A very small tree frog on the back of my shed. Approximately 1.25″ long. 300mm macro.

I was chasing this tiny baby American toad around in the dark with a flashlight the other night. I didn’t think it was ever going to hold still long enough for a shot. Eventually it stopped for breath up against the side of my shed and I got a few quick shots.

Sigma 150mm 2.8 EX Macro + Sigma 2x TC and Sigma EM-140 DG ring flash. A great setup for nighttime macros with my Canon 1D3.

A tree frog I shot in June at my Dad’s place in southeast Iowa.

I found this tiny frog on the back of my shed last night. It’s the first tree frog I’ve seen here in several years. It’s been a wet year, though the immediate vicinity could use a good shower about right now.

Getting some photos of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo was my number one photographic goal for the summer. I often hear the thrilling call of these elusive birds, but rarely do I catch more than a glimpse as they fly about my yard and the surrounding area.

Last Sunday I had the most wonderful sighting a birdwatcher could ask for - but the camera was just out of reach, and the bird flew when I moved. I moved to a new location in my yard and sat down for an hour of mosquito swatting. Curiosity eventually got the better of the Cuckoo and it had to come see what I was doing & scold me (the second photo) for good measure.

I’ve heard them around alot this week and I’ve been out a few times with the camera, but the birds have not been cooperating. I hope to set up my blind and stake-out some large clusters of web worms later in the summer, as cuckoos love to eat fuzzy caterpillars.

Look out bunny !!

This is the same bunny featured last month. It moved out from behind my garage several weeks ago and I’ve seen it around the yard a couple of times.

This little bunny was born and continues to spend its nights under the overhang behind my garage, where I park the old mower. I’ve been trying to earn its trust, but it’s very suspicious. Hopefully I’ll get a few more nice shots before it grows up too much and moves on.

The first was done using Adobe Lightroom’s Split Toning feature.

The second was converted to B&W with the patented Russell Preston Brown Tonal Conversion Technique (at the bottom of the page).

A doe munching on last year’s flowers at The Davies Amphitheater at Glenwood Lake Park.

An Eastern Towhee at Foothills Park in Mills county.

Canada Geese at Glenwood Lake Park.

A swarming school of bullheads.

A weather-beaten Mourning Cloak, recently emerged from hibernation. It amazes me how these butterflies are able to sleep through the winter without being frozen to death.

April was especially nice after enduring a tough couple of months of winter weather.

April was also the month I said goodbye to my Blogspot login woes and started up this Wordpress blog. Wordpress is so much more enjoyable to use. I wish I had made the switch sooner.

A line of storm clouds approach as the sun sets.

A Red-winged Blackbird giving me the business.

Here’s a tip for the aspiring gopher photographer: Get between the gopher and the late day sun and it won’t see you (as long as you don’t move) when its head is out of the hole.

June was a great month. Three of the photos I entered in the Glenwood Chamber of Commerce photo contest were chosen for the stone coaster set. The winners were the public library, post office, & Davies Amphitheater photos.

A Fiery Skipper on a Mexican Sunflower.

Life isn’t all nectar & sunshine for little butterflies. Quite a few garden spiders set up housekeeping in the row of zinnias I planted along the edge of my garden.

I spent several evenings earning the trust of this young bunny, who usually did’nt leave the cover of the tall weeds until after sunset.

Pink possum toes in the snow.

This young possum moved into my barn after the last ice storm hit. It likes to eat birdseed.

This young squirrel has taken up residence in an old bird house that I put up on an electric pole years ago. The starlings are in for a surprise this winter

This big garter snake was sunning itself in a brush pile.

A gopher in my yard. Unfortunately.

From Willow Slough - I think it’s a Western Ribbon snake.

This carp was swimming below the spillway at Willow Slough.

It was getting dark when I shot this long-eared galoot.

ISO 3200
1/60
f/5.6
400 mm

I found this small snapping turtle in the middle of the highway.

A snapping turtle I found on the side of the road. I only had my super-wide angle lens with me so I had to get right in its face.

This Black Racer (I think) has taken up residence in an old wren house. It seems to like having its meals delivered.

This should put a smile on the faces of a few Bluebirders, seeing as how they don’t like wrens very much.

I shot these over a few days. The snake has good vision and is extremely wary.