Monday in Nature Weekly Photo Jan. 13, 2014

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<p ><strong >Basic Guidelines</strong>: Nature based subject matter. Please, declare captive subjects. Keep your image at/under 700 pixels on the long axis for in-line viewing and try to keep file size under 300kb. Note that this includes photos hosted off-site at Flicker, Photobucket, your own site, etc. Do you have a series of great shots to compliment your post? Please, tell us where they are so we can see them.</p>

<p ><em >In the strictest sense, nature photography should not include hand of man elements. Try to minimize man made elements, keep the focus on nature, and let common sense be your guide. <strong >Let's make this a true Photo of the Week and only post 1 image per week.</strong></em></p>

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<p>Good Morning Lovers of Nature,<br>

We had lots of desk work this week and not many opportunities to get out with cameras. Spending a couple of days updating fungal taxonomy makes me appreciate my time outside. We got out a couple of times, and I hope all of you got a respite from the bone crunching cold here in North America or heat waves in southern latitudes. Whale watching sounds pretty good right now. Harsh extremes in nature give me reason to think about the different environments I've been able to enjoy and others I'd like to visit. In the mean time, we can see a lot of nature here, and daydream or plan the trip. Hmmmm, what gear should go in the bag?</p>

<p>Many birds have traveled great distances and winter over in the woods and fields out back. This Song Sparrow (<em>Melospiza</em> <em>melodia</em>), a year round resident, was among those out after a morning snow shower.</p>

<p>Wherever your day takes you, Monday in Nature is a good place to start.</p><div></div>

<p>A young button buck with his winter hair bedded down nice and cozy. I believe it was about 13 degrees F. that morning.</p>

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<p>Mark - Elegant in its simplicity<br>

While we were out, there wasn't much to take with the light so flat. I did get a tendril of the wild cucumber to look nice.</p><div></div>

<p>Also been busy with winter storms and a gubernatorial inauguration to prepare for here in Virginia. Time to play with some black and white conversions! Raw processing and conversion using lightzone and a 'palladium silver' toning style.</p><div></div>

<p>Great start today, excellent images. Nothing from me..........time!</p>

<p>Red-Winged Blackbird...</p><div></div>

<p>Monday morning sunrise</p><div></div>

<p>a winter pond sculpture</p><div></div>

<p><strong>American Kestrel Poses</strong></p>

<p><a title="Kestrel Poses by dcstep, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2805/11919093086_fd3a0c1e4b_c.jpg" alt="Kestrel Poses " width="800" height="800" /></a></p>

<p>Click on the image to go to Flickr, if you'd like to see it in larger sizes.</p>

<p>Wood storks dining at low tide</p><div></div>

<p>Bill Boyd,<br>

To spot a red winged black bird here in NE Ohio means only one thing, SPRING.. I cant wait to see my first one. :-))</p>

<p>Northern Shoveler landing</p><div></div>

<p>Another great selection of photos to start off Monday. Amazing Kestrel photo. I love the pond sculpture. Sunday, I went to the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. It was windy and cool, and not a lot of ducks. Enjoyed the usual selection of herons and egrets, white and glossy ibises. The high point was an appearance by one Roseate Spoonbill. I took photos but he was so far away they're usefully as evidence of the sighting. Here's my favorite photo of the day, a Snowy Egret.</p><div></div>

<p>Wiley Coyote</p><div></div>

<p>Just a plain scape from Cascades.</p><div></div>

<p>Great images so far. New this week is an arroyo willow catkin with developing stamens.</p><div></div>

<p>Happy Monday everyone. <br>

Today it's 5C here on the eastern shores of Georgian Bay and we've been experiencing a three day thaw which has melted over 2' of snow so far. This warm temperature has brought out the Snow Fleas. Now, although not a true phenomenon, the presence of the Snow Flea has always intrigued me. I first encountered them when I built this house (23 years ago) on the snow banks. They arrive virtually out of thin air by the millions and millions and settle on the melting snow. In the spring I see them on the house footings. Apparently they are always about but much easier spotted against the white snow background in winter. They can be so thick they resemble graphite spilled in a heap. Like black powder spilled on the snow, sometimes inches thick. Where they disappear to afterward, I have no idea. They seem to come and go very quickly. I have been meaning to photograph them for 23 years and because of this thread I did it today. I don't have a macro so got as close as I could with a 28-70mm Nikon lens. I cropped the image 100% from a D800E. I would like to have shown the entire snow bank for more emphasis. The insects had started to migrate to the camera and tripod by the time I was finished. After a bit of research I learned that they aren't really fleas at all but a type of Springtail and they are actually dark blue in colour. Their natural predators are hibernating right now, so again, I don't know where they disappear to because they will be gone by later today or tomorrow. Thanks to Laura, I now know more than I did this morning!</p><div></div>

<p>Being mid summer here in Australia, I get these guys dropping in for breakfast, occasionally.</p><div></div>

<p>Here is a reflection from a walk on the first of the year.</p><div></div>

<p>Gup, thanks to you, many know more than they did this morning, including me. I've never heard of these. Thanks for getting out there and giving us a great demonstration of what must be an incredible sight.</p>

<p>Great images as usual this week, especially considering the challenges of such cold weather! The heat wave has gone (for now) so we are back to normal summer weather. My shot this week was taken near a creek, I had to quickly nip through a fence onto private property, so it was one shot with my 12-50mm lens. No time to change lens or do any 'gardening'.</p><div></div>

<p>morning fog</p><div></div>

<p>All most one year ago.....</p><div></div>

<p>I'm back at work, so that means no real opportunities to get out. So I reached into the "Way Back Machine" and pulled up a shot from my trip this past summer to the Lost Coast of California.</p><div></div>