This gold finch, in winter plumage, was feasting on the seeds of a sycamore tree near the James River. It was rather far away and very high up in the tree but I was able to zoom in and crop the photo to produce this image.
Meerkat 1
This meerkat and its friends were digging in their sandy enclosure at the Metro Richmond Zoo when we visited in early April.
Painted Turtle 1
This painted turtle was sunning itself on a cool spring day which probably allowed me to get closer than I otherwise might have. There were a few other turtles nearby but I like the coloration of this one.
White Breasted Nuthatch II
White Breasted Nuthatches have the odd habit of creeping down tree trunks. This one stopped to survey it’s surrounding. In the process it showed off it’s flexibility by craning it’s neck more than 90 degrees to assess the scene. This photo was taken on a rainy day and you can see a tiny drop of water clinging to the bird’s belly.
King of the Mud Puddle
Walking in a park near the James River on spring afternoon, I stopped to see if there might be anything interesting in a large puddle adjacent to a small pond. Sitting, quietly a few feet from the trail was this red toad. It remained so motionless as I photographed it, I began to think it might be a toy frog somebody put there as a joke.
Bumble Bee on Redbud
Over the weekend I sat on my roof to get a better view of the bumble bees pollenating our redbud tree. These trees never cease to amaze me. They are in full bloom in Richmond and quite beautiful right now. The bees will be all over them for the next few weeks. Some of the birds will even eat the flowers. Then, late in the summer they will start to produce seed pods and become nature’s perfect bird feeder. Of course the trees benefit immensely from feeding the birds. We have one full sized tree in our yard and we must get a hundred saplings sprout up every year.
River Cairns
During a walk along the James River I noticed these cairns out among the natural rock formations. Perhaps they were put their by a paddler as a way to mark their take out point?
Pink Orchid
This beautiful pink and yellow orchid was on display at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Orchid Show in Richmond, VA. I couldn’t resist the temptation to try and get a Georgia O’Keeffe style image of it.
Tulip Bloom
Of course tulips are at their peak while the flowers are still slightly closed. This purple tulip, at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, looked pasted its prime but I thought the vibrant colors had a beauty all their own. While it no longer had that new tulip shape, the open flower revealed a lovely contrast between the yellow pollen and the deep purple and blue flower pedals.
Sheep
This sheep resides at Maymont Park in Richmond, VA. It was showing off its winter coat when we met it in the late fall.