Haven't been online at all in about 3 weeks, been having fun checking out some new posts. Nothing good this weekk except a sunset or three, but here are a few from the past few weeks.

Mute Swan - Taken beside a pond where a pair of Mutes ans a pair of Black Swans usually hang out. This one was about 10 feet away, head and shoulders is all I could get in the frame. Vivitar 200mm M42 lens, crop and resize only.



Mockingbird taking advantage of a puddle after a much needed rain in October. Also Vivitar 200mm lens, nothing but croop and resize.



Red Tailed Hawk having Squirrel for dinner at a local park Nov 5. Vivitar 200mm again, and lit by someone's headlights. About 20 feet away. I think I had to sharpen this one a bit., Very low light conditions for ISO 200, didn't think I could get anything at all. GOt some good video too, but need to find some good editing software to get a short clip I can put online.



Large Alligator at a local lake. This big girl is around 12 to 14 feet long, glad I was on top of the levee so I had a chance to RUN...if need be...she was maybe 20 feet away...



Sunset cross posted in the Red thread in weekly contests, taken a couple of days ago with a Pentax A 50mm lens. I got around 20 great shots at various angles, very difficult to decide what to keep...crop and resize only.

[tessfully]

wow! You have got some amazing shots over the past few weeks. Absolutely thrilling to see! The alligator is really giving you the eye... and that sunset is to die for... but the mockingbird with water spray is over the top great. wow... great photos, thanks for sharing!

[Paleo Pete]

Thanks a lot, I had a great time getting them. I saw that gator at least a dozen times, got several nice shots. I guess the best one was a shot of a smaller one though. The mockingbird was pure luck, I had a computer to work on and was leaving, it landed about 15 feet behind my Jeep just as I was getting in. I grabbed the camera instead...Got several great shots including a couple with motion blur and water spray, the nidcest ones were when he stopped to look around. One of them is going on my wall, just have to decide which one. The sunset was the nicest one I've seen in ages, and some of my nicest sunset shots ever. I saw it coming from town and scooted out to the lake. Got there just in time for a bunch of killer shots, both 50 and 28mm. Had a hard time deciding which one to show off...

[paulh]

Nice ones, Pete - love the splashing mockingbird!

[Paleo Pete]

Thanks Paul, I like it too, just wish I had been able to get better shutter speed and really stop everything. Oh well, that's the way cloudy days are. It finished raining about 15 minutes before the picture was taken, and was still darkish and cloudy. The Mocker didn't waste any time finding a puddle...

[Bob Harris]

I enjoyed viewing your thread, lots of wildlife in your area, love the red tail hawk, what great hunters they are. Great sunset capture, red indeed.

[Paleo Pete]

Thanks Bob, I appreciate the compliments. Lots of wildlife is an understatement...I just don't have pictures of most of it...but I try every day.