This month's potpourri gathered from the archives features the themes of critters, fences, skies, macros and reflections. It is a retrospective view of photos taken three years ago, in December, 2012. At the time I did not seek to portray each of these memes, so it is a bit of a scavenger hunt. Let's see how far I need to go into the month to find at least one of each. If I can get them all I will have won the game twelve months in a row since starting in January, 2015. This month's flashback tour was particularly easy, with an abundance of "critters" and completion of all of the themes by December 12.
As we set out for our morning walk into the wetlands a half hour before sunrise, the SKY as seen from the back yard of our home is colorful. It even shows some green (December 5, 2012):
It is just an abandoned utility easement, but the rising sun touches its far reaches, adding depth and vibrant color to the humble scene:
Roseate Spoonbills have extended their stay on the lake:
A spoonbill forages with a White Ibis and a Great Egret...
...as well as with an immature Little Blue Heron:
The flock of American White Pelicans returns:
A Snowy Egret seems unhappy about the presence of an immature Little Blue Heron, drives it away, and then lifts off, its "golden slippers" trailing behind...
...as a Tricolored Heron arrives to take their place:
A Belted Kingfisher flies over the assembly, its rattling call echoing:
A soaring Short-tailed Hawk is on the lookout for small birds:
An immature Little Blue Heron occupies the "Enchanted Island" stump, providing a nice REFLECTION on December 9:
Another Little Blue Heron, in adult plumage, takes flight:
Not even half way through, I completed my search for all required memes with this image of a Cooper's Hawk occupying a FENCE, on December 12:
There is no shortage of CRITTERS in my December archives, but I cannot pass by this MACRO view of a Northern Mockingbird on a fence post next to our home:
Earlier in the month, on December 5, I obtained MACRO shots of two butterflies-- a Soldier...
...and a White Peacock:
In the back yard, two White Ibises hurry by, photo-bombing a Great Blue Heron:
The ibises "cross swords":
On December 27, the local female Bald Eagle is low in the nest, incubating:
The month's not over yet! Near Everglades National Park, on December 30, I catch a Vermillion Flycatcher on a barbed wire FENCE:
So, we close out the year with another visit to the eagle nest. Both adults are now spending much time peering down into the nest, suggesting that the first egg is hatching:
Success! I have now found photos to match each of these memes for all 12 months in 2012!.
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Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,
Linking to GOOD FENCES by Tex (Theresa).
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 I Heart Macro by Laura
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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
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Mary Lou and I try to get out each morning about three-quarters to a half hour before sunrise, when the skies are clear and the air is often cool and still.
With the approach of winter, the period of twilight lengthens as the southward path of the rising sun rolls along just beneath the eastern horizon. On the first day of summer the Sun rises more directly and the sky takes less time to lighten up. This phenomenon is much more apparent nearer the Equator, where the "Dawn comes up like thunder," quickly turning from dark to light.
On November 6 our walk was cut short by the threat of rain. Just before sunrise, the eastern horizon appeard to be on fire ("Red in the morning, sailors take warning"):
On the way in it is usually too dark for photography, but on another morning I tried anyway as a Tricolored Heron flew past before sunrise...
...as did an Osprey:
Later in the day, a Loggerhead Shrike stood guard atop a Pond Cypress...
...and an American Kestrel perched on a leaf shoot from a Royal Palm :
At what remained of the once-thriving heron rookery, the only occupants were a female Yellow-crowned Night-Heron...
...and a Black-crowned Night-Heron:
Visitors from the north, two Eastern Phoebes shared the top of another cypress:
A Gulf Fritillary extracted nectar from a Lantana flower:
The fruits of Lantana attract buntings. A male and female Painted Bunting suddenly flew to a nearby perch:
I love to observe and photograph this species away from artificial feeders. The males are usually shy and retiring, so this was a lucky series of shots:
A female Painted Bunting perched on a tall grass stem:
An Ovenbird flew in but did not provide me with a clear view:
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird foraged in a Ligustrum bush. I could not see it in the viewfinder but clicked the shutter blindly several times. It happened to appear in one photo:
Black-throated Green Warblers foraged in the Live Oaks:
They are very active, flitting among the branches in search of caterpillars:
These flowers were tiny, less than 1/2 inch wide. I got this shot with my Canon PowerShot SX700 HS in macro mode, hand held. Image stabilization is amazing. It is just a "weed" (Largeflower Mexican Clover -- Richardia grandiflora), but close up it looks like a magnificent bouquet.
On November 9 the clouds moved in a bit later in the morning:
We kept a wary eye on the storm as we walked back towards home:
At the gate, the Ixora blossoms attracted butterflies:
Among them, a tiny Tropical Checkered-skipper with a wingspan of less than an inch:
Fog lifting on opposite shore:
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,
Linking to GOOD FENCES by Tex (Theresa).
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 I Heart Macro by Laura
________________________________________________
Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
________________________________________________