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DailyPhotos > arctangent  > Photography > 2013 A Year in Photography
I'm hoping to use this gallery to challenge myself to learn something every day about seeing the world, photographing it, expressing myself through photos, and enjoying the works of other photographers. It will test my self-discipline. I won't even pretend that I'll take a picture every single day, but I will try to process one each day. Critiques are welcomed, and even encouraged. If you make a suggestion for altering one of my posts, to this or any other gallery, and I can act on it (short of retaking the shot), I'll try to respond and post the altered versions in a new 'Take Your Pick' gallery here: http://arctangent.smugmug.com/Photography/Take-Your-Pick/27975689_qs5bJs
gallery pages:  1  2  3  4  5  6  >  >>
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Sandies.
A pair of sandhill cranes, one distinctly larger (the one in the rear), but both seemingly adult from their plumage and conformation, so possibly a breeding pair.  Their feathers are very rust-red in color, presumably from preening with iron-rich muds.

DP143-2013  Posted May 23; processed May 22

Sandhill cranes breed in the wetlands around Kent Lake in the Kensington Metropark.  They have become acclimated to the presence of people.  Since most people obey the request not to feed the cranes, these magnificent birds tolerate the presence of people without begging food from them, and hence becoming dependent upon them.  When the birds are feeding near one of the hiking trails, you can approach literally to within a few feet of them and they continue on about their business.  Pretty cool!

Aspen Trail, Nature Center, Kensington Metropark
Milford Township, Michigan
May 14, 2013
Morning has broken.
Paeonia lactiflora 'Early Daybreak'

DP142-2013  Posted May 22; processed ditto.

This is a classic 'single' in terms of accepted descriptors for flower-type among peonies.  It has a single row of petals and retains pollen-bearing anthers atop narrow stamens.  It is consistently the first of the herbaceous peonies to bloom in the main beds of the Peony Garden.  Of course, the rock and tree peonies (woody peonies) bloom a few days earlier.

Peony Garden at Nichols Arboretum
Ann Arbor, Michigan
May 21, 2013

Bed 22, R1,C6, SW corner of bed.
Descended from P.lactiflora, P.macrophylla, P.mlokosewitschii, and P.peregrina. (Taken from BackyardGardener.com)
Sun shining down through dogwood canopy.

DP141-2013  Posted May 21; processed May 20
.
Forest Hill Cemetery, Ann Arbor, Michigan
May 17, 2013
Do you recognize this man?  My camera does.
This larger than life sculpture is so realistic that it activates my camera's face detection feature and locks it's focus there.

DP140-2013  Posted May 20; created ditto.

The sculpture is 'Lying Man' by Sean Henry (Painted bronze, 2003). 
Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan
May 13, 2013
The individual shots used in the collage are uploaded to my 'Sculpture' gallery at the following locations:  http://smu.gs/16JoWku  and http://smu.gs/161djG8
Poignant, romantic, or clichéd, depending on one's point of view.
Bleeding hearts are fairly common plantings in cemeteries, with an obvious message, though they are also frequently included in Valentine's Day bouquets, but with a very different message.  I think they are so daintily beautiful and so unusual of shape that they are justifiably loved for their own sweet sake.

DP139-2013  Posted May 19; processed ditto.

Forest Hill Cemetery, Ann Arbor, Michigan
May 17, 2013
Peony season!  Hurray!

DP138-2013  Posted May 18; processed ditto

The start of the peony season is a highlight of the spring for me.  It begins with the early blooming tree peonies, such as seen here.
.
Peony Gardens, Nichols Arboretum, Ann Arbor, Michigan
May 17, 2013
A bower of blooms 
Perfumes the air.

DP137-2013  Posted May 17; processed ditto.

Colors from white to deep purple, and every shade and tint in between can be found in the extenseive lilac plantings in the top part of the arboretum.
Nichols Arboretum, Ann Arbor, Michigan
May 16, 2013
I'm just starting to process all the lilac shots I got yesterday (May 16).  Here, of the few I have processed, was my second choice for a DailyPhotos post:  http://smu.gs/111ldq2
Giant Raspberry.

DP136-2013  Posted May 16; processed ditto

I thought I'd follow up yesterday's shot of a sublime experience (hand feeding wild birds) with something on the ridiculous side.  This is the sculpture representing the sense of taste in the Five Senses portion of the Lena Meijer Children's Garden.  I used the eyeball from this garden as my opening shot when I joined the DailyPhotos community.  This outrageous over-sized tongue with its Clara Bow lips (or as Jean-Yves suggests, Mick Jagger lips) makes me laugh.  I hope you at least get a chuckle from it.
.
Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park
Grand Rapids, Michigan
May 13, 2013

I was very cheered yesterday by the overwhelming response to my shot of the titmouse feeding from my sister's hand.  Thanks to all who took the time to comment.  The shot shot to the number 2 spot in my Popular Photos ranking.  I wish each of you could, someday, have the same thrill we enjoyed.  At least now you know one place to come to in order to do just that.
Trust

DP135-2013  Posted May 15; processed ditto

Songbirds in the woods around the Nature Center have learned to trust humans who hold out food for them in their hands.  (Signs along the trails politely ask people to feed the birds ONLY by hand, not to put food on the ground for them, and NOT to feed the cranes.)  On the last day of my sister's visit, we walked in these woods and fed the birds.  Feeling their almost negligible weight and the tiny prick of their claws as they land and daintily snatch the chosen seed is a pleasure beyond description.

Kensington Metropark, Milford Township, MI
May 14, 2013
(For those who care, but don't yet know, this was a tufted titmouse.)
Sandies.
A pair of sandhill cranes, one distinctly larger (the one in the rear), but both seemingly adult from their plumage and conformation, so possibly a breeding pair. Their feathers are very rust-red in color, presumably from preening with iron-rich muds.

DP143-2013 Posted May 23; processed May 22

Sandhill cranes breed in the wetlands around Kent Lake in the Kensington Metropark. They have become acclimated to the presence of people. Since most people obey the request not to feed the cranes, these magnificent birds tolerate the presence of people without begging food from them, and hence becoming dependent upon them. When the birds are feeding near one of the hiking trails, you can approach literally to within a few feet of them and they continue on about their business. Pretty cool!

Aspen Trail, Nature Center, Kensington Metropark
Milford Township, Michigan
May 14, 2013
Sandies.
A pair of sandhill cranes, one distinctly larger (the one in the rear), but both seemingly adult from their plumage and conformation, so possibly a breeding pair.  Their feathers are very rust-red in color, presumably from preening with iron-rich muds.

DP143-2013  Posted May 23; processed May 22

Sandhill cranes breed in the wetlands around Kent Lake in the Kensington Metropark.  They have become acclimated to the presence of people.  Since most people obey the request not to feed the cranes, these magnificent birds tolerate the presence of people without begging food from them, and hence becoming dependent upon them.  When the birds are feeding near one of the hiking trails, you can approach literally to within a few feet of them and they continue on about their business.  Pretty cool!

Aspen Trail, Nature Center, Kensington Metropark
Milford Township, Michigan
May 14, 2013
Sandies.
A pair of sandhill cranes, one distinctly larger (the one in the rear), but both seemingly adult from their plumage and conformation, so possibly a breeding pair. Their feathers are very rust-red in color, presumably from preening with iron-rich muds.

DP143-2013 Posted May 23; processed May 22

Sandhill cranes breed in the wetlands around Kent Lake in the Kensington Metropark. They have become acclimated to the presence of people. Since most people obey the request not to feed the cranes, these magnificent birds tolerate the presence of people without begging food from them, and hence becoming dependent upon them. When the birds are feeding near one of the hiking trails, you can approach literally to within a few feet of them and they continue on about their business. Pretty cool!

Aspen Trail, Nature Center, Kensington Metropark
Milford Township, Michigan
May 14, 2013
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Keywords: spring feeding birds wetlands may cranes michigan pair behavior thursday preening sandhill cranes dp nature center dailyphotos kensington metropark d143 posted 2013 post 127
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Galeriezusammenstellung von Norbert Hosche

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