Michael Pounds

Woodpecker on a tree trunk. It is on the left side of the trunk with it back toward the camera. The head is slightly in profile and we can see an eye and the beak. Back and tail are black, with some white at the ends of the wings. The head is a deep red color. We see a bit of belly, which is white. The beak is long and pointy, and looks gray. The background is blurry branches and white sky.

Red-headed woodpecker, Turkey Run State Park in Indiana.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #redheadedwoodpecker #woodpecker #turkeyrunstatepark #indianastateparks

Large bird flying with wings outstretched. Tail feathers are spread out, white with brown edges. Wings and body are brown, with bits of white throughout. Tips of the wings are individual feathers spread out with space between them. Head is white but with some streaky brown color. Beak is yellow with a sharp hook on the end. It is flying from left to right, with the underside of the wings and tail facing the camera. Wings are diagonally positioned in the frame, with the wing on the left pointed upward and the wing on the right pointed downward. The background is a white, cloudy sky.

Bald eagle, Turkey Run State Park in Indiana. They make some pretty interesting sounds too!
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #baldeagle #eagle #turkeyrunstatepark #indianastateparks

Two geese on a concrete structure at the bottom of a metal bridge. The geese are standing and facing to the right. They have dark legs, light brown bodies, and black necks and heads, with a large white patch behind and below the eyes. The beaks are black. The goose on the left has its beak open, and we can see the tongue. The bridge structure fills the frame behind and above the geese. Many rivets are visible, and the metal is a streaky gray/green/yellow color, with some orange. Some snow can be seen in the background, and just a hint of trees and sky in the upper right corner.

Canada geese beneath a railroad bridge that crosses the White River in Muncie, Indiana.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #canadagoose
#geese #bridgephotography

Very dark, metal truss bridge crossing a river that is partly frozen. There are some small bare trees in the foreground, along with a concrete wall in the lower right corner. The bank on the far side is covered with snow. In the background are several trees with now leaves. The sky is cloudy and gray. The photo is in black and white.

Railroad bridge over the White River in Muncie Indiana. The snow and ice are melting, but still lingering.
#naturephotography #landscapephotography #riverphotography #winterlandscape #bridgephotography #whiteriver #railroadphotography

Small bird close up and large in the frame, standing on a flat gravel path with a few dried leaves on the ground. It is in profile, facing toward the left. The bird has an orange body. The face, neck, and beak are black. The top of the head is gray. The wing is black with a white spot, and there is black along the top of the tail, which is orange underneath. The legs are black.

Daurian redstart, Shukugawa, Nishinomiya, Japan. (taken in November)
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #daurianredstart #redstart #birdsofjapan

Snow that is piled up in irregular shapes, brightly lit from the left with some shadows. There is a strip of shadow at the bottom of the frame. The background is flat snow, more in the shadows. There are some sparkles throughout.

The snow looked nice for a while, but I'm glad it is melting.
#naturephotography #landscapephotography #winterphotography #snowphotography #winterlandscape

Narrow street with buildings that are 2 or 3 stories high, with telephone poles and wires sticking up above the buildings. The street is dark on the left side, but the right side is lit by a bright, golden light. The sky above the street is cloudy but a brilliant gold color. A portion of the sky above the horizon and buildings is a very bright light where the sun is rising.

Sunrise over the street near our hotel, Amanohashidate, Miyazu, Japan. (November)
#landscapephotography #streetscene #amanohashidate #japantravel #travelphotography #sunrise #sunrisephotography

Foreground is looking down a hill with many trees, some turning red or yellow. Beyond that are many houses and buildings. Beyond that is a large bay with a narrow strip of land running through the bay from the left foreground diagonally to the right where it connects with more distant mountains. There are several small mountains along the horizon. There is a boat in the distance on the bay. The sky is cloudy, with some darker and some lighter clouds.

Amanohashidate, Japan. This is one of the celebrated "Three Views of Japan". (Photo taken in November.)
#landscapephotography #amanohashidate #japantravel #travelphotography

Japanese-style house with tan-colored walls and weathered wooden trim. There is a roof over a portion of the first level that sticks out and forms a small porch in front of the doorway and a large window. The roof is held up by wooden posts. Under the roof are long poles suspended sideways, and a large number of orange persimmons are hanging from the poles on strings. To the right of the building is a shed with faded paint, a red metal roof, and white double doors. Some dry grass and weeds are growing in front of the buildings. The sky to the right of the house and above the shed is mostly blue, with some clouds.

Persimmons hanging out to dry. November, Amanohashidate, Miyazu, Japan.
#persimmon #amanohashidate #japantravel #travelphotography

One large pine tree to the left. A smaller pine tree more to the right and in front of the other tree. Both trees have snow in their branches, and there is a lot of snow on the ground around the trees. There are some pine branches in the foreground in the upper right of the frame. In the background are some distant trees and houses. The sky is cloudy and white.

In the foreground, at the bottom of the frame, is a large decorative stone or concrete object, with snow on top and settled on some of the detailed features. Behind the object are some brown plants. on the right is a tree trunk and tree branches with snow on them. Toward the top of the frame are more branches with red crab apples, covered in snow. In the background is a snowy hill and some brown trees.

A close-up tree branch with many red crab apples hanging from the branch. There is snow settled on top of the crab apples. In the background are some more branches with crab apples, blurry and out of focus. The sky behind the branches is white.

Some photos from yesterday's walk in the morning snow. Minnetrista, Muncie, Indiana.
#naturephotography #landscapephotography #winterphotography #snowphotography #winterlandscape

Three sparrows sitting on a flat hand rail. The rail runs from the lower left corner to the middle of the frame, and then turns and runs straight to the back of the frame. The sparrows are sitting on the bend in the rail. One sparrow is looking directly at the camera, and the two others are further back and facing to the right. The sparrows have a light-brown belly and brown striped back and wings. The top of the head is a grayish brown, and the face is black and white. Black around the eyes and under the beak, and a black spot on either cheek. The background is blurry and various colors and shapes.

Eurasian tree sparrows, Hinoike Park, Nishinomiya, Japan. (photo taken in November)
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #eurasiantreesparrow #sparrow #birdsofjapan

Moth that is black and gray, somewhat striped, with spots of orange. It has two thin, black antennae, and a long, thing proboscis that is inserted into a small white flower. It is hovering in the air in front of the flower. There are a few other white flowers, and some pink, leafy clusters, and larger green leaves. The background is blurry green leaves.

Time for a break from the snow and ice. Here's a hummingbird hawk moth. Photo taken in November, Hinoike Park, Nishinomioya, Japan.
#moth #hummingbirdhawkmoth #flowers #flowerphotography #naturephotography #insectphotography

Numerous tall grassy leaves and hot-dog-shaped seed clusters on long stems. These are all shades of brown. The background is white, with a tree and some other plants visible but blurry and gray.

Cattails against a snowy background. Muncie, Indiana.
#naturephotography #landscapephotography #cattails #winterphotography #snowphotography

River completely frozen and covered in snow. In the foreground is a snowy bank and a single tree stump, broken, not cut. In the background is the opposite bank with many trees and brush in shade. The sun is coming from the rear and too the right, and long shadows of trees cross the river from the back right to the front left.

Shadows of trees on a snowy, frozen White River in Muncie, Indiana.
#naturephotography #landscapephotography #riverphotography #winterphotography #snowphotography

Small bird sitting in snow. Its body is facing toward the camera and to the right, but the head is turned toward the left. Beak is black, long and thin. Head, back and tail are brown. White stripe above the eye. Neck and chest are white and light brown. Snow is lit by bright sun, and there are shadows in the depressions in the snow. The sun is hitting the back of the bird.

Carolina wren in the snow.
#birds #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #wren #carolinawren #winterphotography #snowphotography #winterwildlife

More than a dozen tall trees in a group, surrounded by snow-covered ground. The trunks are dark at their base, and white higher up. The branches are bare. In the background on the right is a frozen river and a river bank full of trees, and there is a bridge to the left. The sky is mostly white clouds.

A frozen river mostly covered in snow. The foreground is a snowy bank on the left, and one tree stump, broken at the top because the tree fell and was not cut. The background is the opposite bank of the river, covered in trees and brush, brown and bare, with snow on the ground.

Several dark tree trunks standing in deep snow. In the background is a frozen river to the right, and a bridge behind the trees. There are also trees and brush in the distant background.

Some photos along the snowy banks of the frozen White River in Muncie, Indiana.
#naturephotography #landscapephotography #riverphotography #winterphotography #snowphotography #treephotography

Squirrel half hidden by the snow. We see the head and upper body, and part of the tail, sticking up from a deep hole in the snow. It is facing to the left, and the sun is on its back--there is a shadow in front of the squirrel. The rest of the frame is filled with snow.

Squirrel digging in the snow in our backyard.
#naturephotography #wildlifephotography #squirrel #winterphotography #winterwildlife #snow

Close-up photo of a small bird with a thin, pointy beak and a tail sticking up at an angle. Head and back are a reddish brown, with black stripes on the wings and tail. A white stripe over they eye. Throat is white; chest and belly are a very light brown color. Bird is on the edge of a wooden feeder, with feet pointed away and to the left, but the body is turned to the left. Background is a blurry white color. Bird is backlit by the sun.

I had the patio door open, and my big lens was just a few feet away from this Carolina wren on our feeder, but it didn't seem to mind.
#birds #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #wren #carolinawren

Male bluebird sitting on a tree trunk where it splits into two main limbs. His body if facing away from the camera, but his head is turned to the left and he is looking back over his shoulder toward the camera. Head and back are a brilliant blue, with some gray and white on the wing tips. Some orange chest and white belly can be seen. There is snow on the bark in front of him. Some blurry branches in the foreground, and a bit of blue sky can be seen between the two limbs.

Another bluebird shot. I caught this one eating snow on our backyard tree.
#birds #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #bluebird #winterbirds #winterphotography

Bluebird sitting on a tree branch in the lower right of the frame, in profile facing to the left. Gray head, blue wings, orange neck and chest, white belly. Small, black, pointy beak. There are some other branches, and the background is a snowy roof and blurry trees in the distance.

Two bluebirds sitting on tree branches, facing to the left. One is in the upper left corner, and one in the lower right. They have blue heads, backs, and wings, orange necks and chests, and white bellies. The frame is full of a tangle of bare branches with a few spiky seed balls. Background is a light blue sky.

The bluebirds were hanging around our patio and feeders all day today. I'm always amazed at their ability to survive in such extreme weather.
#birds #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #bluebird #winterbirds #winterphotography

Duck in the lower left of the frame, with its head in the center of the frame. All feathers brown with white highlights on the tips. Broad beak is brownish with orange around the edges. Orange feet can be seen in the water. Rest of the frame is water with bright reflection of the sky. A reflection of the duck on the water.

Northern shoveler female, Hinoike Park, Nishinomiya, Japan.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #northernshoveler #duck #birdsofjapan

Two deer with their heads pushed together close to the ground. They are standing on sand, with some shallow water in the background.

Two deer having a little battle battle. Their antlers have been removed (they interact frequently with tourists); they could only rub their heads together. (The one on the right retreated.) Miyajima, Japan.
#naturephotography #wildlifephotography #travelphotography #miyajima #japantravel #deer

Water in the bottom left with some rocks and pieces of tree branch. Steep bank of the river that is covered with ice and many icicles extending down toward the water. Tree roots and vines near the top of the photo. Brown trees and brush in the background in the upper left corner.

Icy scene near Thistlewaite Falls in Richmond, Indiana.
#naturephotography #landscapephotography #riverphotography #winterphotography #icephotography

Many geese over water that is frozen on the surface. A few of the geese are standing on the ice, and a larger number are flying above the ice toward the left. The background is all bare trees and brush, all brown, on a hillside. There is no sky visible.

Canada geese near Thistlewaite Falls in Richmond, Indiana.
#birds #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #geese #canadageese #winterbirds #winterwildlife #winterphotography

River partially covered in ice. Dirt and rocks with snow on the bank on the right. Trees on the bank on the left. Sun is just above the horizon through the trees, with a small sunstar visible. Sky is partly cloudy with some dark clouds, some lighter clouds, and some blue sky, with a bit of yellow from the sunset.

Today's sunset over the White River in Muncie, Indiana.
#naturephotography #landscapephotography #riverphotography #whiteriver #winterphotography #sunset #riversunset

River with stone walls on either side and a stone walkway on the right. There's a concrete bridge with a large arch going over the river. Behind the bridge there are grassy plants growing in the river bed and trees leaning over the river. There is a bike rider crossing the bridge. The sky is cloudy, but the scene is bright with sunshine. There is a small duck in the river in the lower left corner.

Shukugawa in November, Nishinomiya, Japan. (Spot-billed duck if you can find it.)
#naturephotography #landscapephotography #riverphotography #shukugawa #japantravel #bridgephotography #nishinomiya

Mallard duck standing in shallow water. The water is just covering its feet. The legs are bright orange. The body is white, gray and brown. The head is bright green, and the bill is yellow. It has its head bent back and is rubbing the top of its head on its back. The rest of the frame is mostly still brownish water.

It was fun watching this mallard preening and rubbing his head on his back. White River in Muncie, Indiana.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #duck #mallard #mallardduck #riverphotography

One larger bird and several gulls sitting on rocks surrounded by water. The rocks and the birds are on the right side of the frame. The larger bird is dark with some white on his neck and face. Also some yellow on the face. The beak is long and gray, squared and hooked downward at the end. It tail is long and dark. The neck appears to be long and bent in an S shape. It is looking out over the water to the left. It is much taller than the gulls. The gulls have gray backs, darker tails, and white heads and bellies. There are dark smudges behind the eyes. Most of them have their heads bent down and are preening. The leftmost gull is leaning toward the water with its head turned to the side.

Great cormorant and black-headed gulls (photo taken in November), Nishinomiya, Japan.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #cormorant #greatcormorant #gull #blackheadedgull #japantravel #birdsofjapan

Large bird on a branch, with a few other leafless branches around it, against a white background. The bird has a brown head with dark eyes and a short curved beak. Wings are brown, and chest and belly are white with some dark streaks. Tail is pale but slightly reddish. The chest and belly are facing the camera, while the head is turned to one side.

Large bird that appears to have recently left its perch on a branch and is flying toward the camera. The head, back and wings are brown with some white streaks and highlights. A bit of the pale reddish tail can be seen. The face is pointed directly toward the camera and two dark eyes can be seen, and a lighter colored short beak. The wings are outstretched, and one is pointed toward the ground, while the other is pointed toward the left and slightly upward. The rest of the frame is leafless branches against a white cloudy sky.

I took a walk in the late afternoon today and crossed paths with this red-tailed hawk.
#naturephotography #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #birds #hawk #redtailedhawk

Foreground is water and portions of 3 structures sitting on stilts above the water. They have orange pillars holding up brown roofs with some curvature in an Asian style, and are partially painted white. Behind one of the structures are some trees showing above the roof. Further in the center of the frame is an orange torii gate sitting above the water. It has two longer pillars and some shorter ones, and 2 cross-beams. In the background are some mountains and a partly cloudy sky. The sunlight appears to be coming from the left.

Another view of Itsukushima shrine, Miyajima, Japan.
#landscapephotography #miyajima #japantravel #itsukushima #itsukushimashrine #travelphotography