Reconnecting with nature through hiking, camping, and paddling
Quietly paddling the Mattaponi River on a cool September morning, I captured this image of a Painted Turtle. Like all reptiles, turtles are cold blooded, so you’ll see them basking in the sun on cooler mornings. They love logs and rocks overhanging the water. There they find a sunny location with a quick escape into the water if a predator, or curious photographer gets too close.
This post contains a close up image of a spider. If that kind of thing creeps you out, turn back now.
Continue reading “Rabid Wolf Spider”
Hiking through a meadow on a sunny, summer afternoon I spotted this beautiful black snake resting just off the hiking trail. In my experience black snakes are fearless of humans and this one was no exception. I got close enough to get this picture with my iPhone and the snake didn’t seem in the least bit interested or concerned.
A variety of pollinators were active on the Purple Passionflowers in a meadow I hiked in early August. The bumble bees seemed to be running things, perfectly sized to gather the pollen from the down turned stamen of the passionflowers. In fact, most of the yellow above this bee’s wings is a thick coating of pollen.
This little Woodland Box Turtle and I briefly shared a hiking trail in Powhatan State Park earlier this month. Encountering wildlife, even a small, humble turtle, always makes me feel more connected and brings me a sense of joy and awe.
I prompted ChatGPT to write a short story about a turtle and a photographer meeting on a hike and here’s what it came up with.
Continue reading “The day I met Tessa”
Usually it’s harder to photograph butterflies than you might think. They are always moving and lots of them flutter away when they see anything approach.
Continue reading “Unexpected Hiking Partner”
There are lots of hawks patrolling our neighborhood this time of year. This beauty was perched on a branch about 8′ off the ground on a recent sunny afternoon. You can bet the squirrels and chipmunks that frequent my yard were nowhere to be seen.
My hawk identification skills aren’t great but I’m pretty sure this is a Red-Shouldered Hawk. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a look at the markings and coloration on the breast and belly.
This is the same Eastern Grey Squirrel pictured in my post Curious Squirrel.
I was pretty far away from this White Breasted Nuthatch when I took this picture but I like the shadow of the bird and the texture of the Pin Oak bark.
The Carolina Wren is another local favorite of mine. These little birds are curious and fun to watch. I wasn’t close enough to this one to get a tightly cropped image but I sort of like the colors and textures here.