Stalking Wild Wood Nymphs

Last night I packed my pick up so that I could be out of the house bright and early. I went out to the Burris Ranch to put up a new feeder and perches. On my drive out it was beautiful. The valley was still covered in a layer of fog and the sun was trying to break through. Stepping out of the cab when I arrived at the ranch I immediately wished I had worn something warmer than shorts and sandals. I was happy I had pulled on a light sweater on before heading out the door. The thermostat in my truck said it was 40 degrees F. After setting everything up the sun was just starting to clear the ridge behind the ranch. I settled into the photoblind for some great bird photography. By ten o’clock the lighting was starting to go so I headed up into the one of the pastures behind the ranch to see what I could find. There were Wood Nymph Butterflies popping up here and there. Trying to catch one landing in a spot where I could photograph it was a completely different story. It’s really frustrating when one would flutter up in front of me out of the grass and then fly to the top of a nearby tree! I had to approach them very slowly and try not to caste my shadow on them. Eventually one landed on a small thorny flower on a little rise that was quite approachable. I stayed there for about ten minutes trying several different angles to get a better view of it. It was simply a gorgeous day. God’s love and blessings to all, chris

Kickin' Up Their Heels!

A sure sign of spring is the colt that was born last week on the ranch in the pasture below my photoblind. It's amazing how fast colts are up and around. God's love and blessings to all, chris

I Wish Someone Else Had a Camera

This is photblog #2 for today. But I had such a good time I had to post it. This morning I motored on out to the Burris Ranch in the Little Lake Valley to restock my bird feeders. Just before I turned into the ranch I noticed something in the road ahead. "What in the world is that?" I thought to myself. As I got closer I realized it was five Turkey vultures gathered around a dead raccoon. After restocking the bird feeders I went back to my to pick up and grabbed my camera. I figured I would make a slow approach through the pasture close enough to get some nice close up images of the vultures. As I picked my way downhill I observed that I had gathered an entourage of three horses. I would walk slowly and the stop, at which point one of the horses would move forward and nudge me in the back. I kept telling them to go away but they doggedly kept following me. Once I stopped and turned around and they flared. Not a good idea because all of the vultures flew off except one. Begrudgingly I accepting my observers as I carefully made my way to the fence at the edge of the road and braced my camera against a convenient fence post for support. Every time I would lean forward to look into the viewfinder to take an image I had three horse breathing on my neck and nudging me in the back.It was pretty humorous. I really wish there had been someone there to photograph the horses with me. I hope you are having a glorious weekend with lot's of joy and laughter. God's blessings to you, chris

Steppin' Out

Today was just a beautiful spring day. I went out into the Little Lake Valley to the Burris Ranch and did some bird photography.While I was in the photoblind waiting for the birds to come out I envisioned an image of walking through the pasture. God bless, chris

Going for Gold and Other Things

Actually should have put "Going for Goldfinches".Today I planned on doing some bird photography out at the ranch. I really wanted to photograph some Goldfinches on Thistle flowers. I grabbed my leather gloves and some clippers as I headed out the door.When I got to the ranch I cut down a thistle plant and carried it up the hill. Did you know those things those things have thorns that can go through leather gloves? Ouch! Ouch! On the way up the hill to the photoblind I stopped and photographed a couple of deer near an apple tree in the lower pasture. I really liked how they looked in the fog.


When I arrived at the blind I tied up the thistle to a stand next to the bird feeders. I sat back and waited and waited. It helps to keep the feeders stocked to keep the birds coming and I haven't restocked them for awhile. Finally a male Goldfinch came by and I took his portrait

After the Goldfinch came the bird photography slowed down even further.I decided to photograph the jeep that shares the ranch junkyard with my photoblind. I often think while I'm photographing of all the stories that jeep could tell if it could talk. All the places it has been and the things it has experienced.I daydream of what it would be like to resurrect it. But then my mind jumps back to reality because I'm really lousy at working on cars and it's not my jeep.

After photographing the jeep I was climbing out of the blind when a fawn jumped up in the pasture behind my blind and I photographed it as headed away from me towards the forest.Fawns are always so darn cute!

I started down the hill when suddenly I remembered that I wanted to photograph the ridge where I live because a few people have asked where I live. A picture is worth a thousand words. Here is the view of where I live from the ranch. My house in on a ridgetop about four miles northwest of the town of Willits, CA.

The last image I created was of some ripe apples in tree on my way out by the pasture gate. It's the apple on the right. I walked the rest of the way to my pickup crunching away on it's sweet flavor. Delicious!

God's love and blessings to you all,

chris

Sign of Spring

Yesterday I got to see a wonderful sight.One of the mares in the pasture next to my photoblind foaled. The little girl was sticking fast to her mama and fallowing her all over the pasture. It's amazing how quickly they are able to get up and around being only one day old. God's blessings to all, chris

Almost a No Photography Day

This blog is delayed by a day as blogger was down. Today I did a lot of office work. Scanning images and file work. I went out to the ranch to clean and restock the feeders. While I was there I thought I would try a little photography. It was unsuccessful as they were working in the ranch yard with a nail gun. Every time the nail gun would fire off the birds would bolt. When I was coming out of the blind I happened to look into the pasture down at the bottom of the hill and this horse with the flowers caught my eye.

God's love and blessings to all,

chris

Why Don't You Come Over Here and Say That?

Believe it or not I'm still working on the birds. Today a Lazuli Bunting came into the feeders three times and I couldn't get an image without spooking it. On my way home I spotted this cow and had to stop and take its portrait. It actually seemed pretty nice though I have come across a few cows in the past you wouldn't want to be in the pasture with. Time to run!

God's love and blessings to all,
chris