I wonder what this Douglas’ Squirrel was eating. What do you think?

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Another photograph of a Ruby Crowned Kinglet that I shot right before it flew off.

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On a hike I stumbled upon a fallen tree with some Turkey Tail thriving on one of the broken ends.

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This is a very similar to photograph California Quail 05 that was posted a while back but I like this pose as well.

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Ruby Crowned Kinglets can be found all over North America, though their prevalence shifts depending on the time of year. You’ve probably seen one before, even if you didn’t know it at the time. Their small size and round shape make them easy to identify in addition to their yellow/olive body and whitish areas around their eyes. Overall they are fairly unique looking in the bird kingdom, but they do have a doppelgänger called a Hutton’s Vireo.

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I hope to take many more photographs of Mushrooms this year. I find photographing Mushrooms actually a bit more challenging than wildlife. Mushrooms don’t move around so there is only so much to work with. Getting dramatic lighting in forests is also very tricky, especially right where I need it. I take a decent amount of Mushroom photos but only share a fraction of what I capture. I want to share good photographs with you, and I’m very picky.

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Western Bluebirds don’t seem like vicious killers but they do hunt insects for food. Looking into this Bluebird's eyes, you can see the determination. I've seen enough nature photography to know this is a unique image I'm sharing with you. You've probably seen similar photographs featuring Hawks, Bald Eagles, Owls, or some other more exotic-looking bird swooping down to catch prey. But I enjoy showing you unusual views of more common creatures because they don’t get enough attention and capturing such images is just as tough as capturing those exotic-looking birds. Next time you see a flock of Bluebirds, stop and watch what they are doing and listen to their sounds.

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While heading back up North from Southern California, we decided to stop in Monterey which was about halfway to our house. We thought it would be fun to take a small boat tour through the Elkhorn Slough as we heard you can Sea Otters. The tour was through Monterey Bay Eco Tours. Again, it’s a small boat and this one happened to be electric. The first electric boat in the area, I believe.

I did not have high expectations for good photography because the first available time to book is late morning, meaning the lighting would be sunny and harsh. Plus, we were on a small boat so we wanted to stay a relatively good distance away from the Sea Otters. Since we were on a boat, I couldn’t get eye level with the subject which would make for a better photograph. I ended up holding my expensive camera and lens over the boat and looking at my LCD screen, which I had pointing up at me. That is how I took this shot. I work very hard to get the best shot I can, and this one was the best I could get at the Elkhorn Slough.

I like it and wanted to share it with you, but I plan on returning for better photographs, while respecting the Otters' space, of course. The thing is, I’ll have to rent a kayak. And I’ll have to get up really early in the morning. And possibly stay out pretty late. On top of the time it takes to drive there and back. And expenses associated with travel, like places to stay. That’s how hard I work for Nature Content sometimes. It’s a passion, and I hope you enjoy the results as much as I enjoy my passion.

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I took this photograph while the Sun was setting at a local preserve near my house. A decent number of people use this preserve as a walking and biking path because it is very beautiful as you can see. Most people don’t notice the things I do, such as baby Quail chicks. I’d like to bring more awareness to the animals that cohabitate with us at places like preserves. I see many people let their dogs off-leash at preserves like this one and in other natural areas and I think that is unfair to the wildlife, like this mother Quail and her chick. Even friendly dogs have a prey drive and encountering a baby Quail chick like this one wouldn't take much to harm it. There is a reason why it’s generally unlawful to unleash your dog at public properties such as these and why signs are posted. Please consider the lives of the wildlife that may be living there.

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