Click on any of the thumbnails to see the full size photo. File sizes for each full size photo are listed at the end of the description or beneath each thumbnail.
 | It´s only been three weeks since their last pictures, but the baby geese are nearly half the size of their parents already. In another few weeks, you won´t be able to tell the young from the old. From the head count, it looks as if all the babies have survived and the "childless"pair are still a part of the flock. Perhaps they´re last year´s goslings and not old enough to mate yet. |  |
| 41 K | 27 K |
 | Well, it sure isn´t a close-up but it´s definitely my Blue Heron. Seems he moved a mile or two down the road to this pond where there are more fish, or maybe he did it to get away from me. Looks like this might be the best picture I get since it´s impossible to get to the far end of this pond without a boat. Anyway, the camera-shy little devil is just to the right of center, standing in that patch of brown algae at the back of the pond. He appeared to be waiting for a fish to go by. (66 K) | |
 | There are times when it pays to have incredibly bad eyesight. Had I had any idea that the half dozen very large bees that were buzzing about my Weigela looked this obnoxious, I certainly wouldn´t have been sticking my camera within eight inches of them. Perhaps I´d be wise to stick to ladybugs. (37 K) | |
 | That Blue Heron could take a lesson from this Turkey Buzzard. He was more than kind enough to keep circling overhead until I got just the shot I wanted. (33 K) | |
 | There really is a Blue Heron in that picture. If you look straight above the white rock, almost to the top of the tree line, you´ll see him - flying away. So at least I´ve managed to get a picture of him. But the stop wasn´t completely wasted. There are some pretty neat clouds reflected in the mirror off the back window of my car. (42 K) | |
 |  |  |
| 47 K | 50 K | 44 K |
| This was a much more photogenic Bumble Bee than the one that was working the Rhododendrons near work. He let me take so many nice pictures of him that it was hard to select only three. Perhaps he was just one of those laid back types who never hurries or perhaps he was just full to the brim. He does seem to be struggling to lift off from that last blossom. | ||
 | It took me five attempts to capture a clear picture of this little Honey Bee enjoying my Chive blossoms. He must have finally filled his tank because he flew off right after this shot. | |
| 61 K | ||
 | This Ladybug seemed to be having a great time walking out to the end of those pine needles and just sort of falling off. Then she´d fly to another spot and do it again. She, or it could be a he (what do you call boy ladybugs, anyway?), didn´t seem to be stopping to eat, so I can´t imagine why she was doing it, but it sure looked like fun! |  |
| 55 K | 50 K |
 | As I sat on the guard rail to watch, two geese spoke to each other from twenty feet apart where they were eating on the shore. Then, simultaneously, they waddled down to the water´s edge, slipped in, and moved off to meet each other out on the lake. As they paddled toward the island together, their wakes intertwined in an intricate crosshatch. |  |
| 28 K |
| 29 K |
 |  |  |
| 56 K | 40 K | 26 K |
| This family´s babies have grown to nearly twice the size they were a week ago. The parents scolded me rudely as I approached and, finally, retreated to the lake with their brood safely between them. By the time I had returned to my car, they were all back on the bank enjoying the dinner that I´d interrupted. | ||
 |  | These were the first new baby geese I saw this season. They were eating on the shoulder of the road as I came down the hill but when I stopped and got out of the car, they scurried back to the safety of the lake, with one toddler barely able to keep up. |
| 27 K | 26 K |
 |  | Do you suppose bumble bees qualify as "wildlife"? Well, in this photo album, they do. You´ll have to forgive the out-of-focus of these pictures. Those little things are fast! And when they dive into a Rhododendron blossom, boy, do they dive in. They don´t waste any time coming back out either, let me tell you! I don´t think I´ll try getting within eight inches of a yellow jacket any time soon. | ||
| 29 K | 29 K | |||
 | Their nest is all built and the Wrens are in residence. All we have to do is wait for the babies. There were four of them last year and the parents weren´t a bit shy about feeding them while I sat on the porch steps only a few feet away. I´m hoping this year´s pair will be as tolerant. If they are, you can expect to see some very large baby bird mouths in the next few weeks. (40 K) |
 |  Turn the Page  © 1997-2000 DJ James, All Rights Reserved. Click here to send comments. |  |