White Water Falls - Upper Fall

Upper portion of beautiful White Water Falls, North Carolina.

Whitewater Falls, Full Portrait

Located outside of Cashiers, North Carolina, Whitewater Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rockies. Click here for more info.
This image was taken on May 5, 2009. It was a VERY rainy day. I'm grateful for the assistance of my daughter Diana who held an umbrella over my tripod mounted camera making it possible for me to take these photographs.

Alligator

An alligator resting on the bank of a pond. Photo taken in March at the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm.

Royal Poinciana

Deep green spring leaves of a Royal Poinciana.

The Buckeye - Sebring

The historic Buckeye building on the circle in downtown Sebring, Florida.

Tricolor Heron in Flight

Tricolor Heron in flight taken at the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm.

Newborns

This image is of a pair of Great Egret chicks and was taken approximately one week ago at the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm. This pair is approximately 3 weeks old.

Time Out

I've decided to take the month of April "off" from posting new photos to this blog. Thanks for visiting and please check back again beginning in May for new posts.
Ed

Great Egret Profile

Close-up of Great Egret with lure richly colored for mating season.

Flowers on the Pacific

Flowers growing along a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Torre Pines State Reserve, San Diego, California.

Boy Meets Monster Truck

My son demonstrating his super powers against an old truck rigged out for mud bogging at the Putnam County Fair in Palatka, Florida last weekend. Yeah think the owner might be a Gator fan?

Life is Just a Tire Swing

Fun on the tire swing at Swing Park, Saint Augustine, Florida.

Pelicans on the Dock

Pelicans resting at the end of a day on a dock in Everglades City, Florida.

Soldier at Castillo de San Marcos

Volunteer in role of Spanish soldier during reenactment of cannon firing at the Castillo de San Marcos, Saint Augustine, Florida.

Spillway

Water flowing over a small spillway at Highlands Hammock State Park, Sebring, Florida.

Water Snake Tasting the Air

Water snake. Ravine Gardens State Park, Palatka, Florida.

Bright Flower

Close-up of Flower.

Azalea Bloom

Azalea bloom. Ravine Gardens State Park, Palatka, Florida.

Fern Close-Up

Close-up of a fern at Ravine Gardens State Park, Palatka, Florida.

Macaw Portrait

Another photo of one of the Macaws at the Alligator Farm and Zoological Park in Saint Augustine, Florida.

I like this image for its rich colors and sharp definition of the head feathers and eye.

Castillo de San Marcos - Hot Shot Oven

Hot shot oven at the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Saint Augustine, Florida. This furnace was used to heat iron cannonballs till the were "red hot". The idea being that, when fired into a wooden ship, it would set the ship on fire.

Sunset in the Wake

Warm colors of sunset reflecting in a boat wake on the otherwise smooth waters of Matanzas Bay, Saint Augustine, Florida. Photo taken in November of 2008.

Saint Augustine Lighthouse

The Saint Augustine Lighthouse.

Sunrise at the Pier, 03-15-09 - Saint Augustine

Image just before sunrise at the Saint Augustine Beach Pier, Saint Augustine, Florida. Taken on Sunday, March 15, 2009.

Face of a Flower

One more of the flower series from Leonardi's Nursery, Saint Augustine, Florida.

Beware the Thorns

Cactus. Taken at Leonardi's Nursery, Saint Augustine, Florida.
Note the insect which became trapped among the thorns of this plant.

Three Amigos

Group of flowers. Taken at Leonardi's Nursery, Saint Augustine, Florida.

Flower

Another beautiful flower who's name I do not know.

Croton Leaf

Today's post is a close-up of a Croton leaf back lit by the sun. Taken at Leonardi's Nursery on Anastaia Island, Saint Augustine, Florida.

African Daisy - Leonardi's Nursery

Today's post is a close-up of an African Daisy (I think). Taken at Leonardi's Nursery on Anastaia Island, Saint Augustine, Florida.

Flowers - Leonardi's Nursery

Today's photo was taken at Leonardi's Nursery. This is a wonderful nursery on Anastasia Island, Saint Augustine, Florida, just a stones throw from the lighthouse and Alligator Farm. My daughter had purchased a couple of plants here a few weeks back at which time I asked if I could return at a later date to take some photos. They said it would be fine, and yesterday, I returned with a macro lens and tripod to capture the images I'll be posting through the week.

Now, I'm no expert on the names of plants or flowers and didn't think to take some notes as I was shooting. So if anyone wants to help with the identification, that would be fine.

Hope your week gets off to a good start!

Ed

On the Nest

A pair of Great Egrets resting on their nest at the Alligator Farm and Zoological Park, St. Augustine, Florida.

Sunrise over the Matanzas II

Another image of the sun rising over the Matanzas River in St. Augustine, Florida. This one was taken just moments after the photo posted last Saturday, 2/28/09.

White Ibis

Today's photo is of a White Ibis and was taken early in January at the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park.

Night Heron

Yellow-crowned Night Heron perched close to the boardwalk at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park.

Great Egret Touching Down

A Great Egret preparing to land in the tree where he and his mate are building their nest.

Photo taken at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park.

Wood Stork at Branch Depot

A Wood Stork works to free a branch from a tree to take back to the nest he and his mate are building.

Photo taken at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park.

Great Egret Nest Building

A Great Egret returning with a branch to contribute to the nest he and his mate are building.

Photo taken at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park.

Great Egret on Display

The birds at the St.Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park are very busy building nests, mating, and as you can see from this photo, showing off their colors and plumage. Its a truly spectacular place at the moment for bird lovers. And compared with many areas were I've gone to shoot wading birds, very photographer friendly. The boardwalk literally takes you within several feet of some of the activity.

Sunrise over the Matanzas

Sunrise this morning over the Matanzas River from Old Town St. Augustine, Florida.

At the Playground

Like most boys his age, my son loves to go to the playground. Today's photo of him was taken a few weeks back during a visit to the playground at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando. This is one of our favorite playgrounds with lots of neat equipment. He loves it so much that anytime we visit family in Orlando, he pleads to make a stop here.

Lookout Tower - Chokoloskee, Florida

This image is of the interior structure of a lookout tower on Chokoloskee Island, Florida.

Glacier Under Overcast Sky

Glacier Bay, Alaska.

Reflection of a Glacier

Glacier reflecting from the still waters.

Contrasting Glaciers - Glacier Bay, Alaska

Another photo from Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska.

One of the things II find interesting in this photo is the contrast between the dark flow in the foreground (which has so much rock and sediment entrained) and the white one in the background.

Earth and Ice - Glacier Bay, Alaska

From a photo, it is hard to comprehend the immensity of a glacier. In this image, you can see water rushing from within the glacier, dark from the silts and sediments it carries. To the left of the cavern from which the water is gushing, you can see a block of bluish ice. From my memory of this scene, that block of ice was easily as tall as a man.

Glacier, Alaska

Jumping around a bit this past week...Guam, Florida, California and now Alaska. I think the cold weather this morning inspired this leap. Maybe a theme for the next week?

Anyway, this photo was taken during a cruise along the Inside Passage of Alaska last July onboard the Sapphire Princess. I know, tough conditions to endure, but some sacrifices have to be made to see such breathtaking locations. I believe this image was taken in Glacier Bay.

Tired Puppy

This photo is of a friends tired puppy was taken last year while visiting Highland Hammocks State Park, Sebring, Florida.

Osprey in Pine Tree

Osprey are fairly common around the coastal areas of St. Augustine, Florida. This photo was taken several weeks ago from our backyard of an Osprey which was eating its meal in a pine tree on the property adjacent to where we live.

Guam Coastline, Micronesia

I don't recall the name of this area of the Guam coastline captured in this image but it was breathtaking for sure.

The Fish Eye, Guam, Micronesia

Today's photo is from the entrance to the pier that leads to the Fish Eye. The Fish Eye is a marine observatory at the end of a 1000' long pier which extends out into Piti Bay. A portion of the observatory is underwater in the "Piti Bomb Hole". Through windows that run around the circumference of the observatory, you can view the diverse marine life found on the surrounding reef. In a nut shell a really cool spot.