The Nature Photography Thread

[drache]

very nice lizards
and that beetle is impressive

it was a bit dark to see and focus, but I got some . . .





they turn my compost
but it's a bit of an uneasy relationship

[Stefan-A]

Excellent.

[Lori P]

Oooooh!!! City raccoons. LOL Nice pics Rhea!

[Lori P]

You can't really tell from the pic, but I thought this was sooooo sweet: I found this on the ground the other day-- a tiny little bird's nest made completely from horse hair!!!! (Mane and tail hair, except for that one long piece of grass of course) I'm glad the birdies are finding my horses useful too. lol

[infernalis]

Rhea - Mom had pet raccoons when I was little.

Now there are some interesting pets, one was even toilet trained.

Then NYS enacted a wild animal law, and animal control took moms coon away. (Mom had no permit, and in 1973 D.E.C. sent out an officer to take him)

[drache]

that is a sweet nest, Lori
but it does remind me that a friend of mine used to cut any horse hair she found into little pieces, because she knew that the birds use them in nest building and she worried that baby birds could strangle themselves

Wayne
I like the raccoons because they're good for the compost, but I'm trying to figure out what I'll have to do to proof my future outdoor reptile enclosures against them

[infernalis]

That is a thought, Raccoons have been known to eat herps.

Ultrasonic repellers may work, Snakes are deaf. But I have never tested ultrasonic repellers on lizards?? so it may not work with them. (Keep out the coons, drive lizzy crazy? not sure)

The downside is sonics repel all small furry critters...

[Lori P]

OH!!! OH!!!!! FINALLY---- I found a snake in my yard!!!!! (Well, other than the tiny worm snake!!) (And, well, acutally hubby saw him first and came and got me!!!!) He was right outside of our living room-- a black rat snake:



I picked him up soooo gently....




What a cool, calm snake!! He wrapped around my arm as I picked him up for pics...





He/she is wonderful... about 5 feet long. I suspect he's the one who's been emptying the duck nests in the yard... sigh... well, after meeting him, I don't mind sharing those eggs. :-) Before putting him down, I did ask him to just leave me a couple for my breakfasts... :-)

[Zephyr]

Wow. Now THAT is a gorgeous snake. Simply lovely Lori.

[drache]

what a beauty
great find, Lori
and thanks to the photographer as well