PhotoHunt - Protection

This week's PhotoHunt assignment: PROTECTION.

Camera Critters - 04-11-09: It's All Happening at the Zoo

This meme is all about photos of animals/critters.







Last week I took a photo class at the Oregon Zoo. Class participants were lucky to have a private wooded area where we could get up close and personal with some birds of prey and a couple of other zoo residents. I've posted a few photos in other posts this week, but here's a sample of all the animals we got to see.

Western screech owl:


Redtail hawk:


Prehensile tail porcupine:


When he heard the elephants trumpet right next door, he got scared and scooted back into his kennel. He was coaxed out with some goodies.


Macaw - signaling that he wants to perch on the zookeeper's arm. (Either that or he's high-fiving us; er, high threeing us. Or flipping us off.)


American kestrel. Cute little guy - though he is a bird of prey.


The turkey vulture kept his wings spread the whole time, either sunning himself or showing off.


Harris hawk:


Hadada ibis:


The elephants are legendary at our zoo - Packy, a bull elephant who turns 47 this month, was the first elephant born in captivity in the US. Here's Rose-Tu and the newest member of the herd, Samudra - Sam - born last August.

Sam with his mom and aunties:


Bald eagle. I thought the talons looked like steel weapons - nothing I'd want to tangle with.


Eurasian eagle owl:


Barn owl:


Augur buzzard:

Wordless Wednesday - 04-08-09: Pedicure

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Macro Monday 04-06-09: Owl

Macro Monday - hosted by Lisa







This is a Eurasion Eagle Owl.

Weekly Winners - 04-05-09

Weekly Winners is hosted by Sarcastic Mom.
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Some of my favorite photos from this week. Most of these come from the photo class I took at the zoo.* We had a private viewing of some birds of prey and overlooked the elephant yard.

Redtail hawk:


Mom Rose-Tu, two aunties and the new baby, Sam.


Macaw:


American kestrel:


Barn owl. We were informed that owls are not really all that smart. Don't you love the heart-shaped face and the glittery feathers?


Bald eagle:


A different kind of zoo. There's a blue one, and a pink one, and a green one and a yellow one and they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same. ("Little Boxes" by Malvina Reynolds). Actually I thought these - houses? condos? - were quite attractive, but those song lyrics were begging to be added.


More ice skaters:




The train station viewed through a sculpture across the street.



*Here's a bit of synchronicity about my trip to the zoo today:

I'd wanted to do a photo shoot at the zoo for awhile, particularly birds and elephants. I just hadn't found a good time to go.

Laurie had a class this morning at the Children's Museum, which is on the zoo property. Her class started at 8:00 and since it was so early on a Saturday, I told her I'd drive her there (I rarely go out of the house before 10!). Then I thought, I'll just check the zoo website to see what time it opens. It didn't open till 9. BUT! there was a photography class scheduled for this morning, starting at 8:00! So I wandered over there with my camera after I dropped Laurie off, just to check it out, to see if I could still get into the class. Sure, no problem.

So this class of 15 of us had the zoo all to ourselves for the first hour. They took us to a private wooded area and brought out - you guessed it - birds -- birds of prey mostly, a couple of exotics for some super close-up shots. Not only that, the area where they took us is directly in front of - you guessed it - the elephant viewing area over the elephant yard. We got to see the early morning routine AND the newest baby, Sam.

I thought it was all synchronicity at its finest.
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PhotoHunt - Stripes

This week's PhotoHunt assignment: STRIPES.

At the zoo today I was hoping to capture a shot of a tiger or zebra for this PhotoHunt, but I ran out of time. This lovely macaw obliged with some stripes by his eyes.

Shadow Shot Sunday 04-04-09: Porcupine

Visit other shadow shooters via Hey Harriet's site.






I took a photography class at the Oregon Zoo this morning. This little guy was pretty shy, but he came out in the sun for awhile. I like the shadow his quilled body makes on the wall. This is a prehensile tailed porcupine. He can't throw his quills like western porcupines can.