In Your Own Backyard

With the press of business upon me - getting ready for my first art fair of the season in late March, preparing for both a speaking engagement and a major exhibit in early April, working on income tax, composing an email newsletter, and more - I'll have little time for photography during the next few weeks.

In searching for a blog subject this week, I recalled times past when commitments prevented my getting on the road to explore with camera.   During those times, I would just grab the camera and head out into my own backyard for a few minutes of relaxation away from the desk and the telephone.

There's a world of photo ops in your own backyard.  In my yard in spring and summer, lots of wildflowers grow along the peripheries of my two and one-half acres. Wildflowers attract critters of all kinds, from ants and bees to butterflies, birds and rabbits.  Here are a few of these types of casual images from my archives.

The first is a Tiger Swallowtail.  This gorgeous butterfly visited a honeysuckle in my garden for quite a while and gave me lots of time to photograph it.  So pretty!

Tiger Swallowtail

Next is a katydid on prairie primrose.  Prairie primroses grow like weeds in this part of the world, and they attract a wide variety of insects.

Katydid on Primrose

Here's a bumble bee on penstemon in my garden.

Bumble Bee

Each spring, I allow several native sunflower plants to grow up near the house.  These striking plants sometimes reach heights of six feet or more, and they attract lots of birds.  They also grow like weeds and will take over the property if not controlled, so I pull most of them up early in the season.

The tiny black seeds of native sunflower are an important food source for many birds.  All finch species adore the seeds, and in the fall clouds of Pine Siskins descend on the plants.  It's so much fun to watch!  Here's a Pine Siskin feeding on a sunflower in front of my house.

Pine Siskin on Native Sunflower

Since native sunflower attracts so many insects, they also attract the insect-eating birds.  Below is a lovely Bewick's Wren gleaning insects from a sunflower stalk.  A pair of these cheeky little birds nests in one of my bird boxes each spring.

Bewick's Wren

So you see, you don't need to venture out of your own backyard to photograph nature.  Simply walk around looking for the "small picture," and you'll be surprised how much you can find.

Cheers 'til next time....Gail.
www.gailyovanphotos.com

All images and text ©2014 Gail Diane Yovanovich