WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Extra, extra

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Today I’m participating in the WordPress weekly photo challenge and this week’s theme is “extra, extra”. Remember you can click on each photo for a larger view.

If you like what you see, feel free to subscribe and receive nature photography updates a few times a week.

When we visited Washington D.C. a few months ago, I decided we would take a tour bus to travel around the capital and see a lot of interesting places at once. Of course we got on and off many times for some up close sightseeing, but I also took a lot of quick photos from the inside of the bus. Did you notice I said quick photos? Being inside the bus means I didn’t have the ability to frame the shots the way I wanted to, including getting people and unwanted things out of the way. That made for a few extras in several of my pictures. This guy and his coffee cup are a perfect example of the many pictures I took from the bus. This is the US Capitol seen from the side. The cherry blossoms made up for the coffee guy as the “nice” extras in the picture.

The US Capitol from the side
The US Capitol from the side

This is the most narrow house in Georgetown, part of Washington DC. Too bad that tree happened to be in the way while I was taking a picture.

The most narrow house in Georgetown, Washington DC
The most narrow house in Georgetown, Washington DC

The Washington Monument was being renovated while we were there so depending on the angle you photographed it, you could include a nice crane in your shot like I did.

The Washington Monument and cherry blossoms in Washington DC
The Washington Monument and cherry blossoms in Washington DC

I was trying to photograph this American robin in the gardens of the Smithsonian castle when this grackle showed up to say hi. I bet he really wanted to be in the picture.

American robin and grackle taking a bird bath
American robin and grackle taking a bird bath

I didn’t take this last picture in Washington D.C. but I love the way this duck photobombed my photo of a white pelican. That’s a big extra in that picture.

Wordpress Weekly Photo Challenge: Extra, extra duck in front of white pelican
WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Extra, extra duck in front of white pelican

 

A Word A Week Photo Challenge – Orange

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

Today I’m participating in the A Word A Week Challenge. This week’s theme is “orange”.  I encourage you to click on each photo to see a larger view. If you like what you see, please subscribe to this blog to receive updates of the new photos I post, usually 3 to 5 times a week.

Orange is not my favorite color but I enjoy seeing it in nature and photographing it. I spotted a little bit of orange during my trip to the East Coast. This tiger at the Washington Zoo was very interested in a robin that was standing just a few feet away from him. No need to say that the tiger was way too slow to catch it as the robin flew away.

Tiger with orange fur and black stripes
Tiger with orange fur and black stripes

This isn’t the robin that was standing in front of the tiger. I found this American robin at the Smithsonian gardens behind the red castle. Notice the rings on his legs. I hear there’s a Smithsonian program that tags birds and then ask people to report their sightings on a website, so the Smithsonian researchers can study bird flight paths and patterns.

American robin with orange chest
American robin with orange chest

The backlight at Luray Caverns in Virginia made these stalactites appear bright orange. They almost look like fabric hanging down from the ceiling.

Luray caverns - stalactites with orange backlight
Luray caverns – stalactites with orange backlight

Sea jellies (jelly fish) are hard to photograph in an aquarium because of the low light and their rapid moves. I love how bright orange this one came up, as the light was right behind it.

Orange sea jelly - jelly fish
Orange sea jelly – jelly fish

Of course, I couldn’t do a photo post on orange without pumpkins. A lot of pumpkins from last year’s pumpkin patch.

Pumpkin display - orange pumpkins
Pumpkin display – orange pumpkins

Macro Monday: bee on a Matilija poppy

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

Today I’m taking part in the Macro Monday photo challenge. You can click on each photo for a larger view. If you like what you see, I encourage you to subscribe so you can enjoy the new photos I post a few times a week.

The large white poppy with a yellow center featured below is called a Matilija poppy, more technically Romneya coulteri. This giant white poppy is a native flower of California. I saw these two poppies at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and not in the middle of nature, where it’s probably too dry for these flowers to easily bloom with our ongoing drought. The bees seemed to really like them and they let me take their pictures without a fuss. Enjoy these few macros of bees on white poppies!

Macro Monday: bee on a Matilija poppy
Macro Monday: bee on a Matilija poppy

 

Bee flying in front of a white poppy (Matilija poppy)
Bee flying in front of a white poppy (Matilija poppy)

Check out the huge bags full of pollen on this bee’s legs. That’s quite a busy bee!

Bee on a Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri)
Bee on a Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri)

I wonder what honey made with these Matilija poppies would taste like, but these flowers really attracted the bees.

Close-up of a bee collecting nectar on a giant white poppy with yellow center
Close-up of a bee collecting nectar on a giant white poppy with yellow center