More from Mount Lemmon

Continuing from yesterday, as I sat watch these birds come into the little pool of water to take flies, a very unexpected thing happened. A bat came flying in low, just above the creek bed. He flew back and forth and then finally landed on the ground. It was a Southwestern Myotis. We're talking about 1:00 in the afternoon -- not at night. The ponderosa pines, douglas firs, and other trees kept this area very dark, yet it still seemed very unusual. It's the first bat I've seen eating during the day. Here is one of the photos I took: 

Southwestern Myotis

Another trip up Mount Lemmon

Mount Lemmon, being right outside my door, is easy for me to get to. And, birding this time of the year can be pretty good. However, it has been months since we've had any rain to speak of so everything is dry including streams and creeks on Mount Lemmon. Yet, I found a spot in Rose Canyon where there was still a little water --- very little. And, as such attracted lots of bugs. Which, in turn, attracted birds. So I sat about 15 feet away and watched as one bird after another took turns catching those bugs. Here are some photos:

Painted Redstart

Pygmy Nuthatch

Hermit Thrush

House Wren

Spotted Towhee

The Under-appreciated Turkey Vulture - II

I have taken many photos of birds in flight; even a few awards: Harrier Hawk in a dusty Eastern Oregon with the sun shinning through the dust, and a Bald Eagle at take off. This Turkey Vulture I like, not simply because of its graceful flight but the composition that includes out of focus leaves on a tree and blue sky with some light clouds:

Turkey Vulture

The Under-appreciated Turkey VultureTurk

Continuing with my alphabetical series of my "5" Star Photos we come to the Turkey Vulture.

Turkey Vultures provide an invaluable service in nature. What do they do? They eat carrion; animals and birds that have died and would otherwise bring maggots, flies and other disease carriers to the general population.

But aside from that, they are also quite beautiful and graceful when flying.

This is an older photo that has lost some of its sharpness, but look how beautiful he is as he airs out his wings:

Turkey Vulture

Trumpeter Swan - II

And another Trumpeter Swan. This one taken in a small body of water somewhere on US Highway 2 on the way over Steven's Pass in the Cascades:

Trumpeter Swan

Trumpeter Swan - I

Here's an earlier "5" Star Photo taken in the early 90's at Frenchman's Hill in Central Washington:

Trumpeter Swan (Redhead in the foreground)

Mating Butterflies

Continuing with my "5" Star Photos we come to a pair of Transendean Cattlehearts mating:

Transandean Cattleheart