Tree
Stalwart Sentinel
A bald eagle sits majestically on a tree branch at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, near Mound City, Missouri. This regal looking bird stands out against the clear blue sky background.
I like the way the details of the bird’s feathering is enhanced by the bright sunlight. The intricate tangle of branches also provide a natural frame for the eagle.
You can get a better view of the details in this image by clicking on the photo.
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Roots of Modern Dance
A fallen tree with it’s gnarled, weathered, roots exposed makes an interesting but strange natural sculpture that contrasts with the peaceful, green forest setting.
This was found in Custer State Park in South Dakota. It’s one of those things that just caught my eye.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Cleveland Flowering Pear Tree Blossoms
This is a clump of blossoms at the end of a branch of a Cleveland Flowering Pear Tree. This tree resides in our front yard and is full of springtime blossoms. The petals of white, float to the ground like snow. These trees seem abundant in our northwest Missouri neighborhood.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Death Warmed Over
A turkey vulture is perched and poised, with outstretched wings, to dry in the sun after a dip in a nearby creek at Stockstill Park in Branson, Missouri.
I had just seen a dozen or so of these vultures in and around the rocky creek bed. My efforts to photograph them near the water didn’t go well due to the distance and the bright sunlight, making them seem more like dark silhouettes. And, of course, as soon as they spotted me, they flew off.
A little further on our hike I tried to approach the creek from a different direction, where the light might be better. As I made my way through the woods I came upon this and another vulture, holding their wings wide with their backs to the sun, to dry off from being in the water. If you look closely, you can see this one is still quite wet.
They held their pose and position long enough for me to get close enough to get a good shot.
You can get a better view of this big bird by clicking on the photo.
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Fall Creeping Up
Autumn leaves in shades of red, orange, and green climb a tree trunk with rough, textured bark. This seemed like a nice mix texture and autumn hues which I captured on a hike through the woodlands of Branson, Missouri.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this photo by clicking on the photo.
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
The Delicate Dogwood
A cluster of delicate blooms from a dogwood tree growing in northwest Missouri. Some of these petal appear thin and nearly translucent. The dogwood captures the fleeting beauty of spring in bloom. (These blooms are long gone.)
To get a better view of the beauty, you can click on the photo and a larger, more detailed version will open in a new browser tab.
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Not Inclined to Share
This squirrel struck an unusual pose while snacking on a nut. He had just uncovered this nut from some hiding place in the vicinity. When I approached hi to ask for a nibble, he ran to the tree to eat in front of me.
I saw his squirrel on the grounds of College of the Ozarks at Point Lookout in southwest Missouri. We were in the Branson area and when we are we always try to make a trip to the college. We had and excellent lunch at the Keeter Center this time.
I have another image of a squirrel reclining in an odd way. Take a look at this one: https://popsdigital.com/pops-photos/planking/
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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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Spring Maple Sprouts
A cluster of red maple leaves sprout out of the rough bark of the tree’s trunk. Their color gives the impression of fall, but this is new growth in April.
These are leaves that I photographed on a hike through the Bluff Woods Conservation Area, located south of St. Joseph, Missouri.
You can get a better view of the intricate veins of these young leaves by clicking on the photo to see a larger version.
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Safe Space
This very young raccoon kept me in its view as I walked around the tree he was sitting in. The was the last of the siblings that were hanging around our yard for a couple of weeks last summer. This was the only one I saw climbing and I was surprised by how well it was able to get up the tree for how small it was.
To add to the adorable nature of this photo, if you look closely, you will a little dirt on the tip of its nose. They would spend most of their time with their noses buried in the grass, hunting bugs and grubs and who knows what tiny raccoons eat.
You might be able to see the dirt better if you click on the photo. A larger version will open in a new browser tab.
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Fine Forest Dinnerware
These pheasant back mushrooms were growing out of a fallen tree. They reminded me of a decorative dinnerware setting.
We found these (as well as other fungi) on a recent hike. They grow out of dead trees and stumps. The intricate patterns and coloration are the source of its name. They are supposedly eatable, but I’ve never tried them and wouldn’t know how to prepare them.
The tree these were growing out of was horizontal, lying flat on the ground, so this view is looking straight down. On an upright tree or stump these fungi tend to grow in a horizontal position, resembling a small, round shelf attached to the trunk.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
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.