2013 Blue Lion Year in Review- Part 2 of 6

Here is Part Two of my yearly review of the images I have produced during 2013. If you missed the first installment, you can view them here: 2013 Blue Lion Year in Review- Part 1 of 6. 

These 6 images are start of my "Top Twenty" images of the year. Please feel encouraged to let me know which of these is your personal favorite in the comments section below. I greatly value knowing what Blue Lion viewers enjoy the most! I really enjoy getting to see my photographs through YOUR perspective!  

Your can see higher resolution versions of each of these images on my website by clicking in the images here. All of these images are available for purchase as well from my website (www.bluelionphotos.com).  

#20: Bald Eagle Scouting for Lunch ~ Hagerman NWR, Sherman, TX

#19: Burrowing Owl (Captive) ~ Hagerman NWR, Sherman, TX

#18: "Longing for Home" ~ Civil War Reenactment, Allen, TX 

#17 (tie): "Moonrise Over Allen" ~ Allen, TX

#17 (tie): Addra Gazelles ~ Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Glen Rose, TX 

#16: "Sassy Cardinal" ~ Allen, TX

One lesson any aspiring nature photographer can take away from this collection of photos is that you can get very good subject matter close to home. While I have been very lucky to travel to some great places to shoot nature, all of these images were shot within a two hour drive of my home and several were shot within minutes of my house! If you are willing to look closely at the daily world around you, you can find intriguing subject matter! 

CLICK on PART 3 to see the next installment in the series! 

SURVIVOR

This bald eagle image was my very first photograph of a raptor. I was chaperoning my students on a field trip to a renaissance festival near Dallas. The festival had a small birds of prey demonstration. As a science teacher, I was immediately drawn to it, as renaissance festivals are not known for their plethora of “sciencey” offerings. The star of the show was this bald eagle who was missing most of its right wing as a result of a hunting mishap several years earlier. 

Click in the image to see the high resolution version

Thankfully, the wounded bird had been brought to a licensed animal rehabilitator and made as full a recovery as possible. Since it could no longer fly without the missing wing, it joined this show as an education ambassador to help young people appreciate the majesty of our national bird, but also to gain a better understanding of responsible hunting here in Texas. It was very used to having people close by and I was able to get this shot. I particularly like the detail in both the feathers and the eye – the success of this shot inspired me to seek out future chances to capture other animals in “portrait” style images! 

Blue Lion Birds: The Exhibit (Part 3)

This is Part 3 of my series of bird images related to the exhibit mentioned below. Click HERE to see the images from Part 1 or HERE to see images from Part2. 

In conjunction with a local reading group called ALLen Reads, an exhibit of my bird images will be on display at the Allen Public Library for the entire month of February. In addition to the exhibit, I am honored to be a part of a panel discussion on February 7 at 7:30 pm with two wonderful local conservationists from the Connemara Conservancy and the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center. If you are in the Dallas area and wish to attend, the discussion titled, “It’s for the Birds”, – Here’s the press release for more information.  My photographs will be featured in the gallery case in the lobby as you enter the library. 

All prints at the exhibit as well as sets of exhibit greeting cards (10 per set) will be available for purchase at the Allen library’s circulation desk or by contacting me by email. (john @bluelionphotos(dot)com) You can also purchase prints by clicking on the image in these posts and then clicking the “buy” button in the upper right hand portion of your screen.

Since many of you do not live close enough to visit – I am taking this opportunity to share images from the exhibit here on the Blue Lion Blog. If you DO live close by, I hope you stop by the exhibit to take a look and support the both the Allen Library and ALLen Reads! 

(If you’d like a larger view of any image, just click it to enlarge it to better suit your screen size. )

Ever Watchful 

Resplendent Roller

HOWDY!



Stay tuned for the next installment in a couple days! 

Blue Lion Birds: The Exhibit (Part 2)

This is Part 2 of my series of bird images related to the exhibit mentioned below. Click HERE to see the images from Part 1. 

In conjunction with a local reading group called ALLen Reads, an exhibit of my bird images will be on display at the Allen Public Library for the entire month of February. In addition to the exhibit, I am honored to be a part of a panel discussion on February 7 at 7:30 pm with two wonderful local conservationists from the Connemara Conservancy and the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center. If you are in the Dallas area and wish to attend, the discussion titled, “It’s for the Birds”, – Here’s the press release for more information.  My photographs will be featured in the gallery case in the lobby as you enter the library. 

All prints at the exhibit as well as sets of exhibit greeting cards (10 per set) will be available for purchase at the Allen library’s circulation desk or by contacting me by email. (john @bluelionphotos(dot)com) You can also purchase prints by clicking on the image in these posts and then clicking the “buy” button in the upper right hand portion of your screen.

Since many of you do not live close enough to visit – I am taking this opportunity to share images from the exhibit here on the Blue Lion Blog. If you DO live close by, I hope you stop by the exhibit to take a look and support the both the Allen Library and ALLen Reads! 

(If you’d like a larger view of any image, just click it to enlarge it to better suit your screen size. )

Touchdown! 

Golden Eagle Stare Down

Spectacled Owl


Stay tuned for the next installment in a couple days! 

Blue Lion Birds: The Exhibit (Part 1)

In conjunction with a local reading group called ALLen Reads, an exhibit of my bird images will be on display at the Allen Public Library for the entire month of February. In addition to the exhibit, I am honored to be a part of a panel discussion on February 7 at 7:30 pm with two wonderful local conservationists from the Connemara Conservancy and the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center. If you are in the Dallas area and wish to attend, the discussion titled, “It’s for the Birds”, – Here’s the press release for more information.  My photographs will be featured in the gallery case in the lobby as you enter the library. 

All prints at the exhibit as well as sets of exhibit greeting cards (10 per set) will be available for purchase at the Allen library’s circulation desk or by contacting me by email. (john @bluelionphotos(dot)com) You can also purchase prints by clicking on the image in these posts and then clicking the “buy” button in the upper right hand portion of your screen.

Since many of you do not live close enough to visit – I am taking this opportunity to share images from the exhibit here on the Blue Lion Blog. If you DO live close by, I hope you stop by the exhibit to take a look and support the both the Allen Library and ALLen Reads! 

(If you’d like a larger view of any image, just click it to enlarge it to better suit your screen size. )

Steely Eyed Glare

Drying Darter

Night Watchman


Stay tuned for the next installment in a couple days! 
PART 2 is now posted! 
PART 3 is now Posted!

The 2012 Countdown - Part 6

The 2012 Countdown - Part 6

As 2012 winds down, I hope it’s been a happy, healthy, and enlightening trip around the sun! This year has been personally rewarding for me as I saw my daughter married this past month as well as having my son get engaged at the wedding reception.

Photographically, the second half of the year was slow as wedding plans and my teaching demanded more of my time. I was not planning to post my annual countdown, as I did not feel I had shot enough to warrant a year-end retrospective. However, after sitting down and looking over my 2012 images, I have to say I am pleased with the results and have changed my mind.

The rankings of the Top 25 of 2012 came from a formula I created that takes into account the feedback received from Facebook, Twitter, and 550px.com as well as the traffic the image generated on my Blue Lion Photos website. I hope you enjoy seeing a few familiar shots mixed in with some you might have missed in the past year.

Part 6 of the 2012 Countdown (# 2 - #5)

#5 - Blue Morpho

#4 - Flame Lilly

#3 - Ural Owl Landing

#2 - Eastern Screech Owl - Red Phase 

Thanks for visiting and spending a few minutes here --- Tomorrow I'll post the most popular Blue Lion image from 2012!  Hope to see you back! Feel free to share the 2012 countdown with you friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+! 

Please comment below & let me know your favorite of the images above! 

Thanks for your support and  best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2013!

The 2012 Countdown - Part 1

As 2012 winds down, I hope it’s been a happy, healthy, and enlightening trip around the sun! This year has been personally rewarding for me as I saw my daughter married this past month as well as having my son get engaged at the wedding reception.  

Photographically, the second half of the year was slow as wedding plans and my teaching demanded more of my time. I was not planning to post my annual countdown, as I did not feel I had shot enough to warrant a year-end retrospective. However, after sitting down and looking over my 2012 images, I have to say I am pleased with the results and have changed my mind.  

The rankings of the Top 25 of 2012 came from a formula I created that takes into account the feedback received from Facebook, Twitter, and 550px.com as well as the traffic the image generated on my Blue Lion website. I hope you enjoy seeing a few familiar shots mixed in with some you might have missed in the past year.

Part 1 of the 2012 Countdown ( # 22- #25)

#25 - Pretty in Pink

#24 - Blue Bellied Roller




#23 - Steely Eyed Glare



#22 - Reflective Green Heron

Thanks for visiting and spending a few minutes here --- Tomorrow I'll post images 18 - 21 here! Hope to see you back! Feel free to share the 2012 countdown with you friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+! 

Please comment below & let me know your favorite of the images above! 

THE TOP TEN BLUE LION PHOTOS OF 2011 - Post 5 of 6

NUMBER 2: “FOCUS” 

The second most viewed Blue Lion Photo of 2011 was taken in Awendaw, South Carolina at one of my favorite places. The Center for Birds of Prey is an amazing organization that has rehabilitated close to 6000 raptors over the past 20 years as well as providing the Charleston, South Carolina area a world-class educational facility supporting these impressive birds.

“Focus” features a Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) which is an eagle that is found throughout African and Southern Asia. It is primarily a carrion feeder, although it will also take small reptiles and mammals up to rabbit size. Thankfully, Tawny Eagles are not threatened, and are rated as a “Least Concern” in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Please return tomorrow to view the Final installment of this series where I will share the most popular Blue Lion Photo of 2011!

 Previous Installments:

Post #1

Post #2

Post #3

Post #4

Wild at Wingswood - Come Join Me!

This weekend I am excited to be able to head to South Carolina to help out my good friends at the Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw (near Charleston) as they hold their yearly fundraiser "Wild at Wingswood". For the second year in a row, the esteemed Jack Hanna will be on hand to lend his vibrance and passion to the proceedings. I am lucky to be able to attend and serve as photographer for the events this weekend. On Saturday (10/29) there will be a family event from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm that will allow nature lovers of all ages to get to see the Center's amazing raptors (birds of prey) in live flight demonstrations as well as a chance to meet the legendary Jack Hanna. For more details about attending click HERE.


Saturday night is the "Big Event", Wild at Wingswood which will feature live local music, amazing food from some of Charleston's top chefs, live flight demonstrations, as well as both live  and silent auctions. I am honored to have two of my images featured in the auction. Blue Lion fans will recognize my image "Focus" from other blog posts - this is a Tawny Eagle I "shot" at the Center in 2010.



   The second image that will be auctioned is one I took at the Center this past June. This is a very elegant Golden Eagle with a look that illustrates the intensity of  all birds of prey.



If you happen to be in the Charleston area this weekend, I'd love to get to meet you and share this spectacular gem of a conservation organization with you!  In 10 minutes from now I'm off to the airport to begin my journey to Awendaw!
CHEERS!

Under the Radar

For this week's Wordless Wendnesday.

Under the Radar
Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo)
Center for Birds of Prey, Awendaw, SC

Click in the image to view it in the original gallery.

A Visit from our Local Cooper's Hawk

The Highly efficient visit of our neighborhood Cooper's Hawk last autumn.He was yet to read "To Kill A Mockingbird".

Click in any image to see it in the original gallery.

This is a post to WORDLESS WEDNESDAY, WORLD BIRD WEDNESDAY, & CAMERA CRITTERS.

FOCUS

"FOCUS"

Tawny Eagle

Center for Birds of Prey, Awendaw, South Carolina

Enjoy WORDLESS WEDNESDAY posts by clicking on the link.
Pay a visit to WORLD BIRD WEDNESDAY

Photo of the Year 2010 (Part 2)

Happy New Year's Eve everyone! Today I reveal the runner up to the 2010 Photo of the Year at Blue Lion Photos. This photo of a Eurasian Kestrel comes from the Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw, South Carolina. This individual was being held by its trainer and was clearly eager to fly. I am fond of the depth in this image as you really get a feeling for the leading edge of the wings and how they create lift when the bird flaps its wings.

This image has the distinction of being my first front page photograph as it was featured on the front page of the Moultrie (South Carolina)News in order to promote the visit of Jack Hanna to the Center for Birds of Prey.

In addition, the this image was used by the Visit South website to promote the Center for Birds of Prey. The link to their page is HERE.

Come back tomorrow for the announcement of the 2010 Photo of the Year!

I wish all of you a safe and joyful New Year's Eve celebration!

Photo of the Year 2010 (Part 1)

Welcome to the final days of 2010! I have just gone through the statistics from the past year and compiled a list of the top 4 photos on www.Blue Lion Photos from January 1st until today, December 30th. Tonight I shall reveal the 3rd & 4th place finishers. Tomorrow I shall reveal the runner up for 2010 and on New Year's Day 2011, I will share the Photo of the Year for 2010.

The 4th place finisher is one of my US Flag composites that I first created in February for President's Day. It is called "Eagle Pride" and has been a popular choice for folks wanting to give a gift to young men they know who are earning their Eagle scout honor in the Boy Scouts of America.

Click in the image to see it in the original gallery

The 3rd place finisher is probably the photo I have talked about more than any other one I have taken. I titled this one "Three of a Kind". These three bunnies were found on the campus of the school where I teach during a construction project. Students brought them to me and another teacher with a great degree of concern. Later that day Mama rabbit was located and the whole family was relocated to an East Texas ranch. This is a popular choice as a card and sells well at craft fairs as it has a wide appeal and high "cute" factor.  

Click in the image to see it in the original gallery

Stay tuned for the runner up which I will post tomorrow!

(SXSP32Q6S3G8 )

Photo of the Week - November 21, 2010

Greetings friends!
This week was a good one here at Blue Lion Photos! This week's Photo of the Week, my Eurasian Kestrel, was by far the most popular image on the website as it was my first image to be featured on the front page of a newspaper! The photograph was used to help promote the Center for Birds of Prey's (CBP) fundraiser with conservation legend Jack Hanna. Here is the photograph as it appeared on the front page of the Moultrie (South Carolina) News.



Here is the larger version of the photo:



It seems the usefulness of this image for the Center for Birds of Prey will live on as I have recently granted permission for it  to be used in a book that will describe the CBP and other interesting South Carolina points of interest. I will keep you all updated when it is published  next spring.

Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving!

Photos of the Week - Halloween 2010

In honor of Halloween, this week's Photo of the Week is shared between two images that capture different aspects of Halloween. The first image is titled, "BOO!" and relates the fun & playful factor that seems evident on this Eurasian Eagle Owl Chick's face. His orange eyes just screamed "Halloween" to me so clearly that I made him the "October" page of my 2011 Blue Lion Photos Calendar.

Click to see a higher resolution image

The second image is brand new to me as I took it yesterday (10/30/10) at the Dallas Zoo. The bird is the endangered Waldrapp Ibis (AKA – Northern Bald Ibis, or the Hermit Ibis). Oddly, this is the only member of the Ibis family that is NOT a wading bird. They lived in the Middle East & Northern Africa and have become critically endangered with only an estimated 500 wild birds remaining in a Moroccan population. One look at these birds reveals their "spooky" and "sinister" countenance. I especially find their neck feathers to be a great addition to their unique look. To me they seem to be the Edgar Allen Poe of birds. However, this bird's portly girth suggests a more "Alfred Hitchcock" look to some!

Click to see a higher resolution image

Enjoy your Halloween and may your treats outnumber the tricks!

John



Photo of the Week October 10-16

Greetings! This week's Photo of the Week (POTW) was a surprise to me. This photograph was seen on my site and then shared widely. As a result, the attention it received outstripped every other image on site as it garnered a stunning 35% of all hits to the website this week! (Our usual POTW has about 8-10% of the hits.) I always find it fascinating to learn where folks encounter my images and how they find their way to Blue Lion Photos. If you have never met me but found your way here, I'd love to get an email to hear of how you discovered Blue Lion Photos!

Click in the image for a higher resolution version

This image is a portrait of a Yellow Billed Kite (Milvus migrans parasitus) that I took this past summer during my visit to the Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw, South Carolina. The Yellow Billed Kite is a bird of prey that lives primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa. It will spend much of its time in equatorial Africa and then migrate to breed in Southern Africa between September and December.

As you look at this image, I hope you can see that it a connection to its dinosaur ancestors. Since birds are the direct surviving link to the dinosaurs, I cannot help but feel that connection when I look at this Kite.

As an added bonus, I am posting this video clip (courtesy of http://www.earth-touch.com) which shows activity of young Yellow Billed Kite Chicks around their nest in South Africa.

On a final note, the science teacher in me is curious about the scientific name of this bird, Milvus migrans parasitus. The genus name (Milvus) is clearly the genus of the kites. The species name (migrans) reflects the migratory nature of the group. The intrigue for me comes with the subspecies name of parasitus. Nowhere in the meager online data about these birds is there any reference to any sort of parasitic behavior. I initially expected to find that they might lay eggs in the nests of other birds (called "brood parasitism") like Cuckoos or Cowbirds. My research did not support this hypothesis. Thus far, I can only attribute the parasitus name to two possible behaviors.


1) Kites occasionally will "reuse" the abandoned nest site of other species of birds.


2) Kites will steal or "pirate" food from other birds.


Neither of these seems to warrant the parasitus name in my opinion, so I will keep investigating. If any of you happen to be more expert in such matters, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for visiting!
John

Photo of the Week - September 19-25

FOCUS

Like last week, the Photo of the Week comes from a visit I took to the Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw, South Carolina. The title of his image is "Focus". The bird is a Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax). This eagle is native to Africa both north and south of the Sahara Desert as well as to parts of southwestern Asia. Tawny eagles feed mostly on carrion as well small live prey including rabbits, and small lizards. It is also known to steal food from other raptors.
This individual was being handled by his trainer and was about to be fed. As such, his food was out of the scene to the right and he was VERY focused on getting that morsel. I particularly like the intensity of his eyes and the detail and texture of his feathers. He seems as though he will accomplish something significant with that look!

Cheers!

John

Click the image to see a higher resolution version