CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-06-14 02:00:44 (4 comments, 3 reshares, 15 +1s)

Take Off!

I caught this #snowyegret  moving to another hunting location as I stalked patiently watched him / her from the far shore. There were two, but they were far apart along the same stream bank. Best viewed LARGE!

For
#cophotowednesday  by +Howard Weitzel +Stan Showalter and me.
#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#birdloversworldwide : +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide curated by +Edith Kukla +Robert SKREINER
#birds4all : +Birds4All curated by +Ricky L Jones +Walter Soestbergen
#birdsinfocus : +Birds in Focus curated by +Risto Talman
#close2home : +Close2Home curated by +José Juan Escudero +Rebecca Johnson +Howard Weitzel +Shaun Stewart +Pia Raben +David Pond +Brett Sivits +john adams
#plusphotoextract curated by +Jarek Klimek
#naturemonday : +NatureMonday curated by +Jen Baptist +Rolf Hicker#my... more »

2013-06-12 03:14:32 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

I need the help of the photography community: I left my Manfrotto tripod, Gitzo ballhead, and leveling base at Aunt Sarah's Falls (parking lot across the road) in Montour Falls, NY today. The parking lot is on the right side of the road between the village of Montour Falls and Watkins Glen, about 1/8 mile before you reach Chef's Diner. Hoping a good soul found it and is looking for the owner. :)

2013-06-04 16:36:46 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 14 +1s)

_Am I Turtle-y Enough...
...for the Turtle Club?_ 

This #greatblueheron  was hunting along the shore of a small lake among a rather large group of  #paintedturtle s (I counted at least 12). I don't believe the turtles were being hunted because the heron passed up a few to get to this spot. That being said, the turtles passed by were larger and the heron seemed to lose interest after the small turtle near him swam away. Best viewed LARGE!

#cophotowednesday  by +Stan Showalter +Howard Weitzel and me
#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#birdloversworldwide : +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide curated by +Edith Kukla +Robert SKREINER
#birds4all : +Birds4All curated by +Ricky L Jones +Walter Soestbergen
#birdsinfocus : +Birds in Focus curated by +Risto Talman
#close2home : +Close2Home curated by +José JuanEscude... more »

2013-05-28 22:20:03 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 11 +1s)

Memorial Day

Sorry for the late post, but I was on a self-imposed hiatus for the past holiday weekend. Nothing serious, just needed. 

I took this on a photowalk with many area photographers about a year or so ago. It came out exactly as I had hoped when I first saw that the statue, flag, and capitol had the potential to lineup for a nice image. 

Holidays like Memorial Day and Veterans Day are special. Observing them is an honor. 

#cophotowednesday  by +Stan Showalter +Howard Weitzel and me.
+My Town Tuesday curated by +Melanie Kintz +Jamie Furlong #mytowntuesday
#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#close2home : +Close2Home curated by +José Juan Escudero +Rebecca Johnson +Howard Weitzel +Shaun Stewart +Pia Raben +David Pond +Brett Sivits +john adams
#streetphotography : +StreetPhotographycurate... more »

2013-05-24 18:14:32 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Trail Ridge Road Open!

2013-05-24 16:39:24 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Missed This?
Apparently, there was another revolutionary announcement at Google I/O 2013 that we all missed...
(God, I love that god...)

#morganfreeman   #googleeyelids   #io13  

2013-05-21 22:55:43 (9 comments, 5 reshares, 17 +1s)

Intensity
These two, plus another owlet that remained hidden for much of the time I was there, are roosted in a cavity of a red rock in the western suburbs. It was a short, but entirely uphill, hike on a well-used trail to get to the location. 
I allowed the FG to go overexposed in order to get enough light into the cavity and then brought the FG back in post. Make sure you view it LARGE!
Special thanks to +Jao van de Lagemaat for tipping me off to these guys!

For #cophotowednesday  by +Howard Weitzel +Stan Showalter and me
#allthingsred : +AllThingsRed curated by +Lucille Galleli +Stephen Thackeray
#birdloversworldwide : +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide curated by +Edith Kukla +Robert SKREINER
#birdloversworldwide : +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide curated by +Edith Kukla +Robert SKREINER
#birds4all : +Birds4All curated by +Ricky L Jones +Walter Soestbergen#b... more »

2013-05-19 05:20:19 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

The Weekend Share-a-thon
I'm sharing you!
Reply with a link to your best work and I'll share it!
(But READ the RULES below first)

So I went to my profile this morning and yesterday's post is just gone.
All those wonderful comments from you folks, all your plusses and shares … gone.
I'm really frustrated with this photo upload bug right now so I thought, instead of sharing my work and the liabilities involved with the current #GooglePlusUpdate , I will share your wonderful work until it's fixed.

Here are the RULES

1– Go to your best shot in the lightbox and copy the link in the address bar and put it in the comments here. if the link you've gathered ends in "posts" it will go directly to your profile stream, NOT the image and I won't be able to share your best shot. I won'tspe... more »

2013-05-15 22:38:26 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Fair warning to photographers, auto enhance is on by default in the new G+ design. Every photo you upload gets modified by default. I'd seriously suggest turning off the setting in the main G+ settings page.

2013-05-14 22:50:24 (8 comments, 2 reshares, 11 +1s)

Show Off
Same cormorant shown in my post here: <https://plus.google.com/u/0/117727808769287520310/posts/6DNQniCXGQY>. 
Different P.O.V., same processing. I added back more water. Not sure which one I like better. If you have a preference I'd be interested in which one and why.
Hashtag soup below: 








#cophotowednesday  by +Stan Showalter +Howard Weitzel and me
#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#allthingsblackandwhite : +All Things Monochrome curated by +Charles Lupica
#birdloversworldwide : +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide curated by +Edith Kukla +Robert SKREINER
#birds4all : +Birds4All curated by +Ricky L Jones +Walter Soestbergen
#birdsinfocus : +Birds in Focus curated by +Risto Talman
#bwfineartle : +Black and White Fine Art Photography Gallery curated by+Joe... more »

2013-05-07 19:26:41 (14 comments, 2 reshares, 17 +1s)

Look At How Big I Am!
This cormorant was trying to get on the nerves of a nearby pelican, but it didn't work.
The light was harsh, so I chose to blow out the surrounding area and go High Key. A little post to save the beak and a choice to let a few of the bluer streaks of water in for some subtle context and here we are. Nothing to be done on the feathers; as I said, harsh light and the cormorant was still wet from the antagonizing swim past the pelican. 
Hashtag soup below:

#cophotowednesday  by +Howard Weitzel +Stan Showalter and me
#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#allthingsblackandwhite : +All Things Monochrome curated by +Charles Lupica
#birdloversworldwide : +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide curated by +Edith Kukla +Robert SKREINER
#birds4all : +Birds4All curated by +Ricky L Jones +Walter Soestbergen#... more »

2013-05-01 17:24:29 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

"I Don't Know When It's Leaving..."
U.S. Senator Michael Bennett speaks to a small portion of the crowd that gathered for the Grand Opening of the RTD WRail W Line, part of the FasTracks project, April 26th 2013, in Golden, CO.
Hashtag soup below









#rtd   #wline   #golden   #colorado  
#cophotowednesday  by +Stan Showalter +Howard Weitzel and me
#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#close2home : +Close2Home curated by +José Juan Escudero +Rebecca Johnson +Howard Weitzel +Shaun Stewart +Pia Raben +David Pond +Brett Sivits +john adams
#streetphotography : +StreetPhotography curated by +Maria Roco +Tatiana Parmeeva
#streetpics : +StreetPics curated by +urszula masilela +Monika Pia +Pablo Luis Gonzalez +Arnold Goodway +Dragos Ioneanu#myto... more »

2013-05-01 01:39:36 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

W Line Grand Opening Day 2
Added a few event photos of West Metro Fire Heavy Rescue and St. A's Flight For Life displays at the Fed Center Station of the #wline  grand opening.

2013-04-26 20:52:33 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

WRail Grand Opening
A small album of images from today's Grand Opening of the #wrail  Line. This is the first line in #rtd 's FasTracks project, a twelve-year, $6.5 billion public transportation expansion plan. These first photos were taken at the station terminus in #goldenCO .

2013-04-24 16:26:34 (8 comments, 7 reshares, 10 +1s)

Hey, When Did You Get Here?
No one knows the official story of how Sloan's Lake was created and I have no idea why I always thought pelicans were strictly a coastal bird, but no matter - I am glad both are here.
Alone for now, I hope to see the rest of the colony, if there is one. This one was not upset at the gull but at a cormorant that swam by. I did capture that moment, but I liked this image much better. 
Next goal - catching them in-flight. 
#colorado   #pelican   #birds   #denver  

#cophotowednesday  by +Howard Weitzel +Stan Showalter and me
+Water Bird Wednesday curated by +Ray Bilcliff +Sherry McBriar   #WadingBirdWednesday
+Wet Wednesday curated by +Jen Baptist  #WetWednesday
+Whatever Wednesday!!! curated by +Cicely Robin Laing  #whateverwednesday
+White Wednesday curated by +Synnøve Zynne Tilrem  #whitewednesday... more »

2013-04-18 01:07:49 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

So, I was goi... SQUIRREL!
Took this back in January and have fiddled with it a bit. I think I might try this in B&W...
Hashtag soup below.











#cophotowednesday  by +Howard Weitzel +Stan Showalter and me.
#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#close2home : +Close2Home curated by +José Juan Escudero +Rebecca Johnson +Howard Weitzel +Shaun Stewart +Pia Raben +David Pond +Brett Sivits +john adams
#plusphotoextract curated by +Jarek Klimek
#trueportraits : +True Portraits curated by +Ray Bilcliff
#dailydepthoffield : +Daily Depth Of Field curated by +Virgil Cowen +Vince Ong +f.a. fiebig +Nuraini Ghaifullah
#dofmonday : +DOFMonday curated by +Mark Hall +Mara Acoma +Alan Gurling +Nigel Smith
#naturemonday : +NatureMonday curated by +Jen Baptist +RolfHic... more »

2013-04-12 23:05:27 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Things To Do In Denver
Doors Open Denver this weekend. Anyone going? If so, where?

2013-04-12 23:04:26 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Denver Museum of Nature and Science
They are up for a Webby Award. Vote!

2013-04-12 23:03:23 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

WILD-life
Terrible that this happens. It is precisely why you never want to get too close. 

2013-04-11 01:40:15 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 7 +1s)

Bighorn Profile
Hashtag soup below













#cophotowednesday  by +Stan Showalter +Howard Weitzel and me
+10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER #10000photographersaroundtheworld
+HQSP Animals curated by +Joe Urbz +Marina Versaci #hqspanimals
+NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
#plusphotoextract curated by +Jarek Klimek
#naturemonday : +NatureMonday curated by +Jen Baptist +Rolf Hicker
#wildlifewednesday : +Wildlife Wednesdays curated by +Morkel Erasmus +Mike Spinak
#natureartthursday : +NatureArtThursday curated by +Trisha Standard +Dane Clingan
+NatureArtThursday curated by +Trisha Standard +Dane Clingan #natureartthursday

2013-04-08 23:51:07 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Caption This - Small Town Store
I have wanted to try a "Caption This" post for a while now. Here it is, so give it go and let's see what we can come up with! Mine is in the title.
Hashtag soup below











+10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER #10000photographersaroundtheworld
+A Day in the Life curated by +Philip Daly #dayinthelife
+Prime Lenses curated by +Tim Bray
+My Town Tuesday curated by +Melanie Kintz +Jamie Furlong #mytowntuesday
+StreetPhotography curated by +Tatiana Parmeeva +Maria Roco #streetphotography
+StreetPics curated by +Arnold Goodway #StreetPics

2013-04-03 20:58:33 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

NOT Ready For My Closeup, Mr. DeMille!
I just want to reach in and grab that grass right off his head...
Hashtag soup below:












#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#plusphotoextract curated by +Jarek Klimek
#trueportraits : +True Portraits curated by +Ray Bilcliff
#portraittuesday : +PortraitTuesday curated by +Laura Balc +Tana Teel
#wildlifewednesday : +Wildlife Wednesdays curated by +Morkel Erasmus +Mike Spinak

2013-04-03 17:47:01 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Boom, Boom
Haven't posted any music in a while. Not sure why I haven't, but this is a step in the right direction. 
JLH - One of the Best Bluesmen you'll ever hear.
#music   #musiceveryday   #blues   #johnleehooker  

2013-04-03 17:40:05 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

Lakewood, CO
This is another image in my quest to document the state of  #colorado . I don't really know where this project is going to go, mostly because I haven't yet defined it. I just know it is something I am motivated to do, and all of you get to see some of what I create while I suss out the scope and meaning of the project.
Hashtag soup below:










#cophotowednesday  by +Stan Showalter +Howard Weitzel and me
#streetphotography : +StreetPhotography curated by +Maria Roco +Tatiana Parmeeva
#streetpics : +StreetPics curated by +urszula masilela +Monika Pia +Pablo Luis Gonzalez +Arnold Goodway +Dragos Ioneanu
#mytowntuesday : +My Town Tuesday curated by +Melanie Kintz +Jamie Furlong

2013-04-03 01:43:47 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

Return of the Jedi Otter
Pretty cool news:

2013-03-28 22:29:03 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 6 +1s)

American Wigeon
I love that if you look closely, you'll notice his beak is pale blue. Certainly not something I see in wildlife every day.
Hashtag soup below: 









#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#birdloversworldwide : +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide curated by +Edith Kukla +Robert SKREINER
#birds4all : +Birds4All curated by +Ricky L Jones +Walter Soestbergen
#birdsinfocus : +Birds in Focus curated by +Risto Talman
#plusphotoextract curated by +Jarek Klimek
#natureartthursday : +NatureArtThursday curated by +Trisha Standard +Dane Clingan

2013-03-28 01:59:22 (0 comments, 3 reshares, 5 +1s)

FlickEr...
...not Flickr! I like to shoot these guys but if they are on the side of my house, shoot takes on a totally different meaning...
IT'S A JOKE! I look forward to your angry letters... (not really)
Hashtag soup below:








#cophotowednesday  by +Howard Weitzel +Stan Showalter  and me
#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#birdloversworldwide : +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide curated by +Edith Kukla +Robert SKREINER
#birds4all : +Birds4All curated by +Ricky L Jones +Walter Soestbergen
#birdsinfocus : +Birds in Focus curated by +Risto Talman
#wildlifewednesday : +Wildlife Wednesdays curated by +Morkel Erasmus +Mike Spinak

2013-03-27 01:21:35 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 9 +1s)

Strike A Pose
I normally don't photograph these guys because they are everywhere and it is very easy to look past them, but I saw the catchlight in the eyes and the nice BG and my mind screamed, "Shoot it!"
Hashtag soup below:








#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#birdloversworldwide : +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide curated by +Edith Kukla +Robert SKREINER
#birds4all : +Birds4All curated by +Ricky L Jones +Walter Soestbergen
#birdsinfocus : +Birds in Focus curated by +Risto Talman
#close2home : +Close2Home curated by +José Juan Escudero +Rebecca Johnson +Howard Weitzel +Shaun Stewart +Pia Raben +David Pond +Brett Sivits +john adams
#plusphotoextract curated by +Jarek Klimek
#dofmonday : +DOFMonday curated by +Mark Hall +Mara Acoma +Alan Gurling +Nigel Smithmore »

2013-03-27 01:22:25 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Taking Care
I'm not sure how far I was from the pad, but it had to be ~100yds. 
Hashtag soup below:










#transporttuesday : +TransportTuesday curated by +Michael Earley +Joe Paul 
#mytowntuesday : +My Town Tuesday curated by +Melanie Kintz +Jamie Furlong
#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER
#allthingsorange : +AllThingsOrange curated by +Lauren Kelly +Kenneth Williams +Nina Piccoli
#close2home : +Close2Home curated by +José Juan Escudero +Rebecca Johnson +Howard Weitzel +Shaun Stewart +Pia Raben +David Pond +Brett Sivits +john adams
#plusphotoextract curated by +Jarek Klimek
#aviationmonday curated by +Mike Criss 

2013-03-23 20:25:24 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

Expecting
Let's see - We were expecting a large snow storm here, and we got it. We're expecting more snow before midnight tonight. This snow-canadian goose hybrid certainly seems to be expecting as well. And although what she's expecting might have snow in the name, it isn't the white stuff!
Hashtag soup below:






#gotframed : +Got Framed curated by +Eric Raeber
#close2home : +Close2Home curated by +José Juan Escudero +Rebecca Johnson +Howard Weitzel +Shaun Stewart +Pia Raben +David Pond +Brett Sivits +john adams
#birdsinfocus : +Birds in Focus curated by +Risto Talman
#birds4all : +Birds4All curated by +Ricky L Jones +Walter Soestbergen
#birdloversworldwide : +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide curated by +Edith Kukla +Robert SKREINER
#allthingsorange : +AllThingsOrange curated by +Lauren Kelly +Kenneth Williams +Nina... more »

2013-03-22 16:53:04 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Feed Me!
A close up of some cormorants. Can't get too close to them because they chose a tree in the middle of a lake and I don't own a boat.
Hashtag soup below:









#birdsinfocus : +Birds in Focus curated by +Risto Talman
#birds4all : +Birds4All curated by +Ricky L Jones +Walter Soestbergen
#birdloversworldwide : +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide curated by +Edith Kukla +Robert SKREINER
#10000photographersaro : +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS curated by +Robert SKREINER

2013-03-20 18:28:20 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Family Tree
A flock of #cormorant s roosting in a lake. I wasn't lucky enough to catch them diving for fish - maybe next time!
For: 
#cophotowednesday  by +Howard Weitzel +Stan Showalter and me
#wildlifewednesday : +Wildlife Wednesdays curated by +Morkel Erasmus +Mike Spinak
#waterbirdwednesday : +Water Bird Wednesday curated by +Sherry McBriar +Margaret Tompkins +Ray Bilcliff
#whereamiwednesday  curated by +Todd Williams 
#landscapephotography : +Landscape Photography curated by +Ben T +David Heath Williams +Margaret Tompkins +Bill Wood +Jim Warthman +Carra Riley +paul t beard

2013-03-20 14:56:13 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Art Center Arch
Built in 1927 as the town hall for Littleton, CO, this building has also contained the city's fire truck, jail, and meeting space. In 1982, it began its current life as a quality community theater. 
For: 
#cophotowednesday  by +Howard Weitzel +Stan Showalter and me;
#gotframed : +Got Framed curated by +Eric Raeber

2013-03-20 15:32:52 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

How NOT To Shoot Wildlife
Want sharp photos of #birdsinflight ? Wait until they are right above your head and make sure you have a tree branch or two between you and your subject. Easy-peasy!  /sarcasm
Tip o' the hat to +Scott Kelby for the inspiration behind my tip.

2013-03-19 17:11:06 (12 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

Flight For Life
I have been wanting to catch these guys for a while now and finally got the opportunity the other day. Overall, I am quite happy with the results, although I need to work on getting a better prop rotor blur. Suggestions and comments welcome in the comments. 

For:
#transporttuesday : +TransportTuesday curated by +Michael Earley +Joe Paul
#mytowntuesday : +My Town Tuesday curated by +Melanie Kintz +Jamie Furlong
And a day late for:
#midairmonday curated by +Jeff Moreau
#aviationmonday curated by +Mike Criss

2013-03-18 21:32:36 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Leading Lines
Saw this ditch with the fences and was immediately drawn to its line, the culvert, the building, and the mountain.

For:
#leadinglinesmonday : +Leading Lines Monday curated by +Andreas Levi +Michael B. Stuart +Elle Rogers +Pam Boling +Simos Xenakis +David Murphy
#mountainmonday : +Mountain Monday curated by +Michael Russell
#naturemonday : +NatureMonday curated by +Jen Baptist +Rolf Hicker

2013-03-18 01:45:40 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I understand Irish pubs are typically adorned in dark wood, especially the interiors, but I thought black brick and red trim was quite odd. 
I hope you all had a great day and did not over do it. 

2013-03-15 23:18:38 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 6 +1s)

Recommendations
I don't own a polarizer so I have to go back in different light conditions to get this without the window reflections. In the meantime, I have read online reviews and I am now looking for personal experience and recommendations on polarizers. Have  someone you consider an expert in your circles? Share this with them! Wide-ranging opinions and comments are welcome. Let loose in the comments, folks!

2013-03-13 22:05:04 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

Peek-A-Boo!
Not sure if these guys were hiding from me or the Swainson's Hawk in a nearby tree, but either way, they weren't going anywhere anytime soon.

For #wildlifewednesday  +Wildlife Wednesdays curated by +Morkel Erasmus +Mike Spinak
#whateverwednesday : +Whatever Wednesday!!! curated by +Cicely Robin Laing
and +Howard Weitzel, who hasn't posted a prairie dog pic in quite some time. ;)

2013-03-13 18:34:19 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

At Rest
CDOT plows after a night of de-icing, sanding, and plowing roads.

For #cophotowednesday  by +Stan Showalter +Howard Weitzel and me.
A day late for +TransportTuesday #TransportTuesday
Curated by +Gene Bowker +Joe Paul +Michael Earley and +Annie Irving

#colorado   #cdot  

2013-03-11 22:35:19 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 10 +1s)

Red and White
A different view of the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater. I always love how this place looks after a snowfall. 
Technically foothills, I'll let +Michael Russell decide if it can be tagged with his mountain hashtag. Also for  #naturemonday  by +Rolf Hicker and 
#landscapephotography  +Margaret Tompkins 

#concert   #redrocksampitheater   #morrison   #colorado  

2013-03-11 02:14:51 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

AWESOME!
Too bad it is not true!

2013-03-09 00:24:46 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

Comparison
Which split tone do you like better? More importantly, Why?
Unrelated comments welcome as well.

2013-03-08 23:07:42 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Too Soon?
This is the first robin I have seen since last fall, so that makes it my first robin of spring. They (I saw this one with at least three others) are in for a rude surprise though, if the weather forecast holds for the next 36 hours. 
Mother Nature - kind, but cruel.

2013-03-08 16:54:51 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Stairway to hell

2013-03-06 23:36:48 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Not Tonight, Honey...
What does this have to do with  #cophotowednesday  by +Stan Showalter +Howard Weitzel and me, you may ask? Only the most romantic spot in the wild kingdom: the #denverzoo , of course!

2013-03-06 04:12:28 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

GBH Split Key
I thought I'd experiment with a split key for this shot given the rather drastic range of light to dark, I didn't want to push the water too far to bright / white though as I wanted the light on the Heron to draw the viewers eye.
So, what do you all think? Did I get there or is there something else you would have done?
#birdloversworldwide  by +Robert SKREINER +Edith Kukla 
#birds4all +Walter Soestbergen +Ricky L Jones 
#hqspbirds +Marina Versaci +Joe Urbz 
#photoplusextract  by +Jarek Klimek 

2013-03-05 22:42:17 (3 comments, 3 reshares, 8 +1s)

The Look
An American Kestrel I was lucky enough to capture a few weeks ago.
for #birdpoker  (the look) by +Phil Armishaw 
#birdloversworldwide  by +Robert SKREINER +Edith Kukla 
#birds4all  +Walter Soestbergen +Ricky L Jones 
#hqspbirds  +Marina Versaci +Joe Urbz 
#photoplusextract  by +Jarek Klimek  

2013-03-05 02:45:02 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 6 +1s)

High Key Mandarin
I purposely exposed higher to get detail in the darker feathers and with the express intent to take the image in a high key direction. What do you all say? Does this fit the definition of high key?

---begin hashtag soup---
for +Backyard Birding Monday #BackyardbirdingMonday by +Celeste Odono & +Ricky L Jones and
#hqspbirds  by +Marina Versaci +Joe Urbz and
#birds4all  by +Walter Soestbergen +Ricky L Jones 
#birdloversworldwide  by +Robert SKREINER +Edith Kukla 
#plusphotoextract  by +Jarek Klimek 

2013-03-04 18:19:28 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Game Changer (via +PetaPixel)