The End (For Real this Time) of Columbia River Gorge Photography: Part IV

If you haven't had a chance to read Parts I, II and III yet, you can do so by clicking the links below.

Part I

Part II

Part III

The is the last installment of The End of Columbia River Gorge Photography series. Originally all part of one hastily posted smothering of photographs, I had to split the post into four because of formatting issues on my new blog.

This little baby rattlesnake was stunningly beautiful. I might have like him better if he wasn't so jumpy, though.

This picture will make any good naturalist hit the brakes; a baby rattlesnake crossing the road. 

  

He looks much more natural in the rocks and grass where he belongs. Just look at that cute baby face! What a little munchkin.

We went for an evening drive into the countryside and, besides, a baby rattlesnake, we had the joy of watching some courtship behaviour of the harriers. The female (seen above) is brown, but the male is grey. We saw him too, but he was busy handling some dead animal and dancing around her with it just to impress. I don't know that she was, but I certainly loved it.

This little guy couldn't believe his eyes, when those harriers started throwing the dead body of his neighbour around. 

Invasive wild horses dotted the road back home.

A wandering garter snake. Yes, it was a little awkward to get a good shot of this snake. After musking on my sweater, he wouldn't stop squirming.

Rivers in these arid regions always have a greenish tinge to the water. Must be all those minerals.

Be sure to click on this
photo of the cicada on the left. It's kind of hard to see so small. The other shot is of a pair of Canada geese. They must have some youngsters around somewhere. This spot (with the river, garter snake, cicada, flying geese, sparrow, and butterfly) was the last stop before we pretty much made a beeline for home. It was a nice place, but I felt like we were in too much of a hurry. Kind of like just getting a little taste.

This is one of my favourite photos. People were yelling, "Hurry up!" and I wish I could have waited to get a good shot of him singing.

A swallowtail butterfly heads off into the grass, marking the end of a great family trip. I just wish I had time to post on my trip to California. Oh, well. Maybe next year. Of course, by then, I'll have brand new stories to tell.

The End of Columbia River Gorge Photography: Part III

If you haven't had a chance to read Parts I and II yet, you can do so by clicking the links below.

Part I

Part II

This little Anna's hummingbird stayed still long enough for me to play with the lighting and background.

They had a bird show at the museum. This unfortunate great horned owl got in an accident and wound up with a buggered eye. I tried to remove the bad red-eye effect from the owl, so it doesn't quite look like it should. 

This is the American kestrel at the show.

Isn't he gorgeous? This is the most brightly coloured raptor in North America.

Another gopher snake, and not a minute too soon! I was beginning to miss their grace and beauty (think of my sorry, deprived state now). They are the most beautiful snake, in appearance and in character, that I have ever seen. Just look at the patterns on his head! I wanted to take this one home. 

He's so photogenic! I was truly, and completely in love with this one.

Above and at left are some of the goose families at the lake by the campground. The always have such beautiful plumage, so I started clicking away with all sorts of angles. Below is another sort of family; buffleheads.

A goose family on their way back to the water after a lovely evening of feeding. Lead the way, Mom!

This beetle walked in a most curious fashion, with its abdomen angled skyward. I wonder if it is a dew-catching adaptation, like the beetle featured on Austen Steven's Namib Desert film.

Stay tuned for the last installment of The End of Columbia River Gorge Photography: Part IV

The End of Columbia River Gorge Photography: Part II

For Part I of this series, click here.

Get ready, because I honestly cannot get enough of these lizards. Lighting's bad on this one.

Better lighting, perhaps, but angle isn't ideal. More of the sunny side, I think.

That's better; now I can see the characteristic blue patch of the western fence lizard, but the best is yet to come. 

The guide told me the name of this plant, but I can't remember. Should have posted sooner. 

Nice view of the Columbia River.

This is my favourite lizard photo of the lot. You can see the yellows really well behind the head and armpit.

A lizard in hand is better than two on the stone. Above are a couple wildflower photos, as if there weren't enough daisy pictures in the world already.

This place, Horsethief Butte, was a popular destination for climbers, but also a great place to catch lizards and contemplate ice age geology.

The view from the top of Horsethief Butte.

More of those flowers that I'm supposed to know the name of.

Industry is everywhere. Chose one: good or bad. Well, kind of both. Though this place was raging rapids in the day of Lewis and Clark, it is now a highway for boats and barges. The energy from the dam powers the whole town adjacent.

Here's another good shot. This one must be a sagebrush lizard. 

Look how the blue spots show up so well! Of course, I did saturate this photo a little from the original.

This photo is pure fraud. Just thought it looked pretty all doctored up to bring out the pinks. Looks kind of like one of those old paintings of prehistoric times; purple sky, blue volcano, and- Hey! Where's the T-rex?

This picture is more true to the original colour of the sunset. Of course, it is impossible to replicate the vivid beauty that the human eye can produce from such light.

In the morning, I found a common garter snake near the campground, probably the valley garter snake subspecies.

Extremely placid little fellow. I gave him a kiss on the lips. That's why his cheeks are blushing red. 

If you enjoyed these photos, stay tuned for Part III!

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Hoary Marmot

This little guy was standing at the roadside near Columbia River Gorge on May 12, 2013. It was growing dark, as dusk deepened, and he appeared to be fairly young and inexperienced, even lacking a normal dose of fear for man. When we stopped the car and started chattering at him, he merely wiggled his nose and blinked. Sometimes I wonder if they operate more on instinct than free-will. Marmota caligata is the largest of the marmot species and has a decent range throughout the northwest. Another name for this species is "whistle pig," for which the town of Whistler in British Columbia is named.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Northern Scorpion

The scorpion is one of those animals that you either love or you hate. This is the northern scorpion (Paruroctonus boreus), a placid species not known to ever sting people. But if someone did get stung, lab tests indicate that the sting is no worse than that of a bee. I've never picked up a scorpion before, but I've come pretty close. If I'd known what species this guy was when I was taking the pictures, I think I would have tried to handle him. Apparently, this is done by merely allowing the invertebrate to crawl onto ones hand and let him wander around. Just don't stick your finger into his back or, like a child striking out when you startle him, the scorpion will probably do what comes natural. As John Acorn the Nature Nut once said, "Scorpions; they look real cool, but nobody loves 'em much." I don't know what's not to love. This one was photographed at the Columbia River Gorge of Washington and Oregon on May 11, 2013 shortly after dawn.