Finally got me a Cougar!

This afternoon I was headed down a little used road to a small beach near my home. Lo and behold a Cougar! Fortunately my camera was beside me on the seat of the truck and I was able to get a half dozen shots off before it disappeared into the bush beside the road. This was pure point and shoot with whatever settings the camera happened to be at type photography! 

In all honesty, in all the years I've lived here on the coast I probably haven't seen 10 cougars yet, they are very elusive creatures! What a treat to have actually gotten a few pictures of one!

Palm Trees In Wyoming?

A day or two ago our friend Ron of Shutterbug fame was in need of a palm tree fossil. I couldn't find a whole tree but I did remember photographing the leaf of a Sabal Palm in the Devon Tower Rotunda. It was a large piece of art and I doubt they would want to part with it!

I also had the foresight to even take a pic of the accompanying description. Somewhere there might even be the trunk of a palm tree to go with this leaf. I will let you know if I ever find one. The search goes on!

Common Merganser

Took a few pictures of this Common Merganser pair with the Sigma 120-400 as I idled by them in the boat. The finished picture is about 1/3 of the original as I was quite a distance away. Sure are attractive birds.

A Red Dirt Road

The One Less Traveled

Most every time I pass this road a nod is given to Robert Frost. In his poem he speaks of  "The Road Not Taken". He also speaks of one less traveled. Both apply in this case. I have never ventured on this road that leads to the Restricted Use Area of the Refuge. It would be easy if only I would sign up for an escorted bus ride to these yonder lands! I don't herd well. Board the Bus! Get off the Bus for pics! Thank You, No!

Antelope Flats

The red road leads in a northerly direction starting at a locked gate on the western edge of a large basin called the Antelope Flats. A most wonderful place to view a sunrise.

It's been a long time ago since a Pronghorn and it's kind wandered these prairies and called this basin home. As I, you will have to use your imagination to see these prairie dwellers racing across the plains with their white bottoms showing declaring, Danger! Picture Taker at the Gate!

Taking off

 

 

Aaron and I are headed to the mountains in Oklahoma for the weekend to do some hiking and photography. Hopefully we'll come back with a photo or two we can post.

 

This was taken in the backyard this morning with the Nikon D800 and Nikon 28-300mm lens at 300mm and cropped about 60%.

Water Droplets

Something Fishy

 

A fossil fish found in a rock here in Kansas. The man who built our house actually used the rock as part of a stone wall on our house.

 

Now all I need is a fossil palm tree and mai tai and I'll be ready for summer.

Birdie snap shots

A couple of birdie snap shots... No time to set up a tripod with these little ones, they seldom stay in one place for more than a few seconds at best. Both pictures are with the Nikon 18-300 at 300mm and both are more than 50% crops of the original picture.

Just for the fun of it I got out the bird book, I must be bored... Best as I can figure out the top picture is of a Black-capped Chickadee and the bottom one is an Olive-sided Flycatcher. Who comes up with these names anyway? Ha ha!

Buffalo and Broomweed

Something about blooming broomweed in October that seems to attract the bison. Over the years I've noticed they seem to like hanging around this weed during the heat of the day.

The Comanche boiled the flowers and leaves into a tea, then used the pulp for skin rashes and poultices. Some folks claim it is an insect and snake repellent. Have a feeling the insect repellent claim is probably why the buffalo like to lay around in it. Nature has a way of providing for it's own!

I did notice that the snakeweed had no effect on the ever present flies on the buffalo as this pic shows. Suspect the weed gives relief from mites and fleas though.

While trying to find out more about the medicinal qualities, found an unusual article in an Okla. wildcrafting site. During the 1918 pandemic flu outbreak (Spanish Flu) which killed thousands; a tea made from the boiled leaves and flowers was used extensively in the treatment of the afflicted. Makes me wonder what the buffalo would say about one of their favored plants!

Surf's Up!

 

Just a couple of random photos I took while bobbing in the water off Maui.

Rounding the light.

The other day while returning from a job with the landing craft I met this tug and log tow coming around the light at the south end of Quatsino Narrows. Fortunately there was still plenty of room for me to get past and continue on my way.

From The Bottom Up!

The Weeds, I mean....

 

 

... Spring has sprung and now there is yard work to be done.

 

I either have to figure out how to make dandelion wine or find some weed killer because the dandelions are everywhere this year.

Learning from Aaron

Aaron was over this weekend and we played around with the water drops some. This time we used his flash and my flash shooting from two different sides with the onboard flash shooting from the center.

 

We came up with some different ideas about shooting water so you may see some more of this in the future.

It's Nice To See U Again!

These shots came from Nikon D2X with 105mm VR mounted on a Wimberley tripod head.

Don't bug me!

 

These are some extreme crops from the Nikon D800 and by extreme I mean about 95% crop! As you can see, the D800 isn't very forgiving if you are off even the slightest in your focusing. The first shot is with the Nikon 105mm "micro" lens hand held. The second and third shots were taken hand held using the Nikon 28-300mm lens at 300mm and about one foot away from the bugs.

 

The focusing issues were probably from me hand holding the camera in 20mph plus winds. The high resolution of the D800 shows every little flaw in the photo. This is going to make me have to work harder for those really good photos!

Mouse hunter

This is Maggie in mouse hunter mode, very serious business... What Maggie doesn't realize is that my stepson Jake and I are both throwing pebbles into the tall beach grass when she's not looking. Ha ha!

Just a Drip

More Eagle pics

The truck was in the shop for a few hours this afternoon so I took advantage of the nice weather and went for a walk around town with the camera. Here are the two best shots from today.