John Watson

Orchids

Orchids

My wife bought these orchids a few years ago at TJs and found them blooming on Christmas morning. Finally got some natural sunlight to try a few limited DOF macro pics on our screen porch.
#photography #naturephotography #nature #flowers #orchids

I thank you my lady and best wishes to you and yours as well. Blessed we are to share the earth with such beauty and character.

Molting Male American Goldfinch

Molting Male American Goldfinch late Fall. A large flock travels between our house and our neighbors & love watching their bouncy, undulating pattern of flight
#bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdcaptures #ornithology #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature #goldfinch

Male House Finch on the ground

Male House Finch in a tree

The male House Finch always reminds me of bird's evolution from theropods, small meat-eating dinosaurs.
#bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdcaptures #ornithology #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature #housefinch

Luca (Corvo Imperiale = Raven in Italian) is our 1 1/2 yo Standard Poodle and the first of the four we have been blessed with since married that is more bonded to me. Treating them as anything other than another child is a fools errand. So bright & sweet!
#photography #dogs #standardpoodles #pets

Immature Cooper's Hawk on the patio

Sad event this AM. Found a decapitated Eastern Bluebird. Pic is of Immature Cooper's Hawk that frequented the patio a few years ago. Generally many more Red-tailed & no paucity of other suspects
#coopershawk #bird #birds #birding #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

Definitely a lot of movement to follow but surprisingly peaceful as the feeder birds have been nice & messy leading to enough food for all

Thank you!

Mourning Dove on a snowy branch

An older pic with the inspiration to post being the 20 Mourning Doves feeding on the ground of our patio yesterday morning.
#mourningdove #bird #birds #birding #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

Thank you and let me think about your proposal as it’s not something I have considered previously.

Thank you Joe and hope you get a mating pair. We have been blessed with several including a loyal pair that nests right outside our kitchen window in a burning bush so we get to see the chicks fledge.

Male & Female Northern Cardinals

Female Northern Cardinal

Female Northern Cardinal Flying

Lots of Northern Cardinals on the property. Is it me or does Mrs. C almost always look annoyed?
#northerncardinals #bird #birds #birding #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

A pair of female House Sparrows

A pair of female House Sparrows. They don't get no respect.
#housesparrow #bird #birds #birding #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

Adult Female Mallard Duck vs Immature Male or Female showing Blue Specula on the back of the secondary flight feathers

Adult female Mallard Duck vs juvenile male or female. Please let me know if you can tell. Note the blue specula on the back of the secondary flight feathers.
#ducks #mallard #bird #birds #birding #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

Nonbreeding Male Mallard Duck on the Left & Breeding Male on the Right Autumn

Nonbreeding male Mallard Duck on the left exhibiting a mottled iridescent green head with a breeding male on the right. Fall foliage reflecting off the water.
#ducks #mallard #bird #birds #birding #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

Canada Geese

Canada Geese. The bird on the left appears to have collected an Autumn leaf as a souvenir.
#geese #canadagoose #bird #birds #birding #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

Male Wood Duck In Flight

Significant cropping, ok understatement, to isolate the male Wood Duck. With Topaz Photo AI subject begins to take on elements of a painting. More experienced may groan but still makes me smile.
#ducks #woodduck #bird #birds #birding #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

Pair of Wood Ducks in Flight

Another less than optimal bird(s) in flight pic but I like the background and relative wing position of the pair of Wood Ducks and it's what I got.
#ducks #woodduck #bird #birds #birding #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

Great Blue Heron on the ground.

Great Blue Heron facing into the wind.

Great Blue Heron takeoff.

Great Blue Heron gaining airspeed in ground effect.

As a private pilot thought it would be fun to post some of the phases of flight.
#heron #greatblueheron #bird #birds #birding #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

Great Blue Heron in flight.

Great Blue Heron pic taken after reading Steve Perry’s excellent Bird-In-Flight Photo E-Book partially saved by Topaz Photo AI. Long way to go but hope to enjoy the journey.
#heron #greatblueheron #bird #birds #birding #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

Yellow daffodil (Narcissus spp.)

Grape hyacinth (Muscari spp.)

We received our first snow fall yesterday which, although beautiful in its own right, starts my yearning for Spring. Can't wait for the daffodils & grape hyacinth to bloom.
#photography #naturephotography #nature #flowers

Male Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker on feeder

Male Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker on feeder showing red crescent nape of neck.

Another favorite but much less common visitor to our feeder, a male Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker. I love the red crescent on the nape of the neck.
#bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdcaptures #ornithology #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature #birdfeeder #flicker

GARY FONG OFFICIAL HOMEPAGE LIGHTSPHERE AND ACCESSORIES GARY FONG LIGHTSPHERE OFFICIAL HOMEPAGE

Had a couple types & liked them other than the weight & not being collapsable. Was Fong though as tried to be cute when a photographer at our academy meeting had one and I commented he had his “Fong on” & he predictably misheard me. Searched the web & apparently back in production. garyfong.com

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker Feeder

The not always apply named Red-bellied Woodpecker. One of my favorite visitors to our feeder.
#bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdcaptures #ornithology #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature #woodpecker #birdfeeder

A couple more Common Loon pics from Kezar Lake, Maine
#waterbird #loons #loon #commonloon #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdcaptures #ornithology #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

Spectacular!

Common Loon & Chick Kezar Lake Maine

Common Loon Kezar Lake Maine

The Uncommonly Majestic Common Loon Kezar Lake Maine
#waterbird #loons #loon #commonloon
#bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdcaptures #ornithology #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

John, adore the human form bravely leaning into the dark & fed by the light, back arched and arms swept back protecting the nest or preparing to hurl it forward in defense.

Killdeer plover, Fall

Killdeer plover, pair, Fall

A couple more Killdeer plover pics from the same shoot.
#bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdcaptures #ornithology #birdphotography #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #nature

TSE 04/08/24 Diamond Ring Beginning of Totality

TSE 04/08/24 Diamond Ring End of Totality +/- Double

Took a look back at my pics from the 04/08/24 TSE and I think that these are better examples of the diamond ring effect with the pic at the end of totality bordering on a double.
#photography #photos #astrophotography #astronomy #eclipse #solareclipse #totality #sun #corona #prominence ☀️