May 26 was hot and humid, bringing out the blackflies and perspiration, and accelerating nature’s rush to get a new generation going before summer solstice.  (Northern Europeans had some going with their celebrations, eh?)

Many T. grandiflorum were changing colour from white to a delicate pink.  This is NOT an example of T. grandiflorum f. roseum  :

From the above link:

“One form of the plant, T. grandiflorum f. roseum, opens with light pink petals instead of the common white. It is generally found very rarely throughout the range, but in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia is can be found somewhat frequently in mixed or sometimes pure colonies.^[5] It should be noted that the white flowers of the common pure white variety of T. grandiflorum turn a very distinctive pink and remain so for several days just prior to the wilting of the flowers. Plants bearing these pink flowers are often mistaken for a “pink variety” of trillium.^[8]”

This spectacular birdie arrived at the same tree, same branch as my previous sighting in 2014.

The Indigo Bunting (along with many butterflies, Peacocks, several ducks) displays its colours using Structural Colour instead of Pigment Colour, making it a challenge to photograph.   The above is my best, shot at long range with my 100-300 mm (200-600 mm equivalent) lens, not the sharpest in the world.  Like last year the birdie didn’t hang around for long. As soon as I shut the truck engine off, the bird jumped off of the branch, folded its wings and plunged into a leafy thicket.  Bye bye birdie!

Last year, 2014, July 24, I got this unspectacular photo of an Indigo Bunting:

Perhaps there is a nesting pair around.  That would be very nice.

These fellows are flitting around in the tag alders and other thickets, singing their hearts out:

The streaky breast distinguishes it from the Chipping Sparrow and American Tree Sparrow.

Every rockery in the Britt area has this member of the Allium genus.   Goes nicely with the sour cream on your baked potatoes.

Obligatory photo of Aquilegia.

 

I broke out the 45mm (90mm equivalent focal length) Macro lens on the GH2 to try to get up close and personal to these British folks with their red hats.  Marginally better than my FZ1000 at minimum focus distance.

While I was looking for last year’s Indigo Bunting photo, I came across this photo, one of my favorites:

Title:  Frog Contemplating Yellow   ?

And speaking of favourites, many thanks to those of you who responded to yesterday’s email regarding the three options (A, B or C.).   All “A” so far.  Somehow I suspect that I’ll only get A’s and some default C’s.

Eventually I will respond to your emails.  Two stick in my mind:

One friend said that he preferred images with “information content”  … ie images that have a story, not just photos that are nice to look at.  The “textual context” (!) seems to be important contributor to the story.

Another friend said that he had enough challenge editing his own photos and that editing was NOT a “democratic” process but was an opportunity for the photographer to be a “dictator”.  He advised me to discharge my responsibility and to “surprise and enlighten”.

Of course that reminded me of R. Browning’s oft quoted piece, Andrea del Sarto.  This part:

I, painting from myself and to myself,
Know what I do, am unmoved by men’s blame
Or their praise either. Somebody remarks
Morello’s outline there is wrongly traced,
His hue mistaken; what of that? or else,
Rightly traced and well ordered; what of that?
Speak as they please, what does the mountain care?
Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what’s a heaven for?

Something for photographer-wanna-bees to think about.  : )

t

PS  Diligent observers will note that I found a way to shorten that annoying non-scrolling strip at the top of this blog.  One of these fine days I will learn enough about WordPress to make this blog a little easier to use.  In the meantime, thanks for your feedback, either here or via email.  And remember to use your browser’s back button after you examine the pix up close.

PPS  Some folks have asked me what camera(s) I use.  Here is a list.