Another friend from my time in the #Daintree. I love this #rainforest.
#Autralia #Queensland #Photography #Fotografie #Nature #Natur #NatureLovers #NestingBird #NatureShots #Birdstagram #BirdLife #WildlifePerfection #BirdWatching #PhotographyLovers #WildlifePhotography #BirdPhotograph #Tropen #Regenwald
Ruling the Air
I saw a purple martin a little bit ago, while sitting outside with my wife and Charlie. I've been wanting to photograph one of those, but I didn't have my camera. The bird flew into a tree right in front of me. What is worse is that a falcon or small hawk followed the purple martin into the tree, snatched it, and flew away.
Here’s an image of a red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) soaring overhead, surveying the backyard birds a couple of years ago. Cleverly, it blended in among the vultures, using their presence as cover. Not long before I captured this photograph, I found a small puff of feathers in the yard—perhaps a sign of the hawk’s stealthy hunt.
Check out breathtaking photos of magnificent birds of prey, visit my photo gallery here:
Life on a Dead Tree
When we stay close to home, we often walk the perimeter of our large yard and into the woods behind the house. While walking out front, I always check the top of a dead tree that rises above a wooded area across an open field in a neighbor's yard—a frequent perch for birds. It's far enough away that, while I can see a bird at the top, I usually can't identify it. Most of the time, it’s just a dark silhouette shifting the tree’s shape. In the case of these cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum), I had no idea what they were until I examined the photographs. One bird even appears to be singing.
My photo gallery features over 1200 carefully selected images. While most are chosen for their visual appeal, a few stand out as novelty shots. Feel free to explore my gallery at:
Good morning. 
13 May 2025
Hopefully, today is a yardwork day. I tend to put things off whenever I feel like it, but the ever-growing grass serves as a reminder that I need to take action—kind of like my cluttered desktop. For weeks, I've been telling myself I need to clear it off, yet I let things stay there simply as reminders that each item requires attention. You see how that works, right? Then there's the water bottle in the corner—I have no idea why it's there, but it's been sitting for a while. A mystery not worth solving. I also need to vacuum my office floor. The Roomba comes through every morning, but lately, it just seems to shuffle things around.
"Procrastination is like a credit card: it's a lot of fun until you get the bill." — Christopher Parker
Broad-Winged Hawk in Flight
This is a broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus) that I spot occasionally. I was fortunate with this photograph—the hawk banked just right, allowing me to capture its top side. Lately, I haven't seen many hawks, though that might be because I often sit under the canopy of my pergola, unaware of what's soaring overhead.
Check out breathtaking photos of magnificent birds of prey, visit my photo gallery here:
Hidden in the Thicket
Charlie and I set out again this morning, and about halfway through our walk, we spotted a male pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) hammering away at an old tree near a quiet city street. I couldn’t get a clear shot at first, but the bird lingered just long enough for me to adjust my shutter speed and aperture to work around the tangle of branches. When he finally took off, he flew across the street and perched briefly in the open—just long enough to tease me, but not long enough for me to get my camera in position.
Explore more chic woodpecker photos by visiting my photo gallery.
Good morning. 
12 May 2025
"... Good friend, why did you have to go?
Just when I was getting to know you
I'll sing this song to show
You were a good friend
They don't make 'em quite like you
And in my memory
You'll always be a good good friend to me.
You said I got a home, boy
Haven't seen it for so long
Said I'm going home, boy
My work is done
I can feel it in my bones. ..." - David M. Ellingson and Kim Carnes.
"You Were A Good Friend" is a song performed by Kenny Rogers. I remember it well because I had the album—and I probably still have it tucked away in the back of my little garage. It’s one of those songs you only recall if you owned the record. Kim Carnes, one of the song’s writers, is also known for her hit "Bette Davis Eyes."
"True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable." – David Tyson
Bald Eagle in Flight
I captured this photograph near my home in Louisiana a couple of years ago while out walking with my dogs. Suddenly, a bald eagle soared overhead, creating an unforgettable moment. Though these majestic birds do inhabit Louisiana, spotting one is rare—unlike in some northern regions where they can be as common as pigeons.
Check out breathtaking photos of magnificent birds of prey, visit my photo gallery here:
Zafra (Badajoz, Spain).
Blue Jay’s Summit
Charlie lingers nearby, moping as he waits for us to head outside. Meanwhile, I remain glued to my work—what a bummer. I’d better hurry. During our outdoor excursion, yesterday, I spotted a blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata). Its poised stance intrigued me, especially given that it was perched at the very top of a pine tree, a striking contrast to the world below.
If you're enchanted by images of blue jays and other captivating corvids, dive into my photo gallery for a visual treat! Take a peek:
Good morning. 
11 May 2025
Today turned unexpectedly cool—with temperatures in the 50s and 60s. I know that in some places, this is the perfect time to break out the swimwear. Speaking of swimming, I haven't taken a dip since the mid-nineties. I used to glide through water like a fish—well, maybe not completely like one, considering I still need to come up for air. The last time I swam was at Waikiki in the Pacific Ocean, which unfortunately resulted in an ear infection that eventually became chronic. Besides, my wife doesn't swim. I once tried teaching her back when we were much younger and I lived in an apartment complex with an indoor pool—it was as challenging as giving a cat a bath. Still, when we visit the beach these days, we might just dip our feet in the water.
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
A female common baskettail dragonfly (Epitheca cynosura) in the yard today. #dragonfly #dragonflies #Odonata #Illinois #nature #macro #photography #wildlifephotography #photographylovers
Rustic Roost
During my morning walk with Charlie, I came across another woodpecker. This one, a slightly scruffy-looking red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), had chosen an intriguing perch—perfectly centered atop a weathered power pole.
Explore more chic woodpecker photos by visiting my photo gallery.
Echoes in the Bark
Wow, I saw my first red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) in years! It was clinging to the side of a large pine tree near the edge of town just as Charlie arrived during our walk. I apologize for the photo’s quality—I had my walking-around camera, a Canon 6D Mark II with a Canon 100-400mm lens and a 1.4X Extender, which isn’t quite as powerful as my 5D. The bird was also pretty far away, and Charlie, always eager to help, was gently tugging at the leash as I took the shots. That said, the photo isn’t terrible—though maybe cropped in a bit too much. They really are striking birds, aren’t they?
Explore more chic woodpecker photos by visiting my photo gallery.
Just a shell in the sand #PhotographyIsArt #photographer #photographylovers
