As we enter autumn, I relish the falling leaves and the cooler air, but I feel a bit of nostalgia for North Texas summer plants. Some would call this budding thistle a weed, but I call it lovely. I made this photo in the heat of summer with a Canon 5dsr loaner and my 100mm macro. The 24 x 20 inch print is still on display at the Southlake Town Hall with some of my other photos--you can see them through Nov. 4.
When you get lucky, 2
This is another one of the frames I managed to capture when the female painted bunting and her fledgling were hanging around the bird feeder. For a second or two they both clung to this plant stalk. Prior to this time, I'd only seen the male, swathed in blue, red and yellow. The females blend much more closely into the environment with their subtle green color.
when you get lucky
All summer our bird feeder has been visited by a male painted bunting. He's resplendent with blue, red and yellow colors. These are such brilliantly colored birds that people sometimes think they're exotic, not native. But yes, they are native to parts of Texas. I'd captured a few frames of the male--or males, I'm not sure if I've been seeing the same one or several--but the lighting has never been great when I've seen it. And I'd never seen the females; they're harder to spot. They're a pale green and either they'd not come to the feeder before or I'd not noticed the faint hues that set them apart from the other birds.
Last week, I saw an interesting interaction near the feeder. A bird feeding a fledgling. She'd grab seeds from the feeder and then flit down to the fledgling. Of course, I grabbed the camera. Through the lens, I saw the faint green hues. Finally! The elusive female painted bunting had shown herself. She's been back nearly every day since. I've had the camera ready.
More nature!
In anticipation of an event coming up next week, here's my photo essay that ran in 76092 Magazine last month. Two things have helped me cope with grief after mother's death in 2014--Camp Gladiator boot camp and a return to photographing the natural world around me. The latter is what this essay is about; turning my eye to the world around me after years of being focused on caregiving has been healing.
If you'd like to read it, here's the link--scroll to page 36: http://www.76092magazine.com/july-august-2016.htm
Stay tuned--if you're in North Texas you'll soon have an opportunity to see some of the essay photos as big prints!
Nature--it's everywhere.
Last week I was asked to get a photo from the Bob Jones Nature Center and Preserve on deadline for 76092 magazine. Fortunately, I live kitty corner to the preserve. I still had stitches in my knee from a recent fall, but I managed to get on the Bluebird trail to make some photos, and was glad I did. Though unable to wander as far as I'd have liked, the outing was a respite from the daily grind. Flora and fauna abound just outside your door; you just have to open your eyes.
All photos copyright Beatriz Terrazas.