Camera Critter Meme #15

I have several friends in the area who were local policemen. One, a Deschutes County Deputy Sheriff, told me a story which relates to my Camera Critter Meme post this week.

It seems one day many, many moons ago, he was called to the scene of an accident on the main road between two local towns. A man driving a pickup had hit an animal trying to cross the road.

When my friend arrived on the scene (it was getting on close to darkness at the time), he was confronted with a truck with a fairly well damaged front end, the carcass of the unfortunate animal and the driver of the vehicle nearby, possibly in shock.

As the deputy went about his business, he learned the driver was from Texas and was passing through the area when the accident occurred. My friend then continued gathering information for his report and watched as the driver paced back and forth muttering something to himself.

A moment later, the driver walked up to my friend and said, "Damn, I'm from Texas and I always thought we had the largest deer in the world there, but these Oregon deer beat ANYTHING I have ever seen back home. Those antlers are HUGE!"

The driver turned, walked away still muttering, while my friend couldn't help but crack a smile to replace busting out laughing.

It seems the Texan had collided with an Elk, not a Mule Deer and my friend didn't have the heart to correct the driver. And yes, elk have some mighty big racks...especially when farm grown.

Camera Critters Meme No. 14

A week or so ago, I was at one of my favorite places in Oregon...the 7,950 foot or so summit of Newberry volcano. You can see photos of that trip on my Flickr page.

Seven years, I was also at that spot. During that trip, I fired off some shots with my old Sony Mavica FD-91 camera.

One of the things I wanted to accomplish during the recent trip was to duplicate the shots I took during the 2001 trip.

For the most part, I was able to trade my low resolution images with higher and better images which made me happy.

However, there was one shot I wasn't able to duplicate. At the right spot, I waited and waited for the scene to duplicate itself. But alas, my traveling party wanted to go elsewhere and I didn't see the scene repeat.

So, rather than display a higher resolution and better quality image for this week's Camera Critters Meme, I'll show you a low res, okay quality image of a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel sitting on a rock at the 7,949 foot high peak of Paulina Peak located within the Newberry National Volcanic Monument of central Oregon.


I earlier called this critter a Belding Ground Squirrel. Sure was a senior moment there..hehehe.

Camera Critter Sunday No. 13

If you know me at all, you know I really enjoy photographing the lizards of the area. However, there is another critter of the High Desert, and everywhere else for that matter, which makes a rather cool critter to image.

They look totally alien, and at the same time, can be very comical. They are one of the few insects I have crossed paths with which seems to looks around and at things with intelligence.

This creature is the Praying Mantis. I hope you enjoy my entry for this week's Camera Critter Meme.

Camera Critter Sunday No. 12

I have had relatives from back east visiting most of the week, and since they don't know this area, I've been acting as their tour guide.

It's been fun, and we have gone to a lot of places I have wanted to go for a long time. One of those places is one I actually got two several times a year...it's the major river which runs through central Oregon, the Deschutes River.

During a visit there June 26 (Yes...I remember the significance of the date), I came across something I had never seen on the river before and something I figure would make a great Camera Critter Meme subject.

It was a Mute Swan. I snapped this photo of the bird, then tried to tempt it in closer with a glucose tablet. When that didn't work, I flashed a $5 bill at it...which still didn't tempt it in closer. So I left the area. But I did get a good photo...I think.

Camera Critter Sunday No. 11

I pride myself in seeing things almost everyone else misses. And when I am wandering the high desert, I keep my eyes open. I'm not saying I see everything, but would you have seen the Grasshopper Nymph located in this photo? Click the image for a larger view which may help.

If you give up looking, go here for the answer.

Camera Critter Sunday No. 10

Near where I live, there is a small, man-made pond formerly used to recycle irrigation water for the city golf course. It's now a small park and fishing spot for the young.

It's also my favorite place for dragonfly and damselfly photos. But there is other worthwhile critter to photograph there. Yellow-headed Blackbirds nest in the area, along with Red-winged Blackbirds. It's also the home of a couple of Rubber Boas, which hear me coming long before I see them and they disappear to parts unknown.

The pond is also the happy hunting grounds of a family of Osprey which nest about a mile or so south of the pond. I've watched four Osprey circle the pond at one time. I've watched as one would suddenly fold its wings, dive, hit the water with a large splash and return to flight with a meal in its talons.

I've watched the numerous different birds who make a home around the pond area look for food, mates and nesting areas. I've also watched visiting birds check out the pond for a while, then continue on their journey.

I've watched many creatures, big and small, live on and around pond.

One of the coolest critters though, lives in the pond. The bullfrogs of Fireman's Pond.

Just what do you see in the eyes of this week's Camera Critter Meme entry?

Camera Critter Sunday No. 9

One of my favorite places to shoot is a small made-made pond called Fireman's Pond. Last year it was a great place for Odonata photos. Unfortunately, this year has been a bust . . . so far.

But the Yellow-headed Blackbirds are there, and they are nesting. And they don't like when I get close to any of the nests in the reeds along the shore of the pond.

Sometimes they'll just squawk at me from one of the reeds, sometimes they'll dive on me, and sometimes one will get on a nearby sign and stare me down.

In any case, I do like the looks of these birds. During the summer after the brood has hatched, a person can go to the park side of the pond and the Yellow-headed Blackbirds will eat out of your hand even though there is plenty of natural food available.

However, the guy below wasn't interested in hand-outs, he wasn't interested in diving on me (anymore)...he just wanted me gone. One look into his eyes, decided it all for me. 8v)