February 2017
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2/01/2017. Went to CBG today to scout out Orchidmania before photographer's hours. No tripod. My 90mm macro with IS can handle handheld, but I found it very difficult on my hands. More here http://www.phylliskelly.com/Flowers/Orchidmania/Orchidmania-2017
Cleveland Botanical GardensOrchid Mania
From Orchidmania 2017
2-02-2017. Bath Nature Preserve with CMNH. Absolutely gorgeous day!
From Bath Preserve
2/02/2017. Fresh otter prints on the path. Really nice clear prints.
From Bath Preserve
2-04-2017. Margaret Peak Preserve . Nothing exciting, but the sky was nice and the exercise was good.
2-04-2017. Weekly Walkers at Columbia Station. For some reason, that park always has the best ice formations. These were crystallizations on the paths. Lots of them.
From Columbia Station
2-07-2017. Back to CBG for evening Photographer's hours. We were mostly confined to the Lobbies since the light in the greenhouses was totally inadequate. The theme was hanging gardens and I could really do without the pink and blue lighting. Played with off- camera fill flash.
From Orchidmania 2017
2-08-17. Went over to the Black River to check the level after all the precipitation we have had. Obviously flood stage. Big contrast from last Fall when you could see every rock in the bottom!
From Indian Hollow
2-09-17. This is a Princess Tulip in the January Kathy basket.
From Cut Flower Portraits
2-10-17. Closeup of the Orange Princess. Glad they are there in a grey winter.
From Cut Flower Portraits
2-11-17. Patterns in the ice at Sandy Ridge. Melting and freezing does funky things.
From Carlisle Reservation
2-13-17. Typical Sandy Ridge late winter. Reflections, and bright green moss on the logs. Saw some interesting bird interaction between an American Kestrel and a Blue Jay but no picture.
2-14-17. Weekly Walkers at Columbia Station. Skunk Cabbage is emerging. Spring is coming!
From Columbia Station
2-17-17. Adding a new Preserve to my regular rotation. This is Rocky River Preserve in Olmsted Falls. It is the nearest place with hills! Today I tried the 522 Earthworks steps and it did get my heart rate up! The Woodpeckers are really noisy, and the Chickadees eat out of your hands.
From Rocky River
2-18-17. The first garden flower of the year. Snowdrops under the tree in the front of the house. We are getting there!
2/19/17. CBG. Orchid jungle in the Costa Rico glasshouse. Wish I could convey the aroma!
Cleveland Botanical GardensOrchid Mania
From Orchidmania 2017
2-20-17. Caley Reservation. A pair of Trumpeter swans in the back pond.
My project for the day was figuring out the difference between Trumpeter and Tundra Swans. These are Trumpeter.From Caley Reservation
2-21-17 Last year's oriole nest. Very visible with no leaves on the trees. Wonder where she got the blue fiber.
2-22-17. Columbia Station. I will be glad when there is some green around.
From Columbia Station
2-24-17. Some of the Sandy Ridge turtles sunning themselves. In February!
2-25-17. Medina Preserve with CMNH. Didn't look like the Herons had returned to their nests yet, although they were reported in the Cuyahoga Valley. No owls taking over any nests, either.
2-25-17. Took a walk to the Duckpond at Carlyle. Well, green, anyway.
From Carlisle Reservation
2-28-17. Tulips from the last of the Kathy baskets. They are really very nice, and have some fragrance, too. One amaryllis to go and at the rate it is growing, it will bloom in April. No problem!
From Cut Flower Portraits
This pair of Trumpeter Swans showed up mid February and hung around for several weeks. We thought maybe they would nest, but they didn't. First time for swans.