Photos; Wildlife, Summer Tanager, Blue Martins at Pond Creek, Arkansas

Monday I traveled north to Pond Creek Wildlife Management Area for some "Wildlife Time" with my camera. Early in the morning the temperature was nice, however we experienced our first ninety- plus day. The recent rains here and up north in Oklahoma had the two rivers (The Skull Crusher and the Little River) out of bank and rolling. This put a damper on the gator photography and most of the other wildlife. However, it was a fair day for photographing "Wild thangs". We viewed many deer and one doe with a newborn  nursing, it was too far for a good shot and we did not want to stress mom any more than she already was.

We have our lunch on a high bluff over looking the Little River on "Yellow Bluff". On this day the water was almost to the top of the bluff. While we were resting after lunch (napping) the Blue Martins put on a show for us and I practiced on shots in motion. Shortly afterwards we found a Summer Tanager, a rare find for me.

It was a great day for owls and hawks also, most of all it was nice to be in solitude with nature. We experienced the company of only two souls the entire day and they were moving through the area and in a hurry.

Red Slider---(Trachemys Scripta Elegans)

From:Yellow-bluff across to the slough

                                                   Blue Martin catching an insect

Beauty and the  Beast

Summer Tanager

Getting an early start tomorrow morning; car packed tonight, cleaned cameras, snacks and drinks packed, batteries charged.

I plan on being in place by daybreak at Pond Creek waiting on whatever wildlife needs photographing. The sloughs and creeks will be full since we have had so much rain this past week. The temperature is going to peak around ninety-five and this is about the time I find a shade in a cool place along the river.

Coyote in Town

I spend much time looking for wildlife photography ops and traveling to locations where I may find unusual and different species.A few weeks ago I was relaxing outside with family and friends cooking gumbo on my smoker trailer. My son-in-law and their friends from Dallas-McKinney were sitting on the driveway where the cooking was taking place, talking. I noticed a strange look come over the friends face as he was looking in the direction of my front yard. The word "coyote" spilled from his mouth and I thought "This City Slicker" does not know a domestic dog from a coyote. I raised from my chair to look around the corner of the house and there stood "Mr Coyote"  (The name "coyote" is borrowed from Mexican Spanish coyote, ultimately ... Its scientific name, Canis latrans, means "barking dog" in Latin) 

I did not have time to retrieve my camera from the house. he was gone in a flash.I found this situation unique;I search far and wide and here it is in my yard. 

The coyote, also known as the American jackal, brush wolf, or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Wikipedia

Scientific name: Canis latrans Rank: Species Higher classification: Canis

A Sunday stroll through Pond Creek

Today I went to my "Walden Pond" (Pond Creek), I wanted to find some different critters to photograph. However, I found some of my old friends and not much new. I promised myself I would not photograph more deer! But when they put on shows for the camera,the trigger finger responds. We found another LARGE SNAKE, he was going south so I photographed him and we went North. The deer were plentiful so I filled the card and deleted when I got to the cave. I cannot resist photographing the Egrets in flight and so I photographed "more egrets". A bore coon made his way across the road and was never seen again.

On the way up we stopped in Ashdown and bought fried catfish to go for lunch, it never made it to the swamps. A great day for me and my camera, hope the photographs are viewed and enjoyed.

Damm!!!! That fool with a camera,again !

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"The Swamp Creek Monster" of Pond Creek"

The Need for the Ponca and Boxley Valley

 It is time for me to escape and head North to the Boston mountains and the valley, time to visit the elk and visit the critters to regain composer and respect for life. These photographs are from past visits and are re-post that I view when I long for the "Boston Mountains" and solitude.