Pink tulip with petals that curve outward. The petals are wet from rain, with many water drops clinging to the petals. This is a close-up photo of a single flower on a green stem. The background is blurry green plants.

Tulip in our front yard after the rain.
#naturephotography #flowerphotography #springphotography #tulips #springflowers #photography

A large house with wooden siding, a couple gables, 2 main floors, many windows, and a porch to the right. There are two chimneys. There is a brick walkway leading to the front door, and a grass lawn in the foreground. There are tall trees on either side of the house, and the tops of trees can be seen behind the house. This is a somewhat grainy black-and-white photo.

Oakhurst Home, Minnetrista, Muncie, Indiana. Shot on expired film. This was built by the Ball family (manufactured Ball jars).
#minnetrista #oakhurst #muncie #expiredfilm #blackandwhitephotography #filmphotography #photography

A close-up photo of a female cardinal with her chest partly toward the camera, and her head facing to the left. Her beak is short, thick, and reddish orange in color. The feathers are dark around the beak. Her head and shoulders are gray. She has some red feathers on her head that are relaxed and sitting back on her head. Her chest is clearly wet, and the feathers are brown and gray. Her wings appear to be wet, with some bright red feather shafts. In the foreground are pieces of bark and wood with some seeds and pasty blobs of food. The background is blurry green with a blurry tomato cage and black feeder pole.

This female cardinal seems to have had a bath before coming to our patio for an evning snack.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #cardinal #photography

Two small birds sitting on the top of a wooden nesting box. The birds are white under their beaks and on their chests and bellies. The tops of their heads are iridescent blue, and their eyes and short beaks are black. Their wings are dark. They have their bellies toward the camera, but the bird on the left is looking toward the left, and the one on the right is looking toward the right. The background is blurry--light brown in the lower frame, and mostly green in the upper frame. There are some blurry tall brown stalks behind the nesting box.

A tree swallow couple keeping watch over their nesting box.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #treeswallow #photography

Red tulips in the foreground and to the right. A curved stone wall to the left. In the background a black ironwork gazebo and some flowering trees, and a bit of grass. The sky is blue with some white clouds.

Tulips at Minnetrista, Muncie, Indiana (April 4).
#naturephotography #flowerphotography #springphotography #tulips #springflowers #photography

Three large birds in the grass. They are brownish gray, with black spots on the chest and stripes on the back. They have red spots on the backs of the heads. The one on the left, looking toward the camera, has black on his cheeks behind the beak. They have black, crescent-shaped black areas in the front, below their necks. The beaks are long and dark. The eyes are round and dark. One female, facing to the right, is in front of the other, facing to the left. The female in the front has some feathers spread toward the back, revealing a bright golden color, with black on the tips of the feathers.

We were surprised to see three northern flickers together in our backyard a couple days ago--2 females and a male. The female in the front was doing a territorial dance, moving its head from side to side.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #northernflicker #photography

Large bird sitting on the end of a dead tree branch, chest toward the camera but looking down and to the right. The bird has a white face with a dark stripe through the eye, and dark feathers on the back of the head and neck. The chest and belly are white, and the wings and tail are dark brown. The beak is dark, short, and hooked downward. The eye is yellow with a dark pupil. The feet are thick and white, and the claws are long, pointy and curved. There are some vertical branches pointing upward from the main branch, to the left of the bird. The background is blue sky with some clouds a the bottom and right of the frame.

Osprey keeping watch over the White River in Muncie, Indiana.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #osprey #photography

A row of old buildings mostly built in the late 1800s. They are two stories or three stories high. Each has a different style of brick color and ornament. The street is mostly empty, with just a couple cars visible at the right edge of the frame. This is a grainy black and white photo, and the buildings look a bit dark. The sky is gray and cloudy.

Downtown Muncie, Indiana, shot on expired film.
#muncie #downtown #expiredfilm #blackandwhitephotography #filmphotography #photography

Portrait photo of a mallard duck swimming in water. His head is in the center of the frame, facing to the left, and we see only his neck and back. The bill is yellow with a dark spot on the end and one nostril hole. The head and neck are iridescent green. A thin white line below the green on his neck. The rest of the body are brown. He looks wet, and there are drops of water visible on the head and neck. The water is brownish gray, with some ripples and reflections.

I saw this unusually friendly duck on the White River this morning. Muncie, Indiana.
#birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #mallard #duck #birds #photography

Black and white photo of an old train station with light-colored brick and a textured roof with several gables. The building has many windows. There is a sign on the end of the building that says "Muncie". In front of the building there is a tall flag pole with an American flag. In the background on the left are some industrial buildings. On the right there are trees without leaves. In the foreground is a walkway that goes around the building, some grass, and a concrete or stone sign in the grass that says "Muncie". The sky appears to be overcast and cloudy. The flag appears to be blowing in the wind.

Former Muncie train station, now used by the Cardinal Greenway, in Muncie, Indiana. Shot with an old point-and-shoot Fujifilm camera with expired film.
#muncie #railroadphotography #trainstation #cardinalgreenway #filmphotography #photography

Small bird standing in shallow water. Bright light is reflecting off of the water in the foreground, and there is a reflection of the bird on the surface of the water. The bird is in the lower right of the frame, and the background is a waterfall with bright water droplets in front of a dark background. The bird is white underneath, and gray on the back and tail. The head is black with white on the forehead and above the eye, and under the beak.

Japanese wagtail, Shukugawa, Nishinomiya, Japan. (photo taken in November).
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #japanesewagtail #wagtail #birdsofjapan #photography

The remains of a mostly destroyed building made of bricks and concrete, with the skeleton of a dome on the top. The building is framed on either side by trees. In the background is a cloudy sky with a bright spot where the sun is setting on the right.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial. This was the only structure left standing after the atomic bomb exploded in 1945.
#travelphotography #japantravel #hiroshima #hiroshimapeacememorial #peace #photography

Small bird standing on a piece of wood that has some yellowish pasty food stuck on it. The bird, in profile facing to the left, is dark gray on the head and neck. The wings and tail are lighter gray, and the underside is white. The beak is short and pinkish orange. The eye is small and black. The bird's beak is open and it has some of the food sitting on its tongue. The wood is sitting on a small plastic table, and there is the edge of a wooden feeder behind it on the left. The background is blurry grass with some shadows.

Dark-eyed junco eating some of my homemade bark butter. The juncos will be migrating north soon.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #junco #darkeyedjunco

Corner of a system of buildings and walls, with a light brown stone foundation. in the corner, closest to the camera, is a building with dark wood right above the stone wall, and white walls above that, with brown windows. The roof is dark gray and not too steep, with some characteristic Japanese-style ornamentation. Above the rest of the walls and in the far corner are structures in the same style. To the left is a stone bridge. In the foreground is still water that surrounds the walls. The light is warm and golden, and there is a strong reflection of the wall and buildings in the water. In the distance on the right is a large modern building. On the left are some trees. The sky is a mix of clear blue and dark clouds.

Hiroshima castle moat (photo taken in November).
#travelphotography #japantravel #hiroshima #hiroshimacastle #moat #photography

Six birds flying in a sky that is completely blue. Five birds are in a diagonal straight line, with their wingtips overlapping. One bird is behind the others and slightly to one side. All of the birds have their wings completely outstretched. They are white, but the backs and tips of their wings are black. Their beaks are long and yellowish in color. Their tails are short.

American white pelicans. I believe they are migrating. I don't remember seeing them in Indiana in the past.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #pelican #americanwhitepelican

Close-up picture of a bird sitting on a hanging green cage with suet inside. It has a long, thin, dark beak. The face and neck are white. The top of the head is dark gray or black, and the wings and tail are black and gray with bits of white. It's back is toward the camera, and the head is lower than the tail. Its beak is pointing down and toward the left. The beak is open and if you look closely you can see the long tongue. In the background are blurry yellow bricks and a blurry downspout.

The birds are pretty active in our backyard right now. Here is a white-breasted nuthatch enjoying our suet feeder.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #nuthatch #whitebreastednuthatch

Small blue scooter with small wheels. It has an unusual, simplified shape, and there is no engine visible. There are two rear-view mirrors on the handlebars, and there is a helmet and goggles sitting on one of the mirrors. It is in front of a wall that is dark wood on the bottom, and painted white further up. Thee are windows behind a dark, vertical, wooden strips that create a kind of screen. On the right is the rear end of a conventional motor scooter. On the left is the rear end of a bicycle. In the foreground is a bit of road and a small curb. In front of the scooter is a square metal cover on the ground that apparently covers a hole in the sidewalk.

Interesting little scooter in this street scene. Miyajima, Japan.
#travelphotography #japantravel #miyajima #streetphotography #scooter

Woman in a white jacket facing forward and to the right, looking back over her right shoulder. She is wearing glasses and laughing. A small deer is behind her, sniffing her right arm. She is standing in front of a stone wall. There are some other people looking over the wall in the left of the frame. On the other side of the wall is a small sandy beach and still blue-green water. In the background there are some small tree-covered mountains.

This hungry deer thought my wife might have a snack to share. Miyajima, Japan in November.
#travelphotography #japantravel #miyajima #deer

A truss bridge over a river with a train engine moving from right to left, the front of the engine directly over the river. In the foreground on the right is a tree without any leaves. On the left is a river bank and a concrete wall. In the background there are some bare trees and some grass. The sky is gray with some small clouds.

Train crossing the White River in Muncie Indiana.
#naturephotography #landscapephotography #riverphotography #winterlandscape #bridgephotography #whiteriver #railroadphotography

Cigar box guitar lying flat on a small table with a graphic score and some small things like guitar slides and E-bow. Guitar pedals under the table. In the foreground a 2-string bass made out of a long canoe paddle. Guitar amp on the left. A computer sitting on a stand, displaying a stopwatch. Everything is on a wooden stage, and there are audience seats in the background, with a few people in the distance near a mixing board.

On Saturday I played with the Ball State Electroacoustic Ensemble. We premiered my new piece "Shape Shifting 2: Ensemble in Three Parts". I played a couple of my homemade instruments.
#homemadeinstruments #experimentalmusic #livemusic #graphicscore #improvisedmusic #cigarboxguitar #guitarpedals

Black bird on a nearly vertical tree branch. It is black everywhere except the front of the wings, which are a bright orange. It's beak is open and it is apparently singing. There are a few other vertical tree branches, and in the background are some blurry trees without leaves. The sky is mostly blue, with a hint of white clouds.

This red-winged blackbird was really showing off his red patches when singing. Must be mating season! Dutro-Ernst Woods in Muncie, Indiana.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #blackbird #redwingedblackbird

Brown seed pod sitting in the grass. It is a brown ball with spines that curl in different directions and holes between the spines. The grass is green and light brown, and laying rather flat on the ground. The grass and the rear portion of the seed pod are out of focus.

Sweetgum tree seed pod, experimenting with a close up lens.
#naturephotography #sweetgum #closeupshot #macrophotography

A bird standing in water, at the top of a waterfall, so the water is coming from the right and falling over the edge. Our view is over the top, so we don't see the water falling, just spilling over the edge. To the left we see some large, blurry, orange rocks, and some blurry water that looks like it is moving or has some foam on top. The bird is standing right at the edge, facing toward the right, with one leg lifted like it is stepping forward. The head, beack, neck, back, and tail are dark gray. There is some white above the beak and above the eye. The underside of the bird is white. The legs are dark.

Japanese wagtail at the top of a small waterfall, Shukugawa, Nishinomiya, Japan. (photo taken in November)
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #japanesewagtail #wagtail #birdsofjapan

Hawk sitting on a large tree branch, facing toward the left. The head and shoulders are a rusty orange color, and the belly is striped with white and orange. The wings are covered with brown spots with some white between the spots. The beak is short but sharp and hooked. It is gray with some orange closer to the face. The eye is intense and dark. One orange foot is visible. The rest of the frame are many tree branches, some out of focus, and a few brown leaves. The sky in the background is cloudy and gray.

Red-shouldered hawk at Oakhurst Gardens, Minnetrista, Muncie, Indiana.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #hawk #redshoulderedhawk #minnetrista

The upper half of a tree with no leaves. Trunk near the bottom of the frame is different shades of brown, but the branches and upper portion of the trunk looks more white or gray. Many branches are bending in different directions, filling the frame. The branches are brightly lit from the left side, and there are strong shadows on the right side of the branches. The background is an intensely blue sky.

Sycamore tree lit by the evening sun near the White River and the Cardinal Greenway in Muncie, Indiana.
#naturephotography #landscapephotography #treephotography #cardinalgreenway #sycamore #eveninglight

Old McDonald's sign with a single large yellow arch, and cartoon figure with a round head and a chef's hat, the words "Coast to Coast" and "over 99 billion sold". It is a night scene and the sign is lit up using neon lights. In the foreground is pavement and in the lower right corner a sign that says "Enter" with double yellow arches. In the background is a Rally's restaurant. There is a tree on the left, barely lit in the dark. On the right is a street with a couple cars with headlights lit. The sky is black.

Vintage McDonald's sign in Muncie, Indiana. There aren't too many of these still around.
#vintagesign #vintagesigns #nightphotography #nightview #muncie

A skull of a deer with large antlers (9 points), sitting on a rusty metal chair outdoors. The ground is covered with brown mulch and green grass and weeds, and the background is ivy and other green plants. In the upper right corner of the frame is some metal structure and a concrete pot.

This was shot last summer on my father's Ricoh Ricolet camera from the 1950s (using some expired film).
#naturephotography #vintagecamera #filmphotography #ricolet #expiredfilm

Small bird in profile, facing to the right. It is sitting on a tree trunk that has very loose bark that is gray and light brown. Its head and beak are pointed upward, but the body is leaning downward. It has a long, thin, dark beak. The face, neck and belly are white. The top of the head is dark gray or black, and the wings are black and gray with bits of white. In the background are a couple branches that are blurry, and the sky is cloudy white.

White-breasted nuthatch. I think this is a river birch tree. Minnetrista, Muncie, Indiana.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #nuthatch #whitebreastednuthatch #minnetrista

10 yellow flowers with small green leaves below each flower. They are sticking up above a bed of dried leaves.

Several narrow white flowers hanging down from bent stems. At the base of each stem are some smaller shoots that appear to be emerging leaves. These are growing from a bed of brown mulch.

I think it's been a tough winter for many of us. I'm glad spring is upon us.
#naturephotography #flowerphotography #flowers #springflowers #winteraconite #snowdrops

Robin on a tree branch, with its beak open, about to pluck a crab apple from the branch. It has gray/black wings, back, tail, and head, with a ring of white around the eye. The chest and belly are orange. The beak is longish and yellow. It is flipping one wing in the air to steady itself while grabbing the crab apple. Throughout the frame are tree branches with many red, somewhat shriveled crab apples. The sky is cloudy and gray.

Yesterday I saw a lot of robins eating crab apples on the grounds of Minnetrista in Muncie, Indiana.
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #robin #minnetrista