CRANE MIGRATION:
Was outside this afternoon, catching up on late winter chores and I heard a sound like a raspy woodpecker. Looked up and saw a long thin line of migrating birds. they were cranes, estimated about 100 to 150 of them, ran inside and found my camera, got one picture as they fly fast. Assume them to be Sandhills heading for their winter home in Texas. they were flying south-west. Some research indicates , they have an anatomical peculiarity, the windpipe is long (about 5 ft.) and is coiled within the hollowed keel of the breast bone somewhat like a french horn. Thus allowing for the loud long distant calls. Note the broad view and the closeup view, cranes fly with neck outstretched.

T.C.Steele State Historic Site (Indiana).......Took a day trip to Nashville ,IN yesterday and visited this historic site. A true pleasure!!!. Steele bought this 211 acres in 1907, to be used as his homesite as well as his artist studio. Steele a leading Indiana painter ,both portait and Impressionist ,made many visits to the Indiana University campus. Photos .... View of yard in front of home .. Autumn Wisteria bloom on an arbor

COPPERHEAD CREEK GEODE -KY....Found this geode on a friends property near Berea Kentucky. This one has a reddish cast, which may contain Ferrous compounds. Geodes are voids in sedimentary rock,that are filled with mineral laden ground water,after many years, form either crystal or solid interiors. i.e A small cave.

CECROPIA MOTH LARVA......The larva feeds on a variety of trees and shrubs but mainly on cherry,plum,elderberry,apple,box elder and willow. Found this one near my flowering cherry. The legs or feet reminds me of miniature elephants hoofs.

TRANSFORMATION PROCESS...... Found this larva attached to a sign post in my yard. Thought it was a branch from the walnut tree,but upon closer examination it was a worm doing transformation. Amazing !!!!!

ODD COUPLE........It's unusual to see a buck and doe together this time of year. They are at the salt area every day and seem to be traveling together. Are they last years twin fawns ? Sometimes I see spike bucks and small does together,but this guy has quite a nice rack. Again doe is thinner than usual ,buck seems to be in better shape.

FIRST FAWN of season..... This the first fawn of the season that has visited my salt area.By now the remote camera should have picked up many young. The mother is in very poor shape. Don't understand with the lush foliage why some deer are so thin. Not much corn or soybeans in the immediate area. Note the extreme long face of mother and fawn.

Lunch for Squirrel....Never thought of grey squirrels eating anything but nuts and my bird seed, but this one likes mushrooms. I shoot a lot of what I call common wildlife pics, but this one rates near the top!!!!!!!. Cute little guy or girl ? Data...f3.3 at 1/125 sec. ISO 160 ,Exposure bias +0.3 step , 648 mm (35mm focal length)

WHITETAIL BUCK & DOE......Have not seen any large bucks this year,however this am.saw this big boy at the salt block. Got my camera and started out on the upper deck , just as I opened the sliding door,he was gone like a shot. This is about 125 yards. Pic shows the size difference between avg. doe and the buck,keep in mind that he was standing about 10 inches deep into the salt pit. O'yes the remote camera recorded him.

SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY.......

FOUND THIS ONE on my Daisy patch. Seemed to be drying out. Coloration on the wings appears to be bluish- green rather than white. Lucky timing. Did not stay long...