and here’s to remembering Bunnyville.
Pine Siskin
A little Pine Siskin relaxing on an early summer day. It’s hard to believe these guys can make such a load of chatter as this bird just sat so quiet and observed their surroundings. Like a Goldfinch disguised as a sparrow Siskin’s grace our forests in summer and sometimes winter as well we enjoy having them around.
Little Landscapes
There is always a landscape within the landscape and that’s a beautiful thing.
C is for Comma
A short pause is in order today to just soak in the beauty of the Comma, butterfly, that is. One of the earlier butterfly species to grace the skies in our area each summer many of the earlier arrivals we observed actually overwintered as adults. Some finding refuge from the winters freeze deep in crevices of a trees bark.
Some we found warming themselves collecting minerals from the moist soil on the forest floor.
Whereas others were often found feeding on the new growth of the trees and shrubs.
Yes, C is for Comma.
Atomic Fireball: aka Flame
We hear the Western Tanagers calling every morning and evening from late May until early August and despite the brilliant colors of the males good looks are few and far between as they move quickly in the upper story of the conifers nearby.
The brilliant red color of the Males is unique.
“While most red birds owe their redness to a variety of plant pigments known as carotenoids, the Western Tanager gets its scarlet head feathers from a rare pigment called rhodoxanthin. Unable to make this substance in their own bodies, Western Tanagers probably obtain it from insects in their diet.”1
This day we got a nice look at this male, which we have fondly dubbed flame, perched in the midlevel of the trees. What a beautiful bird.
Reference:
1.https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Tanager/overview
American Redstart
A male American Redstart full of color and song on a cool early summer afternoon. Never one to sit still for long this little guy was both a frustration and joy to watch and photograph.
At dawn
Fog rises from water warmer than air.
Coffee warms the bones as ducks begin their day.
Flycatcher
A little Flycatcher patiently waiting for the next fly to appear and they did not have to wait too long because the the flies have arrived just as summer made it’s way.
Happy Friday and welcome to the official start of summer.
Juniper Hairstreak
One of the most interesting butterflies found in our area is the beautiful and fancy in a non-fancy sort of way Juniper Hairstreak. Widely distributed across the United States this butterfly is often seen in old fields, bluffs, barrens, juniper and pinyon-juniper woodlands, and cedar breaks. This one was photographed feeding on biscuit root along the base of a cliff that had several areas of Juniper growing. The male will sit all day upon the ends of juniper branches to attract a female.
nature has no boss 
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