snow

We Like Warm Hugs!

January 26, 2016 — 29 Comments

snowman

F/8.0, 1/250, ISO 100.

What do Snowmen call their offspring?

Chill-dren.

Interesting Fact: Documentation of the first snowman is unclear. However, Bob Eckstein, author of The History of the Snowman documented snowmen from medieval times, by researching artistic depictions in European museums, art galleries, and libraries. The earliest documentation he found was a marginal illustration from a work titled Book of Hours from 1380, found in Koninklijke Bibliotheek, in The Hague. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowman#History )

Im Quite Fawned Of You My Deer

January 24, 2016 — 37 Comments

deer

F/6.3, 1/640, ISO 200.

Deer

Two hunters were dragging their dead deer back to their car. Another hunter approached pulling his along too.
“Hey, I don’t want to tell you how to do something … but I can tell you that it’s much easier if you drag the deer in the other direction. Then the antlers won’t dig into the ground.”
After the third hunter left, the two decided to try it.
A little while later one hunter said to the other, “You know, that guy was right. This is a lot easier!”
“Yeah, but we’re getting farther from the truck,” the other added.

Interesting Fact:  “White-tailed” refers to the white underside of the deer’s tail, which it displays and wags when it senses danger. ( http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/white-tailed-deer/ )

 

 

SNOW!!! And Away I GO!!!

January 23, 2016 — 14 Comments

Common Merganser flying

F/5.3, 1/160, ISO 800.

Common Merganser

What did the parrot say when he saw a duck?

Polly want a quacker!

Interesting Fact: Common Mergansers are sometimes called sawbills, fish ducks, or goosanders. The word “merganser” comes from the Latin and roughly translates to “plunging goose”—a good name for this very large and often submerged duck. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Merganser/lifehistory )

First Day Of Spring

March 20, 2015 — 8 Comments

snow

F/5.0, 1/125, ISO 900.

Day 79 / 365

It is the first day of spring and winter is not giving up. I would say it is kicking spring butt.

Interesting Fact: On the first day of Spring the sunrise and sunset are about 12 hours apart, everywhere on the Earth and the hours of daylight and night are almost equal. Daylight is a little longer. ( http://www.kidsplayandcreate.com/what-happens-in-spring-when-is-spring-spring-facts-for-kids/ )

Through Open Lens Turns 1 Today!

March 7, 2015 — 40 Comments

It has been one year since my first post.  What a great year!  Thank You everyone for your support.

pheasants

F/6.3, 1/320, ISO 1600.

Ring-Necked Pheasant

Day 66 / 365 Part 1

“Oh sh*t people, time to run”.

Interesting Fact: Ring-necked Pheasants sometimes cope with extreme cold by simply remaining dormant for days at a time. ( http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/ring-necked_pheasant/lifehistory )

owl

F/6.3, 1/125, ISO 800.

Short Eared Owl

Day 66 / 365   Part 2

“I can see clearly now the snow has stopped”!

Interesting Fact: The Short-eared Owl may compete with the Barn Owl in some areas. Some successful nest box programs to attract Barn Owls have coincided with the decline of the Short-eared Owl in the same area. ( http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/short-eared_owl/lifehistory )

 

 

 

Ready, Set, Snow!

March 5, 2015 — 25 Comments

European Starling

F/6.3, 1/500, ISO 1600.

European Starlings

Day 64 / 365

“My family immigrated from Europe”.

Interesting Fact: All of the 200 million European Starlings found in North America today are descendants of approximately 100 birds released in New York City’s Central Park in the early 1890s by an industrialist who wanted to establish, in the U.S., all birds mentioned in the works of Shakespeare. ( http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/160/_/European_Starling.aspx )

Snow Again!

March 1, 2015 — 6 Comments

Common Merganser

F/6.3, 1/800, ISO 800.

Common Merganser

Day 60 / 365

You quack me up!

Interesting Fact: These large fish-eaters have serrated edges to their bills to help them grip their prey. Along with the Smew and the other Mergansers, they are often known as “sawbills.” ( http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/416/_/Common_Merganser.aspx )

Cold and Hungry!

February 20, 2015 — 8 Comments

Song Sparrow

F/8.0, 1/320, ISO 100.

Song Sparrow

Day 51 / 365

“Got any food? ”

Interesting Fact:   They recognizes enemies by both instinctual and learned patterns, and adjusts future behavior based on both its own experiences in encounters, and from watching other birds interact with enemies. ( http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/146/_/Song_Sparrow.aspx )

Do You Want To Build A Snow Man?

January 27, 2015 — 17 Comments

snowman

F/8.0, 1/250, ISO 100.

Day 27 /365

I like warm hugs!

Interesting Fact: The first snowman ever documented was from 1380. There is a marginal illustration from a work titled Book of Hours found in the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, in The Hague.That’s one old snowman. ( http://blog.lulus.com/tag/snowman-facts/ )

Up Up And Away!

January 11, 2015 — 16 Comments

Northern Pintail

F/6.3, 1/500, ISO 250.

Northern Pintail Duck

Day 11 / 365

Sometimes I just want to fly away, but it is not that easy and the airports are too crowded.  🙂

Interesting Fact:  The male Pintail ‘s call is a soft proop-proop whistle, similar to that of the Common Teal, whereas the female has a Mallard-like descending quack, and a low croak when flushed.  (  http://www.withmephotographyblog.com/11-interesting-facts-about-the-northern-pintail  )