Praying Mantises Have Hatched Once Again

I'm leaving for ten days in Svalbard, Norway tomorrow to hopefully photograph the polar bears.  As I was getting ready and watering the plants on our deck for the last time for a while, I was thrilled to find the praying mantises have hatched and one posed for me on our yellow pansy.  Here she is in all her glory. Click on the picture to see that wonderful face.

Puuluup - A Duo in Estonia

We were entertained by this marvelous duo in Estonia a few days ago.  They played ancient instruments with a sense of humor.  Folk meets rock.  I loved them.  Tom, not so much.

 

We're Home From the Baltic Sea!!

 

Tom and I just returned from two weeks circumnavigating the Baltic Sea!  Many photos to share and stories to tell, but in the mean time here is a photo of the calm, calm sea from our cabin.  It was about 11:00 p.m. and the light was still there.

Great Blue Looking Down Wins Second Place!! Betterphoto.com

 

My First Opossum!

 

How cute is this little critter!  I'm here in Kiawah Island with my eight besties from college.  I took the afternoon off to look for wildlife and this little cutie came out to play just down the road from our rented house.  Such a thrill.

Find the Macro Lens in his Eyes!!!

 First little jumping spider of the season.  Click on him and see the lens in his four front eyes. I dare ya!!

Ruby Crowned Kinglet

 I walked the path off of Ship Road through the woods this morning.  I could feel the birds along the path, but only got to see a few palm warblers.  Two were eating little bugs on the walk.  Got a few shots, but no good background.  Finally I heard the little click of the Ruby Crowned Kinglet.  I played his little sound on my phone and he came over, sat down and posed for the camera.  Love when that happens.

Palm Warbler

Ruby Crowned Kinglet

Morning in Charlestown Meadows

It always amazes me how different it is when you get up early and get that morning light.  I left for a walk in the woods at about 7:00 this morning.  It was chilly, but a good chilly.  I walked the back way past the gazebo and the bogs.  When I got to the woods there was a pair of mourning doves building their nest.  Picking up sticks right along the path and then flying over to the nest and putting the stick on the nest.  Then return and pick up another stick.  I had so much fun just trying to keep up with this dove.

Then after the dove I found two eastern phoebes - always the first to migrate through our area.  Here they are:  Click on the picture and look at those cuties.

The Peepers!!! Valley Forge

 It had rained for the last few days and I hoped the vernal pools in Valley Forge had formed and the American toads would be there doing their annual mating dance.  But when I got there, the pools had not yet formed.  Still too dry....  Darn.   I decided to take my long walk through the woods to the river walk.   I got through the woods and not a thing was moving, but then when I got to the big field I began to hear the peepers.  Oh, they were having a field day.  I had to walk all the way through the field to a path that would take me to the pools.  When I got there I just kept as still as I could be.  The peepers will all stop in an instant if they feel threatened.  I was just as still as I could be and had to train my eyes to actually see these teeny tiny little frogs doing their mating dance.  I found them and had the time of my life. They got used to me and let me take photos while continuing to go about their bubble blowing.   Not many spectacular shots, but a few that I liked.

Face to Face - If you look closely you can see my reflection in his blown up chin.

Tiny Peeper hugging a big green frog

The little peeper.  Can you see how little?  Look at the comparison to the frog and the leaf.  That is just a small three inch leaf.