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Monday, February 25, 2013

Hiking

Double D and I went hiking in and around Baton Rouge for our weekend entertainment. Louisiana is abundant in nature, with many areas designated for the public to explore. We traveled to Blackwater Conservation area, Capitol Lakes, Mary Ann Brown Preserve in St. Francisville, and finally ended up at LSU Lakes. We didn't see much at Blackwater, but it definitely has potential and we will go back. Here are some things we saw.
An overcast day so had to get a little creative with the processing on this one. Used a solarize preset in Lightroom.
Downy Woodpecker - Blackwater Conservation - 2/23/13

New growth at Blackwater Conservation - 2/23/13

Lichen on tree at Blackwater Conservation - 2/23/13

Capitol Lakes - 2/23/13

This has to be the rock star of all the Muscovy Ducks.
Capitol Lakes - 2/23/13

Came face to face with a Nutria. I told him we had to stop meeting this way.
Capitol Lakes - 2/23/13

Rare Eastern Chipmunk - Mary Ann Brown Preserve - 2/24/13

Double D at overlook - Mary Ann Brown Preserve - iphone - 2/24/13

Eastern Swallowtail - Mary Ann Brown Preserve - 2/24/13

Gazebo at Mary Ann Brown Preserve - iphone - 2/24/13
Having the iphone is great for landscape shots. I think it does a great job and it's one less lens to carry around.

Red-bellied woodpecker - Mary Ann Brown Preserve - 2/24/13

Same woodpecker as above

Trillium - Mary Ann Brown Preserve - 2/24/13

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50 comments:

  1. Amy BurzeseFebruary 25, 2013 at 12:13 PM

    All wonderful, Gail! That gazebo/lake shot is fantastic. I thought that, then saw that it was an iPhone shot. I am very please with landscapes using mine. Is that duck normal? It's radical.

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  2. Lisa @ Two Bears FarmFebruary 25, 2013 at 12:38 PM

    I love seeing so much nature!

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  3. renae February 25, 2013 at 12:47 PM

    OOOOMyGoshhhhhhhh, Gail!!!! These photos are so wonderful!!! I love that you list several and in various genres. Wow!

    Yes, I went to church! (in my fishnets and leather) I did!

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  4. Phil SladeFebruary 25, 2013 at 1:45 PM

    You put a brilliant set of shots together there Gail, and its unbelievable you get that picture quality with an iphone - superb. I'm still using a push botton phone! Love the Muscovy, it could sure scare you on a dark night.

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  5. UnknownFebruary 25, 2013 at 2:53 PM

    That Muscovy is really something!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  6. Sylvia KFebruary 25, 2013 at 2:55 PM

    These are awesome captures, Gail!! Incredible quality and I do love your "up close and personal" shots! How fun! Thanks for sharing!! Have a great week!

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  7. TexWisGirlFebruary 25, 2013 at 3:00 PM

    i agree that my cell phone does well w/ skies and landscapes - awfully handy, too. LOVE the upside-down red-belly. wish we had chippies here. a great set of pics! very enjoyable.

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  8. TexWisGirlFebruary 25, 2013 at 3:00 PM

    p.s. totally correct on that muscovy!

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  9. RandiFebruary 25, 2013 at 3:09 PM

    Amazing nature! Love the Muscovy Duck!!!

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  10. AnonymousFebruary 25, 2013 at 3:10 PM

    That was quite the hike. That duck is fascinating and amazing.

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  11. AnonymousFebruary 25, 2013 at 3:19 PM

    Gosh...I can't pick a favorite (not that you asked). I love the angle of the woodpecker shots! And, if only those chipmunks were a rare sight in our neck of the woods!

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  12. eileeninmdFebruary 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM

    Beautiful nature scenes, Gail! I love the Muscovy shot. And the Nutria is an awesome capture. Beautiful photos!

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  13. Lisa GordonFebruary 25, 2013 at 3:58 PM

    What a wonderful place to be!
    I just love the little face on the Nutria.
    Kinda looks like he's saying, "Who me???"

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  14. PatriceFebruary 25, 2013 at 4:13 PM

    Great shots, Gail - I especially like the gazebo!

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  15. AnonymousFebruary 25, 2013 at 4:15 PM

    What amazing environment !

    Please have a good Tuesday.

    robert geiß

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  16. KerryFebruary 25, 2013 at 4:16 PM

    Your springtime is ahead of ours. It'll be awhile before there are butterflies here, so I'll be content to watch yours. I like the angles of your woodpecker shots! And that nutria was a bold fellow; I bet people hunt them, so I'm surprised he didn't scurry away!

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  17. HilaryFebruary 25, 2013 at 4:17 PM

    You have such wonderful critters out your way.. and your weather is enviable. That Nutria is just adorable.

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  18. AnnFebruary 25, 2013 at 4:27 PM

    i love the duck!!
    and the Nutria...i've never heard that name before...i always tell my grandkids that we never stop learning,that i learn something new everyday!!
    this i will share with them!!!

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  19. BarbaraFebruary 25, 2013 at 4:47 PM

    We definitely don't have the same iphone! That gazebo shot is amazing! It sounds like such a great day visiting all of those places. What was the solarize preset you used in Lightroom? I love it!

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  20. KarenFebruary 25, 2013 at 5:14 PM

    Wowsers Gail. Marvellous shots! Love that duck!

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  21. AnonymousFebruary 25, 2013 at 5:27 PM

    Wow! What a place and those wonderful photos of natures' gems ~ great shots for OWT ^_^

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  22. Brian KingFebruary 25, 2013 at 5:52 PM

    I do like the effect in the first photo...nice stark trees! The butterfly, gazebo, and upside down woodpecker shots are my favorites! This looks like a beautiful place to hike.

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  23. Linda at To Behold The BeautyFebruary 25, 2013 at 5:54 PM

    Lovely, all. I liked the composition in the one with the flowers, blurring the trees in the background. That duck is just weird. Interesting, but weird. I hope there's another duck out there somewhere that finds that one attractive. The swallowtail looks so delicate. Hopefully, I didn't damage the hard drive on my laptop when I turned it upside down to look at the red-bellied woodpecker. Those two shots were fabulous.

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  24. DeannaFebruary 25, 2013 at 5:56 PM

    wowzer....you were truly blessed with finding such beautiful creatures, both with wings and without!!

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  25. AnonymousFebruary 25, 2013 at 6:31 PM

    Gorgeous shots! That duck looks like he's all dressed up to go somewhere.

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  26. Chatty CroneFebruary 25, 2013 at 6:55 PM

    Gorgeous as usual. I loved the Muscovy Duck - he was awesome.

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  27. Frostbite and SunburnFebruary 25, 2013 at 7:08 PM

    Lovely series of pics - and you have such a good eye! Thanks for sharing - loved the woodpecker the most.

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  28. Ruth HiebertFebruary 25, 2013 at 7:29 PM

    Each one of these is beautiful The iPhone does an excellent job on landscapes,and is easy to carry along.

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  29. RajeshFebruary 25, 2013 at 8:28 PM

    Nice place to hike in the middle of beautiful nature.

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  30. Stewart MFebruary 25, 2013 at 9:34 PM

    Splendid pictures - I do like the woodpecker.

    We should be safe from bush fires - if this part of Melbourne buns down in a bush , Australia would be in real trouble. (I only live 20 minutes from the middle of Melbourne!)

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  31. Evelyn S.February 25, 2013 at 10:13 PM

    The nature preserve should use your photos in their printed materials!!! Wonderful, Gail!

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  32. NatureStopFebruary 25, 2013 at 11:04 PM

    Greetings from Oman!!!
    Amamzing shots.Thanks for sharing.Have a great day!

    Shantana

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  33. AnonymousFebruary 25, 2013 at 11:06 PM

    What amazing shots! That Muscovy duck is something else...

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  34. DaveFebruary 26, 2013 at 1:16 AM

    You are a brilliant nature photographer Gail - Dave

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  35. Hootin AnniFebruary 26, 2013 at 6:08 AM

    Sensational!!! Each and every photo!! I've noticed your photo of the Nutria, are their teeth red like this, naturally? All of them?

    I am posting Muscovy Ducks this coming weekend at the Bird D'Pot too. They're neat, ugly but neat. Yours could be the M Jackson or Muscovy.

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  36. EG CameraGirlFebruary 26, 2013 at 7:52 AM

    I'm jealous that it looks so much like spring there. I do like Winter, but I am also looking forward to spring. ;)

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  37. rainfield61February 26, 2013 at 8:29 AM

    I like the first one.

    What a lonely bird.

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  38. Coloring Outside the LinesFebruary 26, 2013 at 9:36 AM

    I'd say it was a fantastic day for nature- all beautiful shots.

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  39. Sallie (FullTime-Life)February 26, 2013 at 9:59 AM

    Wonderful photos of a great hike ... I really like seeing the variation in light. That little woody is a regular clown for you! But I love everything you saw.

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  40. Sallie (FullTime-Life)February 26, 2013 at 10:01 AM

    Gail, something's wrong with my computer and it's hard for me to e-mail on the I-Pad, so I'm answering your recent comment here...just delete this after you read it.

    The woodstorks that I show are native to this part of Florida and I don't think they're found anywhere else (at least that's what we're told). Bring your camera and come on down!

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  41. AnonymousFebruary 26, 2013 at 10:26 AM

    LOVE THESE IMAGES...it is always difficult for me to pick a favorite image of yours sweet Gail...I just love them all... big hugs, from cajun country ;-)

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  42. AnonymousFebruary 26, 2013 at 10:52 AM

    I love these! Wonderful nature shots!

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  43. UnknownFebruary 26, 2013 at 6:59 PM

    Once again I have a great big smile on my face as image looking at your photos. LOVE them..

    Hugs~

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  44. renae February 26, 2013 at 10:42 PM

    hahahaha, thank you for your fun comments today. I've had a busy day so I am finally getting to your phabulous photos and staring at them again. I especially love your flowers, but I really love your birds, too. I can't decide I guess. Just keep doing them, okay?

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  45. AnonymousFebruary 26, 2013 at 11:11 PM

    Wow, that duck is amazing...

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  46. TriciaFebruary 27, 2013 at 8:27 AM

    What a great place to visit! I love the duck and the nutria :)

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  47. amandaFebruary 27, 2013 at 10:01 AM

    I'm intrigued with the trillium, so different than ours here in Minnesota! Great photos. My "Our World Tuesday" post this week is also from Louisiana! (From a visit there.)
    http://ourfunwithfive.blogspot.com/2013/02/french-quarter-new-orlenas-lousisana.html

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  48. UnknownFebruary 27, 2013 at 9:00 PM

    You whisked me away into some spring-like weather - just what I needed! Your shots are amazing!

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  49. Rambling WoodsMarch 2, 2013 at 11:47 AM

    What a nice hike you took us one and the weather looks really like spring. It made me smile. Thank you for linking into this week's Nature Notes.. Michelle

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  50. Rosemary AubutMarch 3, 2013 at 7:03 AM

    Once again amazing! Love them all! Keep on hiking!

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