Crops & Clips: Flashback to December, 2013

This post concludes two years of monthly searches through my photo archives for images which match the themes of critters, fences, skies, flowers, macros and reflections. This is a peek through the retroscope at photos taken three years ago, in December, 2013. 

This process brings to mind the creatures and sights I might expect to see once again at this time of year. Let's see how far I need to go into the month to find at least one for each meme. I have won this self-imposed contest twenty-four months in a row since starting in January, 2015. It has been fun but I must decide whether to continue.

It was a colorful month, with a spectacular rainbow followed the next morning by a brilliant sunrise over our back yard lake, on December 26 (click on images for expanded views):





On the day before Christmas, sun, spider silk and dewdrops had combined to produce a rainbow effect:



A Common Buckeye carried its own rainbow colors:



A Boat-tailed Grackle's iridescent cloak added to the mix:



The palette included this back-lit Tricolored Heron:



The Lantana was not content to exhibit only one hue in its flowers...



...as well as its berries:



The frontal shield of a Gray-headed Swamphen glares as, parrot-like, it uses its prehensile foot to uproot a tasty shoot of spike-rush:



A male Anhinga dons turquoise goggles for the breeding season:



More primary color is contributed by this male Northern Cardinal:



A Great Egret's white reflects on blue:



Its background colors show through as this huge Green Iguana fades with age (click on image for better view):



Green shows up well on these female Painted Buntings as they splash in a mud puddle:



The American Kestrel is a bright little falcon:



The "eyes had it" in December, starting with these Burrowing Owls...



...those of a pair of Egyptian Geese...



...a vignetted Great Horned Owl...



...and my reflection in the eye of this Gray Squirrel:



Look closely-- that indeed is me with my hat and camera!



Alas, on first try I found no fence for Theresa's meme. Maybe those far-away fences in the rainbow photo will suffice. Another search provided a better example. Our home is the brownish one on the left without a fence, but look at those of some of my neighbors across the water!



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Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to GOOD FENCES by Gosia

Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy

Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James

Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart

Linking to Today's Flowers Friday by Denise

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue
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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display

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