SUMMER AIN’T OVER YET

Giant Swallowtail

It is hard to believe that this photo was created already 40 days ago, when the purple cone flowers were in their prime and a food source for some Giant Swallowtails. Time is flying. Overall it wasn’t a good year for butterflies. It seemed we had not as many as other years. My biggest concern is about the Monarch butterflies. I saw only a single one in our yard all summer long and very few at other places I visit frequently. Most cone flowers have dried-up already and the seeds are eaten by American Goldfinches. Some of the trees loose their leaves already but summer isn’t over yet and the remaining butterflies find stilll other flowers with nectar in them.

ARTSY-FARTSY SUMMER FUN

Although I do not publish a new blog post every day, I still try to make a few clicks with the camera daily. Sometimes just to practice or try out new things, and other times to keep the creative juices flowing. Most of these pictures will never be seen by the public eye but for me they are part of the ongoing learning process in photography.

We had finally some rain today and the air cooled down a little bit, but two days ago it was very hot and muggy and I just sat in a chair outside with the camera in my lap. The sun had already set but there was still a little glow touching our flowers, ferns, and grasses in the front yard. I played around with some long exposure times between two and ten seconds while keeping the camera in motion. This became more interesting when the lightning bugs (some call them fireflies or glowworms) started their performance. The slow movement of the camera duplicated our purple coneflowers while the short appearance of the bugs made for sharp little light trails. Just some artsy-fartsy fun with the camera… 😊

Nikon D750, Sigma 150mm / f2.8 APO EX DG HSM, @ 8s, f/5, ISO 100

GOING FOR THE SEEDS

American Goldfinch

When Purple Coneflowers are in their prime they are a good food source for many butterflies and other insects. Later, after they are withered, they become a food source for some birds. The American Goldfinch is primarily a seed eater. There is a reason why they raise their offspring later than most of the birds we have here during the summer. Seeds are available in abundance and beside thistles the faded coneflowers are in high demand. This photo is from last weekend and while looking for hummingbirds I saw this male goldfinch feeding on coneflower seeds. He did not stop until each flower he visited was almost bare. Most of the time the head was down and it was difficult to get a clean shot. But the bird was aware about my presence and had a look at me ones in a while. These were the moments to release the shutter button of the camera…

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Nikon SB 800 speed light, MAGMOD MagBeam flash extender

AT THE HEIGHT OF SUMMER

Yesterday, while working with the camera at the nest box, photographing the young House Wrens, I saw out of the corner of my eye one of the Giant Swallowtails drinking nectar from our flowers. I have made hundreds of pictures over the years from that species and it isn’t really special anymore, but it was the way the light was shining through its wings that triggered my interest this time. The flash fill helped to reveal the colors of the purple cone flower and despite a very harsh overall light I was able to maintain the luminosity of the scene.

By the way, the little House Wrens left the nest today. I wasn’t there when it happened, so I will never find out how many have been in the nest. They are probably somewhere around here in the woods right now. I saw and heard the male parent bird singing this evening again and I now wonder if he already tries to attract the female again…