Mt Hood

Living where I do I am often treated to a great view of Mt Hood. Today there were thunderstorms moving up the valley but it was clear over the Cascades making for this great scene from my backyard. (Be sure and click on the picture for a larger image.)

The Forest Floor

In early spring.

Signs of Spring

Skunk cabbage edition.

The Pond in Winter

It must be Spring

The first trillium's.

Steller's Jay

Red Tailed Hawk

Red Tailed Hawk in tree at Cook Park.

Great Horned Owl

Another shot of the Great Horned Owl sitting on a nest in the Tualitan Nature Park . Yes, she does have a little one.

Happy Spring

Great Egret

Blue Heron Poster

I did some PhotoShop minipulation of the Blue heron image below to make it look more like an illustration than a photograph. I then put this wonderful quote from Henry David Thoreau on the top and created a poster. The resolution had to be drastically reduced for the web so yopu can't get the depth of the poster which I have printed 13" x 19" and I could have it printed much larger. Here is the Thoreau quote:

April 19, 1852 Scared up three blue herons in the little pond close by, quite near us. It was a grand sight to see them rise, so slow and stately, so long and limber, with an undulating motion from head to foot, undulating also their large wings, undulating in two directions, and looking warily about them. With this graceful, limber, undulating motion they arose, as if so they got under way, their two legs trailing parallel far behind like an earthy residuum to be left behind.

Pileated Woodpecker II

This may look like a repeat but when I had the good fortune to get up close and personal with a pileated woodpecker the other day I took over 30 pictures. This one is better.

Great Horned Owl

Another great birding day. Spotted this Great Horned Owl siting on a nest.

Great Birding Day

Great Blue Heron and Great Egret.