Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • A colony of three birds orchids accidentally stumbled into in a dense forest in Suwannee County, Florida.
    Three Birds Orchid (Triphora trianth..ora)
  • A single flower of the three birds orchid singled out, showing the other two wilted flowers still on the stalk.
    Three Birds Orchid (Triphora trianth..ora)
  • Recently, the western scrub jay was split into two distinct species: the California scrub jay (which is a brighter blue and is found in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest) and the Woodhouse's scrub jay (which is a duller blue and found in more interior regions away from the coast.) Much like any jay or other corvid, these often loud and very inquisitive birds will eat just about anything they can overpower or steal. These California scrub jays are easy to recognize from their neighboring cousins by the distinct blue "collar" around the neck. This one was found screeching in a maple tree in Southern King County, Washington on a chilly afternoon.
    California Scrub Jay
  • Recently, the western scrub jay was split into two distinct species: the California scrub jay (which is a brighter blue and is found in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest) and the Woodhouse's scrub jay (which is a duller blue and found in more interior regions away from the coast.) Much like any jay or other corvid, these often loud and very inquisitive birds will eat just about anything they can overpower or steal. These California scrub jays are easy to recognize from their neighboring cousins by the distinct blue "collar" around the neck. This one was found screeching in a maple tree in Southern King County, Washington on a chilly afternoon.
    California Scrub Jay
  • This pale male dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis oreganus) is one of six subspecies of this relative of New World sparrows found throughout the Pacific Northwest. Sometimes referred to as the Oregon Junco, these birds have a noticeably dark "hood" or head compared to others of the same species found across North America. This one was photographed<br />
 just south of Seattle, Washington.
    Dark-Eyed Junco
  • This great little oddball of the mushroom world looks just like a birds nest filled with eggs, even though it is only about half an inch wide. It is often found in groups on old berry canes, rotten wood, or rich soil, mostly in the Pacific Northwest, north to Alaska. This one was found past-season (November 2015) in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in mid-November near the Greenwater River in Washington's Cascade Mountains. In this photo you can see one "egg" (or peridiole) left in the nest - these spore-ladden reproductive structures are ejected by raindrops hitting the cup.
    Bird's Nest Fungus
  • A pair of baby Great Egrets standing on a branch with their nest deep in a Florida swamp.
    Baby Great Egrets with Nest
  • A pair of baby Great Egrets standing on a branch with their nest deep in a Florida swamp.
    Great White Egret Chicks
  • Several wedges of Moffitt's Canada Geese (a subspecies of the Canada goose found in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon) fly over the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge in Central Washington.
    Migrating Moffitt's Canada Geese
  • A pair of baby wood storks with parent standing on a branch with their nest deep in a Florida swamp.
    Baby Wood Storks with Nest
  • Although not native to America, this native to Europe, Asia and North Africa has spread to every continent on the planet except Antarctica. This one saved me the time of going to find him, and let me photograph him on my back porch!
    House Sparrow
  • A red-breasted nutchatch perches in a maple tree on a warm spring Pacific Northwest day in Kent, Washington.
    Red-breasted Nutchatch
  • A group of house finches perches in a frozen bitterbrush bush in Central Washington on a bitterly cold winter morning. The males' bright red breast and eyebrow plumage stand out in wonderful contrast against the white sky.
    House Finches and Hoar Frost
  • A red-breasted nutchatch perches in a maple tree on a warm spring Pacific Northwest day in Kent, Washington.
    Red-breasted Nutchatch
  • A red-breasted nutchatch perches in a maple tree on a warm spring Pacific Northwest day in Kent, Washington.
    Red-breasted Nutchatch
  • A red-breasted nutchatch perches in a maple tree on a warm spring Pacific Northwest day in Kent, Washington.
    Red-breasted Nutchatch
  • A red-breasted nutchatch perches in a maple tree on a warm spring Pacific Northwest day in Kent, Washington.
    Red-breasted Nutchatch
  • A red-breasted nutchatch perches in a maple tree on a warm spring Pacific Northwest day in Kent, Washington.
    Red-breasted Nutchatch
  • A male northern red-breasted sapsucker hunts for insects on a maple tree in Kent, Washington on a sunny winter day. This beautiful large woodpecker is found along the Pacific coast of North America from Baja California in Mexico to Alaska.
    Northern Red-breasted Sapsucker
  • This handsome little member of the finch family was photographed from my back porch south of Seattle, Washington. Declining in numbers for the past 50 years around the north where they are still somewhat common throughout Alaska, Canada and the mountainous areas of the Northern United States. It is believed that the cause of the siskin decline is the increase of brown-headed cowbirds throughout their range that lay their eggs in siskin nests. This parasitic behavior leads the much larger cowbird chicks to out-compete their "siblings" resulting in weaker pine siskin chicks, that are more likely to not survive.
    Pine Siskin
  • A pale male dark-eyed junco perches in a tree between Seattle and Tacoma, WA.
    Dark-eyed Junco
  • A female dark-eyed junco perches in a maple tree just south of Seattle Washington with the typical well-defined "hood" found in individuals in the Pacific Northwest.
    Dark-eyed Junco
  • This chestnut-backed chickadee shares much of the same range as its cousin, the black-capped chickadee. Interestingly, they may share the same resources, but they don't share the same feeding habits. Chestnut-backed chickadees like to feed near the top of conifers and other deciduous trees, while black-capped chickadees prefer the lower half of these same trees. Therefore, they don't compete for resources.
    Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
  • This subspecies of the chestnut-backed chickadee (Poecile rufescens rufescens) has very clearly marked reddish-brown coloring on its flanks, just under the wings. This Pacific Northwest subspecies is found from Northern California all the way to Alaska.
    Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
  • A bushtit pauses for a second on a bigleaf maple tree in Western Washington in the late afternoon as it hunts for spiders, aphids and other small insects.
    Bushtit
  • A dark-eyed junco perches in a maple tree south of Seattle.
    Dark-Eyed Junco
  • A black-capped chickadee perches in a maple tree south of Seattle.
    Black-Capped Chickadee
  • A black-capped chickadee perches in a maple tree south of Seattle.
    Black-Capped Chickadee
  • A chestnut-backed chickadee perches in a maple tree south of Seattle.
    Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
  • A chestnut-backed chickadee perches in a maple tree south of Seattle.
    Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
  • A male house sparrow is starting to develop his breeding plumage. Soon, his entire chest will be jet black and his cheeks will become whiter. Although it is not native, this extremely common songbird can be found all across North America. Photographed in Kent, Washington.
    House Sparrow
  • This small variety of chickadee is a very common springtime visitor to the maple tree in my backyard. Extremely bold for even other usually curious chickadees, this one will often land within arm's reach from me if I'm just minding my own business, reading a book on my own back porch.
    Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
  • One of the New World's smallest songbirds, the bushtit is a voracious feeder  of insects in the western United States, Mexico and the extreme southwestern corner of British Columbia in Canada.
    Bushtit
  • This attractive little member of the finch family was photographed against a backdrop of coniferous trees and melting snow just south of Renton, Washington.
    Pine Siskin
  • A chestnut-backed chickadee perches in a maple tree south of Seattle.
    Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
  • Sunlight reflected off the water illuminates a beautiful snowy egret as it congregates with other snowy egrets in the mangroves of Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida during breeding season.
    Snowy Egret
  • Ripening Oregon-grapes deep in the forests in Western Washington - about 40 miles SE of Seattle. Of the two types of Mahonia that grow in the region, this species stays low to the ground, rarely reaching two feet in height. These berries will turn a dusty blue color when ripe. Not even remotely related to grapes, these berries have been used in making tasty jelly and wine. Historically this plant was very important to the native tribes of the area. The berries were an important food source, often made into dried cakes. A yellow dye was made from the roots, and a tea was made for sore throats and upset stomachs.
    Dwarf Oregon-Grape
  • Bristling its winter-breeding plumage, this small heron known as the little blue heron wades in the shallows of a salty estuary on Sanibel Island.
    Little Blue Heron
  • A roseate spoonbill wades through a salty mangrove marsh on Sanibel Island, Florida on a late winter morning in search of the crustaceans that give its vibrant pink color.
    Roseate Spoonbill
  • One of the most friendly and curious of American songbirds, this black-capped chickadee pauses on a stick next to me, watching me as closely as I was watching it in the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.
    Black-Capped Chickadee
  • White birds-in-the-nest flowers viewed from above look exactly like what they are called. This is a very rare summer wildflower endemic to North Florida.
    White Birds-in-the-Nest
  • Because the anhinga lacks the oils for buoyancy in its feathers like other birds, and it has a heavier skeleton than other diving birds, the swimming anhinga is completely submerged except for its head and long flexible neck, earning it the common nickname, "snakebird." This one was spotted in a bream-rich lake in Fort Myers, Florida.
    Anhinga
  • One of the more difficult Florida birds to photograph, these shy birds fly swiftly with dexterous precision through the thick brush of Florida's wetlands and pine scrubs, and are easily recognized by their cat-like screech, and black "mohawk".
    Catbird
  • What is a European bird doing in Florida? In 1890, someone decided to release a hundred of these beautiful and highly adaptive birds in New York City, from where they have spread across the whole continent - and are now increasingly more common in Florida.
    European Starling
  • One of america's most endangered birds..... this image is featured in the National Audubon Society's 2011 Calendar.
    Whooping Crane
  • An adult male anhinga in breeding plumage drying his wings in the Florida Everglades near Homestead. Because anhingas don't have the oil glands found in other aquatic birds like ducks, gulls, swans, etc, when they come out of the water, they will need to dry their wings in order to fly. The advantage of not having this seeming important oil so essential to buoyancy is that when underwater, the anhinga becomes an extremely fast and agile swimmer and a very efficient fish hunter. Throughout the Gulf Coast, this is a very typical sight: an anhinga perched above water,  wings spread drying in the wind and heat.
    Male Anhinga
  • Rocks, cypress stumps and other watery perches are the perfect place for anhingas to keep an eye out for fish, and to stay relatively safe from hungry alligators, crocodiles, wildcats and larger birds of prey. This adult female was photographed from the shore of a lake in Fort Myers, Florida.
    Female Anhinga
  • Because anhingas don't have the oil glands found in other aquatic birds like ducks, gulls, swans, etc, when they come out of the water, they will need to dry their wings in order to fly. The advantage of not having this seemingly important oil so essential to buoyancy is that when underwater, the anhinga becomes an extremely fast and agile swimmer and a very efficient fish hunter. Throughout the Gulf Coast, this is a very typical sight: an anhinga perched above water,  wings spread drying in the wind and heat. This one was photographed in the middle of Fort Myers, Florida.
    Anhinga
  • Because anhingas don't have the oil glands found in other aquatic birds like ducks, gulls, swans, etc, when they come out of the water, they will need to dry their wings in order to fly. The advantage of not having this seeming important oil so essential to buoyancy is that when underwater, the anhinga becomes an extremely fast and agile swimmer and a very efficient fish hunter. Throughout the Gulf Coast, this is a very typical sight: an anhinga perched above water,  wings spread drying in the wind and heat. This one was photographed in the middle of Fort Myers, Florida.
    Anhinga
  • Because anhingas don't have the oil glands found in other aquatic birds like ducks, gulls, swans, etc, when they come out of the water, they will need to dry their wings in order to fly. The advantage of not having this seemingly important oil so essential to buoyancy is that when underwater, the anhinga becomes an extremely fast and agile swimmer and a very efficient fish hunter. Throughout the Gulf Coast, this is a very typical sight: an anhinga perched above water,  wings spread drying in the wind and heat. This adult male was photographed in the Six-mile Cypress Slough in Fort Myers, Florida.
    Male Anhinga
  • A ruddy turnstone taking advantage of the low tide and devouring the easily accessible clams with relish in Panama City, Florida. Incredibly, these little birds live and breed in the Arctic, and travel an incredible distance for the winter.
    Ruddy Turnstone
  • Great blue heron close-up in the Florida Everglades. These huge wading birds ore often found at the water's edge hunting frogs and fish.
    Great Blue Heron
  • Not commonly seen in southern Florida, the black-throated blue warbler is native to Eastern Canada down to the Carolinas, and is one of the few blue-colored birds in the Southeast. It is usually only seen while it is migrating south to the Caribbean or Central America where it spends its winters. This one was photographed in the Big Cypress National Preserve of SW Florida on a brisk fall morning.
    Black-throated Blue Warbler
  • Eventually the King of the Florida Everglades ends up getting eaten. This alligator met its demise in the Fakahatchee Strand, and provided a meal, ready to eat for this black vulture. Without carrion birds such as this to keep the ecosystem clean from decay and rot, very little of the habitat would be safe for wildlife.
    Black Vulture
  • One of the most frustrating of all birds to get on camera, the violet-green swallow is an extremely fast, small swallow found in all western American states, most of Mexico, and British Columbia and the Yukon in Canada. This one paused for a lucky second halfway up a rocky cliff wall in a canyon west of Yakima, Washington.
    Violet-Green Swallow
  • The violet-green swallow is a jewel when it comes to the birds found in the Pacific Northwest. Intensely green and purple plumage stand out in sharp contrast to the snow-white breast, cheeks, flanks and belly. Unfortunately it was early morning here and I wasn't able to get a shot of the feathers in the sunlight.
    Violet-Green Swallow
  • This strikingly beautiful member of the tyrant flycatcher bird family was seen protecting its territory and small family group of four individuals in a tree overlooking a pond in the Warm Springs State Wildlife Management Area near Anaconda, Montana. Eastern kingbirds are known for their aggression towards other birds and other animals and will often dive-bomb intruders, like this one did to me while getting this photograph.
    Eastern Kingbird-2
  • This strikingly beautiful member of the tyrant flycatcher bird family was seen protecting its territory and small family group of four individuals in a tree overlooking a pond in the Warm Springs State Wildlife Management Area near Anaconda, Montana. Eastern kingbirds are known for their aggression towards other birds and other animals and will often dive-bomb intruders, like this one did to me while getting this photograph.
    Eastern Kingbird-1
  • These strikingly beautiful songbirds are favorite among just about every birdwatcher in North America, and the world. Not only are they fun to watch enormous numbers of them attack fruit-laden trees at peak ripeness, they are also one of the few North American species of birds that specialize in eating only fruit. This one was found in the Warm Springs State Wildlife Management Area near Anaconda, Montana.
    Cedar Waxwing
  • This common North American shorebird was found very far from where its summer nesting grounds in the Alaskan tundra. I found and photographed this western sandpiper at the southern tip of the Florida Everglades on a late winter day within sight of the Florida Keys! Sometimes these birds will spend the winter much further south in Central America.
    Western Sandpiper
  • These fascinating bird's nest fungi found near the base of a huge waterfall in Oregon's Marion County, just east of Salem are one of the many natural curiosities found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not look like it, these are actually an unusual type of mushroom, rather than a type of lichen. These still have their spores (they look like eggs in a nest) but will expel them with raindrops during a rainstorm, spreading their DNA on the forest floor for the next generation to spread and prosper.
    Bird's Nest Fungi
  • These fascinating bird's nest fungi found near the base of a huge waterfall in Oregon's Marion County, just east of Salem are one of the many natural curiosities found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not look like it, these are actually an unusual type of mushroom, rather than a type of lichen. These still have their spores (they look like eggs in a nest) but will expel them with raindrops during a rainstorm, spreading their DNA on the forest floor for the next generation to spread and prosper.
    Bird's Nest Fungi
  • These fascinating bird's nest fungi found near the base of a huge waterfall in Oregon's Marion County, just east of Salem are one of the many natural curiosities found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not look like it, these are actually an unusual type of mushroom, rather than a type of lichen. These still have their spores (they look like eggs in a nest) but will expel them with raindrops during a rainstorm, spreading their DNA on the forest floor for the next generation to spread and prosper.
    Bird's Nest Fungi
  • These fascinating bird's nest fungi found along a coastal trail in Oregon's Tillamook County on a winter hike are one of the many natural curiosities found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not look like it, these are actually a mushrooms rather than lichens. These have already fruited and cast off their spores during a rainstorm, dropping their DNA on the forest floor for the next generation to spread and prosper.
    Bird's Nest Fungi
  • This extremely rare wildflower, known only in and around the Apalachicola National Forest on the Florida Panhandle was photographed among the pine trees in Liberty County. Why does it have such a strange name? Have a look at the next photo....
    White Birds-in-the-Nest
  • This is how it all starts: tiny bright yellow-green flowers show before even the first hint of leaves in the massive bigleaf maples. As the spring progresses into summer, the seed pods begin to form, and as fall approaches, we see the first of the falling "whirlie-birds" we all know and love!
    Bigleaf Maple Flower Bud
  • A wild male California quail hunts for seeds and insects in a disturbed field outside of Yakima, WA in Cowiche Canyon. Although it is California's state bird, this native quail is found from Canada to Mexico along the West Coast in dry, arid habitats.
    California Quail
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common fish-eating bird found along the coasts and interior of Florida and as far south as the Southern Amazon in Brazil. This female is in full breeding plumage on a warm spring day in the Florida Everglades.
    Female Anhinga
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common fish-eating bird found along the coasts and interior of Florida. This female was perched at the base of an old bald cypress in the heart of the Sweetwater Strand of the Florida Everglades.
    Female Anhinga
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common fish-eating bird found along the coasts and interior of Florida and as far south as the Southern Amazon in Brazil. This female is in full breeding plumage on a warm spring day in Fort Myers, Florida. Note that beautiful blue eye-ring!
    Female Anhinga
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common fish-eating bird found along the coasts and interior of Florida and as far south as the Southern Amazon in Brazil. This female is in full breeding plumage on a warm spring day in Fort Myers, Florida. Note that beautiful blue eye-ring!
    Female Anhinga
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common fish-eating bird found along the coasts and interior of Florida and as far south as the Southern Amazon in Brazil. This female is in full breeding plumage on a warm spring day in Fort Myers, Florida. Note that beautiful blue eye-ring!
    Female Anhinga
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common fish-eating bird found along the coasts and interior of Florida and as far south as the Southern Amazon in Brazil. This female is in full breeding plumage on a warm spring day in Fort Myers, Florida. Note that beautiful blue eye-ring!
    Female Anhinga
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common fish-eating bird found along the coasts and interior of Florida and as far south as the Southern Amazon in Brazil. This female is in full breeding plumage on a warm spring day in Fort Myers, Florida. Note that beautiful blue eye-ring!
    Female Anhinga
  • A rare close-up of an unusual but very common water bird, in its winter plumage!
    Pied-Billed Grebe
  • Close-up of a night-crowned night heron. A very noisy bird, but one of the most beautiful of our native herons.
    Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
  • You don't often see a great horned owl on the ground, like this one found near the beach just north of Tampa, Florida. One of the interesting things about these large owls is that they don't build their own nests. Instead, they will take over an already existing nest of another bird or animal such as a crow, squirrel, hawk or osprey if it finds that nest to be suitable for its needs.
    Great Horned Owl
  • Smallest of all the sandpipers, this least sandpiper was actively hunting among the rocks and pools of water along the beach of Del Rey Lagoon in Los Angeles, California on a sunny spring morning. This amazing tiny migratory bird breeds in the arctic, yet spends its winters as far south as Chile and Brazil!
    Least Sandpiper
  • Eastern towhee in St. Marks Wildife Management Area on the panhandle coast. This particular bird was peculiar for this species as it was not shy posed for us instead of dashing off.
    Eastern Towhee
  • The very rare and reclusive reddish egret at the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island - internationally known as one of the best birding sights for seabirds.
    Reddish Egret
  • An iconic and noisy bird of the Sonoran Desert, this Gila woodpecker was busy drilling into the dead section of a saguaro cactus early in the morning in Pima County, Arizona.
    Gila Woodpecker
  • Florida's State Bird - the northern mockingbird.... I've never photographed one of these, as they are so common, I wouldn't have thought of it until this chilly morning. I'm glad I paused long enough to get this shot.
    Northern Mockingbird
  • Scrub jay in Highlands County near Lake June-in-Winter. This threatened bird lives primarily in Central Florida, but can also be found in more coastal areas in Sarasota County.
    Florida Scrub Jay
  • Scrub jay in Highlands County near Lake June-in-Winter. This threatened endemic bird is found only in Florida, and is becoming harder to find each year.
    Florida Scrub Jay
  • Downy Woodpecker hunted down and photographed in the Fakahatchee Strand in SW Florida. It is very difficult to follow any bird in the swamps!
    Downy Woodpecker
  • The uncommon and coldwater-loving American dipper is a secretive dark bird often found perched on exposed rocks in fast-moving mountain streaks and rivers. I've personally seen them in Colorado in the summertime, the Pacific Northwest in the springtime and even in Banff National Park in the middle of January with temperatures around -20°F! What's particular about this strange little songbird is that it can actually  walk underwater, thanks to its incredibly strong toes and feet. This was one actively dipping its head under the water catching small aquatic insects on the edge of the Cle Elum River in Washington State on a very chilly fall morning.
    American Dipper
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-6
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-7
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing on the side of a rocky mountain slope just above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-2
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-3
  • One of many bald eagles actively hunting over Lower Klamath Lake on a sunny late winter day in Northern California.
    Bald Eagle
  • An impossibly red-headed turkey vulture patrols the Gulf Coast in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in North Florida in search of carrion.
    Turkey Vulture
  • You never know what you will see when driving through rural Florida. This alligator head - probably a leftover from poachers - was being picked clean by vultures in Hendry County.
    Black Vulture
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-5
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-4
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing on the side of a rocky mountain slope just above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-1
  • The crested caracara is member of the falcon family that is common throughout central and the northern part of South America. There is a moderate-sized population in central-south Florida, especially in Hendry County. I almost always see one every time I am on the highway south of LaBelle. These scavengers are most often soaring high above the arid countryside or competing with vulture for roadkill.
    Crested Caracara
  • I was photographing native turtles along Lake Trafford in Immokakee, Florida when I passed an overflowing dumpster near a restaurant swarmed with vultures. This one posed for me long enough to make a portrait.
    Black Vulture Portrait
  • Tricolored heron photographed in Punta Rassa, Florida. It was a long wait for it to turn sideways into the sunlight. Frustrating shot!
    Tricolored Heron
  • Caracara seen in Hendry County, , Florida on the side of the road. It was defending its meal - half a rabbit - from two turkey vultures.
    Crested Caracara
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