It looks very much as if I’m in the middle of the woods somewhere, but actually I took this from a suburban road near my house.
Taken with a Sony RX100 IV.
Tree and Rocks
Another Visitor to my Garden
We used to have a lot of rabbits, but then suddenly I stopped seeing them. I suspect that this was because at the time we had outdoor cats. The rabbits probably thought it was wiser to relocate. While I still have a cat she doesn’t like to go outside.
Not much of a picture. The rabbit was some distance away and I didn’t have an appropriate camera ready to hand.
Taken with a Sony RX100 IV.
Yet another bird
In earlier posts you may have read that I’ve had problems with bird photography.
At first, I didn’t have the right gear. Although I truly believe that with a competent photographer most cameras can produce decent photographs. However, there are exceptions. To do bird photography you really need specialized equipment: long telephoto or zoom lens; high resolution as you might have to crop significantly; fast accurate autofocus; high burst rate etc. You’re simply not going to get a good photograph of a bald eagle a long distance away, skimming over a lake with an iphone (at least not at the moment – given them a chance).
So, I got the gear. But then I couldn’t find any birds other than stationary mallards, and Canada geese to take pictures of.
I’m doing better now. I’ve taken pictures of blackbirds, crows, robins, herons, egrets, seagulls and more.
This is my most recent bird. I have no idea what it is. Maybe a female American Goldfinch?
Taken with a Sony RX100 IV.
Birch Tree
Beautiful textures and color. I don’t know much about trees, but it looks like some kind of birch – maybe a paper birch?
According to Savvy Gardening:
Shedding bark occurs most often on the trunks of certain trees, but bark peel can also occur on smaller branches and twigs, depending on the plant species. Some trees with peeling bark shed their older bark in large chunks while others shed it in thin, papery sheets. In some species, the bark flakes off. For trees where peeling bark is a natural trait, there’s no need to worry about the health of your trees. The phloem that carries the sap through the plant just beneath the bark’s surface is performing its job just fine.
As trees grow, their bark thickens. The inner layers of bark are thin and soft, while the outermost bark consists of thick, dead tissue made up of old phloem and cork. The tree’s growth pushes the trunk outward and the bark cracks. This outer bark is then sloughed off to expose the inner layer of new bark. When older bark is shed from the tree’s exterior, new, healthy bark takes its place. Almost all trees naturally shed bark as they grow; some just do it more noticeably than others. Trees with bark that peels in a decorative fashion take the whole process to extremes. You might even say they’re a bit dramatic about it!
Taken with a Sony RX100 IV.
Lunch at 3 Westerly
April 30th was my birthday, and a friend invited me to lunch at 3 Westerly, a nice restaurant on the Hudson River.
Prominently featured in the photographs is a large sculpture. I’ve spoken to a number of Ossining Residents and discovered that the sculpture is almost universally hated.
It has the rather uninspired name “River Arch”, I’ve observed that some people have started to refer to it as “The Eye of Sauron”. Pity it’s blue rather than red.
Taken with a Sony RX100 IV.