In honor of my newest "favorite" blog, Born Again Birdwatcher (link is in My Favorite Blogs), and since I can't get out to take any new photos today or tomorrow due to weather, I am posting an old favorite of mine from previous trips that we've taken.
Jan and I had gone to visit Amy, Chad and the grandkids, and Amy volunteered to be our tour guide to see Mt Ranier and the area surrounding it. We had been close on a previous trip, a steam train ride on the Mt Ranier Scenic Railroad, in Elbe WA. This trip we went nearly the whole way, and I got to take some pretty great photos, but heavy cloud cover midway up the mountain prevented me from getting the "money shot" of the peak that I wanted. We stopped several times at parks and turn-outs to rest and see the beautiful scenes. Waterfalls, vistas, beautiful woodlands, were all just a switchback away.
This little jaybird, a species which I had never seen before (our blue jays are different), was scavenging treats around a table at one of the picnic sites that we stopped at to stretch and admire the surroundings. I had the zoom of the Dimage Z5 pretty much maxed out, so I am proud that the photo is as clear as it is. He paid no attention to me, until I tried to get closer for a better shot, then he hopped off the branch to the side of another tree, and prepared his getaway. I shot another quick snap, but the better photo was not to be.
I want to add one more photo of Mt Ranier that I took as we left the restaurant/ranger station about half-way up the mountain. You can see the thick clouds that ringed the mountain, just over the tree tops. It never occurred to me when I took the photo that it would be the only photo of the peak that I would get that day. Glad I took it!
Jan and I had gone to visit Amy, Chad and the grandkids, and Amy volunteered to be our tour guide to see Mt Ranier and the area surrounding it. We had been close on a previous trip, a steam train ride on the Mt Ranier Scenic Railroad, in Elbe WA. This trip we went nearly the whole way, and I got to take some pretty great photos, but heavy cloud cover midway up the mountain prevented me from getting the "money shot" of the peak that I wanted. We stopped several times at parks and turn-outs to rest and see the beautiful scenes. Waterfalls, vistas, beautiful woodlands, were all just a switchback away.
This little jaybird, a species which I had never seen before (our blue jays are different), was scavenging treats around a table at one of the picnic sites that we stopped at to stretch and admire the surroundings. I had the zoom of the Dimage Z5 pretty much maxed out, so I am proud that the photo is as clear as it is. He paid no attention to me, until I tried to get closer for a better shot, then he hopped off the branch to the side of another tree, and prepared his getaway. I shot another quick snap, but the better photo was not to be.
I want to add one more photo of Mt Ranier that I took as we left the restaurant/ranger station about half-way up the mountain. You can see the thick clouds that ringed the mountain, just over the tree tops. It never occurred to me when I took the photo that it would be the only photo of the peak that I would get that day. Glad I took it!
Hope you enjoy!
Hi Mike,
ReplyDeleteLove the Stellar's Jay pics. Those birds are all over the mountains out here too. There was an infant and parent by our picnic table last summer. Horrible racket they make but fun to watch. I have a book called, "Bird Brains" by Candace Savage. All about the Corvid family of birds, Jays, Ravens, Crows, Magpies. Extremely intelligent birds. Great book. The shot of Rainier is superb. I like the clouds around it. Wow! Paul was lucky enough to travel with his parents ( as a child) to lots of great places (including that one) in the States. His father was an avid photographer and we have all of his slides of those trips. Of course we'd love to do those same trips someday. Alaska as well. Love the slideshow too. I definitely have to look into putting that on my blog. Thanks for the info.