Monday in Nature Weekly Photo Feb. 17, 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 features, 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 Monday Morning,<br>

Snow, ice, floods.....many are taking a beating this winter. It feels like it will never end, but we all know better. Soon enough we'll feel the same temps as folks down under.....well, .......... maybe not even close to soon enough. Until then the Winter Olympics are in the second week and what a diversion these games have been. But, there are some incredible competitions going on in nature that would rival a Russia Canada hockey match. In the name of some good hearted fun, let's take a look at some of the events in the Nature Games.</p>

<p><strong> Sea Floor Spread:</strong> Team <em>Mid Atlantic</em> is a strong contender churning out new ocean floor at a rate of 2.2 inches (3.6 cm) per year. They'll have to bring their best race against Team <em>East Pacific</em>, a powerhouse tectonic plate pusher clocking in at 12.6 inches (32.2 cm) per year.<br>

<strong> Butterfly Relays:</strong> There's a keen balance of speed and endurance as these teams race across a meadow the size of Spain. Team <em>Monarch Mania</em> are calculating, with Blues, Monarchs, and Skippers on the anchor leg. Team <em>Frenetic Fritters</em> are confident with Whites, Fritillaries, and Hawk Moths finishing up. The elements are always a factor and it will surely be an exciting race. Get your cameras ready.<br>

<strong> Diving, Aquatic Avian Division:</strong> Summer or winter, these teams train hard at diving from the air and water surface. Speed, accuracy, the ability to hit the water clean and dive deep are all key to success. Team <em>Avian Attitudinals</em> are diverse and draw on the individual strengths brought by members Cormorants, Penguins, and Kingfishers. A "get down to business" demeanor characterizes Team <em>Birds With Brains</em>. Made up of Gannets, Pelicans, and Loons, they are sleek and powerful. They're all a treat for photographers, both under and above the water.</p>

<p>It's Monday in Nature, so grab your camera.......the games are on. To all who are shoveling snow and getting battered by the elements, hang in there. It might be a good week for archives because it sure has been hard to get out.</p><div></div>

<p>From the archives from last summer. A Gnarled old stump of a Maclura pomifera tree, more commonly known as a hedge apple, horse apple, or what we call them here in Ohio, Monkey Ball tree. A very hard wood which makes ideal fence posts and some folks say makes the best bows for archery.</p><div></div>

<p>Snow last week and predicted temps of 70 by Thursday. Crazy winter weather.</p>

<p>I frequent a small lake near my home to photograph waterfowl which are nearly always present. This weekend proved to be different. Only a few gulls and some shy cormorants. This gull stood its ground for as long as it bravery held out then gave me a disdainful look and took off to the other side of the lake.</p><div></div>

<p>Red Admiral at Lady Bird Wildflower Center in Austin.</p><div></div>

<p>My first post here, after some prompting by Rick. Lichen <em>Cladonia ?macilenta</em>.</p><div></div>

<p>Greetings from the depths of northern Ontario.<br>

-29C this morning <strong><em>again</em></strong>! <br>

Here's this morning's setting moon. Too bad the cold crisp air can't make up for my dirty windows.</p><div></div>

<p>John Farrar, welcome to MiN. I've admired your photography over in the Olympus forum. This is beautiful.</p>

<p>John - Thanks for showing up with a stellar contribution.<br>

I'm following Laura with gold, silver, and bronze. Ice & Dawn Redwood</p><div></div>

<p>Female Cardinal</p><div></div>

<p>A touching moment between a parent and offspring. Taken at the Venice Rookery yesterday. It almost brought tears to my eyes when I saw this happen. This was not a feeding event, just a moment of interaction. </p><div></div>

<p>Beautiful Rick.<br>

Love your Cardinal Wayne.</p>

<p>AJ</p>

<p>Cold winter evening.</p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17685986-lg.jpg" alt="" width="680" height="413" /></p>

<p>Always a lurker out here, but rarely post. Got a couple this weekend that my wife thinks are 'cute.' Poor little fellas.</p><div></div>

<p>I am in La Jolla in southern California, near San Diego. This was the first time I saw a cormorant in this type of mating plumage.</p>

<p>Nikon D7100 with 600mm lens, @ f4, 1/800 sec and ISO 200.</p><div></div>

<p>And another. Both taken with Pentax K5ii and Sigma 100-300 lens at 300.</p><div></div>

<p>Well, it's a bit warmer down here in Costa Rica. Here's a snail that was feeding on the algae that grows on the leaves due to the humidity.<br>

<a href="/photo/17683858&size=lg"><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17683858-md.jpg" alt="" width="680" height="489" /></a><br>

Click on the image to see it larger.</p>

<p>Record-breaking floods and gales here in the UK. Here is a shot of a spider's web on some holly.</p><div></div>

<p>Spring is coming. Found this glass snake in the garden as I was cleaning it out to prepare for planting yesterday.</p><div></div>

<p>From last week's refuge trip.</p><div></div>

<p>A decidedly stern look from a burrowing owl</p><div></div>

<p>Wonderful shots everyone. Weather certainly has been cold for the south. I think Mother Nature is a bit confused. For many days the weather was cold, then for the past 2 days we have gotten close to 70 F. I found a newly emerged Monarch hanging on to the only greenery still in the garden. I wondered what is it going to eat , as all the nectar producing plants have not survived the winter of 2014. Off it flew , with me wondering what would happen to her. Lo and behold yesterday still out pulling up dead bushes , there she is hanging on to the Nile Lilly leaf. I carefully place some cut fruit close to her hoping she would eat. Well , I notice she can hardly fly, but jumps on to my hand and won't leave. I figure she is looking for some warmth.<br>

So, she is now in a box with sugar water in a sponge and some cut fruit. She made it through the night. Not sure what else to do for her . Here is a picture I took of her before I realized she had some problems.</p>

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<p>noticed a nice bank of clouds moving east when i was filling the birdfeeder this morning so i hightailed to one of the only decent sunrise locations near me......that warm looking sunrise belies the -2 F morning we had here in Iceland...err, i mean Ohio</p><div></div>

<p>I posted this over on the Nikon list last week, so apologies in advance, but this is a Texas Spiny Lizard from over at Bull Creek. She was just thawing out, it seemed, and rather sluggish. I did assist her in moving to a better rock, as the local dogs were beginning to harass. This is with the 60mm macro. <br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17681337-lg.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="700" /></p>

<p>Over in Marin County, the rains this past week came in greater abundance. Along with them came a good growth of this marasmioid (I think) fungus. </p><div></div>

<p>A robin in the frozen food section.</p>

<p><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/renegade54/renegade54008/_EDC6938_zpsb340c040.jpg" alt="" width="595" height="700" /></p>