From my night out on the town at Joshua Tree NP, this is one of the composites garnered from the evening. I'm not particularly excited about what this northerly direction captured, though I do like the northern end of the Milky Way. In fact, I was a bit torn whether to crop off the left more and dump that low left meteor, just to tighten up the space closer to the rest of the action. Note the really wide angle too. It feels to me a little like that warning on the auto's passenger side rear view mirror, about "objects are closer than they appear". (I shot also with the 24mm.) All in all, a beautiful night. I'd do it again, with some modifications.
Just for fun, one of the frames actually had 2 meteors in it, low just over the rocks. I marked 'em with notes. Also, far low right is, I believe, the Pleiades - from Wikipedia: "It is among the star clusters nearest to Earth, it is the nearest Messier object to Earth, and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky." I think, and I will welcome correction.
Tags: Joshua Tree National Park Milky Way Mojave Desert Perseids light pollution meteor shower night sky stars Desert Hot Springs California United States
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I held my breath for almost two days hoping this special guy would make it. The Monarch pupa stage endured a ridiculous 100-degree 2-day heat wave, the weather cooled down and then went to cold. He came out the afternoon of the cooldown. Actually, he surprised me on my doorstep, hanging on a potted plant. I had no idea where he came from, but finally found the shell of the pupa on the backside of the plant. His entry to the butterfly stage shouldn't start this way. He just hung all day yesterday in the cold. It was clear he wasn't ready to fly, and I finally moved him a few feet from the potted plant onto the milkweed, hoping he'd take a drink or two and get some strength into his wings. He made it through the night, and I prayed today's sun would get to him in time. At last, wing beats, movement, a few slurps and away he went. Not without a couple of circles around the yard and a salute goodbye. An absolutely incredible and very emotional moment.
How do we know it's a male Monarch? It's on the hind wing, a spot, shows much better topside. Looks more like a smudge from the underside here. I marked it on the image.
Tags: Danaus plexippus Monarch Monarch butterfly back yard butterfly insect macro milkweed pupa wildlife
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Seeing Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was at the top of my bucket list, and to see red-hot flowing lava was quite simply the icing on the cake. We took a predawn "lava boat" wild ride to the vicinity where lava has been flowing into the ocean and were blessed to witness it. Probably the most awe-inspiring experience of my life...Best viewed with that "L" key against black!
Tags: P?hoa Hawaii United States Pāhoa Volcano Hawaii Volcanoes National Park lava Canon 5D Mark III Canon EOS 24-105 F/4L IS steam Big Island Pacific Pacific Ocean
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I was heading into Yellowstone NP on the West Entrance road at daybreak one morning when two young grizzlies bounded across the road in front of me. I pulled off, checked the camera settings (it's daybreak and dark), eased out of the car, and quietly stepped toward the opening where I thought they went. I only went a few yards, and there they were. Only took a moment for me to be busted though. You can just make out the topside of the other bear to the left. They gave me 20 seconds before they ambled deeper into the bush and out of sight. Mastercard moment.
You can view this Large - it wasn't cropped and holds up pretty well at ISO3200. Also, thank you Canon IS. :-)
Tags: Grizzly Grizzly bear Yellowstone Yellowstone National Park bear wildlife Wyoming United States US
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Wrapping up my Spring Fling series, the American Avocets do have a lovely series of moves in their courtship ritual, but this finisher is my fave, as they cross beaks and stroll off to the honeymoon.
Tags: American Avocet Recurvirostra americana San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary avocet bird mating mating pair wetlands wildlife Irvine California United States
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