Camera Critters #272

I live in the middle of town…almost.  I think I’m a couple of blocks from the geographic center, but I am close enough to say I live in the middle of town.

Last night (Thursday night, Friday morning), I woke to a strange sound…one I hadn’t heard since I moved from outside of town to where I live now.

It was the howl of Coyotes.

I can only guess the critters were in the dry canyon, which is a couple of blocks north of where I live.

Although the photo below is of a coyote, it probably isn’t one I heard howling.  This image was taken a number of years ago while I was walking the grounds of the old golf course just west of town.



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Camera Critters #245

One summer day in 2012, I took my camera, screwed on my close-up and walked around the yard, looking for things to get close-up shots.

Having seen very little until I made my way around to the sunflower plants, I was thrilled with everything I was seeing there.  As I attempted to get shots of the various flies on the leaves of the plants, I began focusing on one particular fly.

Slight movements of the leaf made it difficult to get a nicely focused view through the camera, so I moved a little in the hopes of blocking the wind.  Moments after I lifted the camera to my eye, something streaked in and landed on the fly.



I was able to get this one photo of the Zebra Spider before it darted off with its meal.  From the jumping spider family, these quarter inch critters are often seen in our garden.

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Camera Critters #241

Well, the time has come to sit back and look forward to coming spring (assuming of course, that we survive the Mayan Calendar end of the world prophecy) in the northern parts of the world. 

The insects we all enjoy, such as butterflies and dragonflies are hard to find if they are still around.  Other insects are also waiting for the coming spring weather in order to make their “buggy” appearance again. 

But the memories of the smaller critters remain in the form of photographs taken throughout the year.



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Camera Critters #236

Earlier this year, I grabbed my camera and headed to Fireman’s Pond.  It has always been a favorite spot of mine.  I’ve gotten photos of dragonflies, damselflies and birds.

On this particular day, I noticed a small bird flitting around the reeds and took off after it.  When it finally gave me an opportunity to image it, I fired off a couple of shots.

This is the first image, and my first sighting of a Marsh Wren.  At the same time, I was able to get a tasty morsel the wren was eyeballing.



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Camera Critters #233

It’s been a long time since I have seen a Wild Turkey.  Took a trip up into the Ochoco Mountains 35 miles east of here to find one.

I sure hope he knows it’s only the end of September.  He still has some time to fatten up.



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Camera Critters #233

A long time ago, when I was in grade school, I read Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven."

The poem meant little to me, as I had no idea what a Raven was.  I had thought the Common Crow seen everywhere in my young world, was the Raven of Poe lore.

Then I began travelling the world and developed an interest in birds.  I learned to tell the difference between a Raven and a Crow in flight (Ravens have tail feathers which end in a rounded point, while the tail feathers on Crows is more or less straight across its width).  I still have a bit of trouble identifying either bird by its voice.   However, for me, getting closer to the subject is a better way to identify the two.

Since settling down in central Oregon, where there is a good supply of both Ravens and Crows, I have come to appreciate Poe's foreboding avian.

The other morning while I was feeding the horses, I caught something out of the corner of my eye and saw it.  A Raven was on the top of a nearby tree watching my every move.  As I completed my chores, I would glance over towards the tree top and see the Raven still there.

So I went into the house and got my camera.  Worried that the smoke in the air from a 24,000 acres nearby fire might muddy the image, I lifted my Canon to my eye, and was able to snap off a couple of shots before the Raven flew off, joining three other Raven intent on harassing a passing Red-tailed Hawk.

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

  Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;

    For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

  Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber

    Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber 


door,



        With such name as "Nevermore."




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Camera Critters #232

I don’t often find a nice arachnid hanging around outside my house.  Most of them I find in my house.

But this guy decided to build a large, beautiful web between our heat pump and the Flox flowers.  And…he even showed up for a quick photo shoot.



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Camera Critters #231

This has not been a good year for my favorite subjects…lizards.

They are probably out there, but due to health reasons, I haven’t chased them much this summer.

However, earlier this summer, I was able to get a lizard in my viewfinder.  It’s a Side-blotched Lizard, common along the Dry Canyon Trail.



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Camera Critters #230

It is warbler migratory time.

I know…I saw a warbler in my apple tree.



It’s a Yellow Warbler.

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Camera Critters #228

Earlier this summer, my landlord put out several hummingbird feeders…and then she waited…and waited…and waited.

No hummingbirds were visiting the feeders.

The the Hollyhocks and Gladiolas started blooming, along with other flowers, and one morning, the wait ended.

Not only were the hummingbirds visiting the flowers, but they were also visiting the feeders.





This female Rufous Hummingbird stayed for several days, fighting off other visiting hummingbirds.  In the end, she left also…and the waiting begins again.

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Camera Critters #227

The other day, I walked out of my door and suddenly ducked my head and almost lost my balance.

Right in front of me, suspended at the height of my eyes, was a small, beige critter.  After I regained my composure, I went into the house, got my camera and close up lens and took a photo.

After a short search, I found the critter…it’s an Apple Maggot larvae, also known as an apple worm.



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Camera Critters #226

California Quail are a common sight in my neck of the desert.  I have seen them everywhere around town and out of town.  This male and female pair were happily hanging out in my favorite lizard hunting grounds until I interrupted their fun.





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Camera Critters #225

A week ago, I got the news that there was a rare bird (for this area) at the ponds north of town.  Luckily, a birding friend was also heading there to see the bird.

It didn’t take long to find the bird.



On the left is the rare bird…a Marbled Godwit.  On the right is a common bird for this area…a Greater Yellowlegs.

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Camera Critters #224

First off, I’d like to apologize for the quality of the photos this week.  However, I was seeing something I hadn’t seen before.

I’ve seen Common Green Darners, Blue-eyed Darners, Band-winged Meadowhawks and a variety of damselflies laying eggs.  But I never witnessed how Variegated Meadowhawks laid eggs…until July 13, 2012.

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Camera Critters #223

Yellow-headed Blackbirds are some of my favorite birds.  It is mainly the males which are brightly colored (see the post here) that I enjoy imaging.

However, I couldn’t pass up this female blackbird when I saw her. 


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Camera Critters #222

I was checking the flowers around the house recently and noticed a very, very tiny bug buried deep inside one of the roses.  So I did what any good critter photographer would do…I grabbed my camera, my close-up filter and headed back to the roses.

I wasn’t sure I would get a good photo of the tiny, little critter, but I did find one I really like.




I think the creature is a House Fly…well, a very tiny House Fly.

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Camera Critters #221

Friday morning I went outside to check on my Hollyhocks.  It and sunflowers are about the only flowers I really enjoy.  As I looked at the hollyhocks, I noticed a rather strange sight. 

I saw a lot of little bugs on one of my hollyhocks.  Just under an eighth of an inch long, half their length was their nose.  Of course, the first thing I did was grab my camera and screw on my closeup lens.


After I photographed it, I identified it and found ways to remove it from my hollyhocks.  For those of you who don’t know, it is a Hollyhock Weevil.  I believe the one above is a male, as I saw several of the gray colored ones riding the backs of smaller, black weevils.

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Camera Critters #220

One of the many critters I have been waiting to photograph is the dragonfly.

Although I have seen several dragonflies, until a couple of days ago, I wasn’t able to get a picture of any.  But a trip to Fireman’s Pond changed all that.

I first noticed several darners patrolling the area.  As I watched and hoped one would land so I could create an image of it, this Eight-spotted Skimmer flew by and landed about six feet in front of me.



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Camera Critters #219

I have often received emails announcing the arrival of rare birds in our area.  Sometimes I am in a position to go ‘chase’ the bird and add it to my life list.  Most of the time I can only wish I could chase.

Well, earlier this month, I was watching a number of birds hop around the elm and pine trees next door.  Grabbing my camera, I began shooting. 

Most of the birds in the trees were common birds often seen in my area.  Those birds include Western Tanagers, Orange-crowned Warblers (I have never seen the crown), White-crowned Sparrows and a number of other species.

After taking more than 200 photos of the birds, I began looking at the variety.  One bird in particular confused me.  I knew it was in the flycatcher family, but just couldn’t nail down an identification.

So I sent it to an area expert and got back a identification.

Willow Flycatcher

The Willow Flycatcher is considered a rare bird for my area during the spring and summer.  In the fall, the bird is considered uncommon.  However, it is sometimes seen as it migrates through the area on its way to breeding grounds.

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Camera Critters #218

The Two-tailed Swallowtail or if you prefer, Papilio multicaudata, is a common butterfly in this area.  They are very large butterflies with a wingspan about four inches.

I always try to get a photo of one when I see one.  A photo I took of a Two-tailed Swallowtail several years ago, was my first reference book published image.  You see it here.

When the “first seen” of the year arrived the other day, I had my camera ready.



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