Focusing In

My interest in photography all began with birds ... beautiful Eastern Bluebirds. In early spring 2009 we put up our first nestbox after spotting a bluebird pair searching for a suitable nesting site. To our delight, the couple took up residence in the bird house. The handsome pair fascinated me with their interesting courtship and nesting behaviors. I snapped a few pictures with my Konica Minolta Z2 camera. After viewing the photos, I was hooked. I longed to get a clearer, closer view and borrowed Bruce's DSL Canon Rebel XT camera (a birthday gift from me back in 2007). The borrowed camera soon had a new owner (me!), as I could not get enough of watching and documenting the busy bluebird pair building a nest, laying pretty pastel blue eggs, feeding hungry nestlings and tending to fledglings. Eastern Bluebirds were not the only birds that captured my attention. I could not help but be distracted and mesmerized by the death defying aerial displays of diminutive Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. A new lens was ordered.

I spent spring and summer snapping photos of the busy-bodied, curious Black-capped Chickadees, beeping White-breasted Nuthatches, doe-eyed Tufted Titmice, striking Indigo Buntings, stunning Blue-winged Warblers and noisy Red-bellied Woodpeckers. On our acreage, playful deer fawns romped, slithery Blue Racer Snakes scaled trees, Eastern Box Turtles laid eggs, Wild Turkeys took dust baths and Great Horned Owls hooted hauntingly. A telephoto zoom lens was ordered.

During fall and spring bird migration, I disappeared for hours with my camera on our country property or at local nature preserves. A new camera body was ordered.

Summer 2010 arrived and along with it came lush, green foliage. Leaf growth so dense bird sightings became more difficult. My eyes turned downward. Dazzling butterflies fluttered from bloom to bloom, caterpillars inched ever so slowly along leaf edges, pollen dusted bees buzzed amongst fragrant, brilliant colored flowers and exquisite dragonflies alighted on the tips of tall grasses. A macro lens was ordered.

A whole new world appeared before my wide open eyes. We are all surrounded by the beauty of nature. Sometimes one has to look a little harder to find it. A plant might appear as just a weed, but if you take a moment, peer closer and focus in a bit, you might be surprised at what you see. ~ I welcome identification corrections ~

The rich colors of a Orange Mint Moth adorn a Wild Bergamont wildflower

A fuzzy Hickory Tussock Caterpillar makes a meal of a groundcover leaf

A stunning Low-flying Amber-wing rests atop a dried flower in our fruit orchard

A beautifully patterned Buckeye Butterfly momentarily pauses on a blade of grass

A Green Stink Bug performs the perfect balancing act on a burgundy berry

A vibrant Common Blue Damselfly basks in the morning sunlight

A Silver-spotted Skipper samples the purpley bloom of an Ironweed plant

Seen amongst our apple trees, a Praying Mantis turns its head and looks curiously at my camera lens

A striking Silvery Checkerspot Caterpillar scales a weed stalk