Finding wildlife. Also playing with a rubber duck.

So I have been loving the DPChallenge challenges lately - but as a result I have been neglecting my blog.  Sorry.  My efforts did earn me my first top 10 finish - so wahoo!  (Although there were only 27 entries in the challenge, so while it was still a higher score than usual for me, it is not really all that impressive of a finish).

So to catch you up with my photo activities...

A few days ago I was tromping around a bird sanctuary looking for wildlife and I had some unexpected luck. (This bird sanctuary typically has surprisingly few birds, but a few trees fell down last fall - so it was much more difficult to get back into the area - I thought perhaps I would find something somewhat unusual.)

And jackpot.

This little guy popped up just 15 feet in front of me and kept heading right towards me.  I furiously shot photos, but was a tad concerned about him getting too close, so I never dropped to his level to get a truly good shot.  But still pretty unique.

I suspect this is another mink, but that black bit on the tail has me unsure.

Here is my 'winning' shot from a rubber duck/toothbrush/rubber band/wrist watch/potato challenge.

Thank you DPChallenge.  Where else can an adult justify hauling plastic toys out to the high school track and then laying on the track for an hour moving everything around trying for just the right photo?  (I had fun!  That is pretty much the whole point of a hobby right?  If so, I am succeeding.)

See on,
Julee

The mink and the fish.

So this started out as the story of me looking for a landscape photo that contained no sky.  I figured I would try one of my favorite spots on the Big Sioux River, there are three trees I just love.   Well I was photographing away then glanced down and saw a great sight.

This fabulous little guy (a mink is my best guess) was walking on the ice on the river carrying a large fish.   He was maybe 15 feet from me and did not seem the least bit disturbed by my presence.  Eventually he found an opening in the water and dove under, taking his fish to the far side of the river and off into the trees.

So I came home with no sky-free landscape picture, but I was enormously happy.  Here's to being at the right place at the right time!

See on,
Julee