Please share your photos of nature, wildlife, etc.

[packrat]

So awesome Jordy! I love seeing ocean pictures. Boggles my mind, the things you get to see!

 

[sonnyjane]

Taken yesterday...

Fourth-year bald eagle
Steller's sea lion surrounded by California sea lions
Steller's sea lions
transient orcas

 

[jordyonbass]

So awesome Jordy! I love seeing ocean pictures. Boggles my mind, the things you get to see!

Thanks packrat!

I've done a lot of hours out on the ocean, so I don't see this sort of thing every time I go out. I may get to see dolphins and seals every 2 or 3 trips in the bay I fish although they're more frequent out at sea. Whales are different though, they're very rare. Even more rare where I was as it's not on their path north. I usually only see them on the east coast where the temperate and sub tropical areas are (Sydney area) and even then it's early or late season.

 

[december-fire]

Jordy,

Wow! Those humpbacks were close to your boat!

Thanks for sharing the photos and the information!

 

[december-fire]

Sonnyjane,

Beautiful photos and what a gorgeous coastline!

I love the wildlife you have there!

I had to laugh; you're able to specify that the eagle was a 'fourth year', meanwhile I'd just been searching the internet to identify what kinds of ducks I saw yesterday!

By the way, they were 'Bufflehead' and 'Lesser Scaup'. Until last night, I would have thought someone was calling me names if they said those terms to me.

 

[december-fire]

Looks like this seagull spotted me taking his photo.

 

[december-fire]

Another seagull!

 

[packrat]

i don't have a picture of it but several years ago in the early springtime, we were in the city, and we walked out of Walmart. I heard geese, and that always makes me happy b/c I know winter is pretty much done. No matter where I am, I stop and look to watch them for a couple seconds. They fascinate me. I pointed to JD that there was a V formation coming..and another..and another..and another..I've NEVER seen anything like it in my entire life. People were just continuing on, and JD and I are pointing and oooohing and ahhing over the geese. V after V after V, it was so totally incredible and there was not one speck where we couldn't see another group. I was so completely entranced by it, thrilled to be standing under this flyway-and we were the only people excited by it!

 

[december-fire]

Packrat,

Those silly people! The human race really seems to have evolved into a rat race; scurrying everywhere in a rush without a moment to spare. I will confess, however, to being one of those scurrying rats when working full-time, raising my children, caring for aging parents, etc.

I'm with you. I love hearing the geese for the same reason as you; it means the arrival of Spring! And, I always watch geese flying by. I find it interesting to see them fly and change formation; sometimes a V-formation, then a straight line, sometimes a few splitting off into a second group. I should probably read up on that and see if its simply about taking turns leading, since it would be more tiring at the front of the group due to the wind. Right? Maybe?

Glad you take the time to enjoy the beauty of nature! Its a great example for your children.

 

[packrat]

From what I understand, it's like racecar drafting kinda? The leader paves the way for the one(s) behind him and so on, so the leader works the hardest to make the path in the air and the others don't have to work as hard. I don't know how they know it's time to switch (which is one of the things I find so fascinating-how do they know how to do this stuff? I know it's instinct, but still...) but when it is, the leader goes to the end and then the next one goes to the front and the leader gets to be in the back and "rest" his wings a little bit.

 

[sonnyjane]

Sonnyjane,

Beautiful photos and what a gorgeous coastline!

I love the wildlife you have there!

I had to laugh; you're able to specify that the eagle was a 'fourth year', meanwhile I'd just been searching the internet to identify what kinds of ducks I saw yesterday!

By the way, they were 'Bufflehead' and 'Lesser Scaup'. Until last night, I would have thought someone was calling me names if they said those terms to me.

Ha, I used to work with raptors, that's really the only reason I know a lot about bald eagles. Birding is still one of the areas I'm working on. I got my NatGeo guide recently so that I can look up any new faces. Buffleheads are quite cute. We get those here too

 

[december-fire]

Sonnyjane,

Well, speaking of raptors, that's why I haven't posted in about a week. I spotted an osprey nest April 17 and took some photos. I wanted to select just a few to post, but haven't yet narrowed it down.

So, I'll apologize up front for the fact that I'm going to be lazy, skip the selection process, and post them all!

By the way, do osprey eat the head of the fish before flying back to the nest or to a tree? All the fish in these photos are headless.

Exhibit A in the Case of the Osprey and the Headless Fish

 

[december-fire]

Osprey (and Headless Fish)

These birds have such a wide wingspan!

 

[december-fire]

Pretty impressive claws, too.

 

[december-fire]

This particular nest is built on a stand specifically made to encourage ospreys to nest in the area.

Its right by the water so lots of fish available.

 

[december-fire]

Are they all starting to look the same? OK, I'll stop now.

 

[december-fire]

This photo was taken at the same location as the ospreys.

I thought it was pretty cute because the beaver is Canada's national animal.

 

[sonnyjane]

Here's an osprey from February.

No rule that they eat the head first lol. I've seen them just snatch the fish out of the water then fly straight to the nest. The second pic is cool b/c I caught him mid-blink so you can see the nictitating membrane.

 

[jordyonbass]

Jordy,

Wow! Those humpbacks were close to your boat!

Thanks for sharing the photos and the information!

Thanks DF!! They were even closer than the picture shows, my boat is only 15 foot and about 2000lb in weight so a BIG Humpback getting close to the boat like that is a really nervous moment for me, especially when we are just drifting like we were.
No issues with Sharks trying to eat my motor though as that gives me great entertainment, I just don't want a Humpback landing on us!!

 

[december-fire]

Here's an osprey from February.

No rule that they eat the head first lol. I've seen them just snatch the fish out of the water then fly straight to the nest. The second pic is cool b/c I caught him mid-blink so you can see the nictitating membrane.

Sonnyjane,

Great osprey shots! What a beautiful bird!

And thanks! You just added a term to my vocabulary; nictitating membrane!

When I reviewed my photos of a pileated woodpecker, I noticed what I referred to as a 'third eyelid'. I looked up the purpose but didn't come across the proper term.

Thanks!

PS is a wealth of knowledge.

 

[december-fire]

Jordy,

Wow! Those humpbacks were close to your boat!

Thanks for sharing the photos and the information!

Thanks DF!! They were even closer than the picture shows, my boat is only 15 foot and about 2000lb in weight so a BIG Humpback getting close to the boat like that is a really nervous moment for me, especially when we are just drifting like we were.
No issues with Sharks trying to eat my motor though as that gives me great entertainment, I just don't want a Humpback landing on us!!

Jordy,

And this is why I love looking at your photos but I'm glad that I'm not there in person when you take them!

I don't want to play bumper cars with a whale or 'What's for lunch?' with a shark.

 

[december-fire]

Just one for now.

 

[jordyonbass]

Thought I would share these shots taken off Sydney that were recently sent to me, it was filmed from a drone. A pack of False Killer Whales chased down a juvenile shark. You can clearly see the whales in the first pic and the shark is circled, in the the second pic a whale is seen with the shark in his mouth.

Said it before and I'll say it again, it's a jungle out there...

 

[sonnyjane]

Thought I would share these shots taken off Sydney that were recently sent to me, it was filmed from a drone. A pack of False Killer Whales chased down a juvenile shark. You can clearly see the whales in the first pic and the shark is circled, in the the second pic a whale is seen with the shark in his mouth.

Said it before and I'll say it again, it's a jungle out there...

That video has been making the rounds in my circle. Super cool. I've only seen FKW's once (in California) but they're pretty darn cool. My friend got some video of one giving birth beside the boat not long ago - it made the news.http://m.ocregister.com/articles/whale-708954-southern-whales.html

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Someone wants a peanut.

 

[monarch64]

Lily-of-the-Valley. Highly poisonous plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_of_the_valley but so beautiful whether in bloom or not.

It is known as the "Birth Flower" for the month of May. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_flower

Much like the emerald is known as May's "birth stone." https://www.americangemsociety.org/may-birthstone

I photographed this lovely flower last week while volunteering at a historic farmstead. I had never seen them up close and personal before and was quite taken with their beauty. Hope you are, too.

 

[jordyonbass]

Thought I would share these shots taken off Sydney that were recently sent to me, it was filmed from a drone. A pack of False Killer Whales chased down a juvenile shark. You can clearly see the whales in the first pic and the shark is circled, in the the second pic a whale is seen with the shark in his mouth.

Said it before and I'll say it again, it's a jungle out there...

That video has been making the rounds in my circle. Super cool. I've only seen FKW's once (in California) but they're pretty darn cool. My friend got some video of one giving birth beside the boat not long ago - it made the news.http://m.ocregister.com/articles/whale-708954-southern-whales.html

It's amazing to watch the footage as the whale nails the little shark side-on. I've seen False Killer Whales twice but not attacking like this, it's usually something I see Mako Sharks do. It makes me wonder why people get out there on stand up paddle boards or kayaks, I get slightly nervous when I see an animal nearly as long as the boat I am in. The moment I realise they're bigger than the boat is when I go into safety mode

 

[packrat]

Lily-of-the-Valley. Highly poisonous plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_of_the_valley but so beautiful whether in bloom or not.

It is known as the "Birth Flower" for the month of May. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_flower

Much like the emerald is known as May's "birth stone." https://www.americangemsociety.org/may-birthstone

I photographed this lovely flower last week while volunteering at a historic farmstead. I had never seen them up close and personal before and was quite taken with their beauty. Hope you are, too.

those are my mom's all time favorite. We've got some that randomly popped up in our backyard-must've traveled along w/something we transplanted from my parents house---tho how it got in that particular bed I dunno!

We are busy busy busy (and that's really JD, not me...I'm busy making the plans for JD to execute I guess...) working on the landscaping..If I wasn't on my work computer, I've got some pics on my phone..We tore out the front yard to turn it into a giant flower garden w/walkways around the edges. Took me a few years but I finally got JD convinced that the front wasn't as beautiful as the back and it needed to be more show stopping. Must be working b/c we've got people alternating their walking routes so they can walk by and see the progress and some stop to talk to JD about it.

 

[monarch64]

Packie I wanna live in your yard.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

This continues to be a fav thread of mine. Thanks for all the contributions!

And those Lily of the Valley My FAVS!!

cheers--Sharon