Archive for the ‘Wildlife’ Tag

Years After The Fire Gallery   Leave a comment

After the Fire CollageYears After The Fire Gallery (Santa Catalina Mountains) — Images by kenne

“If the world was perfect,
it wouldn’t be.”

— Yogi Berra

 

 

Capturing The Moment — Painted Lady, The One Day Butterfly   5 comments

Aspen Draw August 2013Painted Lady Butterfly — Image by kenne

One Day Butterfly

Aren’t we all one-day butterflies,
not aware of time.
Searching for partners or honey
until Death kisses us.
Then in his arms, tenderly rocked,
waiting for a new chance
to fly away again
and join the dance
of the one-day butterfly

— Mary Emily Bradley

Capturing The Moment — Butterflies Are Few   Leave a comment

Photographing butterflies this summer has been difficult. The few that are around are skipping from plant to plant, not taking time to stop.

While hiking on Mt. Lemmon yesterday, I kept and eye out for butterflies.  I tried photographing a black swallowtail, the only one I saw, in flight with no success. My only success came when I spotted a painted lady butterfly, stopping just long enough for the following images to be captured.

kenne

Happiness is a butterfly,
which when pursued,
is always just beyond your grasp,
but which,
if you will sit down quietly,
may alight upon you.

— Nathaniel Hawthorne

Images by kenne (Click on any of the images to see a slide show.)
If you enjoy these images, let me know.

Capturing The Moment — Orange Sulphur Butterfly, A Blur In Flight   Leave a comment

SCVN Nature Walk July 2013

SCVN Nature Walk July 2013

SCVN Nature Walk July 2013

SCVN Nature Walk July 2013Orange Sulphur Butterfly Can Be A Blur In Flight. (Meadow Trail on Mt. Lemmon)  — Image by kenne

Capturing The Moment — It’s All About Timing!   16 comments

Aspen Loop July 2013

Aspen Loop July 2013

Aspen Loop July 2013

Aspen Loop July 2013

Aspen Loop July 2013Nais Metalmark Butterflies on Ceanithus Fenderli Bushes — Images by kenne

It’s all about timing, and this was the moment!

Yesterday, while hiking the Aspen Loop on Mount Lemmon, we came upon plants steaming with butterflies and quickly concluded that the bush was the caterpillar host for these butterflies. We discussed possible names. 

The butterflies are the nais metalmark and the host plant is the ceanithus fenderli. “Males perch and patrol near the host plant for females. Eggs are laid singly on leaves or flowers. Caterpillars rest in shelters of leaves tied together with silk and emerge to feed on leaves and fruits. Mature caterpillars hibernate in leaf litter.”

These scenes were very impressive!

Since I’m not a butterfly expert, I hope I have done my homework well.

kenne

Mount Lemmon Wildflowers Before The Summer Rains   2 comments

Mt. Lemmon Trail 06-24-13Golden Columbine

Mt. Lemmon Trail 06-24-13Golden Columbine

Mt. Lemmon Trail 06-24-13Santa Catalina Indian Paintbrush

Mt. Lemmon Trail 06-24-13Not Sure?

Mt. Lemmon Trail 06-24-13Penstemon

Mt. Lemmon Trail 06-24-13Macromeria

Mt. Lemmon Trail 06-24-13Cow Parsnip

Mt. Lemmon Trail 06-24-13Curly Cup Gumweed

Mt. Lemmon Trail 06-24-13Mount Lemmon Wildflowers Before The Summer Rains (Early In The Season, They Are There If You Look Hard.) — Images by kenne

It Is Dry, Dry, Dry   1 comment

Turkey Run to Aspen Draw Trail

Turkey Run to Aspen Draw Trail

While hiking the very dusty Aspen Draw Trail on Mount Lemmon I saw my first columbine flower of the summer. It was one of the few wildflowers currently blooming on the mountain. It is very dry in the Santa Catalinas. Much of the trail has a top layer of gray power dust. The summer rains are needed to help bring on the wildflowers. The few that have appeared are short in height and the blooms aren’t lasting very long.

Last summer this blog probably had too many columbine images because they are so irresistible. I hope I will soon be able to post a beautiful fresh-looking columbine.

Here are two links to posts last June:

http://kenneturner.com/2012/06/14/capturing-the-moment-golden-columbine/

http://kenneturner.com/2012/07/03/one-of-my-favorite-wildflowers-golden-columbine/

kenne

Turkey Run to Aspen Draw TrailImages by kenne

 

Sometimes I Can Waste More Time . . .   9 comments

Turkey Run to Aspen Draw Trail 2 blogMoth? Butterfly? — Image by kenne

Sometimes I can waste more time
trying to identify things I photograph
,
and I did it again —
don’t know the name of this beauty.

Moth?
Butterfly?

This guy was very nervous
with wings fluttering so fast,
even shooting at 1/2000 per second,
it was not an easy capture.

Moth?
Butterfly?

kenne

Ode To A Butterfly   8 comments

Sunsets & Yard Flowers September 2012Image by kenne

Ode To A Butterfly

Butterfly, oh butterfly, why do you hide in the shadows? 
Spread wide your wings, let your heart sing
And come dance with me in the meadow

Butterfly, oh butterfly, why do you fear? 
You’ll never stray, I’ll lead the way
Just follow the path, I’ll be near

Butterfly, oh butterfly, have you no hope? 
Drink of the sun, our life’s just begun
Thro time’s hills and valleys we’ll lope 

Butterfly, oh butterfly, dare you to dream? 
On our hearts we depend, shall we follow the wind
And consign to the fates grander scheme? 

Sheri Hockman

I’ll Take A Butterfly On The Rocks, Please   10 comments

7 Falls April 2013

7 Falls April 2013Butterfly On The Rocks (Empress Leilia) — Images by kenne

Capturing The Moment — Two Butterflies, Two Asters   Leave a comment

Hiking trails

dusty and dry,

as are plants

along their path.

Flowers, 

wrinkled or cracked

exhibiting new personalities,

making more obvious

narrow-leaf asters  

in a dry

and rocky canyon area —

butterflies take advantage

of late fall nectar.

kenne

Why Don’t We Do It In The Mushrooms?   1 comment

Blue Beetles In The Mushrooms (There are also two caterpillars in the mushrooms. Can you find them?)
— Image by kenne

“Why Don’t We Do It In The Mushrooms?

No One Will Be Watching Us.

Why Don’t We Do It In The Mushrooms?”

Sing these lines to the Beatles twelve-bar blues song,
“Why Do We Do It In The Road?” — keep repeating it!

kenne

(Photos taken along Butterfly Trail on Mount Lemmon, August 19, 2011.)

San Pedro River Valley View Along Butterfly Trail On Mount Lemmon — Image by kenne