Time flys…

Well, it is probably time to post an update. The last post was made just before I got sick. I’ve been feeling better for a while now and I’ve been taking pictures, so I probably should have posted something sooner, but…

Anyway, I recently made a road trip up to eastern Oregon, I am heading up there again in a couple of weeks for the solar eclipse and wanted to an idea of what I am going to encounter then. It was a good trip, with three new bird species and lots of shots of basalt flows. Here is a sampling:

Lazuli Bunting
Lazuli Bunting, a new bird for me.

American Dipper
American Dipper, the first one I have seen in about 10 years.

Columnar Basalts
Columnar basalts

Douglas Squirell
Douglas Squirrel

Top shots in 2013

For some reason, I don’t think that 2013 was a particularly good year. It seems like I only had a few good days of shooting and the rest were pedestrian. That’s not really how you want to introduce a post like this. But since this is an exercise that I have done the last few years, I feel the need to continue it, you know tradition, habit, addiction…

As always these are in no particular order and my top ten goes to eleven.

Black Oystercatcher

I should probably do a full post on oystercatchers, they have provided wonderful shots over the years.

Orca in Monterey Bay

I think that this one is going to slip in as number 11. I’m not entirely wild about the shot, but it is my best shot of wild Orca.

Checkerspot butterfly

Continuing my tradition of getting nice shots containing invasive plants, a Checkerspot butterfly on Poison hemlock.

Osprey

The Osprey recently returned to the Reserve.

Rock and water

You kind of had to figure that this one might show up. Waves exploding on rocks, I can never get too much of that.

Townsend's Warbler

A Townsend’s Warbler in flight with a termite.

Pelicans diving

Just a few Brown Pelicans feeding at Monastery Beach.

Anenome

Anthopleura elegantissima in Whalers Cove.

Great Horned Owl

When an owl calls out to you, you have to stop and find him.

Golden waves

Waves on Gibson Beach, taking advantage of smoke from the Big Sur Blaze.

Nesting night herons

Nesting Black-crowned Night Herons.