Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Trapped Leaf

Trapped_49115.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

One thing that sucks about winter is the shorter days. I'm off to work when the sun is just coming up and don't get home until after the sun sets.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Sumac

Sumac_40653.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

The sumac at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area are turning for fall right now. Some are all red, some are yellow and this one is half green and half maroon.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Weed and Nail

Weed and Nail DSC_9281, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I made this photo at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area on August 15, 2010.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a Vine on Barbed-wire

Vine on Barbed-wire_0864.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I worked this vine for a while with the Nikon P310 because I was too lazy to bring the other gear to the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area.

This is what else I saw: trumpeter swan, eastern phoebe, eastern kingbird, eastern bluebird, cowbirds, American robins, some sort of warbler and a woodchuck. Oh...and the osprey landed on a nearby tree in front of the sun and ate a fish.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Lupine

Lupine_7587.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

The national guard did a prescribed burn at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area on May 31st. This morning, I saw the first lupine after the burn.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw the First Lupine

Dew on Lupine_0417_.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

I was up early to catch the morning light at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Along with the morning light, there was dew all over everything.

Here is are some shots of the first lupine of the season.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw No Moon

Thats No Moon-0188.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

That's right this isn't a moon...it's not space station either. It's one of last year's monarda (bee balm) plants. These are really cool when they are bloom.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw a New Plant on Bridge

New Plant on Bridge-0195-.jpg, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

This plant is growing in a crack in the bridge at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area.

Two loons flew right over me from Turtle Lake but I wasn't quick enough to get the glass on them and focused. They are much bigger than I thought. For a second there, I thought they were Canada geese.

I saw the eastern bluebird pair again. A couple white-tailed deer crossed Lexington Ave and which resulted in a motorist honking their horn. I saw an osprey a couple times, one time it had a pretty nice sized fish. It was too far away for a good shot even with the 500+1.4x TC.

I think I got my best turkey vulture shot tonight. Three of them soared close overhead when I first arrived.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Grass

Grass Abstract D7K-7813, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

The light we nice and golden for a few minutes at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area tonight. Here is a shot with the 500mm and 1.4x TC of some big blue stem.

I saw a whole bunch of mallards fly over which they do this time of day.

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I Saw Tracks Through the Mullein

Tracks Through the Mullein, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Almost exactly two years ago today, there was a foot of hard crusty snow at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. We are expecting some slushy rain/snow tonight but as of Saturday, there was no snow at the WVA.

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Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Mullein

Mullein DSC_8938, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

There was a brief show of pink at sunrise today at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Unfortunately, I missed it by about 5 minutes. Didn't see much either: couple a swan and goose flybys. Heard some chickadees and juncos but none landed near.

This shot is of a mullein plant.  Many birds perch on these plants while they are hunting bugs.  I've seen everything from chickadees, downy woodpeckers and various sparrow use these plants.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Pretty Much Everything.

Nine Point DSC_5644, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

This nine point bucked walked up to me at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area tonight. He could hear the shutter clicks. Notice his ears locked onto my position. I was very still so he didn't appear to see me and I was down wind.

I also saw one of the river otters. For the first time I saw a downy woodpecker land on the barbed-wire...added that to my best of birds on barbed-wire slide show.

There are still some great fall colors out there.



This was my 5th shot of the night. This coopers (I think) hawk flew off just as I approached the bridge viewing platform.



And here is another one of the nine point buck.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw a Sunset and Water Tower

Sunset and Water Tower DSC_5435, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

It was mostly cloudy all day with some spotty rain showers. I really didn't feel like going out to the Wildlife Viewing Area but I did anyway. The clouds mostly parted near sunset. In fact, things really got colorful just after a woman left the area. She showed up for a couple quick snapshots with her fancy DSLR and left before it got really good. I noticed her flash going off so I assume she was in auto mode. Too bad for her. She really missed show.

The shot on the right was made a few minutes after official sunset. Gotta stick around after sunset!

I really like this shot of the vines on the barbed-wire.



And this one of some grass caught up in the barbed-wire:

Previously at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Big Bluestem

Big Bluestem DSC_3592, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

This is Big Blue Stem also known as turkey's foot. It's a native grass that used to cover the plains. The stems in this shot don't exactly look blue but in certain light at some times of the year it looks very purple.

The sign says:
"Big Blue Stem

The bluestem family is found throughout most of the world. Big bluestem was once the dominant plant in the tallgrass prairies of the upper midwest. Ranging from 2-8 feet in height, big bluestem has ribbon like leaves that usually droop at the ends.  The clusters of green to purplish-bronze spikelets give it the nickname turkey foot. A good grazing plant, big blue stem also produces high quality hay."

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw the Morning Dew

Pink Dew DSC_9021, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Got out to the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area this morning to see what I could see. Saw a pair of trumpeter swans, not the family. I haven't see the cygnet for over a week.

This morning I made some shots of the morning dew on the remaining flowers. It's difficult to get macro like shots with the 300mm f4. It focuses no closer than 12 feet. All these shots are cropped kinda tight.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Spiders on Big Blue Stem

Spiders on Big Blue Stem DSC_7260, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Just as I was leaving the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area tonight, I saw these two spiders on some big blue stem. I think the big one just got done killing the little one. It ran up the grass and came back to wrap up its meal. Interesting.

Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw Vines Reaching for the Sunset

Reaching DSC_4676, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Busy night at the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area. Spoke to a whole bunch of people and saw a photographer shooting what looked like a senior portrait. It's about a month late if they wanted flowers. The black-eyed susans and monarda are done already.

Did some slow shutter panning practice tonight.  What do you think?

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Today at the TCAAP WVA, I saw the First Monarda of the Year

First Monarda DSC_1038, a photo by Mully410 * Images on Flickr.

Went out to the TCAAP Wildlife Viewing Area this morning and saw the first Monarda (bee balm) blooming. This plant is all over the place within the WVA and this is a first bloomer.

At one point, I heard an awful creepy squawking and looked to see a great blue heron being annoyed by a red-winged blackbird. Fortunately, it landed on one of the closer dead trees.