Nature Photography (Formally Spring is in the Air)

[Takama]

Wow. Its half way into summer, and this thread is still called Springs in the Air.

also. great pics Pilkington

[ZoPteryx]

I have some white squirrels in my area too, they're leucistic California Ground-Squirrels.  There used to be only one (and my family and I called it the "magical white squirrel") but now there's at least four!

[Gwangi]

Wow. Its half way into summer, and this thread is still called Springs in the Air.

also. great pics Pilkington

I guess it is up to me to do that. Seems like this thread has been in a lull lately. I do have pictures to share...various birds, salamanders, frogs, snakes etc. I just gotta get around to doing it.

[Takama]

another sign of summer

[radman]

Newly-hatched baby skink with vibrant colors that was slithering around the roots of my bird-of-paradise.  It froze when it noticed me, and allowed me to get a few closeups before dashing off.  It's about 3 inches long:

[ZoPteryx]

What a beautiful skink! Five-lined Skink I assume?

[radman]

What a beautiful skink! Five-lined Skink I assume?

Correct!   Although the colors and stripes fade as they reach adulthood.  The tail shortens also; looks like a completely different species.  I have a pic of an adult somewhere on the old thread, I believe.

[tyrantqueen]

Real life dinosaur :O

[radman]

I have three new neighbors:

[Gwangi]

These plants are growing under my bird feeder. Anyone know what they are?

[Himmapaan]

Looks almost as though it could be a gourd of some kind.

[stemturtle]

Gwangi, the plant under your birdfeeder is a velvetleaf, a weed in the mallow family, along with hibiscus.  This is based on the opinion of Mrs. Stemturtle.

[Gwangi]

Gwangi, the plant under your birdfeeder is a velvetleaf, a weed in the mallow family, along with hibiscus.  This is based on the opinion of Mrs. Stemturtle.

Thanks, your identification seems spot on. I thought at first they were sunflowers as those are growing in the same location and no doubt came from the seeds I feed the birds. When I realized they weren't sunflowers I figured they must come from some other seed I feed out but didn't recognize it as any of them. In my readings it seems these things grow in corn and soybean fields and we have plenty of those locally so that must be where it came from. They're also invasive....figures.

[Takama]

Gwangi, the plant under your birdfeeder is a velvetleaf, a weed in the mallow family, along with hibiscus.  This is based on the opinion of Mrs. Stemturtle.

Thanks, your identification seems spot on. I thought at first they were sunflowers as those are growing in the same location and no doubt came from the seeds I feed the birds. When I realized they weren't sunflowers I figured they must come from some other seed I feed out but didn't recognize it as any of them. In my readings it seems these things grow in corn and soybean fields and we have plenty of those locally so that must be where it came from. They're also invasive....figures.

Probuly best to kill that specimen if its invasive

[Gwangi]

Gwangi, the plant under your birdfeeder is a velvetleaf, a weed in the mallow family, along with hibiscus.  This is based on the opinion of Mrs. Stemturtle.

Thanks, your identification seems spot on. I thought at first they were sunflowers as those are growing in the same location and no doubt came from the seeds I feed the birds. When I realized they weren't sunflowers I figured they must come from some other seed I feed out but didn't recognize it as any of them. In my readings it seems these things grow in corn and soybean fields and we have plenty of those locally so that must be where it came from. They're also invasive....figures.

Probuly best to kill that specimen if its invasive

Probably but they're so abundant now it wouldn't matter much. I'll mow it down with the lawnmower next time I cut the grass.

[radman]

Song sparrow party:



Melospiza melodia, there were about a dozen on the feeder, and an equal number on the ground below.  So cute.

[Gwangi]

Great shot. I'm currently being invaded by common redpolls and really need to get some pictures of them. I guess I also need to change the thread title.

[Takama]

Its Bald Eagle Season here in Iowa.     Every year around this time, they Come to the Mississippi river to fish.


I will try to photograph one,

[radman]

Thanks, yeah, I had this thread going for a few years back on the old forum and had to change the title with the seasons, usually too late.  Saw a pair of wild turkeys today but was unable to to get a picture.   They are remarkably unattractive birds, by our standards of such, even less so than turkey vultures, IMHO, nonetheless, they are successful in their niche and we enjoy them for that.  I will keep a (camera) eye out for them and hopefully post a pic sometime soon.

[Gwangi]

I think wild turkeys are beautiful birds myself. They certainly have a prehistoric, dinosaurian quality to them.