Charlie and the Nature Factory [Warning: Stunningly Beautiful Large Photo Images]

BeatrixKiddo

Is it summer yet???
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We used to have hummingbirds in our back yard growing up. My momma got a feeder for them and put sugar water in the feeders. They loved it, but so did the bees, which sometimes scared the hummingbirds away if they were monopolizing the feeders.

My lesson for today...don't leave sugar water out for hummingbirds if you don't want bees. Darn bees.
 

Silver King

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That anhinga looks so soft! I read once upon a time they air themselves out after a catch because they don't have the oil in their feathers to make them water-proof like other water birds. Am I remembering right?
Yes, you are. They can still fly when wet but with great difficulty and only for short distances. With their wings spread, they dry out fairly quickly, within a few minutes or so. They're great to photograph, as they don't spook easily and have a lot of personality. :)

He's a cormorant, right? The anhingas have white heads?
From a distance they appear similar, but the cormorant (double-crested) sports different coloring, a hooked beak and narrower tail. I posted an image of a juvenile here recently and will look for a photo of an adult to share that better shows their differences.

And if someone copied you, they'd have a....Trout Mask Replica. ;)
Oh, man. That's right up my alley!

Can I have a high res copy of this photo, SK?

Yes, of course. I'll send it right over.

I've always thought anhingas were just black, but the shade of blue you've captured...combined with the yellow and green beak, and red eye...it's just stunning.
It's interesting how the males appear blue-black in certain conditions; at other times they show dark green mixed in as well. Of course lighting and the reflection from their surroundings blend with their natural coloring to help change their true appearance.

Great photo!
Thank you. I must have several hundred photos of anhingas, but those last two I posted are my new favorites. :)

...I was standing on my porch this morning waiting for the dog to do his business and a hummingbird swooped down in front of me and hovered above some lavender I have in planters on poles. He stayed there for probably close to a minute, so close to my face that my eyes crossed.

I'll admit that it frightened me a little, which I know is silly. I think I prefer just to see them in pictures. :)
Waits patiently for kayleamay to post pictures of the encounter...
 

sailor

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This is for the resident fisherman.

Fraser River white sturgeon

The Fraser is one of the few rivers on the westcoast that doesn't have any dams along it. It's also one of the longest. Therefore the sturgeon can come and go to the ocean as they please. It also is one of the only ones where young are still hatched without intervention. Along the Columbia River, groups catch sturgeon and harvest the eggs and sperm for hatcheries. Years ago, the fishery almost wiped them out but now there is a strict 100% catch and release policy. The majority of the fishing guides work with the sturgeon conservation society and take appropriate measurements and check for electronic tags.
 

heyjude

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I won't post pictures here, cause they have my kiddos in them, but the other day we were standing on the bank of the lake and some otters came to check us out. One otter was particularly interested in my dd (she's 9). He rose up out of the water to get a better view of her and started making noises at her like a soft bark. It was a great experience for her, especially. She was tickled pink!

I love Florida. AND dear dog and I haven't been chased by a gator in weeks. Win!
 

AbielleRose

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I won't post pictures here, cause they have my kiddos in them, but the other day we were standing on the bank of the lake and some otters came to check us out. One otter was particularly interested in my dd (she's 9). He rose up out of the water to get a better view of her and started making noises at her like a soft bark. It was a great experience for her, especially. She was tickled pink!

I love Florida. AND dear dog and I haven't been chased by a gator in weeks. Win!


Aww, that sounds so sweet! Otters are adorable. :D
 

rhymegirl

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Does anyone know where the Fish is? Haven't seen him for days. I'm getting worried.
 

swachski

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Hope he's taking a few photos while he's there. *hint hint*
 

rhymegirl

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I think this thread needs some new pics.

Here are some flowers I liked:
barfl1012.jpg


And a cool tree in my neighborhood:

unustree.jpg
 

Silver King

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This is for the resident fisherman.

Fraser River white sturgeon
Great clip! I've watched it three times in a row and still haven't gotten my fill.

Does anyone know where the Fish is? Haven't seen him for days. I'm getting worried.
He's back now and very touched by your concern. :)

Hope he's taking a few photos while he's there. *hint hint*
I took several hundred but haven't decided yet which ones to share. I'll make up my mind in the next day or so...

Do we really want to see SK spawning?
The visual alone should send folks sprawling. ;)
 

AbielleRose

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I think this thread needs some new pics.

Here are some flowers I liked:
barfl1012.jpg


And a cool tree in my neighborhood:

unustree.jpg


Those are absolutely beautiful! I love big, old trees like that. There was one at a house I stayed at years ago when I visited outside of Stamford, CT. I was there in the fall and couldn't believe how gorgeous all the winding roads and huge, colorful trees were! (North Dakota doesn't have much for trees. :()
 

rhymegirl

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Those are absolutely beautiful! I love big, old trees like that. There was one at a house I stayed at years ago when I visited outside of Stamford, CT. I was there in the fall and couldn't believe how gorgeous all the winding roads and huge, colorful trees were! (North Dakota doesn't have much for trees. :()

I've been trying to think of a way to describe what I love about this particular tree.

It's different from every other tree in my neighborhood. The branches and leaves seem to fan out into a triangular shape around the trunk of the tree. And it stands there in the middle of the field, a nice shelter from the heat for the kids (or anybody) in hot weather and provides some fun climbing for the kids, too.

I can't help but stare up at it whenever I'm walking by.
 

Silver King

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It's hard to tell for sure, but the tree might be an ash. Can you take a picture of one of its leaves and post it here? That would be the easiest way to identify the tree, and I'm curious to know what it is.
 

rhymegirl

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It's hard to tell for sure, but the tree might be an ash. Can you take a picture of one of its leaves and post it here? That would be the easiest way to identify the tree, and I'm curious to know what it is.

Sure. But right now it's dark outside. :D
 

AbielleRose

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I've been trying to think of a way to describe what I love about this particular tree.

It's different from every other tree in my neighborhood. The branches and leaves seem to fan out into a triangular shape around the trunk of the tree. And it stands there in the middle of the field, a nice shelter from the heat for the kids (or anybody) in hot weather and provides some fun climbing for the kids, too.

I can't help but stare up at it whenever I'm walking by.

It's a 'grandmother' tree. Maybe I'm weird, but I believe all living things have a life force or a 'soul'. Trees always seem so protective and wise. That tree has lived for generations and seen souls enter the Earth and leave it.

I love thinking things like that- trees, books, etc...- are special in the fact that we're merely a small chapter of their long, peaceful life.
 

Haggis

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That tree reminds me of the old pictures I've seen of American Chestnut Trees. I know it can't be one. Can it?
 

rhymegirl

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It's hard to tell for sure, but the tree might be an ash. Can you take a picture of one of its leaves and post it here? That would be the easiest way to identify the tree, and I'm curious to know what it is.

I took pics and will post them tonight.