Picture-A-Week 2021 - Week 06

[pierces]

Pictures taken between Monday, February 1 and Sunday, February 7.

 

 

Rules: See above

That's it. This isn't a contest.

All photos taken this week are welcome (not just cruising).

Prizes will not be awarded. Discovering the joy of photography is the prize.

The idea is to get folks out using their cameras for more than vacations and toddler birthdays.

Post one. Post many. Up to you.

Have fun with your camera and share your fun with others!

[Docker123]

Wednesday afternoon stroll in Newport Lakes Park looking for dragonflies.  Very pleasant 25C.

 

So, not dragonflies.  Several eastern long neck turtles in different parts of the lakes.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 3, 2021 by Docker123

[pierces]

Although not an actual free martini, it represents the small amount of freedom afforded us by the Powers That Be this week. The resumption of limited outdoor dining is now allowed and despite having no idea what science (if any) from which dimension the PTBs followed to decide this was suddenly ok, we took advantage of it. A couple of adult beverages along with some really excellent food from one of the catering regulars took the edge off of a week that had more than its share of anxiety. After quarantining all last weekend and waiting a couple of days for the (negative) results after our tests on Monday, even this small relaxing of the seemingly arbitrary restrictions on our struggling restaurants and bars felt nearly as good as a successful recall election would.

 

Freetini

 

 

(The story was the focus this week.1/3s handheld with the A6300 and a 25mm manuals lens won't win any photo contests! 🙂)

 

Dave

[Oviedo32765]

Leu Gardens in Orlando, Fl is featuring a "Dinosaur Invasion" thru April 18.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PurpleHays]

We had a dinosaur exhibit at the NC Zoo a few years ago. It was pretty neat.

[boeckli]

On 2/7/2021 at 11:46 PM, pierces said:

Although not an actual free martini, it represents the small amount of freedom afforded us by the Powers That Be this week. The resumption of limited outdoor dining is now allowed and despite having no idea what science (if any) from which dimension the PTBs followed to decide this was suddenly ok, we took advantage of it. A couple of adult beverages along with some really excellent food from one of the catering regulars took the edge off of a week that had more than its share of anxiety. After quarantining all last weekend and waiting a couple of days for the (negative) results after our tests on Monday, even this small relaxing of the seemingly arbitrary restrictions on our struggling restaurants and bars felt nearly as good as a successful recall election would.

 

Dave

 

Good to hear that your tests came out negative 👍

[boeckli]

No shortage of flowers

 

[Oviedo32765]

No shortage of flowers here as well. In addition to the dinosaurs, I did take other photos: 

 

 

 

 

[zackiedawg]

This past weekend was very very rainy and wet here in South Florida.  We've had so much lovely, cooler weather through December and January, definitely our best, coolest winter in 10 years...but February so far has decided to bring back the tropics - temps in the upper 80s, near 100% humidity, and lots of rain and thunderstorms.

Saturday was such a rainout that I didn't bother to try for the wetlands - but Sunday looked a little better - still grey and overcast, and threat of rain, but not constant...so I went out Sunday to the local wetlands to see what I'd find.  I ended up getting rained on twice - but had my rain sleeve with me for the camera, so kept on shooting.  Turned out to be a very lucky day - because I was able to find and photograph one of the most difficult and elusive camouflaged birds to spot, especially since they're nocturnal and just find a place to sleep during the day...if I had seen nothing else, it still would have been worth the trip and getting wet!

 

A northern rough-winged swallow took a break from flying around to land on the rail just in front of me:

 

A sora, passing through an opening in the reeds for a moment:

 

That elusive, very well camouflaged bird that is so difficult to spot - this is in fact only the 3rd time in my life I've been able to photograph one - a whip-poor-will:

 

Turned out that was the last shot I was able to take before the skies opened up...I ran under some trees for cover, and put the rain sleeve on my camera - staying under the tree canopy for about 20 minutes to shelter from the hardest of the rain.  When it lightened up to a drizzle, I headed back to see if the rain made the whip-poor-will move...it didn't, but the bird didn't look too happy being all soaked:

 

One of the prettiest basilisk lizards I've seen - not sure if he looked more colorful than they usually do because he was wet from the rain, or just because he had shed skin recently and was all shiny and new:

 

A purple gallinule wandering out on the floating plants over the water to look for food:

 

A male red-winged blackbird, singing his heart out to try to find a mate: