This month's photo potpourri is gathered from the June, 2012 archives, and features the themes of critters, fences, skies, macros and reflections. Can I find images that properly portray these memes? Whether or not I can do justice to the protocol, this brings back great memories of days past. I started the month in Illinois and returned to Florida a few days later, only to return north at the end of June in time to share some exciting moments with our granddaughters.
CRITTER:
A fitting symbol of the Midwestern plains is this American Goldfinch on thistle, June 1, 2012 in Batavia, Illinois:
Back in Florida, I shot through the window as I watched this Great Blue Heron tackle the job of swallowing an exotic Plecostoma (common aquarium fish) in the back yard (June 6, 2012):
Almost ready to swallow:
Down the hatch!
Another back yard subject was this Wood Stork, shading the water as it foraged (June 6, 2012):
It is always a treat to see a deer, especially this nice 8-point White-tailed buck, in our local wetlands (Miramar, Florida, June 10, 2012):
A Common Basilisk, one of the hordes of exotic species that have found homes in Florida (June 11, 2012):
Black Swallowtail butterfly laying eggs on our parsley:
MACRO: Black Swallowtail egg:
A Black Swallowtail caterpillar spinning the silk tether for its chrysalis (June 13 in the back yard):
The finished product of its labors, which we then carried in our luggage on our flight to Illinois:
Linking to I Heart Macro by Laura
Back in Illinois, on June 26, our granddaughters ponder the mystery of the butterfly's emergence:
Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,
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FENCE:
Ready to release the butterfly in their back yard:
Linking to GOOD FENCES by Tex (Theresa).
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SKY:
Shelf cloud over our second home in North Aurora, Illinois on June 29, 2012
Unsettled sunrise from our back patio, June 11, 2012, our 52nd Wedding Anniversary!:
Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy
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REFLECTION:
Not many reflections this month, but here is a stork with reflections of our neighbors' homes (June 9, 2012)
Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James
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Also:
Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni
Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart
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Wonderful series of shots, Ken! Your grandchildren with the butterflies are awesome images. Nice memories. And the bird shots are all great, love the basilisk. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteawesome array, again! sweet grandgirls. :) that gbh swallowing that aquarium fish!!! sure hope that fish wasn't yours! :)
ReplyDeleteLovely that you live in such a wonderful position overlooking that lake. Your grands' are gorgeous as are all the bird images.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazing and precious shots.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos all around! Those shelf clouds are so dramatic. I find them a bit scary when I've seen them here at home from time to time. Funny enough I don't ever remember seeing any as a child. Love to see children exploring the awesome world around them too!
ReplyDeletevery nice photos - I like the one of the bird eating the fish :-)
ReplyDeleteFantastic sky
ReplyDeletewow, amazing photos! i admire your paticence, and your attention for details of nature. thanks for sharing - have a beautiful sky week~
ReplyDeleteKen, I am just stopping back again to say thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteGreat collection of photos - especially the heron in action.
ReplyDeleteLovely young ladies too.
What stunning photographs! Delighted to have found your blog :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful collection. Really neat shots of the birds in action. I also love the shots of your granddaughters with the butterfly.
ReplyDeleteTruly spectacular photography with a variety of subjects; and that sunset shot is "smashing good!!"
ReplyDeleteOoops - I guess it was a "Sunrise" shot! :)
ReplyDeleteWow - quite an eventful June! I hope this year proves as exciting! Thanks for sharing these!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos! Really impressive! Beautiful images of the animals, birds and sky! The kids are so cute enjoying the butterflies as well.
ReplyDeleteThat Goldfinch is a wonderful looking bird - and the fish is very strange looking!
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne (airport)
Great shots of your daughters.
ReplyDeleteAnd I must say, the shots of a Great Blue Heron eating a fish are spectacular...but even rarer, the fish is a Plecostomus!
I got my first aquarium for getting good grades in 1st grade. I knew what a Plecostomus was long before I'd heard of a Great Blue Heron.
~
Where to begin....
ReplyDeleteThe bird photos....actually in my opinion, that very first image is like a work of art!!! The finch is absolutely perfect in every way. Also, the wood stork....that is the most 'action' I've ever seen in a stork...'round here all they do is stand. lol
Then, your granddaughters....so precious, the photos of them with the butterflies are priceless!!
The sky...phenomenal. The deer is so beautiful.
My goodness...a post filled with beauty all the way 'round!!!
Oh, and Ken....thanks for the input on the siren salamander. I saw those near the head/mouth and wondered myself...knowing that an eel doesn't have feet...I assumed 'fins'. But then again, eels only have the one long dorsal fin I believe. Thanks again for setting me straight. I appreciate your knowledge! I'm gonna go correct it right now.
Fantastic series on the butterfly!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos...really very impresive...The girls are very cute...
ReplyDeleteGreat collection of photos once again! I love the deer and the basilisk.
ReplyDeleteEverything is beautiful (in its own way, thinking of the basilisk) ... But the pictures of your grand girls contemplating the butterfly that you brought to them still wrapped up have to be my all time favorites (and yours too I should imagine). Could there be a better gift from Florida!!! Wow.
ReplyDeleteSo many wonderful animals and creatures. Love the butterfly stage of life you captured and showed.
ReplyDeleteI don't even know where to begin there are so many wonderful shots. That Basilisk is a pretty cool creature. Love that your granddaughters are learning about nature with you.
ReplyDeleteYou've got some really amazing wildlife over there. I bet that Heron felt quite full for a while.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness that fish the Heron is trying to eat is huge.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fancy fish he is swallowing! The long trip for the Swallowtail and photos with the grandkids are amazing. That is such a gorgeous sunset with all the streaks and colors!
ReplyDeleteits a great post and a lovely idea to go back into your archives and produce a montage of images from a certain month, I think I may well pinch your idea in the future. Some really wonderful images too
ReplyDeleteRegards
Dave
What a fabulous series Kenneth from top to bottom, so enjoyable to see the beautiful birds, the progress of catching a fish and swallowing it WHOLE, the butterflies, eggs, pupa and your granddaughters in their delight. And wow that sky and water reflection, fantastic!!! Thanks for sharing the love up-close with I Heart Macro ♥
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post.
ReplyDelete