View allAll Photos Tagged skittering
MIGRATIONS Seen from the vantage point of multiple exposure photography, the late winter movements of leaves skittering across sand and stone can morph into an alliteration of creature's (both infinitesimal to mammoth) exits from the known into the unknown.
This little garter snake skittered away when I first approached, but quickly returned to catch some rays.
I set up my easel on the isthmus that bisects Deer marsh. Even in the relative coolness of winter, it is verdant and teaming with waterfowl and fish. Tiny sand crabs skittered at my feet. Our 6 days on the island were overcast. January 8, 2016
"His fingers skitter about the banjo with such fluidity and speed, one might easily mistake him for having 20 fingers." -Two Gate Gazette
Milczące gałęzie
(Eng. The Silent Branches of Trees)
---
self-portrait
inspiration: poetry by H. Poświatowska (excerpt)
translation by Marek Lugowski
texture by sirius-sdz:
sirius-sdz.deviantart.com/art/texture-112-112010221
Rozgniatam usta o pierze poduszek rozsnuwam włosy
kolor zeschłych liści po gładkim chłodnym prześcieradle.
Zanurzam ręce w ciemność owijam wokół palców milczące
gałęzie. Ptaki śpią. Gwiazdy nie potrafią uskrzydlić
ciężkich chmur. Noc rośnie we mnie - minuty -
czerwone krople tętniącej krwi przebiegają ostrożnie.
---
I mash my mouth against the down of pillows I strand my hair
the color of dried leaves over the smooth cool bed sheet.
I sink my hands into darkness and I wind around my fingers
the silent branches of trees. The birds are asleep. The
stars are unable to put wings on the heavy clouds. The
night is growing within me - by minutes - the red drops
of pulsating blood skitter by cautiously.
---
My artwork may not be reproduced, copied, edited, published, transmitted or uploaded in any way without my permission.
© All rights reserved
Always kind of neat when birds who used to skitter away when I went into the backyard, now sort of look at me and go about their business...Not sure blending into the grass is the look I want? :-)
I started building this almost two years ago for the LEGO Speeder Bike Contest. I ended up with something completely different. Last year I went back to this model and started over. I was hoping to enter last years Speeder Bike Contest with this one, but... there was no LSB Contest last year 😥
Anyways, this is Skitter, an anti-grav speeder bike.
I've posted a breakdown on my blog: o0ger.blogspot.com/2021/03/skitter-breakdown.html
The night of the flying ants brought out the dragonflies and Torvi was fascinated by them! A chipmunk skittered past, exciting both her and Ivar. Lots of entertainment by the patio!
Canon 6d & Samyang 14mm f/2.8
| 500px | Tumblr | Facebook Page | Behance |
Please,don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. All rights reserved.
I have no compass
And I have no map
And I have no reasons
No reasons to get back
And I have no religion
And I don't know what's what
And I don't know the limit
The limit of what we've got
Zooropa U2
this is what you see when you look up early on in Lower Antelope Canyon. a slice of sky, where fierce winds howl and little wispy clouds skitter across the cobalt. sometimes sand blows in and drops down on you. but you don't care. you're too wide-eyed, fascinated with the world you're exploring below.
It was Sunday and the most recent spell of drab weather came to a welcome close, replaced by clear cold skies and gentle nodding cumulus clouds. As the light began to intensify towards the end of the afternoon, the colours on the branches of the Copper Beeches around me were set ablaze, the gorgeous orange and gold leaves dancing in the late November sunshine. It was a perfect moment in which to capture the final moments of autumn before the long dark winter finally arrived to take centre stage. Or at least it would have been if I hadn’t been sitting in the back seat of a Ford Mondeo on the A38, watching the countryside pass by at seventy miles per hour. Doesn’t it seem to always happen when you’re otherwise occupied?
We were on our way home from the latest weekend Rugby related escapade at Twickenham, where England had squeaked past the world champions from South Africa by a single point. Although it’s five years since I was introduced to the world of Rugby Union I’m still thoroughly confused. I understand the basics, such as how the scoring works and that the ball can’t be thrown forwards, but every time a penalty is awarded, I’m at a total loss as to why. With not even the faintest grasp of why “going in from the side” is considered so heinous, or why “not releasing” is a punishable offence, I’m often made to feel particularly out of kilter with the rest of the world by my in laws. While in much of England the oval ball game is often regarded as the preserve of the upper echelons, in Cornwall it belongs to the people; especially in the part of the county that I call home, where Rugby is practically a religion and Ali’s family regard my lifelong love for football with barely disguised bemusement. Her nephew Brett played professionally for a while, although not for long as he still has a straight nose and ears that look like more or less like ears – it’s a brutal game. I stopped playing as soon as it was no longer compulsory at school and never felt tempted to return to the field.
The upshot of the weekend levity was that Monday would bring a small delay to what would almost certainly be my final chance to capture the transient autumn hues, and Lee and I had decided to start at Respryn Wood and then double back to Ladock later on. The morning delivered a pleasant walk through the beautiful woodland alongside the River Fowey, but the lack of colour, the jumbled assembly of trees and the harsh mid-morning light found us beginning to understand why photographs of trains fill the page if you type “Respryn” into the search bar on this platform. Yet again the colours that we’d found so abundantly along the roadside were almost completely absent on entry into the canopy, and what we did find proved to be compositions that were beyond our photographic wits. We didn’t linger long, both of us having skipped breakfast in anticipation of an early lunch break at Cornwall Services, and for much of the day it seemed that the pizza outlet in the middle of the concourse would provide the highlight of the entire outing. In fact, perhaps it did.
We arrived at Ladock early in the afternoon, where I was keen to return to a composition I’d spotted on an earlier visit in May. Slipping and sliding along the muddy paths where tractors driven by lumberjacks had churned the mud into a soupy slurry, I led the way to the place that sat so clearly in my mind from six months earlier, only to find that it had seemed to have mysteriously moved to another part of the forest. That’s the thing about Ladock Wood – you think you’ve got your bearings but then it gradually dawns on you that you know nothing beyond where the car park is. Much of the forest is planted with rows of dark Spruce trees, tall and sterile, where nothing else grows and birdsong is eerily absent. Here and there you’ll find patches of indigenous woodland; much prettier, although usually more difficult to photograph as well. When I did finally chance upon the glade of Alder trees I’d been searching for, it quickly became obvious that the light wasn’t going to hit this part of the wood in the way I needed it to at this time of year. Worse still, there was no foliage left at all, just bare branches stretching away from the silvery trunks. I sighed and wondered whether it was time to abandon woodland capers until next spring. It seemed a lot easier in the bluebell season you know.
Further on we skittered along the heavy sludge filled path that coated the sides of our wellies, with little sense of purpose, eventually heading off in different directions, occasionally crossing paths at the edges of the dark silent Spruce filled plantation. As the pockets of light began to disappear, I realised I was alone, blundering through a variety of compositions, never truly convinced by any of them. At the end of the golden hour, I found myself somewhere in the north western side of the forest, on a patch of high ground with my camera pointed at the last stubborn group of orange trunks among the shadows. This, I was sure was the moment I’d been waiting for, and as I skated along the perilous path one last time, congratulating myself on not actually having fallen over at any point, I felt sure I’d got the shot I was going to share with you. Although it seems I hadn’t because it’s not the one that I’ve posted alongside this tale.
Later in the pub, we examined each others’ photos over a pint as we usually do. Lee had taken a shot of the sun bursting through the trees with lovely leading lines made by shadows that I was sure would be a winner, while he burst into excited animation over a flaming orange copse on the back of my camera. So of course, it was inevitable that we would each ignore the other’s reactions completely and both post a shot from the same moment of the day. It was immediately after the disappointment of the Alders that we walked towards a patch of dazzling illumination through the deep cover of the Spruces and found this small tree, caught by vivid sunlight for a few fleeting moments.
So that’s it. Autumn is over and we agreed that it was a bit of a relief to be thinking about all things coastal in the coming months. I know where I am on a big empty beach when the tide is out or the storms are raging. It’s a lot less confusing than trying to arrange unruly trees on a three inch screen and it’s a lot easier to take a passable shot. On the plus side, my success at staying on my feet on surfaces that seemed hell bent on sending me tumbling to the ground has seen me completing my entry form for the next season of “Dancing on Ice.” As the common law uncle of a former minor league sporting icon in a small town at the back and beyond of nowhere in particular, I feel confident that the celebrity credentials required to appear on such a programme are suitably fulfilled. If it goes well, one day I might even have servants to clean the mud from my wellies for me.
[Ahem.]
☆Featured NEZA Release☆
Tis the season! For what, you may ask? Why, to become a fanciful little furred fellow! (Or lass, or gender-neutral lil critter, for that matter!) NEZA has our backs with their revisitation to the wonderful Bakeneko, the mystical lil feline, taking form in tricolor goodness! This lovely calico mod perfectly scratches the itch that many of us have-- the need to become C A T. Made for the [AUGUST] Katy head, NEZA's wonderful work gives us many options-- three different ear types (if you include the ears that come with the Katy head itself), four different tail options, masc/flat/fem chest shading options, two different mouth options, and a whopping FIVE nip options (no nips, four nips, six nips, and eight nips). You'll never want for more!
Everybody wants to be a cat, so skitter on over to NEZA's marketplace, ☆HERE☆ and become the kitty of your dreams, today!
☆Kottr Featured Items☆
One thing that I think Second Life is severely in short stock of is "wet" clothes. I love the way that cloth looks when soaked all the way through (in a PG way!), so seeing that Kottr made a shirt in the "wet" style made me so very, very happy! The Guppy top comes in a number of lovely fits-- Pebbles, V-Tech, Stacked, Teacups, Waifus, default Reborn, and a fit with their own custom Booba chest mesh! As always, Kottr has made this top modify, so that you can play with it in any way you please! The HUD features "dry" and "wet" textures, with a mind-boggling 32 textures, so you're bound to be pleased by any color you choose! When paired with a wet-styled hair like DOUX's Sophie, you can achieve the sexy "I just got out of the pool" or the slightly less sexy "I slipped and fell into the bath" look flawlessly! Become the water-bound babe of your dreams today!
You can find the Guppy top at Kottr's mainstore, ☆HERE☆!
I thought the rutting season was over but this ram seemed quite interested in this ewe, but as he approached she quickly skittered away. I think that's a "no." In this photo you can really tell he has his eyes on her. (Postscript: I found out that this time is the rut, so this behavior is timely and normal.)
I was at Windy Corner on the Seward Highway where the Dall sheep come down from the heights of the Chugach Mountains to this area, supposedly there is a mineral lick here. It was a nice sunny day (albeit a short one: sunrise at 9:02 AM, sunset at 4:21 PM) and a crisp 21 degrees F. There were a number of sheep and several rams of which at least two had full curls of the horns, indicating older age. The ewes have horns too but they are much smaller than that of the rams as seen in the photo.
Taken 13 November 2017 at Windy Corner on the Seward Highway, Alaska.
It was fun to watch this guy skitter up the tree looking for insects, fly out and down in a loop to come back to the tree close to the ground and repeat. Probably never get a chance to observe this species again for the several minutes this event provided. Guntersville February 2023
pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) - Cuyabeno wildlife refuge, Ecuador
The pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) is the world's smallest monkey, but not the smallest primate as the a mouse lemur found across the world in Madagascar is smaller, nevertheless the most striking thing about these little marmosets is how tiny they are. They almost look like mice skittering through the trees. It is found in the Northern Amazon including Ecuador where this was taken. Their uniqueness doesn't end with their dimunitive size either, they are also gummivores. Gummivores are an unusual subset of herbivore that feeds on tree sap and gum although apparently occasional insects are also consumed. They have specialized incisor teeth which they use to chew holes through bark and then lap up the pooling sap. The marmoset social group picks a few trees and stays by them, poking numerous holes through the bark. Which you can actually see the results of in the photo. These are not the best photos as the conditions in the forest were dim and I really had to ramp my ISO up high to get anything, but they're such cool animals I couldn't resist sharing with you all. The dim conditions were exacerbated by the fact that they seemed to hang out in the mid canopy and atleast in the brief time we observed them avoided the brighter edges or top of trees, this makes sense considering how small they are and how many predators must see them as a tasty morsel. Best to stay hidden in the shadows. Hopefully, someday I get another chance to photograph them and can do a bit better.
Squirrels, Jays, and many other skittering creatures are ready for sun and reving up of the green undergrowth.
"Silent, but deadly."
What??
"I'm The Ninja. Silent. Deadly."
I think you need a different catchphrase.
"The Death Wraith of the Darkness."
That's certainly better.
Weren't you here before? *
"Yes. But I'm sure you notice, I've bulked up. I've been hitting the weight room."
Is that really a ninja look? I thought you guys were slim and lithe, for skittering across rooftops and such.
You look like you'd fall through the rooftop.
"I've added power to my stealth."
Are you sucking in your gut and flexing??
Also, your previous outfit was more ninjaesque. This lavender ain't cutting it.
"Like a quiet fatal whisper in the wind, I slay my opponents. Lavender is a calming smell. He who smelt it dealt it."
Oh, come on!!
💪M💪U💪S💪C💪L💪E💪
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
M.U.S.C.L.E. No. 96, "The Ninja B"
Painted by Paprika, thus losing all collectible value forever.
* He was! Back in BP 2021 Day 116!
A US Steel switcher skitters about the Granite City Works yard while a massive Kress slab carrier backs into the slab mill with a load of metal to be processed.
Skitters got his external stitches removed today after having a really epic wound exposing his skull covered up a few weeks ago.
He also received his third of four cold laser treatments. Through this we have learned that frozen exfoliated burnt skin smells a little bit better than rotting dead skin.
His "after picture" looks so great.
If you are interested in networking Skitters so he can find a forever home, or would simply like to drop $5 in the paypal bucket to offset his massive $1,200 surgery bills, visit: www.barktucson.petfinder.com
Hey everyone! I hope your Sunday has been very pleasant! Such a gorgeous Autumn day here, I took the ferry to Dauphin Island and was treated to another Reddish Egret encounter, this time in the west beach area known as the mud flats...such an amazing creature, full of quirky 'dance' moves that always bring a laugh! I could tell it was a Reddish from a half mile away, just by the way it skittered around the huge tide pool!
Have a great start to the new week, everyone!
The Saxicoline Sunskink hops across rocks and boulders, often in creeklines. They are curious and often approach people in their environment, skittering quickly away at movements.
A nice curving trail with woods on either side..As you walk down it you can hear the squirrels and birds skittering around and chirping at you. Just a few steps further and you hear the rushing water of the river, cascading over itself and rocks. It smells like peace and sounds like serenity!
Originally Skitters was set for the big appointment on Tuesday, but by Friday he had started to finagle his suture/gauze away from the wound, exposing more gore, so we took the little guy to the vet.
Skitters was under the scalpel for hours and hours yesterday, and somehow they were able to stretch his skin/tissue to cover his skull entirely.
We keep hearing that there is some quality granulation throughout the wound, so hopes are high that Skitters will make a full recovery, albeit asymmetrical.
Skitters has stitches above and below the skin.
He is in quite a bit of pain and spends a lot of time shaking, moaning, pacing and rolling around to try to get to the area. He gets really upset when I am not holding or petting him, including while boys trying to gain back their strength should be sleeping.
His ear has torn a bit since I took this picture yesterday.
Skitters is scheduled to have a series of cold laser treatments to promote healthy skin recovery.
Butterflies have left here for this season so I couldn't believe looking out my window to see two large ones skittering about the Lantana...And they are not even normally in this region! This is the Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) whose wingspan is 4.3-6.2 inches...The other one was a different species but they were definitely traveling together.
She has 2 cubs wandering around, playing and eating pine cones. She keeps grunting tryng to get the attention of the cubs, but as she approaches them they skitter farther away.
The neighbors across the street have several peach trees laden with fruit she'd like to make an evening meal of.
I've seen Sanderlings in Michigan on their way to somewhere else; I've seen them peeking through the fog in Maine. But the Sanderlings on Sanibel Island, Florida were really a lot of fun to watch. When you see a Sanderling, you will probably see 50 of them. They are very comical as they run off the beach when a wave goes out; and skitter quickly ashore when the next wave comes in--they almost always beat the wave. But what they are looking for (to eat) isn't always where they expect it to be, as this Sanderling has discovered.
Flynn had been skittering around, playing & then suddenly, he froze, alert, one paw in the air. What had he spotted? Something interesting - he looked off intently towards the wood & then glanced at me: "Hooman, over there!". I looked around but couldn't see anything! We were right on the edge of a thick patch of trees here, so most probably he'd noticed a critter creeping about. Possibly just a squirrel, or a pheasant but they're not normally fascinating enough to make him go into alert, pointy mode... so perhaps it was a deer.
We've encountered both the flighty roe deer & the much smaller & weirder little Muntjac deer in that wood (weird because they look a bit odd, the males do, anyway... & they communicate by barking - a strange, repetitive, echoing bark that sounds like an abandoned dog & goes on & on. On a foggy, dark winter day, it's downright spooky!). Flynn's never entirely sure what to make of deer. He definitely thinks they smell like something he'd like to chase but then again, even tiny, collie dog-sized muntjac are considerably bigger & more intimidating than squirrels & so Flynn remains wary of getting too near!
Ha, to be honest, Flynn is quite wary of even getting too close to squirrels (probably for the best, I don't think he'd take well to being bitten on the nose!). This year has apparently been a truly excellent one for the bushy tailed rodents because there are a million of them running around everywhere - I've never seen so many. They all look very plump & well-fed too & that seems to be making them rather slower than normal! A few times lately, Flynn's definitely had the chance to catch one, as they've bounced directly in front of him & been slow to get up a tree. Flynn obviously feels it's his duty as a dog to chase squirrels (just as I feel it's my duty to tell him not to!) but over & over again, if Flynn starts catching up on his quarry, he slows down & accidentally-on-purpose veers the wrong way & then he comes galloping back to let me know: "Oh no, that crafty creature got away from me!".
Flynn had just chased one pesky rodent off the path & thought he heard another!
He had fun on the walk the day I took this photo but it's been a rough week for Flynn. The fireworks have been going off most nights & now hunting season is in full swing, so during the day, there's constant shooting. Flynn doesn't usually mind the sound of gunshot too much, but he's tired & his nerves are already on edge from enduring the noisy evenings, so he's even been looking twitchy on walks lately. Flynn's "big brother" Barney, is prone to running & hiding, when he's scared by bangs outside. It's absolutely horrifying to watch your panicked dog turn tail & gallop *away* from you. Having had that heart stopping experience with Barney a few times over the years (which is why he's now mostly on a lead!) - I'm determined to help Flynn make safer choices! We've worked hard to teach Flynnie that, if spooked by anything, he should run TO me (& receive mountains of treats as a reward!). Training seems to be working, Flynn's instinct now is to immediately turn to me, if he hears a funny noise - although I still kept him on a lead most of this weekend, to be extra safe!
We actually helped a poor dog who'd run off & got lost this week. Out with Barney & Flynn when a lovely little whippet ran by. I thought she was with a jogger who'd just passed but when the pup skittered past again, realised she was alone. She was gone in a flash. She reappeared a 3rd time, now looking totally panicked. Far away, people were whistling but wind made it hard to pinpoint where exactly & she was obviously confused. She stopped a little way off, watching us & looking so timid I worried she'd bolt if I moved at all. I asked Flynn to be nice & stay still (he was agitated both by the whistles & being stared at!), then I called her over. She approached cautiously but let me grab her & quickly calmed down once leashed. Both my boys were puzzled about why we'd gained a strange new "packmate", but were very polite about it - a huge relief as I'm not sure what I'd have done if one had taken a dislike! I phoned the owners & we went to meet them. Poor little thing, she was very lost - her person was right on the other side of the woods. Turned out the whistling we'd heard was someone calling another dog! So glad we were in the right place, at the right time to help reunite the sweet pup with her very relieved owners!
Agama or rainbow lizard.
Downtime at Laikipia Wilderness River camp is never dull. There were several agamas and skinks skittering around the mosquito netting and the rocks outside my room. It was just a case of being patient to catch them at their best.
Olympus EM-1ii, 300mm F5.6, 1/800 ISO 100
#agama #rainbowlizard #reptile #lizardsofinstagram
#LaikipiaWilderness
#Laikipia #Kenya #Africa #Safari #magicalkenya #lovelaikipia
#wanderlustmagazine #travelphotography #naturephotography #africanimals #safariphotography #adventure
#microfourthirds #microfournerds #omsystem
“You don’t put pictures up on the weekend, Larry,” I explain, trying to keep any condescending tone out of my voice.
“Why not?” he asks me, eyes glittering darkly under bushy brows.
“People don’t go to flickr on the weekends as much.”
“Why not?” he asks. Again.
“I think it has to do with their routine. Weekends are hard on routines…so no one notices stuff that gets posted. And by the time the weekends are over, your shot has slid off the current listings and into the mudpit of “crap they’ll never see. Plus I think a lot of them flickr from work. That’s why.”
Larry purses his lips and in that second I can see him again as he was when we met on the first day of kindergarten together. Thomas Enderbank, a fat kid with piggy eyes, had just wrested Larry’s pudding out of his hands and was happily chowing down on it. Larry didn’t tattle. He didn’t raise a finger to take it back. He just watched him. (This made sense to me because Thomas Enderbank was a big kid and we were both little…and, well, in kindergarten as in the adult world, big kids rule.)
It’s funny though…because I don’t remember seeing Thomas around after that. Hmmm.
Anyway – sorry for the digression. My point is that when Larry purses his lips like that, a decision’s made.
“What has Easy Rider had to say?” he asks finally.
“He’s liking these things,” I replied, knowing I was walking into a trap an unable to stop it from happening.
“And can Easy Rider read?” he asks.
“Of course he can read,” I reply.
“Ah,” said Larry. Then he raised his eyebrows in a ‘so what now?’ kind of look.
*sigh*
So here’s today’s article from the Larry Talbot Helium Archives.
BEACH HOUSE RENTALS
by L. Talbot
Beach house rentals. Is there any other way to vacation?
Hmmm?
Sunlight streams in through the open window. Feel free to lie there in your soft bed for a minute and just listen.
What's that sound?
Are there car horns honking? Nope.
Sirens? Nope.
Is that the too-stupid-to-live-dog-next-do or-that-your-stupid-freaking-neighbors-let-out-at-unreasonably -early-hours barking at nothing in particular? Ummm...nope.
It's the slow, powerful rhythmic sound of waves gently slapping against the shore. One after another. There is a reassuring quality to it all. It's the same sound you fell asleep to the night before and it gives you the sense that you are just a few feet away from something both majestic and powerful: the ocean.
The next thing you do is stretch...BIIIIIIIG. It was worthwhile, you think. It was SO worthwhile. Sure. There was an added expense for a house right ON the beach. But you're on VACATION! How often do you have a chance to get away? And it's true that you had to park a quarter mile away from your beach house - but after the massive breakfast you are already planning in your mind - you can use the walk.
You smile - just a tiny bit smug and cozy - as you feel something gently tickling the top of your hand. The touch is tentative. It's not unpleasant. But there shouldn't be something there.
Should there?
Could it be the gentle sea breeze moving a stray thread across your fingers? The thread suddenly skitters up your hand and along your arm - and you come to the reluctant and immediate conclusion that it's not a thread at all.
Your brain fills in the blank: BUG! THERE'S A BUG ON US!
Your fears are confirmed as you open your eyes and see a spider. Hairy. Hungry. You see, in his little insect eyes triumph - like he's congratulating himself on finally finding a really stupid tourist. Mandibles click and he regards you with the same pleased intensity you focused on that double pepperoni pizza the night before.
Seconds later, as you scrape spider off of the bottom of your - bare - foot you wonder first, why you didn't use a book...a magazine...or a Kleenex to crush that little sucker...who was actually very, very fast. Then you start to think how much it would suck if there were more of them...maybe a whole nest of beach spiders...in your bed...which is ridiculous, isn't it? Especially after you've stripped all the sheets off and thoroughly shaken them and looked under the bed with a miserable combination of fear and hopeless optimism.
Nope. No spiders.
You wait for your heart to slow down because if you had a heart attack this far from civilization, it would take the ambulance guys at least nine days to get here and by them the stinking spiders would be eating your eyes.
You cross the room to the tiny kitchen, scanning the nooks and crannies for telltale webs or motion. You start the morning coffee and slowly, like the tide easing out, the terror ebbs away and is replaced by a happier image of yourself sitting on the front porch of your little beach house, sipping a cup of coffee.
Another sound...and you turn...a half smile frozen on your face.
"Waaaaa-hooo?" you think. What kind of animal makes the sound "Waaaa-hooo?"
You cross the room and peek out of the picture window.
Nineteen hillbillies with assorted children, pets, beer coolers and improbably expensive looking sound systems are setting up on your private beach.
Beachfront vacations
Yessir.
THAT'S living the American Dream.
Skitters will be available for adoption next Saturday.
Read more about his health issues and recovery at
I followed the unmarked trail from an unmarked pullout and arrived at this vista. The view was nice but the fence was too far back for my photographic tastes, so I climbed over the fence and slowly ("very", I'm not really a risk taker) crept to the edge with visions of falling off the ledge never to be found again flashing through my head Well I finally managed to compose a frame and snap a few exposures before I skittered back to solid terra firma and could breathe again. Enjoy.
Three Legged Cross, Dorset
Water Measurer [Hydrometra stagnorum]
HEMIPTERA > HETEROPTERA (true bugs) > Hydrometridae (Water Measurers)
____________________________________________________
I'd seen these strange, stick-like water bugs skittering around our pond before, but had never taken much notice of them. However, today I thought I'd try to take a photo of one, which was no easy task! Wow, they're incredible with unusual features that you simply can't make out properly with the naked eye. Macro photography certainly opens up a whole new world.
Here's another Crane Hollow shot in the green season without a speck of orange, under another good sky just beyond Mark Tafoya's place. I like this place that has retained it's original traits over the ages with thr addition of the ditch to water meadow grasses. Most of these irrigation ditches gather at their start near Lyons where the St. Vrains exit the foothills. Boy, this looks like a cow's paradise; are they lost? You'd think they'd find their way here and not get lost. Above, the clouds skittered over the foothills and divide in the distance. The fortunate big snow really muffled the big forest burns in their tracks so that the East Troublesome and Cameron fires never merged. That left Old Ranches untouched as ditches wondered. We started out herer as the Chicago-Colorado Colony but transitioned almost immediately to a contraction of "Longs Mount," behind the tree, right.
I found this really nice summer day in the Rockies while skies were building overhead in Crane Hollow (road by the fence) near Hygiene Road while I bail from town with my cam era. My god, can you imagine if I just stumbled around in town? Oh joy! Oh joy! Not a speck of orange covidI like this place that has retained.
Boy, the Rockies were well snow loaded at the time and here is a view. Plenty of snow in the ski trail on Meeker. Maybe I will try more shots on a premium sky and foliage day in the future.
This guy landed on top of our umbrella. He looked around for a while, then skittered down to the edge and flew away.
From my window I saw Jimmy skitter up the pole that is the central support of the cat enclosure, and he got wedged between the wire top and the horizontal cross beam. By the time I got the stepladder out to help him, he had already figured it out. But what is that on his chin?? It was perfectly conformed to the shape of his mouth.
It can be tough finding a vantage in the Sand Hills that doesn't obscure features if one is more than 3-4 miles out. June 7th, north of Arnold, NE. This spot worked fairly well once a spontaneous tour group skittered back out of frame.
I have a knack for pulling up on spots that have further latent & inviting parking/setup locations between myself & the storm.
I'm going to crank up the wayback machine over the next week or two and share some of my favourite back country locations from my wilderness backpacking days. Yep, this is me, in 1994 in the Purcell Wilderness of British Columbia, on a solo trip. After the hike in, I spent four nights at the other end of the lake, and on one of those days I worked my way along the shore to the glacier.
I didn't stay long at this spot. Glaciers are alive; there is constant shifting from the stress of ice grinding against rock. At this spot, I would hear small skittering sounds and then a rock would fly off the ice edge above me, usually pebble sized but occasionally the size of a baseball or larger. It made me slightly nervous! From here I found an access point at the edge of the glacier, out of this frame to the left, and got up onto the ice.
Wildlife was scarce in this remote place of ice and rock, but my campsite in an alpine meadow, near some talus slopes, had resident Hoary Marmots, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, Pikas, and at least one weasel that climbed up on my boot, stood on its hind legs and peered upward at my face, trying to figure out what I might be. I had a 300mm lens on at the time, so no shot!
These were the days of film. I would be hesitant to bring today's high end gear into a rugged place like this on an extended trip; too many plastic components and ultra-sensitive electronics. Back then, if a camera quit working, I could zip into the nearest city and pick up a used body for $150 (I had to do this at least twice). Image quality was determined by the lens, not the body - unlike today, when sensor quality is equally important.
Nikon FE2, tripod, self-timer, 24mm lens, exposure unrecorded. Scanned from the original Fujichrome Velvia slide (ISO 50). Photographed at Lake of the Hanging Glacier in the Purcell Mountains of BC (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©1994 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Ice moans and groans as it gets shoved ashore. It's a fascinating thing to listen to. Every so often ice emits a loud "crump," shifts a bit under boot and sends a knucklehead with a camera skittering for solid ground.
On 16th of May, 2021, I was chasing Thorn, the little bunny rabbit ravaging my garden, across the yard to his home under the shed. As I came around the shed, after being outrun, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I paused to see what had moved and discovered this male Five-Lined Skink moving across the front of the shed. He skittered across the wall, got behind the peg that keeps the door closed, and froze there. Of course, I had my camera! I guess he thought he was hiding from me! Check out the orange color on his head...that's how to tell he is a male during breeding season.
It was a chilly December evening years ago when I met the Flickr icon Alexandra Forbes.
I remember snow on the ground crunching underfoot as I skittered in from the hotel parking lot.
Alex and I were attending a Christmas Soiree for transwomen at a hotel just off the DC Beltway. Dozens of ladies were there - all dressed up pretty.
It was my first meeting with this group. Because I did not know anyone, I was super nervous. My little snow bear friend would be good company if no one else was, I figured.
Well - the bear, though welcome, was not needed after all.
Alex discovered me hanging in the shadows. I did not want to draw too much attention to myself. Alex understood and sat with me for a good while - I was very pleased and comforted by Alex's encouragement.
This snapshot was taken by another Flickr icon - Kacey CD while Alex and I were together that evening. Only recently has this image been brought to my attention - so I'm posting it here and now. It's long overdue.
It's just another example of how Flickr has brought me together with others who are now friends IRL.
You just have to overcome that big wall of fear. Yeah - I know that's easier said than done - but that does not make is less true.
Nora
A beautiful bird, often seen in a small flock skittering through the grasslands or near a waterhole. This one is from the Rift Valley in Kenya.
More photos to come! Here is my African safari link