Uploads from Fort Photo, tagged animal

Waxwing Berry Delivery System

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:15:45 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

I think this Cedar Waxwing was the berry-toss grand champion this year! ;-)))

Have a great weekend ahead all!

Lil' Fruitcake

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 07:47:40 -0800

Fort Photo posted a photo:

A Black-capped Chickadee gleefully runs down a mountain ash branch with its quarry of a tiny and surely tasty berry. ;-)))

Wintering Bald Eagle Gazing

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:47:05 -0800

Fort Photo posted a photo:

Late last winter I came across this locally wintering Bald Eagle gazing across a large population of waterfowl most likely waiting for his chance.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Diagnostic Mourning Dove

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 07:36:01 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

A Mourning Dove enjoys a water feature at a garden in front of the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ. Sometimes common birds are fun to photograph too!

Happy Feathery Friday All! :-)))

Wild Equine Exuberance

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 07:27:49 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

When we visited the Red Desert in southern Wyoming for the Perseid Meteor Shower we were lucky enough to see gobs of wild horses! Note the birds racing right along side the horses as they sail across the prairie at peak run.

Happy weekend ahead all!

Oh my, what big feet you have!

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:56:04 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

An American Coot shows off its gargantuan foot. Although they look like ducks, the coot's lack of webbed feet helps point out they are not closely related. In reality, coots are more related to Sandhill Cranes and rails than ducks.

Coot feet are really impressive. From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology,

"...each one of the coot’s long toes has broad lobes of skin that help it kick through the water. The broad lobes fold back each time the bird lifts its foot, so it doesn’t impede walking on dry land, though it supports the bird’s weight on mucky ground."

Fright Flight of the Snow Geese

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:00:52 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

Update time on the stolen photo! The contest has disqualified the thief's entry and I think we are on our way to a happy resolution. Thanks to those who offered advice and emailed the contest!

April 2011 Update on this Image--

As my longtime contacts know, I'm not in the habit of bumping old posts to the top of my stream. I like to keep things fresh and moving, but unfortunately I've been alerted that this image has been stolen and so I am opting to bounce it up to the top of my stream to hopefully get out the word.

I found out last night that some nitwit stole this photograph and entered it into a Jeep photo contest in Mexico. I found out because my image won first place netting the thief a free vacation (not overall grand prize, so really my image came in second) and people started emailing me about it. So now I've reached out to Jeep and am hopeful with Chrysler being a major business that they will not want to award a prize to a fraud. Sadly, the early signs are it's going to be a pain to get them to right the situation.

This has opened up a can of worms on sharing media online and whether watermarking is a good idea or even effective (esp. if watermarked tastefully). Anyone want to give their thoughts on the subject? In some ways, I sort of chalk up online image theft as inevitable if you post images online and someone wants one badly enough. On the other hand, before I had my images online I sure didn't have 3.5 million views on my work either so the entry cost almost seems worth it. Perhaps it's just the cost of doing business in the digital age? Am I hopelessly optimistic/naive?

In any case, I'm flattered my image was chosen for the prize in such a large photo contest (over 14k entries). The internet is a crazy place!

Original posting from Jan. 2007 below:

Please View 'Fright Flight of the Snow Geese' Large On Black

A feeding flock of Snow Geese take flight after being scared from the cornfield at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. Often it's a coyote that spooks them or other predators. While not equal in flock size to the morning fly out, these "fright flights" are an impressive spectacle in and of themselves.

Black-crowned Night Heron Downbeat

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 07:36:56 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

This picture highlights the takeoff flight strong downbeat wing action of a Back-crowned Night Heron in the late evening sun.

Spring activities are picking up at he heron rookery at Glenmere Park in Greeley! So far the Cattle Egrets, Black-crowned Night Herons and cormorants are back and soon to be joined by Snowy Egret and Great Blue Heron (as of this last Friday). If you're a birder in northern Colorado, the park makes for a wonderful picnic and birding outing this time of year.

White-crowned Sparrow Batik

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 07:55:49 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

This beautiful sparrow was a visiting my parent's back porch on our visit, what a cutie! The creamy background reminds me of batik fabric thanks to the depth of field/bokeh.

Happy Feathery Friday All!

Acorn Woodpecker Spring Home Inspection

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 12:46:58 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

Acorn Woodpeckers are another colorful avian resident of Arizona's "Sky Islands" that we were lucky to get to see on our recent family trip. Here's one half a breeding pair we watched for awhile in Madera Canyon checking out the home front.

Happy Friday All!

Elegant Trogon Sighting!

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 07:41:36 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

I've been hoping to see an Elegant Trogon ever since my parents moved near Madera Canyon in SE Arizona, and on our second visit Madera delivered! We even got to hear their awesome odd frog-like song that goes Ko-ah, Ko-ah. What a spectacle of a bird!!!

These tropical birds only make it into SE Arizona (prefering "Madrean sky islands") and a small patch of SW New Mexico-- making them very special and rare in the United States. For nesting they often use old woodpecker cavities (there are plenty of these in Madera). In the U.S. portion of their range they migrate and don't often return until April, so this was a lucky sighting indeed!

Muskrat Cuteness!

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:34:33 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

If you ever get a chance to watch a muskrat feeding, do! They are adorable to watch eat, acting somewhat reminiscent of an otter enjoying it's food. Their human-like hands add to the cute-factor mood (see additional photo featuring this in the comments, also note the long claws used for digging burrows).

BE-IF

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 08:14:18 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

***Please View Large on Black for Best Detail (Press "L" for lightbox view or click here)***

Yep, a BE-IF (Bald Eagle in Flight). ;-)))

Last night I was on a walk with my father-in-law around the lake near his house when this guy flew right over us in perfect evening light--what a gift! Note that this one appears to have been banded.

Innocence Hidden in Plain Sight

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 13:31:48 -0800

Fort Photo posted a photo:

The white spots of a fawn help it to blend in with the speckled sunshine common in the forest such as seen here.

Alfred Hitch-owl Presents

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:04:35 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

View Large on Black

Inspecting the side silhouette view of this Burrowing Owl I instantly thought of that famous side profile of Alfred Hitchcock. Look carefully at the large version and you can see eyes and feather detail even to some extent.

Mountain Plover: A Misnomer in Trouble

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:45:03 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

Please View Large on Black to better see the birdie. ;-)

In at least the breeding sense, the name Mountain Plover is a bit of a misnomer for this bird. Over half the world's breeding population of the species nests in Colorado, and they do so primarily in the Central Shortgrass Prairie. They especially like to breed in prairies grazed by prairie dogs, bison and cattle. The one pictured here is in mostly native shortgrass prairie in the Pawnee Grasslands of NE Colorado.

Unfortunately, with their winter habitat in peril and shrinkage in breeding range due to development, they are a declining grassland species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday that they are reinstating a proposal to list the Mountain Plover as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The final decision will come after research and public comment by May 1, 2011.

To learn more about the species in Colorado see here; and to read about the US Fish and Wildlife Service decision, see here.

Swallowtail Mineral Lick Puddle Club

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:41:38 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

Please View Large on Black

Many butterflies like to siphon mineral salts from exposed soils and evaporating mud puddles. These butterfly "puddle clubs" form in places such as along dirt roads and paths where water regularly accumulates after rain and evaporates, concentrating the nutrients. Butterflies will even continue to visit these sites after the puddles have dried up. They exude saliva through their proboscis (tongue) and then suck up the nutrients.

Grassland Songster Stage Show Grand Finale

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:22:13 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

Please View Large on Black for best feather detail.

And with a toss of his head back this male Western Meadowlark sings his distinctive call that to me is a diagnostic sound of the Central Shortgrass Prairie. It just wouldn't be the same without the meadowlarks on stage belting it out.

Happy Feathery Friday All!

Thought I would share this on a lark...

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:44:25 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

Please View Large on Black

As in a Lark Sparrow that is. ;-)))

Hope everyone has a great week ahead!

Keeping Watch Over the Flock

nobody@flickr.com (Fort Photo) — Wed, 12 May 2010 19:56:41 -0700

Fort Photo posted a photo:

Count the turtles best by Viewing Large on Black.

I give you a 9-turtle shepherd Canada Goose. ;-)

Happy Shepherd of the Turtles Bokeh Wednesday!

Shot Notes: The green color in the water is from reflecting trees above.