Photography – Page 69 – Wandering Dawgs

Lens-Artists #110: Creativity in the time of Covid-19

August 21, 2020Posted in Birds, Flowers, PhotographyTagged creativity in the time of COVID-19, Lens-Artists, Mexican Sunflower, Photo Challenge, ruby throated hummingbird40 Comments

This week, Tina has asked us to show creativity in the time of Covid-19.

I’ve tried my best to stay creative with my photography during this time. I’ve been experimenting with different photo techniques and some different editing effects.

One day in early spring I went out after a rain shower to take some photos. I wasn’t happy with them until I started playing around with different editing effects. This Mexican Sunflower photo was boring until I added a water color effect.

I am usually on the ground looking up when I take pictures of hummingbirds. One day I sat on our deck looking down at the flowers and captured this Ruby Throated Hummingbird going from flower to flower. By shooting from above I was able to get the shots I wanted.

I’d like to thank the amazing Lens-Artists team of Tina, Amy, Anne-Christine, and Patti for giving me inspiration and keeping me motivated during this time.

Tina, thank you for this weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Creativity in the Time of Covid-19

Bird Weekly Challenge #10: Yellow or Orange Legged Birds

August 17, 2020Posted in Birds, PhotographyTagged American White Pelican, birdweekly, Cedar Key, Photo Challenge15 Comments

For this week’s challenge I chose a few images of my favorite orange legged bird, the American White Pelican. With a wing span of up to 9 feet, they are one of largest birds in North America.

My first sighting of them was in Cedar Key, Florida. I have also seen huge flocks in Everglades National Park, on the Texas Gulf Coast, and have even seen a flock on Lake Chicot in Arkansas.

I fell in love with these birds when I first saw them several years ago while on a nature cruise in the waters around Cedar Key. Our captain took us by several flocks standing on sandbars and some flew right beside the boat.

American White Pelicans, Cedar Key, Florida

American White Pelicans flying by the boat

At Goose Island State Park on the Texas Gulf Coast there were White Pelicans hanging around the docks every day hoping for an easy meal.

White Pelicans go after a fish carcass tossed out by fisherman at a fish cleaning station in Texas

I was surprised to see a huge flock of big white birds on Lake Chicot in Arkansas. It wasn’t until I got out the binoculars that I could see they were White Pelicans. They were too far away to get a good photo but I was able to capture this one flying on the other side of lake while a Great Blue Heron stood in the shallow water by the shoreline.

White Pelican flies by blue heron over Lake Chicot

Thanks you Lisa. for this challenge. Her original post is Bird Weekly Challenge #10 – Yellow or Orange Legged Birds

Lens-Artists #109: Under the Sun

August 13, 2020Posted in PhotographyTagged beach, boating, Coastal Georgia, Georgia Barrier Island, Lens-Artists, Photo Challenge, under the sun12 Comments

This week, Amy has chosen Under the Sun as our challenge.

When we were younger, my husband and I used to spend most of the summer out in the sun and heat of coastal Georgia. These days, we have to protect our skin and we can’t take the heat like we once could. Now when we want to get out and enjoy a beautiful sunny day we go for a boat ride. There’s a top for shade and we make our own breeze as we ride through the coastal waters.

This Sunday was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for a boat ride.

Boaters under the sun on a sand bar only accessible by boat

We cruised by one of Georgia’s many uninhabited barrier islands.

Amy, thank you for this weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Under the Sun

Bird weekly Challenge #9: Birds of Prey

August 10, 2020Posted in Birds, PhotographyTagged Bald Eagle, birds of prey, birdweekly, Hawk, Osprey, Photo Challenge29 Comments

Of all the birds of prey I’ve seen in the wild, the Bald Eagle is by far my favorite. These magnificent birds mate for life and return to the same nest year after year. Alaska is a Bald Eagle lovers paradise.

Bald Eagle at Chilcoot Lake State Park, Haines, AK

Mama and baby eagles across from the Homer Post Office

There are Bald Eagles on some of the Georgia barrier islands near our home but it isn’t every day that one decides to perch on top of our neighbor’s dock house. I was able to get a photo of this Bald Eagle on a foggy December afternoon.

Sometimes I can hear the owls in the trees in our neighborhood but they are hard to see. One morning this juvenile horned owl perched on our dock for a while.

Hawks are birds of prey I’ve often seen in Georgia and Florida.

Red Shouldered Hawk, Everglades National Park, Florida

An occasional hawk will fly over our back yard in search of a tasty morsel. One day one stopped for a break on a fence post.

I often see ospreys soaring overhead as they search for food. I have managed to capture some on their nests.

Osprey on nest, Everglades National Park, Florida

Pair of Ospreys on the nature trail, Gulf Islands National Seashore at Ft. Pickens, Florida

Thanks you Lisa. for this challenge. Her original post is Bird Weekly Challenge #9 – Birds of Pre y

Bird weekly Challenge #8 – Birds at the feeder

August 6, 2020Posted in Birds, PhotographyTagged birdweekly, Painted Bunting, Photo Challenge, ruby throated hummingbird15 Comments

Although my backyard bird feeder in coastal Georgia attracts many varieties of birds, my favorites are the Painted Buntings. I keep the feeder filled with their favorite seeds all year round.