Heron takes flight
May. 24th, 2025 05:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
autobotscoutriellaI accidentally walked up on this lovely heron at the lake today (US Midwest, small man-made lake that just happens to be close enough for me to walk to), and he was obliging enough to stand still until I had a chance to get out the camera! I see a lot of birds out there every year (right now we also have ducklings, a small geese population, and a lot of red-winged blackbirds), but this is the closest I've ever gotten to one of the herons, and I thought this community might like to see him.
Fairly sure it's a great blue heron, though I'm not a bird-identifying expert.
Fairly sure it's a great blue heron, though I'm not a bird-identifying expert.
Ice Moon & TV Static
Jan. 26th, 2025 05:15 pmyourlibrarian
A few weeks ago it snowed lightly for some 12 hours. We noticed that there was a dark lump on the lake next to the ice hole created by the lake's aerators. In looking more closely we saw it was one of our resident muskrats, using it to feed. You can see it nibbling in the second photo with the snowflakes going by it.( Read more... )
Grand Marais Harbor & Ice Patterns
Dec. 9th, 2024 05:36 pmyourlibrarian
Stopped by the Grand Marais harbor as we were passing through because the water was so blue it was too amazing to pass by without some photos.
( Read more... )
On the Way to Grand Marais
Dec. 2nd, 2024 07:39 pmyourlibrarian
There are a bunch of rivers leading out to Lake Superior. This one made a pretty view.
( Read more... )
Ashland and Gooseberry Falls
Nov. 15th, 2024 06:39 pmyourlibrarian
After our stop at the Wisconsin Dells my friends and I drove up to Ashland. We were supposed to go out on a boat tour during our day there but the weather prevented it. However our hotel was on the water and we had some good views the day we left when it cleared up.
( Read more... )
ysabetwordsmithToday we went out to the lake. These pictures primarily show the pollinator gardens around the parking lot and the approach to the lake paths.
( Walk with me ... )
( Walk with me ... )
Ring-billed Gull preening
Sep. 15th, 2024 12:09 pmpauraqueWhile on a walk by Lake Champlain I took a series of pictures of a Ring-billed Gull enjoying a good preen.
( 7 more photos )
( 7 more photos )
American Black Ducks
Mar. 16th, 2024 10:17 ampauraqueI saw this pair of American Black Ducks recently.
Widespread in the eastern US and Canada, they're often mistaken for female or nonbreeding male Mallards, since they're the same size and shape and have similar markings. It was nice to get a good clear look at some of the differences. Their bodies are darker than the typical Mallard (though not actually black) with contrastingly pale heads. The male (with the yellow bill) has no white or curly tailfeathers and not even a smudge of green on his head. The female's bill is olive-gray with no orange on it.
( The female also helpfully displayed her wing patch when she was preening )
Widespread in the eastern US and Canada, they're often mistaken for female or nonbreeding male Mallards, since they're the same size and shape and have similar markings. It was nice to get a good clear look at some of the differences. Their bodies are darker than the typical Mallard (though not actually black) with contrastingly pale heads. The male (with the yellow bill) has no white or curly tailfeathers and not even a smudge of green on his head. The female's bill is olive-gray with no orange on it.
( The female also helpfully displayed her wing patch when she was preening )
North American river otters
Feb. 19th, 2024 10:00 ampauraqueI took this video late last year of river otters at a small lake where I often walk. It was my first time seeing them in the wild!
Video description: Two otters swim along a frozen shore. One heaves itself up on the ice and eats a fish. Two others swim and dive in the background.
Video description: Two otters swim along a frozen shore. One heaves itself up on the ice and eats a fish. Two others swim and dive in the background.
ice on Lake Champlain
Jan. 31st, 2024 08:27 ampauraqueI took these pictures at Shelburne Bay, which is part of Lake Champlain. I think the ice looks so cool along the shore, especially when it encases the coastal plants and rocks.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
birds and turtles
Apr. 24th, 2023 08:48 pmlizardjay(xposted to my journal)
My mom and I have been going on walks most times I visit (~every 2 weeks) and I've been accumulating a lot of pictures... these are from three separate parks in our area.
( many pics in here )
My mom and I have been going on walks most times I visit (~every 2 weeks) and I've been accumulating a lot of pictures... these are from three separate parks in our area.
( many pics in here )
Winter Wonderland
Jan. 5th, 2021 01:40 pmyourlibrarianJust another plug, too, for ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
threeforthememories which has gotten its first posts this week. If you have 2020 photos you could share, do join in!
We had weather advisories of heavy fog yesterday morning -- and maybe there was at 6 AM. But by the time I was up and using the camera, the best sign I got was in this photo. I was disappointed as I thought it would have created a great look with icy trees. ( Read more... )
threeforthememories which has gotten its first posts this week. If you have 2020 photos you could share, do join in! We had weather advisories of heavy fog yesterday morning -- and maybe there was at 6 AM. But by the time I was up and using the camera, the best sign I got was in this photo. I was disappointed as I thought it would have created a great look with icy trees. ( Read more... )
Flooding in South Worcestershire
Feb. 16th, 2014 11:24 amspiralsheep(Note: I didn't take any of these caps but I have credited as many as possible. Please click through to flickr for further information or ask me in comments.)
The flood defences built in Worcester (pop. c.100,000) and the surrounding area, especially Upton upon Severn and Bewdley, after the record floods of July 2007 have worked despite new record high river levels in the Severn and Teme but there were only a few centimetres to spare and there are about 50 homes flooded in Worcester, mostly around the suburb of Diglis (I think?), with more in the wider local area. The fastest/largest flow/volume of water through the centre of the city was about 500 metric tonnes per second under Worcester bridge (built 1781 and 1841). The only road bridge and both pedestrian bridges in the city were all closed at least temporarily but the Carrington Bridge across the Severn, for the bypass south of the city, remained open. It’s invidious to pick out one token worker or act of bravery but, for example, at one point two Western Power electricity workers waded through three feet of fast flowing water to fix a flooded electrical substation.
( Floods and defences, 13 images total )
The flood defences built in Worcester (pop. c.100,000) and the surrounding area, especially Upton upon Severn and Bewdley, after the record floods of July 2007 have worked despite new record high river levels in the Severn and Teme but there were only a few centimetres to spare and there are about 50 homes flooded in Worcester, mostly around the suburb of Diglis (I think?), with more in the wider local area. The fastest/largest flow/volume of water through the centre of the city was about 500 metric tonnes per second under Worcester bridge (built 1781 and 1841). The only road bridge and both pedestrian bridges in the city were all closed at least temporarily but the Carrington Bridge across the Severn, for the bypass south of the city, remained open. It’s invidious to pick out one token worker or act of bravery but, for example, at one point two Western Power electricity workers waded through three feet of fast flowing water to fix a flooded electrical substation.
( Floods and defences, 13 images total )
spiralsheepThese are September seasonal photos. Click through to flickr for biggerness. Enjoy!
Fungi, Sessile Earthstars, Geastrum fimbriatum: they begin as spheres then their outer layer peels itself back in segments and curls underneath the fruiting body to lift it away from the ground.
( Four more small images. )
Fungi, Sessile Earthstars, Geastrum fimbriatum: they begin as spheres then their outer layer peels itself back in segments and curls underneath the fruiting body to lift it away from the ground.
( Four more small images. )
Bird, flowers, and Lake George panorama
Oct. 19th, 2011 01:20 pmlark_ascendsSome of these were taken with my new Canon DSLR (yay for finally having a DSLR!), others with my higher end Olympus point and shoot.
( Below the cut )
( Below the cut )
One of my very favorite "common" birds
May. 8th, 2010 10:33 pmholyschistAlthough this is supposedly a "common" water bird in my area, I've only seen three so far, and only in the last year: the double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus). Today I got to observe a pair of them fishing for quite a while! It was extremely exciting. They are such beautiful birds--I love their weird turquoise eyes.
More cormorants and some other birds at my journal.
More cormorants and some other birds at my journal.
