Purple Thistle
Pauper’s Throne
This unlikely king takes a rather stately stance on an even more unlikely throne. This brown butterfly was photographed at the edge of our backyard in rural N.E. Wisconsin.
I spent a good deal of time looking for a similar butterfly on Google. I’m sure I looked through thousands of images, but was never able to find another that looked just like it. Consequently, I have no idea what kind of butterfly it was.
You can get a closer look by viewing the full-screen version by simply clicking on the image.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Goldfinch on Lookout
An male American Goldfinch looks over the surroundings, comfortably perched on a purple thistle.
This particular bird had a staring role in a couple of earlier posts – Fan Dancer and Watchful Eye. He was not particularly shy and allowed me to get closer than most birds will. I was grateful.
To get a larger view (provided you have a large size monitor), click on the photo.
Fan Dancer
This was an American Goldfinch that I found by the marina in Algoma, Wisconsin. He was feasting on the thistles growing near the water’s edge; pulling out the white tufts and munching on the seeds. As you can see, thistle seeds are light and airy and tend to float with the breeze.
To get a closer look, click on the photo and it will open in it’s own browser tab.
Watchful Eye
Here’s a little touch of nature for you. I stopped to take some photos around the harbor at Algoma, Wisconsin. It wasn’t a foggy day elsewhere, but conditions were right to create a foggy area around the piers and lighthouse. I took a few photos (some I’ll be posting later) of the pier and a fisherman in the fog, and the lighthouse and boats.
As I finished and headed back to my vehicle, I noticed a few wildflowers growing near the water. I stopped to take a few random shots. Then I noticed a few bees – always a favorite photographic subject of mine – so I stopped to take a few photos of them. Then, as I started to leave again, I noticed a flash of yellow. An American Goldfinch landed in a nearby patch of thistles to enjoy a meal. It didn’t seem bothered by my presence, so I started taking photos. (Some I’ll post later.)
While concentrating on the Goldfinch, I happened to notice a bee in the foreground and refocused on the bee for awhile…as the bird continued to feast in the background.
The one thing I don’t like about this image (and others in the batch) is the background. I think it looks unnatural and fake. The background is simply the water of the harbor. I would have preferred something that had a little more color variation, instead of the flat blue, but I wasn’t able to change my position to create a different look. The thistles were only a foot or two from the water and I was shooting from a position higher than the bird.
If you’d like to see a larger version, just click on the photo.
This photo, and another cropped version, is available for sale. To see pricing, click on the blue bar below.