Nov 22, 2020 | 1 VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6, 7 Image Stories, AF 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, Faces, Fox Squirrel, Gray Fox or Black Squirrel, Gray Squirrel, Nature, Nikon 1 V3, Nikon D200
Gray Fox or Black Squirrel | a 7 Image Story Around the Midwest, most squirrels are gray squirrels. Still, large numbers of fox squirrels also make the Midwest their home. Then, of course, pockets of blacks squirrels also share the habitat. So, are they really all different species? For years, I thought the fox squirrel and black squirrels were just different colored gray squirrels. Well, not so!
Although colors vary a bit, gray squirrels tend to be grey with a brownish tinge. They tend to have a whitish belly with a frosty white tail. They are much smaller than fox squirrels and their tails tends to be shorter and less bushy. Fox squirrels tend to be reddish-brown or brownish-grey with a rusty brownish-orange belly. They are also much larger than gray squirrels and tend to have longer coats, bushier tails and more hair on their ears.
Black squirrels are not common in the Midwest with only one black squirrel in every 10,000 squirrels. Black squirrels are a product of a genetic fault caused by interspecies breeding between the gray squirrel and the fox squirrel. The black squirrel is actually a gray squirrel with a faulty pigment gene from the fox squirrel that makes their fur darker. To make it even more complicated, some fox squirrels are also black.
Fox Squirrel Portrait This cute fox squirrel stopped just long enough to capture the image. Notice the reddish brown fur and the bushy ears, which are indicative of the fox squirrel. Gray Squirrel Profile This gray squirrel really stands out. Notice the grey coat with a tinge of brown particularly on its head and its off white tummy. Also, its ears look pinkish brown and its tail seems to be smaller and flatter than the fox squirrel. Fox Squirrel Tail This fox squirrel is the perfect example of the species with its reddish brown coat, long bushy tail, full furry ears, and a light brown belly. Nice of him to stop for a moment on the branch and pose for the close up shot. Black Squirrel Black squirrels are actually grey squirrels with a genetic fault caused by interspecies breeding between the gray squirrel and the fox squirrel.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Gray Fox or Black Squirrel.
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Nov 8, 2020 | 7 Image Stories, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, Blue Jay, Blue Jays, Faces, Nature, Nikon 1 V3
Blue Jays | a 7 Image Story The Blue Jay is a common songbird in northern Illinois. Native to North America, at least some Blue Jays stay around all winter. They are beautiful against the snow. They seem to be a hardly bird; living up to 26 years old.
Blue Jays like to live at the forest’s edge, especially near oak trees, as well as woodlots and parks. They mainly feed on nuts and seeds so they show up every day to the bird feeder; particularly, when snow covers the ground.
Blue Jays are well known for their intelligence and tight family bonds. They make a large variety of calls that can carry long distances. They frequently mimic the calls of hawks, especially the Red-shouldered Hawk, also common in northern Illinois. They are very aggressive and sometime attack other birds. Occasionally, they may eat eggs and nestlings of other birds,
Thousands of Blue Jays migrate in flocks along the Great Lakes each year, but little is known about their migration. Young jays are more likely to migrate than adults, but adults also migrate. No one has determined why they migrate, when they migrate, or why some migrate while others do not.
Over the Shoulder Blue Jays look beautiful no matter what time of year. This image was captured at the end of April. Notice the Nikon 1 V3 with its 2.7 crop factor continues to be my go to camera for capturing bird images. Looking at Feeder Just about 3 feet above these bush branches hangs a winter bird seed feeder. This Blue Jay looks so calm and serene looking at the feeder. Actually, Blue Jays are very flighty. They do not sit in any one place for long and they fly at the slightest disturbance. Capturing a good photograph of them can be very challenging. Bright Day Winter has many cloudy days. Capturing this Blue Jay image on a nice bright day was a real treat. Stretching for Flight Just before taking to flight, this Blue Jay leans forward stretching into the air. Power Profile What’s a power profile? It’s a profile image captured from a low angle which enhances the strength of the image. Ground Search Yes, Blue Jays will frequently go to ground to get seeds. A little snow on the grass doesn’t bother them. Spring Snow A little snow adds a lot to a Blue Jay image.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Blue Jays.
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Jun 28, 2020 | 7 Image Stories, A Pug's Value : Nick's Legacy, AF DC 135mm f2D, AF-S DX VR 18-200mm f3.5-5.6G IF-ED, Faces, Nikon D200, Nikon D300, Pugs
A Pug’s Value : Nick’s Legacy | a 7 Image Story Nick the Pug; most human! Let’s celebrate Nick’s life, a pug who was truly our best friend. And, a pug who brought much joy not only to me, but to our entire family and everyone else that touched his life. He loved everyone unconditionally and, like most pugs, he was the embodiment of happiness; in love with life. Nick was always glad to see me when I got home and immediately knew if I was up or down. But, he really was glad to see anyone. He would greet people coming into our home with a wagging tail and a lick, just as though they were part of his pack. The only anger he ever showed in his entire life was toward a few other dogs; who were making advances on his girl friend pug, Ali and later, Peg. Well except that he really did not like his nails cut.
Nick loved a good walk, going outside, food off the table, going in the car particularly to grandma’s house, kids of any kind, and a day at the lake. Nick didn’t care where we went on a walk, he liked to smell the smells along the way. A leash was not his friend; he’d rather be free. Still, he obeyed commands quite well while on a walk. More than anything else, he loved his backyard where he could roam about and mark every bush and tree. He also seemed to like swimming though he did not get many opportunities to swim. Still, Nick was a Pug. By definition, he loved his naps. Pugs love to eat and sleep. Exercise, not so much!
Nick had two loves of his life. First was Ali, a smaller, older black pug. After Ali passed, Peg, a fawn Pug, came into his life. She provided new energy into a pug relationship and she loved to play. Nick always had another pug to be his friend and buddy. Perhaps, that’s one of the reasons he lived longer than any pug we have had. Grandma was a very special person to him. He loved it when we went on vacation and he went to grandma’s house for his vacation. Whenever, grandma came to stay overnight, she clearly was his favorite.
Nick was the smartest Pug we have ever had and we’ve had 10 pugs thus far. He learned to ring a bell to go outside to do his duty. He learned several tricks like rounding over. He always knew when we were getting close to our house, grandma’s house, and my brother’s house. In the morning, he would wake me so he could go outside to do his duty. He would not bark and wake everyone up. Instead, he would come over to my side of the bed and give a moaning noise. Of course, he would always let you know when it was time to eat. In fact, if he noticed we were driving by a McDonald’s, he would “ask” to go through the drive-thru. Fries were his favorite. What a Pug fry guy!
He treated each person differently and built a unique relationship with each person he met, particularly the people in his pack. Nick had a distinctive personality and a certain character that always seemed to appreciate what you did for him, even if he did not particularly like it. He always trusted us to be his friend and help him. He asked for help with his eyes with an expression that seemed to mean; dad, please help me. Nick had a serious side to him. He seemed to know more about life than a Pug should know.
Nick was a great dog; yet not a great looking Pug. With a long nose, a champion he was not. Still, he had a distinctive look for a Pug. And yes, Nick was a smart, happy fawn Pug, a loyal friend, and a great sounding board. His value to our family was priceless. Now, Nick has become one with the cosmos; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The cosmos is better off because of him. God’s speed old friend!
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category A Pug’s Value : Nick’s Legacy.
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Jan 19, 2020 | 7 Image Stories, AF 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR, AF DC 135mm f2D, Faces, Koala, Koalas, Nature, Nikon D200
Koalas | a 7 Image Story Koalas are just so cute. You have to love them. Now, they need our help. They are native to eastern Australia, where the eucalyptus trees are plentiful. But now, the fires are killing the koalas and destroying the eucalyptus trees.
Koalas look cute and cuddly; yet watch out for those nails. Their zoo handlers wear special leather gloves. Wild koalas are not docile and will defend themselves if a human tries to touch them.
They mostly sleep during the day; tucked away in the eucalyptus tree branches. When not sleeping, they eat; only eucalyptus leaves. Each koala eats about two and a half pounds of leaves a day.
The term “koala bear” is a misnomer. Koalas are actually marsupials that belong to the same family as possums and kangaroos. Female koalas carry their babies in her pouches for six months after giving birth. There are about 50 koalas in North America spread across 11 zoos with the San Diego Zoo having 25 alone. These images were captured at the San Diego Zoo.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Koalas.
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Dec 22, 2019 | 1 VR 10-30mm f/3.4-5.6 PD-Zoom, 1 VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6, 7 Image Stories, AF DC 135mm f2D, AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED, AF-S 50mm f1.4G, Dogs at Christmas, Faces, Husky, Nikon 1 V1, Nikon 1 V3, Nikon D200, Nikon D300, Nikon D3x, Pugs
Dogs at Christmas | a 7 Image Story
‘Twas the Night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a Pug;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that Santa Pug soon would be there;
The Pugs were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar cookies danced in their heads;
Then all of the sudden, there arose such a clatter,
The Pugs sprang from there beds to see what was the matter;
Away to the window they flew like a flash,
To open the shutters and jump on the sash;
Just in time to hear old St. Pug as he drove out of sight,
Merry Christmas to all, and to all Pugs, a good night.
Inspired by Clement Clarke Moore
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Dogs at Christmas.
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Nov 10, 2019 | 7 Image Stories, AF-S 50mm f1.4G, AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, AF-S DX VR 18-200mm f3.5-5.6G IF-ED, Faces, IMHO, Nikon D200, Nikon D300, Nikon D3x, People, People Portraits
People Portraits | a 7 Image Story Although my photography does not capture people portraits often, occasionally a nice people image gets in front of my camera. These people images represent some of my better portraits. Notice they are mostly captured with natural light and/or a little fill flash. Someday my flash photography will improve. Also, none of these images were captured in a studio or even posed. They’re mostly impromptu images of people doing something else like attending weddings or parties. Hopefully in the future, my photog skills capturing portraits will improve as well. See more fine art in my People Portfolio.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category People Portraits.
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Oct 13, 2019 | 7 Image Stories, AF 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR, AF-S DX VR 18-200mm f3.5-5.6G IF-ED, Faces, Nature, Nikon D200, Nikon D300, Pronghorn, Pronghorn
Pronghorn | a 7 Image Story Pronghorn are an original Native American animals. They are found only in North America. Although often called an antelope, they are not antelope. They belong to a family of their own; one of a kind. Pronghorn are symbolic of the grasslands and The Great American Prairie .
They are renowned for being North America’s fastest land animal; running at speeds over 50 mph. Actually, pronghorn is also the second fastest land animal in the world after the cheetah. Although the cheetah is a bit faster, pronghorn can run at high speeds much longer than the cheetah. Some Pronghorn herds migrate over 150 miles between Wyoming’s Upper Green River Basin and Grand Teton National Park; the longest land migration in the continental United States.
These images were captured in the Badlands, Yellowstone NP, and Montana ranches. These beautiful and graceful Pronghorn herds freely roam the ranches of many western states much of the year. In the late afternoon fall light, they blend with the dry grassland. Sometimes, they even find a small buddy to share the prairie.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Pronghorn.
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Oct 6, 2019 | 7 Image Stories, AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, AF-S TC 2.0 E III Tele-converter, Bighorn Sheep, Bighorn Sheep, Faces, Nature, Nikon 1 V1, Nikon D300, Nikon D3x
Bighorn Sheep | a 7 Image Story Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep are found in western Canada and western United States. These images were captured at Badlands NP and Yellowstone NP. Bighorn Sheep are the largest wild sheep in North America. A large ram can weigh over 300 pounds with ewes weighing less than 150 pounds. Rams have large, tightly curled horns weighing up to 30 pounds, while ewes slightly curved, shorter horns. They are well known for their ability to climb high, steep, rocky mountain areas where they can evade predators. Their hooves are hard around the outside and soft on the inside giving them better traction on slippery rocky terrain. Their tan or brown fur with white belly, rump, and muzzle blend into the mountain background.
Photographing Bighorn Sheep seems much easier than other wildlife; particularly in the national parks where they are more accustomed to seeing people. Using a vehicle as a blind and safe cover allows you to get very close without disturbing the sheep. Their symmetric lines draw the viewfinder.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Bighorn Sheep.
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