Camera Critters #195

After I added butterflies to “shoot list,” I began seeing all sorts of Lepidoptera, some I never knew existed.

One day in the Juniper badlands east of town, I came across one I had not seen before. It was white, with golden yellow veins. So I headed over to image it…but it flew before I could get in position. At that point the chase began.

The chase didn’t last long, as I found out the butterfly can fly a bit faster than I can run, and easily disappears when it wants.

Several weeks later, the opportunity presented itself again when I spotted a golden-veined, white butterfly off in the distance. Once again, the chase didn’t last long.

However, this time it was a successful chase. I got the photo I wanted of the white butterfly with golden veins. That butterfly is the Becker’s White.

As you can see, since then I have photographed a number of Becker’s Whites. I have even learned to recognize them from a distance just by their flying characteristics. Knowing nature sure is fun.

Have a wonderful new year everyone!

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critter #194

As a kid, there were two kinds of butterflies I remember.  The Monarch Butterfly and the Eastern Swallowtail Butterfly. 

For the longest time, those were the only ones I knew.  Then along came white butterflies and yellow butterflies.  However, I still wasn’t paying much attention to the Lepidoptera around me.

Then, a number of years ago, I began photographing the little flying creatures.  It didn’t take me long to realize there were a lot more colorful butterflies than I had previous thought.

One of my favorites these days are the blues.

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critters #192

I may get a lot of flak by saying this, but the Mud Hen is one ugly bird.

Also known as the American Coot, this blackish bird with a white bill is easy to identify when seen.  Although primarily a waterfowl, it isn’t in the duck family.  It's closest relatives are rails, which are marsh birds.

I see Coots all the time.  In the water, they appear rather graceful (although still ugly), but on land…well, I think the phrase “Duck out of water” was coined after first seeing this bird waddle around.

Enough of their story…8v)  It’s time to show off my better images of the old coots.

Coot feeding young

Coot feeding on pond-weed

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Camera Critters #191

Several years ago, when I was visiting my brother in Texas, I had a list of things I wanted to see and image while there.  Though I only crossed a few off my list, I did come across a few things which weren’t on my list.

On one of my early trips out and about, I came across a blue bird playing in a bush.  I could see flashes of blue, but had no idea what it was.  A week or so later, during one of my final ‘out and abouts',

This time I was thrilled to see it, as it was the first time I had seen that species of bird.

If you don’t recognize the birds…they are male (top) and female Blue Grosbeaks.

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Camera Critters #190

A little more than 10 years, I moved from Prineville to Redmond, Oregon.  The house we moved into was a nice place.  Close to my sister, which made my mom happy, and best of all, it was buried deep into the Juniper forest area just west of town.

Because of our location, we had a lot of critters hanging around.  After a couple of months, my mom and I had named at least a dozen deer who frequent visitors to our house area.  It didn’t take me long to start putting out feed for them.  The deer became so accustomed to us, that when we walked the 500 feet or so to the mailbox, they’d wouldn’t even move even though we walked within five feet of them.

I realize the images above aren’t up to my quality standard, but in my defense, I had just gotten one of those Sony cameras which saved the images to a floppy disk.  I was state-of-the-art at the time.  8v)

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Camera Critter #189

Mountain Bluebirds are the most common bluebird we have on the High Desert.  Although Western Bluebirds are also seen.

I’ve tried to get good photos of the Mountain Bluebird, but they are very shy birds.  I can never get close enough to get a good shot.  But I have gotten some shots.

First Summer Male

Female Flyby

Juveniles

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critters #188

Last week, I showed you photos of purple wildflowers with critters on them.

This week, it the most common wildflower color in the high desert, and of course, with critters on them – yellow.

I had a few more photos of yellow wildflowers with critters, but the critters just weren’t all that interesting.  I do hope you enjoyed this smaller sampling.

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critter #187

Being in a desert style climate, the major color I see here during my photo safaris is brown.  Weeds dry out quickly under the intense sun we get here.

But I also see other colors.  Yellow is very common.  And so is the color these eight critters are checking out.

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critter #186

A few Camera Critters back, I presented everyone with my landlord’s puppy, Sammi. 

Well, Sammi was only a five or six weeks old then.  Now, the little runt is almost six months old, so I thought I would show everyone what she’s like now.

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critters #185

Several years ago, I was wandering around the smoke-jumpers area at the airport in Redmond, Oregon.

As I moved through the Junipers in the area, I began to realize several Common Ravens were having some fun in the area.

At one point I stopped and watched and attempted to get a some shots of them flying around.  I got one decent which I used many moons ago here, but that was it.  So I walked on.

Then I heard the typical calling sound of a rather close raven and turned in that direction.  There, at the top of a Juniper tree, sat a raven staring directly at me.  When these birds stare at you, you know there are some wheels turning in their head.  So I brought up my camera and got a shot.

As I lowered the camera, the raven began calling again…and stopped when I brought the camera back up to my eye. 

It then struck a pose for me and I swear I heard in my mind, “Regal, ain’t I?”

He held this pose for about 10 seconds, and then with a laugh and a giggle and hearty, “Hi ho Mr. Photographer,” he took off and disappeared off to the east.

Misty Dawn's Camera Critter Meme is a great way to see critters of all types. Go to the Meme homepage here and check out more entries. Then join the fun and let the world see your critters!

Camera Critters #184

So…you got a story about the one that away?

How about this one?

These Rainbow Trout are located at Wizard Falls Hatchery, located just off the Metolius River in central Oregon. 

More info on the hatchery can be found here.

Misty Dawn's Camera Critter Meme is a great way to see critters of all types. Go to the Meme homepage here and check out more entries. Then join the fun and let the world see your critters!

Camera Critters #183

Almost a year ago, I drove over the mountains with my landlord to get her son’s dog who had been left alone for far too long.

Lacey was added to our family and she remained a good friend to me.  We walk and had fun, but I could tell something was missing in Lacey’s life. 

Towards the end of May, we found a young woman who lived on a ranch…the perfect place for Lacey.  So I asked Lacey if she wanted to go with the young woman, and Lacey hopped into her truck and drove off with her.

A few weeks ago, I heard from the woman I gave her to.  She told me she was selling a horse and a couple came to look at the horse.  They also brought their young daughter.  Well, the little girl fell in love with Lacey, and Lacey with the girl.  In the end, the couple left with another horse and a new dog for their daughter.

I would have liked to have been able to say goodbye to Lacey, as she is now enjoying life in Washington state.  But knowing she is with a good family makes me feel good, even if I choke up a little as I type this.  8v)

Misty Dawn's Camera Critter Meme is a great way to see critters of all types. Go to the Meme homepage here and check out more entries. Then join the fun and let the world see your critters!

Camera Critters #182

One bird I always look forward to seeing is the Western Kingbird.  Gray, with light yellow breasts, they are a far cry from the Eastern Kingbird which is more black and white.

Both are beautiful birds, but the Western Kingbird has a couple of look-alike which can confuse a watcher.

But in my neck of the woods, chances are the only kingbirds someone will see are the Western Kingbirds.  Fifty miles north of here, however, many an Eastern Kingbird have been seen…but not by me.

Here are a few of my favorite kingbird photos.

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Camera Critters #181

It’s 91 degrees as I type this post…it’s also the first day of Fall.

But today, I heard a bird which is generally a sign of Winter coming.

That bird is the Townsend’s Solitaire.

A member of the same family the American Robin is in, it can normally be seen at the tops of trees, calling.

The bird is overall grayish with buff colored patches on the wings and  a complete white ring around its eyes.

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.

Camera Critters #180

Several weeks ago, I walked the River Trail at Smith Rock State Park near Terrebonne, Oregon.  While there, I photographed a few things that looked good and something that was new.

I came across the following wasps on what could be American Wintercress having a great time pollen hunting.  As I looked at the critters, I realized there was some beauty in them…bluish wings and brown, hairy bodies, were something I didn’t remember seeing before. 

So I shot them.

 

It took me quite sometime to identify these wasps, but I do believe they are Scoliid wasps, possibly Scolia nobilitata.

Misty Dawn’s Camera Critter Meme is a great way see critters the world over. Go to the homepage here to see more. Then join the fun and add your own.