Photography

[wtnhighlander]

Whoa! That is one big bug!

[curlyoak]

This is a Brassavola orchid. There are many variations to this plant. I think around 30 species. And it is crossed with the same and others frequently to make some very nice hybrids. It ranges from northern South America, central America, Mexico, Caribbean and Bahamas. This plant is globally known even though  this flower looks mediocre. The plant has a trick that humans like. It has a sweet and spicy aroma only at night. Orchids have been on the planet since the dinosaurs. Because the pollinator is nocturnal the plant has evolved not to waste the energy of the scent during the day. The global nickname is 'Lady of the Night'. The best place to grow this plant other than its natural habitat is here in South Florida. I have them planted on trees in my yard. I have several varieties which affords different times for blooming.

[Mark J]

@curlyoak how do you cultivate such a wide variety of orchids?  Do you have that much space, or do you rotate plant in and out of your collection?

[curlyoak]

On 7/30/2021 at 8:59 AM, Mark J said:

@curlyoak how do you cultivate such a wide variety of orchids?  Do you have that much space, or do you rotate plant in and out of your collection?

Orchids can live for a long time. 65% of my orchids live in the pool cage and a 9 x 14 double deck space connected to the cage needed for winter and can be heated. The rest are on trees around my yard. There are around 35,000 natural species of orchids on 6 continents. The closer to the equator the more orchids to be found.

I grow about 150 plants. They all need the same care. I built my collection that way intentionally. Because the menu of orchid choices is large, the ones that like my culture are the only ones I acquire. I will never run out of interesting choices. Besides the species there are tons of hybrids. 

Before I retired I did not have any orchids on trees. Then before work earl in the morning I could water all orchids in 5 minutes.  Since I retired I have added two more hoses to drag around for the treed orchids.

No rotations of the or "chids". They become family. When in bloom I bring them to front and center. When the bloom is done I move them to a good growing area.

In the winter the blooming plants come in to the living room. No one complains about the flowers. But nobody likes an orchid out of bloom. When In bloom there is no focus on the plants, just the flowers. Out of bloom, not much to look at.

I have a narrow slice of orchids within a narrow group of orchids. Narrow relatively speaking. There a thousands for me to choose from. Add a geometric multiplier when you add hybrids.

I'm certain there are orchid growers in Chicago. Also there must be a chapter of an orchid society. They have the tricks how to grow them. Advice changes with different climates.

[Tpt life]

Still having fun chasing birds. Ruby-throated Hummingbird. 

[pkinneb]

That's an awesome pic!!

[wtnhighlander]

I've never seen a Ruby sit still. Well, except the few that have managed to fly into my garage and never find their way back out the wide open doors. I managed to catch one that was too exhausted to fly, but still breathing. Put him outside in the shade, with a cup of water, and he disappeared shortly after. Most don't make it.

[Gary Beasley]

I found a purple thistle plant that volunteered to grow next to the driveway a while back and when it finally bloomed it was interesting to see how crazy the bumblebees were to dig into it. I could have picked them off the blooms with my fingers they were so intent.

[Immortan D]

I had a nice fishing day last saturday.

Sunrise:

Several nice catches like this one:

Returning home near sunset:

 

[curlyoak]

On 8/9/2021 at 9:44 AM, Immortan D said:

Returning home near sunset:

Where is home and what kind of a fish is that?

[Immortan D]

On 8/9/2021 at 12:04 PM, curlyoak said:

Where is home and what kind of a fish is that?

That's a silverside fish, known as "pejerrey" down here in Argentina.

[Coop]

You live in Argentina or just visiting? 

[Immortan D]

On 8/9/2021 at 2:18 PM, Coop said:

You live in Argentina or just visiting? 

I live in Argentina, near Buenos Aires city.

[Coop]

Are you an expat or from there. My SIL, his brother and father went dove hunting in Argentina and the pics were phenomenal. 

[curlyoak]

This is an orchid that grows among other places in the Everglades. Encyclia cochleata. A natural species. It looks upside down but it is not. It offers a spike and flowers consecutive and it can keep flowering for months.

[wtnhighlander]

Playing with the manual features of my smartphone camera. LG V10, set to iso 50, 1.8 apeture, and 30 seconds of exposure. No tripod, just laid on the handrail of my deck, lens up, at about 10 pm.

Not sure how much the forum software will compress this, but the raw image shows a fair number of stars, with some whispy clouds in the foreground. Hope to try a similar shot in October, when we have the clearest night sky, and from a location with less light polution. Should be able to capture the Milky Way.

[Coop]

When we visit my wife’s relatives about 100 miles or so, due north of NOLA, out in the country, I’m always amazed at the amount of stars! However, we do get to see the moon here! 

[wtnhighlander]

@Coop, I live about 2 miles from one of the largest (2nd or 3rd, IIRC) Native American "Mound Builder" complexes in North America. Contains the second tallest mound in the country, I believe, over 70 feet tall. Its a state park, and usually closes at dark, but I want to get permission to take some night shots from atop the big mound. Should be really cool.

[curlyoak]

a noid. NO ID lost tag. No name. Lots of these in the plant world. It is a Dendrobium orchid and likely a hybrid. This plant gets its picture taken a lot. It is on the street in front of my house. Seems to be happy.

[Chestnut]

Figured some here might find these interesting. A seequence of a house martin feeding it's young.

[Coop]

That’s cool. Is the nest made of mud. We have purple martins, don’t think we have house martins. 

[Chestnut]

8 hours ago, Coop said:

That’s cool. Is the nest made of mud. We have purple martins, don’t think we have house martins. 

Yeah it's made of mud and grass. I think we have both purple martins and house martins. I see some that are blue and black.

I also got a couple good ones of some turkey in out yard.

I kind of like this one, I think because it reminds me of the wooden cutouts I see that are painted to look like people bent over working in their garden.

[Tpt life]

House Martins are European birds with white chin and breast. Pictured above, with red in that area, are Barn Swallows. 

[Coop]

My purple martins started arriving in late February and left in late July. This was taken 5-31-21.

[Chestnut]

Niagara falls at sunset.