I’ve seen them out back and photographed them. They’re always juveniles. Not sure where the adults are.

A young northern map turtle (Graptemys geographica) bathing on a small pile of leaves and twigs on a he slow, brown, murky river. Their back is to the camera as they cling to a think stick at the center of the pile and look cautiously over their right shoulder to inspect the photographer.

#turtletuesday
Northern map #turtle - Graptemys geographica
(Shot near Cincinnati 4-6-26) 🐢 #photography #wildlifephotography #wildlife #nature #animal #reptile #terrapin

Photo by Kort Duce A female Cooper’s hawk perches over her catch—a female house finch taken while hunting along the riparian corridor of St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado. In this vertical color photograph, a large branch angles gently across the frame from lower left to lower right. The hawk stands over its prey, some of the finch’s feathers already plucked. Facing the camera, the hawk hunches over its meal with its head raised, its slightly open beak suggesting a recent bite. Sunlight from the left illuminates the scene, catching the bird’s intense red eyes. The background dissolves into a soft bokeh of green leaves and blue sky.

A female Cooper’s hawk perches over her catch—a female house finch taken while hunting along the riparian corridor of St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado.

#BirdsSeenln2026 #BirdOfTheDay #bird #birds #birdphotography #ECK #EastCoastKin #hawk #hawks #riparian #habitat

A horizontal photo of an Eastern Chipmunk. The photo is framed on the left by a notch in a fallen tree. The chipmunk is illuminated by a beam of sunlight while the rest of the scene is in shadow. The chipmunk is facing the camera, head turned slightly to its right. It's right paw is pulled up against its chest.

Another photo of my little Eastern Chipmunk friend from a recent hike.

#mammal #wildlife #nature #PhotographersUnited

Maybe not the fanciest of #birds, but oh how I love how this shot turned out!

For #WoodpeckerWednesday, a male Red-shafted Northern Flicker Woodpecker. #birds #photography #ECK #WestCoastKin #PhotographersUnited

#Storch #Vögel

Thanks, Brian!

That'll complicate your cardinal photo attempts, lol. In back I've seen evidence that something occasionally preys on the mourning doves and I'm pretty sure it's a Cooper's.

Closeup photograph of a mostly closed red and yellow tulip with out of focus green foliage in the background. The view is from above looking down on the top of the flower with the edges of the petal tips in sharp focus and the remaining frame out of focus. Tulips have long green leaves as well as a tall, green, slender, and stiff stems. The flower extends upward from the stem and has 6 overlapping petals (3 total) interior to overlapping sepals (3 total). This variety has pointed petals rather than the softly curved petal edges of a typical tulip and has lemon yellow bottom petal that transitions to a nearly hot pink-red at the petal tips.

Tulips kisses, pour vous?

#flowers #gardening #BloomScrolling #nature #NaturePhotography #photography #AltText

Closeup photograph of a partially open common blue violet bud with out of focus green foliage in the background. The view is from the front. The bud is vertical in the center frame and is attached to purple stem that is drooping downward under the flower's weight with the petals exposed below and under the green sepals which attach the flower to the stem. The flower's petals have pierced the bud, but the petals have not opened and are still tightly bound by the green sepals that form a cup around the flower's base. Violets have five petals in a zygomorphic arrangement with two teardrop petals above and behind three lower petals that form a cup or trumpet around the center with stigma styles circling and obscuring the entrance to the flower's interior.

"Violet, you're turning violet, Violet!"

Managed to get a violet successfully transplanted from out back & into the main garden. It's doing quite well and hopefully I can get more to spread. Such a lovely spring flower/plant.

#flowers #WildFlowers " #BloomScrolling #nature #photography #AltText

Extreme closeup photograph of a prairie blue-eyed grass flower with an out of focus green leaf and vague grays in the background. The view is from the front looking at the flower's face which takes up most of the left-center fame. This variety has grass-like foliage (roughly 6" (~15cm) tall) and produces flower spikes tipped with an inflorescence with blooms opening in sequence one after the other. They have six purple-blue petals that radiate from a center with six pale lime-green stamens with orange-yellow anthers and a pale green pistil with a pale green stigma.

Prairie blue-eyed grass.

Been scattering it in my #garden . Hopefully, I can harvest & keep reseeding. While not grass, the foliage has a grassy look/size with a multiple small inflorescences of blue flowers.

#flowers #MacroPhotography #BloomScrolling #nature #photography #AltText

Photograph of an open red and white tulip with out of focus green foliage, and a gray faux brick wall in the background. The view is from the side. The petals at the front of the flower are out of focus while the petals in the back are in sharp focus and the plant's interior is out of sight behind the front petals. Tulips have long green leaves as well as a tall, green, slender, and stiff stems. The flower extends upward from the stem and has 6 overlapping petals (3 total) interior to overlapping sepals (3 total) all radiating from and forming a cup around the center containing six stamens with anthers and a pistil with stigma. This variety has white petals with red feathering, which is dense near the bottom and fades, thins, and becomes streaky near the top, six yellow-brown stamens with yellow-brown anthers, and a pale green pistil with a pale yellow-green stigma. The bottom of the flower's interior is a bright yellow that transitions to red at the petal's side.

Closeup photograph of the same tulip's long, thick, curled, and pointed green leaves that have a white streak that runs along the edge of each leaf.

Photograph of an open red and white tulip with out of focus green foliage in the background. The view is from above looking down into the flower's interior with the stamens and pistil in sharp focus. Tulips have long green leaves as well as a tall, green, slender, and stiff stems. The flower extends upward from the stem and has 6 overlapping petals (3 total) interior to overlapping sepals (3 total) all radiating from and forming a cup around the center containing six stamens with anthers and a pistil with stigma. This variety has white petals with red feathering, which is dense near the bottom and fades, thins, and becomes streaky near the top, six yellow-brown stamens with yellow-brown anthers, and a pale green pistil with a pale yellow-green stigma. The bottom of the flower's interior is a bright yellow that transitions to red at the petal's side.

The last of my tulips.

I had several tulips this year that only developed leaves but its only their 1st yr.

Hope to see this one back next yr. The white lining on the leaf edges is marvelous!

#PhotoHour #gardening #flowers #BloomScrolling #nature #NaturePhotography #photography #AltText

Thanks, Brian!

Photograph of small cluster of crab apple tree blossoms with out of focus blossoms, green leaves, branches, and patches of blue sky in the background. The cluster is in the center left frame and is lit from behind by sunlight. There is a large vertical branch in the the foreground on the far-left frame and a thin vertical branch lined with large green leaves in the foreground on the far-right frame both of which frame the flower cluster. This variety of crab apple has five pink petals that radiate from a center with pale pink stamens with yellow-brown anthers, and a pink pistil with pale yellow stigma.

#SilentSunday

#BloomScrolling

Photograph of large cluster of crab apple tree blossoms with out of focus blossoms and a blue sky in the background. The cluster takes up most of the center frame and is lit from behind by bright sunlight highlighting the cluster edges and leaving the front of the cluster in shadow. This variety of crab apple has five pink petals that radiate from a center with pale pink stamens with yellow-brown anthers, and a pink pistil with pale yellow stigma.

#SilentSunday

#BloomScrolling

Photograph of a crab apple tree blossom surrounded by out of focus blossoms with a large out of focus dark branch and patches of blue sky in the background in the background. The blossom is in the center right frame and is highlighted by bright sunlight while the rest of the frame is in shadow. This variety of crab apple has five pale pink petals that radiate from a center with pale pink stamens with yellow-brown anthers, and a yellow pistil with a yellow stigma.

#SilentSunday

#BloomScrolling

Photograph of large cluster of crab apple tree blossoms with out of focus blossoms in the background. The cluster takes up most of the frame with two blossoms in the center right frame in sharp focus. This variety of crab apple has five pink petals that radiate from a center with pale pink stamens with yellow-brown anthers, and dark pink pistils with pale yellow stigma.

#SilentSunday

#Bloomscrolling

Vertical head-on view photograph of a butterfly amaryllis flower in a bright window with out of focus freesia foliage in the background. The flower takes up the center frame. This variety of amaryllis tops a thick stiff stem or flower spike and has six, pointed teardrop-shaped petals that create a trumpet-like oblong star structure, and which radiate from a center with six long stamens and a pistil. Each petal is a pale lime green with maroon edges and feathering that is dense near the flower's center and becomes streaky towards the petal tips. The six stamens are white with tan anthers, and the pistil is white with a white stigma.

Photograph of a pair of butterfly amaryllis blooms in a bright window with out of focus freesia foliage in the background. The flowers are in the central frame and are attached to small stems that extend from a central supportive flower spike. The flowers themselves face in opposite directions. This variety of amaryllis tops a thick stiff stem or flower spike and has six, pointed teardrop-shaped petals that create a trumpet-like oblong star structure, and which radiate from a center with six long stamens and a pistil. Each petal is a pale lime green with maroon edges and feathering that is dense near the flower's center and becomes streaky towards the petal tips. The six stamens are white with tan anthers, and the pistil is white with a white stigma.

Photograph of a butterfly amaryllis bloom in a bright window with out of focus freesia foliage in the background. The view is from the side, and the flower is facing left in partial foreshortened profile with the nearest petals out of focus and the petals on the far side of the flower in sharp focus. This variety of amaryllis tops a thick stiff stem or flower spike and has six, pointed teardrop-shaped petals that create a trumpet-like oblong star structure, and which radiate from a center with six long stamens and a pistil. Each petal is a pale lime green with maroon edges and feathering that is dense near the flower's center and becomes streaky towards the petal tips. The six stamens are white with tan anthers, and the pistil is white with a white stigma.

My amaryllis just bloomed. I've had it for 4 yrs now & this is only the 2nd yr it's bloomed. This variety is commonly called butterfly amaryllis and I just love the color/feathering 👍.

#houseplants #flowers #FlowerPhotography #BloomScrolling #nature #NaturePhotography #photography #AltText

Photograph of a dandelion bloom with out of focus green foliage in the background. The view is from the side flower disk with the bloom's central pistils facing upward. Dandelions have long narrow yellow floret rays that radiate from the flower's center in overlapping concentric layers. The florets open from the outside in, and each floret has a yellow pistil with a small yellow split stigma that curl back on the style. The flower is supported by thick sepals that form a cup around the center of the round, disk-shaped flower. Dandelions have stiff hollow stems and spring lettuce-type leaves with heavily scalloped edges.

Dandelions are popping. Some big heads on those puppies this year. Big plants too.

#flowers #FlowerPhotography #BloomScrolling #nature #NaturePhotography #photography #AltText

Photograph of several crab apple tree branches laden with blossoms with out of focus bloom-covered crab apple branches and patches of blue sky in the background. The branches overlap each other so it's difficult to tell where one branch ends and the other begins. The branches at the top of the photo are in the foreground and are in sharp focus while those at the bottom are in the background and out of focus. This variety of crab apple has pink petals with darker pink veining, pale pink stamens with pale pink anthers, and dark pink pistils with pale yellow stigma.

Flower bower.

The neighborhood crabapples are blooming. We've had tons of rain & a bit of hail so I was worried they'd all be knocked down. Luckily we had blue skies yesterday & the blooms were abundant.

More pics to follow.

#flowers #BloomScrolling #nature #Photography #AltText

Photograph of a green-winged teal swimming in gently rippled brown water. The teal is swimming to the right in profile with a small bow wave in front and a long wake behind. Green-winged teal have white tails with a black under-tail, white belly feathers, black and white side and back feathers with a herringbone-like pattern that gives them a gray appearance, gray wings with white and black markings as well as green markings that are mostly hidden when the wings are closed, tan chest feathers, brown iridescent heads feathers with a large green iridescent mask that wraps around the eyes and extends around the back of the head.

Not the best photograph but this is my 1st encounter/pic of a green-winged teal. It was way out there (pic heavily cropped) & no way to get much closer. No tripod so surprised I got a semi-usable pic.

#birds #birding #wildlife #WildlifePhotography #nature #NaturePhotography #photography #AltText

Photograph of a butterfly amaryllis flower spike and bud in a teal blue pot next to a black pot with an out of focus freesia foliage Both pots are placed on the sill of a bright window. This variety of amaryllis tops a thick stiff stem or flower spike and has six-pointed, teardrop-shaped petals that create a trumpet-like star structure and radiate from a center with long stamens and a pistil that droop down and across the top of the lowest petal. Each petal is a pale lime green with maroon edges and feathering that is dense near the flowers center and becomes streaky towards the petal tips. The stamens are white with tan anthers and the pistil is white with a white stigma.

Side view photograph of a butterfly amaryllis flower bud with an out of focus freesia foliage in the background. The bud is thick and vaguely flattened egg-shaped with a pointed end and it encloses a pair of large flowers that burst the bud when they are too large to be contained. The bud’s surface has lines of ridges that run up and down its length. This variety of amaryllis tops a thick stiff stem or flower spike and has six-pointed, teardrop-shaped petals that create a trumpet-like star structure and radiate from a center with long stamens and a pistil that droop down and across the top of the lowest petal. Each petal is a pale lime green with maroon edges and feathering that is dense near the flowers center and becomes streaky towards the petal tips. The stamens are white with tan anthers and the pistil is white with a white stigma.

Head on view photograph of a butterfly amaryllis flower bud with an out of focus freesia foliage in the background. The bud is thick and vaguely flattened egg-shaped with a pointed end and it encloses a pair of large flowers that burst the bud when they are too large to be contained. The bud’s surface has lines of ridges that run up and down its length. This variety of amaryllis tops a thick stiff stem or flower spike and has six-pointed, teardrop-shaped petals that create a trumpet-like star structure and radiate from a center with long stamens and a pistil that droop down and across the top of the lowest petal. Each petal is a pale lime green with maroon edges and feathering that is dense near the flowers center and becomes streaky towards the petal tips. The stamens are white with tan anthers and the pistil is white with a white stigma.

A month out of hibernation, my amaryllis put on a flower spike 1-2 wks ago.

Had it for 4 yrs & it bloomed for the 1st time last yr.

I put off postings these bud pics but the bud just opened today so I'm behind the ball 🤷‍♂️.

📷 to follow

#flowers #BloomScrolling #nature #photography #AltText

Thanks, Brian!

Thank you, Rob! I got a nice run of pics of the same bird and that one is one of my favorites👍

Ours are more distracted trying to grab the best territory/trees. There were two males going back and forth in the same small space next to the local dental college until one finally left and the other went up into the tree tops to sing. I crept up on them while they were focused on each other.

Photograph of a dark-eyed junco standing on mostly bare brown earth surrounded by a scattering of small green plant sprouts. The junco is facing right in profile with a freshly plucked yellow-green plant sprout hanging down from its beak. Dark-eyed juncos white belly and under-tail feathers, light grey to dark grey body feathers, grey wing feathers with dark markings, dark eyes, a silvery pink beak, and brown legs and feet.

Out sprout picking along Mormon Handcart Trail.

#PhotoHour #birds #birding #BirdPhotography #wildlife #WildlifePhotography #nature #NaturePhotography #photography #AltText

Photograph of a male cardinal perched on a slender tree branch amid a tangle of small branches and bright green spring leaves. The cardinal is facing away from the camera with its head turned to the left in profile to look over its shoulder and directly at the camera. Male cardinals have brown legs and feet with grasping claws, red feathers with darker red on their back, wings, and tail, an orange beak, dark eyes, a black mask that wraps from top of the beak to its neck, and a crest on the top of their head that can be raised or lowered. When viewed from the front, the crest tapers from the top of the bird's head into a conical shape with a sharp tip. In this case, the cardinal has its crest lowered to rest on the top of its head.

Giving you the warm shoulder.

#PhotoHour #birds #birding #BirdPhotography #wildlife #WildlifePhotography #nature #NaturePhotography #photography #AltText

Extreme closeup photograph of a partially opened liverwort flower (Hepatica americana aka Anemone americana or round-lobed hepatica seems likely) with out of focus greens in the background. The view is from the side and from this angle the flower looks similar in appearance to a tulip flower with sepals supporting vertical petals in a cup-shaped flower. Liverwort plants are small and typically 2-6" (5-15cm) tall. The flowers top thin dark purple stems covered in fine hairs and consist of purple-green sepals also covered in fine hairs that support six very pale purple-pink petals that radiate from a center filled with a large number of white stamens with white anthers and lime green pistils with pale green stigma.

#SilentSunday