December 2012

Poppies Bozeman, Montana 2012

Just the poppy seed pods from yesterdays still life.

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Latent Potential Bozeman, Montana 2012

A few years ago I got what was maybe my first gardening urge ever. I’ve always appreciated a good garden or landscaping project but never have had the desire to create one myself. My gardening idea was pretty simple: to plant just two things, California poppies and hollyhocks. Modest as that goal was, all I’ve accomplished so far is to collect some seed pods for both types of flowers. I may have to get some more though as these are a couple of years old and may not be viable anymore. Besides, I love the shapes and they make great still life props. Maybe I’ll change my goal to just collecting and photographing the seed pods.]]>

High Water Mark Washington, DC 2004

I recently remarked that I could remember the location and circumstances of 99 percent of all the photos I’ve ever taken. But, after going through a ton of my old computer files doing some cataloging etc., I may have to take that back; I didn’t count how many images I didn’t remember, but it was likely more than one percent. Anyway, I do remember the trip to DC where this photo was taken, but don’t remember seeing this ice on the rock or taking the photo when I was there. It’s kind of tempting to imagine the ice represents the high water mark of some recent flood event, but I have a feeling a more likely explanation is that someone pulled the disk of ice out of a puddle and balanced it there–in homage to Andrew Goldsworthy perhaps.]]>

Chaco Bozeman, Montana 2012

Chaco is a Swainson’s hawk. The Montana Raptor Center’s literature describes him as one of the most beautiful around Swainson’s. Hard to argue with that assessment.]]>

Pilgrim Bozeman, Montana 2012

Pilgrim is a 19 year old Turkey Vulture, or turkey vulture depending on whose rules of bird name capitalization you are following–something I’ve been confused and inconsistent about myself. No chance of Pilgrim weighing in on the issue, except with a grunt or hiss, as the species lacks any vocal organs.]]>

Bu #2 Bozeman, Montana 2012

Great Horned Owls can be up to 25 inches in length with a wingspan of as much as five feet, yet their weight tops out at less than 6 pounds. If I had that same weight to size ratio, I’d weight somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 pounds. At that weight strapping on a couple of those fake angel wings would save me save a ton of money on cross country flights.]]>

Bu #1 Bozeman, Montana 2012

This is Bu, the great horned owl that has been at the Montana Raptor Recovery Center for 13 years. I’m not sure why they call him Bu, maybe because the scientific name for the species is bubo virginianus.]]>

Sammy #2 Bozeman, Montana 2012

 Does a hawk ever not look like they are scowling?

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Sammy #1 Bozeman, Montana 2012

Sammy is a 19 year old red-tailed hawk. She is a resident at the Montana Raptor Conservation Center in Bozeman. The center’s main mission is to serve as a rehabilitation facility for injured raptors, with the ideal goal of their eventual re-release into the wild. Some of the birds they save are not capable of fending for themselves and are adopted by various other facilities or become permanent residents, serving in the center’s educational programs. I got a chance to visit the center and take a few quick photos of some of the education birds.]]>