Tag Archives: nature

Big Bird in a Big City – last weekend in San Diego, California

  

I was in San Diego, with feathered company.

And I was constant with busy activity, with a huge comic convention and other business going on. I stayed on a boat during that last weekend with new friends for some days. I wrote and photographed quite a bit of that trip for another web site (strangerworlds.com), and will feature some of that work with personal commentary on that, in my next posting here.

For now, enjoy with mild amusement these pictures, of what I believe is a blue heron..

  
   

– Orion T

Meanwhile, at a small wildlife santuary..

Big birds!

Here are two pictures shot from a recent stop in Bothell, Washington (north of Seattle). I, and friends birdwatched through a dense and swampy wildlife sanctuary near the Kenmore Park and Ride bus Station.

Here we have: a bald eagle (above), and some blue herons in a nest (below).

– Orion T

Picture of Today 6/13/15, Descending Sparrow

 

I believe this is a White-Crowned Sparrow. I observed it chirping high on a small tree in a local Seattle park. 

No filter, no edit spur of the moment shot by me. I really like this particular still. 
– Orion T

Picture of Today 6/12/15, the Consealed Seal

 
A small seal I saw, off the shores of the Seattle city. 

I knew those slippery mammals were out there in the Eliot Bay waters, but rarely ever see one. This sighting was near the rocks at Myrtle Edwards park.

And, I think it saw me. It quickly ducked below the water after this quick pic. The Seattle seals seem to be a shy sort, or perhaps they also have that Seattle Freeze attitude..

When Seagulls Attack..

Seagulls can be intense..

Especially towards each other, like in the following situation. What appeared to be one gull capturing a small bit of grass or something in its beak led to some escalation. Another gull apparently tried to take that away, as other birds cheered (or acted as referees). It was hard to tell what was really going on, as I am not much of an ornithologist. Still, interesting to observe…

         

– Orion T

Pictures of Today 5/28/15, Secret Life of a Squirrel

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For the moment, Sam Squirrel was carefree, and cracking yet another shell. Inside, another nut to enjoy.

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Sam would take time, processing the meaning of life in every bite. This was a good reward for all the leaping and dashing Sam was born to do.

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But wait..Squirrel Sense is tingling!!

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Time for this Secret Agent Ninja Squirrel to take cover.. Danger is sensed, or another nut…both are equally exciting and impossible to tell apart.

– Orion T

Picture of Today 5/14/15, City Squirrel

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“Nuts? What nuts? There are no nuts here”
And then, Sam Squirrel scuttled back up the nearby tree.

– Orion T

Pictures of Today 4/19/15, Trailing through Discovery Park

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A hike through Discovery Park..yes.

That was the best remedy to a rough last week; as I needed fresh air, time away from the screens and sirens. Discovery Park has 534 square miles, of peace and nature for one to enjoy. There are open meadows, dense forestation, rocky cliffs, old historical buildings, and a beach. For anyone living in Seattle, it’s easily accessible by bus, car, and probably even a bike. Sunday, was my day of escape. To there, I went.

While hiking through, I took pictures. Here are some unedited raws, featuring the best of the today’s afternoon adventure..

072High above the upper meadow trails of Discovery Park. Downtown Seattle is somewhere behind the hills to the left.

060Today was a nice blue day, sunny at 70 degrees.

063Yet, there was a constant wind chill. Those bushes with the small yellow petals were in constant sway.

068Though much of the cherry blossoms and magnolias have vanished through the city, some were late bloomers and still showing some of that early Spring pride.

069No words, just cool shadow play.

082There is a beach down below. I just follow the trail and watch my step. But take time, because each view is fantastic.

083Some moss there. I like moss.

079Lots of birds chirping, as I walk more between the trees. I wish I was good at spotting them. There are some bird tours coming up, here in Discovery Park. I may join in on one.

037Okay, I found this one. Not sure if it’s a crow. I like this shot.

096The beach, with lots of dried wood and visitors.

090The West Point Lighthouse. A shot without anyone walking around it or taking selfies in front of it was pretty much impossible today. Still, worth the capture.

010Another group of local visitors, enjoying some off-shore strolling.

088Tides were picking up. The calming was over, and the wind also increased. The time to go back was now. Also, I am hungry and forgot to bring efficient snacks.

104On my way back, a nice small meadow to stare at. Argh, I forget what those puffy things are called..

006Okay then..

058Not Discovery Park, but my last minute visit to the Sculpture Park before heading home. I caught this awesome sunset, just in the nick of time.

That’s all for now. I will be back to Discovery Park again, soon. Hopefully then, I will see more birds.

– Orion T

Pictures of Today 3/20/15, Hello Spring..

Today is almost done, and what a day it was!

Tis the first day of Spring, and very wet. In the Seattle and surrounding areas, there was light on/off rain. Very pleasant to walk through, especially throughout my paths. Here below, are some moments with notes..

Within a downtown park by the Washington Convention Center, a favorite little tree stands. Here, the petals seem very relaxed in the rain.

And the petals, I think enjoy this rain as much as I. Let em drop..

Much later, I journeyed far to the city of Redmond for a short research gig at Microsoft’s main headquarters. A nice busy place, but what got my attention for the longest was this little bird outside. That was a very chirpy fellow, but also not letting me too close for the more detailed shot.

And then, after a long walk and briefly ending up lost. I found myself in a parking lot of scattered sakura blossom petals. There is seriously a lot to take in, and a little dangerous. More on this, tomorrow..

Finally, back in Downtown Seattle. Here is another pretty tree in the rain.

Up close and personal..

Later, I took a pit stop at the Kobe Terrace Park at the International District. When last here, there was little on the ground. I said I would be back to see them fallen, in an earlier post last weekend. Now…

More on this tomorrow, or the next day..or whenever I get around to it. But soon, I promise.

Picture of Today 2/10/15, Can’t wait for Spring..

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I admire the early blooms of this winter now. These are reminders of changes, and how every month has signs of the next ahead. The weather lately is a little less chill as the days go by, and a bit more relaxed..for now. The rains pass by with light long pours, usually in the night with just enough to leave the ground soaked for a day or two. I see a lot of mud, and reflections of the grey skies above.

Meanwhile, some plants in various gardens around the city are presenting their first blooms of 2015. I have been told that some of the great cherry trees of the Northwest are showing signs of early Spring. These natural presentations are great, as I have been a bit too comfortable with these short days of grey. Perhaps, the time for early change in this season, is a sign that I must bloom early as well. I have set multiple goals for myself, of which I hope to have active by this Spring. Much like these new blooms, I can not wait.

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Picture of Today 11/19/14

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I stared at this strange plant in the dark outside; far deep in the downtown and illuminated by a a lone light fixture from an office building entrance. There were others of Its kind around, but not so captivating..to me at least. This plant is somewhat special, though I could not put my finger on why..

I think, I just really like looking at it.

Picture of Today 11/10/14

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“For now the city is safe, from all the nuts. Wherever there is a tree nearby, criminals beware. So swears..the Squirrel Avenger!”

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Picture of Today 11/5/14

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One of the many ninjas running through the Seattle area. This one saw you coming a mile away, and waited.

Picture of Today 10/26/14

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Sam Squirrel decided now was not the time for action. Deadly agents of C.R.O.W. were passing through this Leafland territory, unaware of our dashing hero. What could be one, would be more close by..

Now is the time for stealth.

Picture of Today 10/18/14

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Birds at the beach today…

Picture of Today 10/4/14

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“Like delicate lace,
So the threads intertwine,
Oh, gossamer web
Of wond’rous design!
Such beauty and grace
Wild nature produces…
Ughh, look at the spider
Suck out that bug’s juices!”

― Bill Watterson

Picture of Today 9/26/14

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Wild.

Picture of Today 9/25/14

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“Nature will bear the closest inspection; she invites us to lay our eye level with the smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain. She has no interstices; every part is full of life.” – Henry David Thoreau

(Picture by me, after some rain)

Picture of Today 9/17/14

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Here, a strange plant I came across on a different way to work..

The vines whip out and curve, all reaching to the general direction of the the open path.

They want something..

Picture of today 6/9/14

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Observed during a stroll through Meadowbrook Lake, in the Lake City district of North Seattle.

I think this is a blue heron (looks much like the example on the nearby guide chart). However, a local and another bird lover told me this was not a blue heron.

Either way, I like this bird.

Picture of Today 5/19/14

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Teamwork!
Found inside some bushes at Discovery Park, Seattle. These, are Western tent caterpillars, or Malacosoma californicum. According to the Seattle.gov site, their numbers are increasing throughout the Northwest US. 
Here is a little more information from the same site, on their life cycle and silk process; as shown in the picture:
The egg masses are visible in winter, are grayish-brown and about one inch long. As soon as the eggs hatch in April or May, the caterpillars begin eating leaves and create “tents” – white, silky shelters that cover the forks and tips of tree branches and shrubs. They feed during daylight and return to their tents at night.

The caterpillars are easy to recognize. They have a yellow checkered pattern with a blue dotted line down their backs, and can be three inches long when mature. The caterpillars molt four times over a period of five or six weeks, then stop eating. They choose a place to spin a cocoon and lay their eggs, and moths emerge about two weeks later. The adult moths mate immediately, lay eggs, and die a few days later; the eggs winter over until spring, when the whole process begins again.
 
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Picture by Orion Tippens. Note: Do not copy or use any of the images here or herein without written consent (contact Orion at travelingorion.wordpress.com). © Copyright 2014 Orion Tippens. All Rights Reserved

Picture of Today 5/6/14

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I found a whole new world..
around the corner, in a park.

It was always there..
I just had to notice.

Picture is Today 4/16/14

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Spring is sprung..

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Picture by Orion Tippens. Note: Do not copy or use any of the images here or herein without written consent (contact Orion at travelingorion.wordpress.com). © Copyright 2014 Orion Tippens. All Rights Reserved

Picture of Today 1/27/14

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“Overcome space, and all we have left is Here. Overcome time, and all we have left is Now.”
― Richard Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull

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Picture by Orion Tippens. NOTE: Do not copy or use any of the images here or herein without written consent (contact Orion at travelingorion.wordpress.com). © Copyright 2014 Orion Tippens. All Rights Reserved

Picture of Today 1/17/14

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Unrequited love..

Sigh.

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Picture by Orion Tippens. NOTE: Do not copy or use any of the images here or herein without written consent (contact Orion at travelingorion.wordpress.com). © Copyright 2014 Orion Tippens. All Rights Reserved

Picture of Today 1/16/14

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A lazy tree.

Or, it could be posing for this picture.

Perhaps, it wants attention.

Or, just doesn’t care.

Don’t judge..

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Picture by Orion Tippens. NOTE: Do not copy or use any of the images here or herein without written consent (contact Orion at travelingorion.wordpress.com). © Copyright 2014 Orion Tippens. All Rights Reserved

Feathered Friends..

Birds, by Orion Tippens

A picture for today, from the south Puget Sound in Washington State. It’s not quite the morning, more of the noon as the low marine layer fog remains present for much of the day.

The birds, I have no idea on specifics. Their domain is a small platform surrounded by the water, marked many times by the feathered flyers around.

This shot, from the local ferry boat transit from the Fauntleroy, West Seattle Terminal to the Southworth Terminal, with Vashon Island as a stop in-between. I on some extra work for the ferry involving the collection of travel surveys, going back and forth for much of the day. I can’t recall which terminal was near, or what land is underneath that fog. I was very busy with the work, and enjoying the foggy exterior for that it was, not as much where.

And, I love photographing birds.

More Northwest Adventuring

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Continued from our recent adventure in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, state of Washington in the Northwest US…

The Boulder Cave, about five miles down the nearby road our campground at Little Naches (25 miles from Mt. Rainier).

Our camp group headed there by car, with a small uphill hike (2 miles round trip). Incredible place, with the deep ravine between forest covered rocky hills more amazing than the cave itself.

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Also, the occasional special tree to stare at.

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Further in, the more I loved of this deeper forest withing itself.

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More further down, a small cave to the side of one cliff..not the Boulder Cave promised at the end of the trail, but worth checking out a bit later.

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Love the colors here.

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Under that smaller cave, but not so small now.

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Moving on, and further down the ravine.

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And finally, the Boulder Cave. Open on both ends, and a small, steady water stream from Devil’s Creek from the other side. At times, bats are said to hang inside.

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“The frame of the cave leads to the frame of man.”

– Stephen Gardiner, Lord Chancellor to Queen Elizabeth I

For more on Boulder Cave and its surroundings, click here.

Northwest Adventuring

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Love a spontaneous adventure, especially around the Northern Cascades of Washington state, US Northwest area.

I enjoyed two half days to and through the Okanogan National Forest, camping with friends at the Little Naches campground. All, very close with the camp about 25 miles to the Mount Rainier. Just the cheer with a little hiking and night drinking was enough. The simple pleasures of camping and hiking were renewed, as such was long overdue with the extraneous stresses of city life.

There are pictures, with some note below:

Stepping outside the 410 freeway. Here, a vista view of some mountains and glaciers, I am unsure of on name. The funny thing here, are several views adjacent to each other on the road, divided by some nearby trees. The three views are different yet so close to each other of the same area. This one is best.

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This is from the scenic route on the 410 freeway, heading east and further up.

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When reaching your destination, look up and let it sink in. On a fast cloudy day like this, look up often. No two views over time were the same. The clouds move fast in the Northwest.

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Get to know your surroundings. Also, have good sturdy shoes.

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The Naches River is peaceful. The ambiance of running water, free of honking cars, is a better thing.

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The light dryness of the rocks resting above the busy water.

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Enjoy nature to the smallest parts. I always do.

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Have a seat.

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Love this moment.

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O look, a squirrel!

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“A squirrels teeth grow continuously. Their incisor’s will grow six inches per year, but stay short due to the constant wear they receive. “

– fact from squirrels.org

(More from this trip is coming soon, in another post)

Earth Day, 2013

The Earth seen from Apollo 17

Hello earthlings, Happy Earth Day!

Why do we need a day to appreciate something we have everyday? Why not make everyday Earth Day?

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. We forget. Many of us are busy, with other things to do and worry about. So, here we are today with this blog entry, as many other media outlets are also making it happen. Hopefully, you are making the best of Earth Day by at least acknowledging its existence. Then, we can go from there..

How about some history? We are in Earth Day’s 43rd year, since its founding in 1969. Early that year, Vietnam protests were still the rage, and a terrible oil spill happened in Santa Barbara, California. Senator Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin Democrat visited the disaster and promoted the idea for Earth Day. Rallies and follow-ups led to the first Earth Day in 1970, April 22nd. The day of choice was simply a good day decided by Nelson, not falling on any particular holiday and a time thought free from college spring breaks or exams.

A bit confusing was the founding of another Earth Day in the same year by peace activist, John McConnell; also proposed in the previous year. That day, founded on his own religious beliefs that mankind was the assigned caretaker of Earth, and had a duty to preserve it. McConnell proposed a global holiday to celebrate Earth’s life and prospects of world peace. That day fell on March 21, 1970; the first day of the Spring Equinox.

Throughout the years, both Earth Days coexist and celebrated in their own special ways. However, the Equinox Earth Day became recognized as more a day of peace and relief from disaster and war; while the other became more of a day of awareness and signal for environmental activism. Global promotions built this Earth Day into what it is now: raising issues on climate change, energy conversation and the preservation of natural environments and wildlife. This day, I think for its active efforts, became more known as the Earth Day.

So, what does one do on Earth Day? I believe, we should continue to heighten awareness and influence ourselves towards our planet’s preservation. Spread the message, by promoting and sharing awareness in our networks, in social online or in person through casual conversation. Perhaps, discuss some ideas and efforts that work, and other concepts and happenings that harm.

I personally believe we should continue to seek alternative, cleaner, renewable resources for energy and production. We should also keep in mind, as the growing problem of consumption as our world population grows, now estimated over the 7 billion mark. This reached twice over since the 1960’s. According to the United Nations and the U.S Census Bureau reports, we are expected to reach over 10 billion by 2050. Waste and the global altering effects of mass production will become a growing problem, if proper solutions are not found.

For motivation, let us also keep in mind what we are protecting; not just our lifeline, but the condition of our planet. Appreciate Earth’s natural settings, and observe various life cycles around you and afar.  Below is a great TED talk, sharing special observations of our planet’s beauty and wonder, though one man’s dedication and display.