Brew's Photography Images for 2012....2014

[brewmaster15]

HI all,
This year I dusted off my camera and have been trying to get back into my age old hobby of photography. I've largely switched to digital now, though I stubbornly have kept all my old film era gear.. Thought I would post some pictures from a road trip we recently took from CT to Florida...Most are wildlife shots as thats my focus. I shot GBs and GBs of pics so it's going to take me some time to weed through them all. I'll start with a couple of cool shots I took while on the return trip. We stayed over at a small hotel in Staunton VA, and while I was packing up the car in the early am hours of predawn, came across what looked to be a dead bat. It was literally on the pavement in front of the hotel lobby. With all the bats dying these days from white nose syndrome, I was a bit saddened to see one that looked from a distance like it had been flattened by a car. Being a biologist , I had to get a close look and wanted to check it out to see if the muzzle was white ( a symptom of the fungus killing bats). It wasn't . and as I got closer, I noticed it was not just one bat....nor was it dead....quite the contrary!







Not everyday you see a pair mating. I was a bit surprised that they were flat out on the pavement...I figured a tree would have been a safer more logical place for bats to mate. The man at the front desk came out and looked at them and said he has seen that once before there..He thought they were dead until they flew away when he tried to sweep them up!. Not 100 % sure but I think these are Eastern Red Bats, Lasiurus borealis

And we thought only humans used hotels for a late night rendezvous...

-al

[dpete9]

eeeek! the one on top looks like a hamster in the last pic. Great pics!

[Second Hand Pat]

That is awesome, but in the parking lot. Flat and warm I guess. I am fortunate to see bats at dusk most evenings. We tried to setup a bat house down near the lake but the silly woodpecker's got in the house and made a nice big hole. Never saw a bat use it

[brewmaster15]

Here are a couple of Little Blue Herons pics..

[brewmaster15]

Reddish Egret....





White Ibis.....



Alligator..

[DLock3d]

Great photos Al. Really interesting stuff.

[brewmaster15]

Night Heron....







snowy egret....





tricolored/ Louisiana heron...

[Moon]

I do not like blue herons. Last Friday I was working from home. Looked out the window at my pond. There it was with one of my best looking koi in its beak. I went out chasing it. It could not fly out directly because of the large number of trees. It did manage to fly and land on a tree. I had a go at it with my sling shot. It managed to take off with my prized koi.
That same afternoon it came back. I was prepared and scared it with some pebbles. That evening I surrounded the pond with netting. They usually land some distance from the water and walk to it. The next morning (7:00) it was back again. I watched it from my window. It was not able to go across the netting and took off. Haven't seen it to date.
Beautiful bird but not one of my favs.

[brewmaster15]

Great Blue Heron...





These were photos taken at mid day...the glare makes it a real challenge using a telephoto lens in an open marsh like this...still, I'm pleased enough with it.

-al

[brewmaster15]

Florida Sand Hill Cranes have always been one of my favorites... Usually I see them in the winter, but they are year round residents... Lucked out and stumbled on a pair of them while driving around. Not wanting to startle them by digging my tripod out of my trunk..I grabbed my camera and shot hand held. Not the best option, but I think I got a few good ones in.

[Larry Grenier]

Brew, the bats had just finished listening to that song on the Beatles "White Album"; "Why Don't We Do it in the Road".

You were about 2 hours from my place in Manassas VA.

[brewmaster15]

Last set for now...
some miscellaneous spider and scenery shots...











Hope you enjoyed them!
-al

[Teshi]

Very nice pics Al.

Do you know what kind of spider that is? The bat shots are really interesting.

[brewmaster15]

Brew, the bats had just finished listening to that song on the Beatles "White Album"; "Why Don't We Do it in the Road".

You were about 2 hours from my place in Manassas VA.

Hey Larry, Lol...yes I guess they were!

Very nice pics Al.

Do you know what kind of spider that is? The bat shots are really interesting.

Thanks Margaret..

I believe the first one is a Banana spider or golden silk orb weaver....if it is its a baby as they get the size of your hand.



The second is a Black and Yellow Argiope...at least its back pattern indicates that..though the legs are a little off from most pics I have seen.


-al

[Disgirl]

Great photography Al! I see Matt has some competition!Where is that beach?
Barb