Hanging Out on a Leaf Wins Second Place in BetterPhoto.com Contest

"Oh! Oh! Oh!

Golden Crowned Kinglet impressed by the 600mm lens this morning in Valley Forge.

"Froggie" Chosen by National Wildlife Federation

Brag, brag, brag.  I got a note from the National Wildlife Federation the other day saying my little "Froggie" photo was selected as one of the designs for the 2019 NWF All Occasion Birthday card line.  How about that!!  And for $2 more, you can get a cup of coffee......

Male House Finch and the Crabapples

Mallard Nap

Robin and the Berries

Ruby Crowned Kinglet in the Light

The Blue Headed Vireo - My First!!!

Blue Headed Vireo - Eastern College Pond

Another True Story

It was almost noon today and I still hadn't found the picture of the day. Then as I was walking out of the woods I saw activity under the pines.  It was a lot of little ruby crowned kinglets and chickadees and sparrows and wrens.  A real find.  I slowly made my way under the pine tree and got into position to photograph anybody.  But nobody moved.  And not a peep.  They were all in there, all protecting themselves, all thinking they could wait me out.  I waited and waited and waited and nothing.  Oh they are so clever....  So, I decided to start talking to them.  In a gentle voice saying, "Come on out you guys.  I really want to take your picture. Come on.  Don't be shy.  I am just here to be your friend.  Come on out...." And that kind of stuff.  And believe it or not, they soon started to come out.  First one, then another, then another  They knew I was there.  I could even take photographs.  They were shy, but they were very curious too.  That's how I got this little cutie (ruby crowned kinglet) to come pretty close, look right into my lens and give me a little curious smile.

This is a TOTALLY TRUE Story

I got to the small parking lot across the street and down the hill from Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge about 9:00 a.m.  yesterday.  Soon after I got out of the car and had the camera set up on the tripod I could see a red tailed hawk flying towards me in the distance.  I got hurriedly out to the field and could see a second hawk.  They were playing together in the sky.  Following each other in big sweeps and close calls.  Then one sort of scooped down to the ground in a funny flight pattern.  When he came back up I could see he had picked up a mouse and a lot of dead brush.  I got a few not great photos.  But then the two of them came together again - the one with the mouse above the other about 20 feet.  Then the one above dropped the mouse right in front of the one below.  The second hawk caught the mouse in mid air - right in front of me.  I said "WOW" out loud it was so cool.  I didn't get the shot, but I was unbelievably impressed at the acrobatics of these two.  And I wondered if hawks actually play pitch and catch.  So darn cool!!!

"Oh, I think this must be a bad nut."

The Itchy Chin

Oh the Fall Colors

Paper Wasp

Little Sweet Be a on a Wild Aster

Wooly Bear Caterpillar

NAMIBIA - The Book

It's been over two months since returning from Namibia. The book is finally ready.  Feel free to click the link and view all the contents for free by then clicking the "Preview" button.  Go ahead.  Be brave.... http://www.blurb.com/b/9017001-n-a-m-i-b-i-ahttp://www.blurb.com/b/9017001-n-a-m-i-b-i-a

The Ootheca

I have always wanted to find a praying mantis as she is laying her egg sack.  Today I got lucky.  I was watching a mating pair (for over an hour) hoping to see what would actually happen at the end.  I was waiting so long, I started looking around and right behind me was a big fat lady praying mantis laying an egg sack!!  If all goes well, there may be some 100 or more little baby praying mantises when they hatch next March or April.