Another Day at Work
Apis Workers' Party
Predator
Some of Your Beeswax
Sedum Bumbler
Look of Defiance
Chicory Bee
Bumbling Bees
Garden Cafe
Buzz By Here - To Infinity and Beyond
Pick Your Poison
Blind Side Attack
On a Mission
Honey Bee on Sedum
Covering the Cosmos
Center of the Cosmos
Three's a Crowd
Popular Spot
On A Pedestal
Big Harry Fireworks Display
To Impress the Girl
Different Perspective
Sweet Ride
Perfect Little Piggies B&W
Flipping the Light Fantastic
Festival of Flights
To the Crowd's Delight
Amish Go Round
Wondersome One
The Stars In Her Eyes
Tuesday's Child
Sleeper Hold
Considering the Next Move
Sugar and Spice
Front Porch Portrait
Caged Competitor
Early Adoration
Child In the Ligtht
Stroll Through the Weeds
Attention Grabbing
Eye Contact
On the Line
Eyes of Wonder
Rounding the Curve
Troubadours of Basin Spring Park
Down by the Creek
Sun Day
Catching Some Light
EAA Fireworks
Hear Me Roar
Wisconsin
Oh Happy Day
Everyone is happy at the hot-air balloon rally that is a popular event at the annual Hamburger Festival in Seymour, WI.
To view a larger version of this image, click on the photo.
Hummingbird Moth Caterpillar
This monster caterpillar was found decimating the primrose patch in our flowerbed. It is a Hummingbird Moth Caterpillar.
This bad boy, complete with dangerious looking spike on his tail, was about 4-inches long.
It took a bit of research online by my wife, Sara, to identify this particular species. The hummingbird moth is a large moth that is often mistaken for hummingbirds because they are about the same size and flit from flower to flower like hummingbirds.
To view a larger version of this image, click on the photo.
Dawn’s Early Flight
On the morning I took this photo, it was a calm and slowly brightening scene. I was focused on capturing the color in the clouds behind the lighthouse.
A large number of seagulls were resting on the pier running perpendicular to the lighthouse, apparently having spent the night there.
For no particular reason, they began to take off and I simply clicked the shutter several times as they inserted themselves into the scene.
To view a larger version of this image, click on the photo.
Winging It
Something you don’t see every day…unless you’re talking about the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
This is the high-flying duo of Gene Soucy (pilot) and Teresa Stokes (wing walker) that flew to the delight and amazement of airshow spectators on Saturday, August 3, 2013.
Though I live less than two hours drive from Oshkosh, I’d never been to an EAA AirVenture – an annual aviation convention/extravaganza. I decided this would be the year. Amazing doesn’t begin to describe the experience. I was blessed to be there on a perfect day, weather wise, and was able to snap a number of great photos. (Watch for future posts.)
If you’d like to know more about the daredevils in this photo, visit their website: http://www.genesoucy.com.
To view a larger version of this image (I highly recommend it), click on the photo.
Bodacious!
My wife’s flowerbeds add a variety of shapes and colors to our yard. These bold, red lilies seem to be in their prime and showing off.
It pays to view this image in the larger size. To do so, simply click on the photo.
Impersonating the Sun
The full moon took on a color more like the sun as it began its rise over Lake Michigan, behind the Kewaunee, WI lighthouse and pier.
The two people on the pier near the bottom left corner are fishermen who were packing it in for the day.
To view a larger version of this image, click on the photo.
Heads Up
Two Sandhill Cranes are up to the necks in wheat. This wheat field is in southern Door County, Wisconsin.
Sandhill cranes have always presented a challenge for me. They seem to be very shy and quick to take off when I try to get close. These two required a creative, persistent approach. Here’s how it happened.
Sara, my wife, and I were on a weekend getaway in Door County. We were heading to Peninsula State Park for a day of hiking through the woods. On the way Sara spotted these guys in a wheat field that we passed. We decided to go back an try to get a shot. I pulled over and we switched positions, so Sara was driving and I was free to take the photos. The plan was to approach the field at a relatively slow speed…but not too slow, so the birds wouldn’t get spooked. I would try to focus in and snap a few frames before they caught on and disappeared.
The first pass was a resounding failure. The movement made it hard to find and focus on the birds with my zoom lens and my exposure settings were way off. We turned around and tried it again. This time I had the right exposure but the birds sensed something was up and were on the move. Their heads were bobbing up and down in the field, always in a different spot than the last. Sara remarked, it reminded her of a Whack-A-Mole game.
We approached slower and even stopped as the birds headed for the brush at the edge of the field. Before they really took off, I got a couple of decent shots. There were actually 4 or 5 of them in the field, but with their concealed movement and head bobbing, I was never able to catch more than three in any shot. This is the one I liked best.
To get a better, more detailed view, click on the image.
Morning Blush
Of all the photos I have of local lighthouse, I’ve never made it up to Sturgeon Bay to visit their lighthouse. Last weekend my wife and I were on a little getaway in Door County so Sunday morning, I got up well before sunrise and found my way to the lighthouse.
This is an early shot before the sun broke the horizon, when the sky first began to blush behind the Sturgeon Bay, WI lighthouse, on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
To view a larger version, click on the photo.
Rocket’s Red Glare
I’m blessed to live in an area where local firework’s displays are launched near water. I always position myself close to the water so I can include the colorful reflections from the bright lights in the sky in my images. This is a perfect example.
The bright red from this fireworks burst creates a stunning reflection in the Kewaunee, WI harbor. This was part of their annual Trout Festival celebration.
Take a look at the larger version to see more detail in the reflection – just click the photo.
Tiny Details
This male, ruby-throated hummingbird was just as intent on keeping an eye on me as I was in keeping an eye on him.
This was my first attempt at snapping a hummingbird photo this year. I didn’t think it went well, but…on second thought. I’ve had to change the way I snag these photos so I’ve not had time to perfect my method. I’ll be working on that.
To view a larger version of this photo – which I’d highly recommend on this one – click the image.