ann e's current blog

Plejades M 45,Takahashi telescope, exposure 1 X 20 min. ( My first photo with CCD )

Mountain High , Wrightwood California

There were just a few geese and some beautiful swans at the Ruby Marsh National Wildlife Refuge because most of it's frozen over....but soon the spring migration will occur and the marshes will be full of birds once again. This marsh is a major stopover along the pacific flyway, providing nesting and feeding grounds.

What's got their attention?

Say that real fast 3 times ;)

Gull landing in Alameda Creek today

Another beautiful morning along Humboldt Bay

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad train. As quickly as the snow flurries had kicked up, they disappeared.

Various gull species: California, Western, Glaucous-winged (one), Mew and Herring, all seem to be having a party at Virgin Creek Beach, in the rain

I decided to walk before the storm came in, so I wandered over to the headlands above Pudding Creek Beach. When I arrived, it was getting windy. I noticed a male American Kestrel hovering above a flock of Western Meadowlarks that were feeding on the ground, so I got as close as I dared and sat down. No sooner had I sat down, the kestrel flew right over me and began hovering, staring down at me as if to say "HA HA HA, you can't DO this." :) Hands were a bit shaky from the wind and the excitement of having this bird come right over my head.

A mere 6 weeks old and already capable of stealing your heart!

The Columbia River has many inlets. This one captured the sunset colors in it's reflection. We sat here waiting for a train (to cross the tracks on the right birm) but it arrived too late and ran too fast to capture it in such low light

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, near Stovepipe Wells, Death Valley, CA.

QUALITY TIME

One lone poppy stood opened to greet the sun among a host of daisies. The clouds in the distance take with them the last of the rain for a few days.

At the headland trails above Pudding Creek Beach between storms. Another storm is coming in tonight

Almond blossoms are beginning to open. One more week and it will be at

mustard in the vineyards

to mom. A colt sprawls out on a sunny February morning with momma close by.

some 8 centimeters of snow.

E. Humboldt Range, NV

Vaguada de Las Llamas.Santander

A few days of downpour followed by a bit of blue sky create an opportunity for reflective images.

This is the largest megalithic site on the Iberian Peninsula. Today it's structure contains around 100 monoliths (menhirs) some of them decorated with engravings. It's built on a hill facing East and situated a few miles from the town of Evora.

A male Florida Burrowing Owl is standing guard at the burrow. Burrowing owls are diurnal and can be seen during the day.

moon with venus nearby in the western sky in early evening as clouds pass over

The poppies are really early this year.

The poppies are really early this year.

A Black Oak with lingering leaves in front of Stonewall Peak, San Diego Mountains

We had 9 inches of snow in Kings Mountain, NC, last night.

Canada Goose

Another visual treat looking out my window this morning. It was a fantastic sunrise. Watching the valley fog lifting from the river bed far below, is something I never get tired of watching. The fog lifts rapidly as the sun heats up the morning air.

A view to the northwest of the Salton Sea, the huge briny lake that fills a large portion of the Coachella Valley. It's a mess, full of agricultural chemicals and toxic blue-green algae, but remains a very important wintering ground for tens of thousands of waterfowl.

Female Norther Cardinal

OK not the monetary stuff in this economy, but I'll take the natural variety for now.

Red-winged blackbird

I was looking for reflection shots and managed to find this one.