Nature – Page 14 – Circadianreflections Blog

Anna’s Hummingbird-Female

March 14, 2016March 14, 2016Posted in Anna's Hummingbird, Bird Photography, birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Hummingbirds, Nikon, Photography, Santa Cruz CaliforniaTagged Annas Hummingbird, Bird Photography, Birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Hummingbirds, Nature, Nikon, Photography, Santa Cruz California37 Comments

I went over to Santa Cruz on Saturday while we had a break between rain showers to photograph Allen’s, and Anna’s Hummingbirds. It was a lovely day in the Arboretum.

There were very few people there since the weather wasn’t ideal. While I was waiting for a male Allen’s Hummingbird to return to a favored perch I looked behind me and saw a lovely female Anna’s darting around the Ericaceae plants which is a succulent plant.

Here’s a series of 3 images that shows her approach to the plant, feeding, then resting on a perch.

Anna's Hummingbird Female Approaching flowers

Anna's Hummingbird Female Feeding

Anna's Hummingbird Female perched on a branch

I love the fresh Spring color palette in this series, and this pretty little Hummingbird.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Tripod w/ Wimberley SideKick| Lexar Professional Digial Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

California Thrasher

March 6, 2016March 6, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, birding, Birds, Birds of North America, Photography, Santa Cruz CaliforniaTagged Bird Photography, Birding, Birds in the Wild, California Thrasher, Nature, Santa Cruz County, Toxostama redivivum12 Comments

I don’t see these guys very often so I was thrilled when I spotted one singing a couple of weeks back.

I carefully and quietly walked closer to it trying to get a closer image, but I spooked it, and even though I waited and waited it didn’t come back.

This image is cropped in a bit.

More to come…

Harbinger of Spring

February 19, 2016February 18, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Cedar Waxwing, Nature Photography, Photography, San Jose California Nature PhotographerTagged Birding, Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, California, Cedar Waxwing, Nature, Nikon, Photography, San Mateo County, Spring Birding Migration, Wildlife, Winter Birding Migration19 Comments

This has been a fantastic birding season so far! The Vermilion Flycatcher, the Red-tailed Hawk with its prey, the elusive Loggerhead Shrike, the Bald Head Eagle I didn’t get a photo of, the pair of Ring necked Pheasants, and the sweet Hermit Thrush on my fence all were amazing, and exciting sightings, but in Winter is there anything better than a Harbinger of Spring?

I heard Cedar Waxwings were showing up, a sure sign that Spring is on the way! I’ve had Robins in the Ginko tree out in the front yard, and in back yard lately so, I’ve been looking for the Waxwings because, they usually arrive with the Robins, and last year there was a flock of Waxwings in the Ginko trees a few houses away from me. That was a first for me. You can read about that here

Last week-end my birding friend and I stayed local and found some!

Cedar Waxwings

Soon they were taking turns flying down to the bush with luscious, ripe red berries beneath this tree.

Cdear Waxwing Feast

… and one was shy,

Cedar Waxwing

I spent some time photographing the Robins that also were there to feed on the same berries, but I’ll save those images for another post.

I’m off to Yosemite National Park today to photograph something other than birds, and my son and his girl-friend are arriving early Saturday morning for the week-end. It promises to be a stellar week-end!

I’ll catch up with all your posts when I return. I hope you all have a wonderful week-end!

Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

Monochrome Madness 2 45/52: Willows

February 17, 2016February 17, 2016Posted in Black and White Photography, Fine Art, Landscape Photography, Monochrome Madness2, National Wildlife Refuges in California, Photography, TreesTagged Black and White Photography, California Wildlife Refuges, Landscape Photography, Marshes, Marshlands, Monochrome Madness2, Nature, Photography, Trees, wetlands, Willow Trees6 Comments

Here we are at week 45 of Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 2. It’s hard to believe I’ve been posting in this group for almost a year already! Time has raced by with just 7 weeks to go until this year of Monochrome Madness 2 comes to an end.

For this week’s entry I’m in California’s unspoiled marshes in the wildlife refuges surrounded by grass, reeds,creeks, ponds, and the willows.

Some of the Willows look like shrubs, and others like the Black Willow stand tall. Until I started photographing these trees I had no idea there were so many types of Willow Trees.

To see all this week’s entries to Leanne’s Monochrome Madness 2 click here.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 28-105mm| Hoodman Digital Film| PS CC 2015 & On1 Photo 10

More to come…

Early Spring!

February 9, 2016Posted in Bees, Flower Photography, Flowering Trees, Honey Bees, Nature, Nature Photography, Nikon DF, Photography, Poems of Robert Frost, Poerty, San Jose California Nature Photographer, Seasons of the Year, Spring, Trees, WinterTagged Bees, Flowering Trees, Nature, Nature Photography, Poetry, Robert Frost Poems, Seasons, Spring, Sweat Pea Vine, White blossoms27 Comments

I had a walk-around the neighborhood Sunday morning and found Spring everywhere.

The flowering trees are in bud, and beginning to blossom while others are in full bloom!

A Prayer in Spring by Robert Frost-

“Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.”~Robert Frost (from A Boy’s Will, 1915)

Flowering Tree in Full Bloom

The huge white flowering tree was a hive of activity in the canopy. The buzz of bees

was dizzying, and the warmth of the sun on my face when I looked up felt wonderful, healing, and nourishing.

The branches were heavy with blossoms,

Flowering Tree in full bloom

papery white, with lovely “look at me!” centers.

Blossoms on a Flowering Tree

Plus one more…

Nearly home I found a huge Sweat Pea vine spilling over a fence with dozens of busy bees.

Honey Bee and the Sweet Pea

Nikon Df| Nikkor 28-105mm| Hoodman Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

A Western Bluebird at her Toilette

February 6, 2016February 5, 2016Posted in Backyard Birding, Bird Photography, birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, PhotographyTagged Backyard Birding, Bird Photography, Birding, Birds bathing, Birds in the Wild, Nature, nikon 300mm f/4, Western Bluebird, Western Bluebird Female24 Comments

A few weeks ago I had a first time visitor to the little feeder which turned into a bird bath after the rainy week. I was thrilled to see the Western Bluebird in my yard!

Well, she like the temperature, and atmosphere so she decided to stay and have a bath. Luckily my camera was nearby.

Eyeing up the tub, and making sure the coast is clear overhead…

Bluebird Female

At her toilette

Western Bluebird Female bathing

“Do you mind! I’m bathing here!” That look really got me thinking…”man I’m a voyeur!” 🙂

Do you mind I'm bathing here!

All clean! She had a good shake and flew away after this image was taken. I hope she comes back!

Western Bluebird

I took these images through the window so they’re a bit soft. I used the dehaze feature to help that a bit. It’s a pretty neat feature!

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 300mm f4| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015

A Single Drop

January 15, 2016Posted in Grasses, Macro, Macro Photography, Photography, Plants, Poetry, QuotesTagged blade of grass, Bokeh, Dew Drop, Fine Art, Fine Art Photography, Kahlil Gibran, Macro photography, Nature, Nikon, Poetry, Prose, Quotes, Rain drop18 Comments

“I have left my bed and walked upon the grass and the night dew has wet my feet and the hem of my garment. Here I stand under the blossoms of the almond tree, heeding the call of your spirit. ”
~Kahlil Gibran, Communion of Spirits, The Treasured Writings of Kahlil Gibran

Went I laid in the grass to photograph the dew and rain drops in the grass yesterday morning I thought of these lines from Kahlil Gibran’s prose Communion of Spirits.

Dew Drop

I hope you all have a sunny Friday and week-end both in your spirits and weather!

Nikon Df| Nikkor 105mm macro lens| Hoodman Digital Film| PS CC 2015| Hand-held

More to come…

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