Monday in Nature August 1, 2016

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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. Feel free to link your image to a larger version. <strong><em>In the strictest sense, nature photography should not include hand of man elements. Please refrain from images with obvious buildings or large man made structures like roads, fences, walls. Minimize man made features and keep the focus on nature. </em></strong><br>

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<strong><em>Are you new to this thread? We post one image per week. For more details on guidelines please <a href="/nature-photography-forum/00cgtY">read this </a>helpful information. </em></strong><br>

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<p>Good Morning,<br>

This week just went by in a blur of wondering what things are. It happens to all of us as we go about our time in nature. What is that plant? Who is that bug? Sometimes we're lucky to get an unknown into a large category because there is some genuinely weird stuff out there. Just how bad do you want to know what that plant/bug/mushroom/uncategorized goo really is? If you really want to know, then chances are you've got some way to get a specimen or collection home. OK, maybe the basket was left at home with the containers, wax paper bags, and sharpie. In the old days we would have a film canister available. Extra credit to those who still do. Plants are easy and a plant press is simple to improvise. A bird book is just a plant press to a mycologist. Yep, tissue works, and how about that granola bar wrapper? So, now how to get it home safe and sound. If it's some texture only seen in sci-fi movies, then you probably don't want it in the camera bag, or your pockets.</p>

<p>The other option is to let the mystery remain so. Leave it behind. Come back again and again until the unknown presents itself. But before you leave, take a picture of the unknown. Maybe someone will shed some light at Monday in Nature.</p><div></div>

<p>Until last weekend, when we camped near a very dry stream, I had never noticed how reflective the undersides of hemlock needles are. The seem almost fluorescent (are they ?) in the beam of a headlamp. Here they are - a little bit less dramatic - the next morning.</p><div></div>

<p>A new generation of deer in my central Texas backyard. </p><div></div>

<p>Calyx Cluster of Monarda at 5x</p><div></div>

<p>Just got back from lovely three weeks of camping across Canada. This is from Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba.</p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18267435-md.jpg" alt="" width="680" height="427" /><br>

Common Loon. Pentax K5iis with 600mm f5.6 A lens.</p>

 

<p>Stream Bluet Mating Wheel<br>

<img src="http://gorga.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/24-jun-2016/dsc1917.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="600" /></p>

<p>Raindrops on a Turks-Cap Lily</p><div></div>

<p><strong>Night Heron Strikes Captain Morgan Pose</strong></p>

<p><a title="Night Heron Poses, Captain Morgan Style" href=" data-flickr-embed="true"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8834/28018949704_bf1a140c1e_c.jpg" alt="Night Heron Poses, Captain Morgan Style" width="800" height="800" /></a></p>

Clouds at sunset<div></div>

<p>More clouds</p><div></div>

<p>Well what a superb set of images above. Mine's of a Ringlet. Now I know that a photo of a butterfly is supposed to be sharp from wingtip to proboscis, shot with a macro lens stopped down for dof, and lit with diffused off-camera flash. And yet, and yet....</p><div></div>

<p>Very nice images today, especially from Rick, Frank, Curt, and David.</p>

<p>My image is a secretary bird in the Chobe National Park in Botswana. These birds hunt for snakes, etc. in the grassland. Nikon D500 with 200-500mm lens.</p><div></div>

<p>No mystery today. Just some leaves and a rock that looked pleasing.</p><div></div>

<p>Photo of one of the Farallon Islands near San Francisco, taken during a whale-watching tour. I'm uploading the photo full size because of the number and variety of wildlife: sea lions, cormorants, western gulls, murres.</p>

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<IMG SRC="http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00e/00e4sf-564664184.jpg".

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<p>A bobcat who just finished dinner.</p><div></div>

<p>Monarch butterfly.</p><div></div>

<p>Bill, the kitty is purrrrrrrrrfect. I loved it in Canon, and it's oh so nice to see it again. The feathers really make it. A long time ago we shared our home with 2 Canadian Lynx. What paws they have.</p>

<p>Busy bee on lavender field....another use of 200-500...without being too close.</p>

<p>Bill Todd, love the feathers functioning as if toothpicks on this kitty. </p>

<p>Les</p>

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<p>Thanks Shun<br>

John - keep breaking the "rules"</p>

<p><img src="/photo/18267028" alt="" />When I tried fill-flash I had a malfunction so under fairly dark conditions and High ISO I grabbed this family feeding and they felt quite comfortable with me which is unusual for 'bird' life around here.</p><div></div>

<p>In the back yard</p>

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<p>Seems like Laura and Christopher's pictures of snakes with big appetites the past two weeks have started a trend that isn't about to stop. In this week's case the ambitious snake has definitely bitten off more than it could swallow - the catfish's pectoral spines were obviously not going in.</p>

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<p>Paul, what a mouthful! I wonder how the snake can deal with the barbs on the end of the pectoral fins. They are quite sharp. Where's the dorsal fin?</p>

<p>Turk's Cap in the wild: Laurel Springs, NC </p><div></div>

<p>Wayne, welcome back.</p>