Turtle and Pup -- Day 132

Goose Family -- Day 129

Saw this goose family while on a picnic today. After tagging this post, I looked back at previous "goose" tags and found that my #129 photo in 2010 was also a picture of a family of geese. :)

Deer Dinner -- Day 358 -- Winner of Viewer's Choice Poll

Well, today's photo was going to be a family photo that I took, but I posted it ahead of its time. Mom didn't want it online yet, so those of you who got to see it count yourself blessed. :) Here is another photo I took today. We went out to my grandparents house and got to watch two deer come up close to the house for a little snack. I was so thankful for my 300mm zoom lens. :)

Green Snake -- Day 274

After camp a few out of town friends came to stay before heading home, so the next day we went to visit our usual sight seeing places and Luke caught this green snake while we were hiking a trail. He managed to get it home without mom being aware of it (if she'd seen it she would have freaked out), so "Smog" became the subject of tonight's photo shoot. And thanks Lincoln for also helping out with the photo shoot. :)

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/ sec, Aperture f/, ISO , Focal Length .0 mm.

Goldfinch -- Day 217

We rarely see birds in our yard besides Robins and Starlings, but this summer we've had Goldfinches visiting our sunflowers. :) I've tried a couple times to get a photo, but I liked how today's photo turned out, best. :)

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/400 sec, Aperture f/7.1, ISO 100, Focal Length 300.0 mm.

Butterfly -- Day 209

This was a stick to you kind of butterfly. :) My sisters and I joined a couple friends today at a local national monument and this butterfly rode on the top of Rebecca's head as we walked through the park. I guess it liked her blue bandanna. :)

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/ sec, Aperture f/, ISO , Focal Length .0 mm.

Baby "Beans" -- Day 170

About a month ago Camryn, Emelyn, Ellise and I took a walk and found a puddle of tadpoles. We collected a bunch of them so we could watch them grow and this is a photo of the only one who grew legs. I added water to the tadpole habitat several times, but regretfully I forgot over the weekend and by the time I remembered this morning, all the tadpoles were dried up. :( Of course their puddle dried up weeks ago, so I guess they lived longer than they would have. :) Anyway this lone little guy was lucky enough to survive the drought since he had already acquired his legs, but sadly he also died today, shortly after taking this photo. I don't know why, maybe he was handled to much? We buried him in the flower garden next to a pink petunia. After he died, Camryn promptly named him "Beans" after the bullfrog who died in the 2003 movie version of Cheaper By the Dozen.

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/250 sec, Aperture f/8, ISO 100, Focal Length 55.0 mm.

Fireflies -- Day 161 -- Winner of Viewer's Choice Poll

Today we had company and my brother's got to stay up late and catch fireflies. Usually they are already in bed, when dusk and the fireflies arrive. I tried to get a photo of them, and this one turned out pretty good, I wanted one with more of them lighting up, but the poor things had been in the jar long enough that they weren't too active anymore. Or maybe they had found their mate and didn't have any reason to light up anymore. :) I applied a Dry Brush filter to this photo in Photoshop 7.0

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 30 sec, Aperture f/5.0, ISO 100, Focal Length 18.0 mm. Tripod and remote shutter were used for this shot.

Feathery Babies -- Day 136

The baby robins hatched a week and a half ago, and here they are hunkered down in their nest. I was hoping to get a photo of them being a little more lively, but it was rainy today and I had to chase their mommy away to get this photo. She wasn't too happy, but everyone survived. :)

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/30 sec, Aperture f/5.6, ISO 1600, Focal Length 55.0 mm, Neat Image (noise reduction).

Following Daddy -- Day 129

On our way home today, Amber and I stopped to take photos of this little family swimming in the pond. I hadn't seen that there were babies, but Amber saw them on her way to get me. When we stopped we found there were at least 3 geese families living at the pond.
I had my camera on ISO 1600 without realizing it. :( Most people won't notice the digital noise, but I think I'll go back tomorrow and see if I can find these fur balls again. :)

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/1250 sec, Aperture f/10, ISO 1600, Focal Length 300.0 mm, Neat Image Noise Reduction applied.

Protective Mama -- Day 121

This robin built her nest in Emelyn, Ellise and Camryn's treehouse while they were on vacation. It's going to be fun to watch the babies grow up. Right now there are four little blue eggs and mama robin has been faithful at keeping them warm and trying to keep us from peeking at them. :) Here she is giving me her warning chirps as I was standing below the tree house a few feet from her nest.

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/800 sec, Aperture f/4.5, ISO 100, Focal Length 200.0 mm.

Mama and Papa Goose -- Day 109

My girls and I, took a walk to the lake yesterday. This couple of greese were brave and even tried a few bites of cinnamon roll that we threw to them. I think they were guarding a nest or something, cause they would honk when we got too close. I hope they will have some goslings that we can enjoy soon. ;)

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/160 sec, Aperture f/5.6, ISO 100, Focal Length 200.0 mm.

Baby 'Possum -- Day 103

We found an opossum hiding underneath a truck across the street this morning. She looked like she might be injured and we soon saw that she had at least 4 babies with her. This one came out of the pouch for a peek at the sun (and us?). I think it is cute, what do you think? :)

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/250 sec, Aperture f/4.5, ISO 100, Focal Length 180.0 mm.

Collecting Pollen -- Day 82 -- Winner of Viewer's Choice Poll

We had snow on the first day of spring and now less than a week later, the apricot tree in our neighbor's yard has blossomed and is buzzing with honey bees. I enjoyed my 70-300mm zoom lens. :) It makes getting pictures of wild life so much easier. :)

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/500 sec, Aperture f/7.1, ISO 100, Focal Length 300.0 mm.

Nesting Dove -- Day 72

I was taking my dog outside and having a chat with my brother, Luke, when he nonchalantly mentioned that the morning dove was getting less afraid of people. I hadn't know we had a morning dove nesting in one of our cedar trees, so he showed me where it was and I thought it would make a good photo for today.

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/30 sec, Aperture f/5.6, ISO 200, Focal Length 54.0 mm, Taken in RAW, Processed with Digital Photo Professional.

Canada Goose -- Day 46

I took Emelyn and Ellise on a walk to the small lake near their house. We enjoyed watching the geese that live there. We got too close for this guy and he and his girl ventured out onto the frozen water. He honked his warning as we approached and after getting some pictures we left him alone and went to see the rest of the flock who was swimming and splashing in a section of the lake that had thawed.

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Exposure time 1/1000 sec, Aperture f/10, ISO 800, Focal Length 248.0 mm, Taken in RAW, Processed with Digital Photo Professional.