Saturday, April 23, 2011

Camera Critter #159

A recent trip to the sewage pond area north of town gave me a number of opportunities to image some critters I haven’t seen in a while.

Among those critters were Brewer’s Blackbirds.  I equate these birds with Red-winged Blackbirds, or even Yellow-headed Blackbirds.  They aren’t a nuisance as other ‘blackbirds’ are.  And I think the color sheen they have is beautiful.

The male Brewer’s Blackbird has a nice purple sheen to its head as can be seen below.

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However, the female Brewer’s Blackbird is a dull, almost colorless critter.

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However, they do make a nice pair.

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.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Camera Critters #157

The past week here has been a strange week.  A week ago Friday, it was 74 degrees…our first 70 degree temp of the year.  Then Sunday and Wednesday, it snowed.  This is suppose to be spring!  8v)

It has me wishing for the hot days of summer.  I can’t wait for the 95 degree plus, cloudless skies we get here in the high desert.  And when those days come, I’ll hopefully be able to improve upon the photos below.

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Wasps of different species abound here.  Most I can determine the species they belong to.  However, the black wasps are a different story.  I need better images to ID them.

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And then there are bees.  I see so many different types of bees here.  Anything from bumblebees to honey bees to carpenter bees.  I shoot all of them and hope to shoot a lot more images of them this summer.

But that all requires for winter to end in the high desert!

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.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Camera Critters #156

After finally getting a glimpse of spring, I decided it was time to make my first trip to one of my favorite shooting spots…the Redmond sewage ponds.

Unfortunately, I pick a very windy day to make the 8 mile trip to the ponds.  Head winds blowing at 25-30 mph with gusts to 45 mph made the trip on the bicycle very tiring.  However, the homeward trip was a lot easier.

I was hoping to see some bugs, and maybe an eagle or two which have been reported there recently.  But I found no bugs…and a few birds.

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Pictured above are some Buffleheads (don’t ever call them Buffaloheads around a die-hard birder!) and Mallards.  They were the most numerous birds on the ponds.

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I also found a number of Killdeer along the shore.  But overall, there were few birds and ever fewer bugs.

It may have been the windy condition, but it could also have been our local weather.  It’s been below 60 since mid-February. 

Finally, I want to congratulate Misty Dawn for three years of Camera Critters.  I hope it is still going strong after six years.

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.