Butterflies at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden

I had been hearing about how cool the butterflies were at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.  I had also heard that the crowds made it tough to get decent photos.

So I decided that most good God fearing people should be at church or with Family on Easter and headed down to see what it was all about.

Very cool place.  They brought in over three thousand butterflies and cocoons.  Once they hatch out they live on average two to three weeks.  There is only one week left in the exhibit.  This year the dates were March first – April 3rd 2016. They only do this like every third year.

I ended up taking my 5D3 with my 100mm Macro and my 1DX paired with the 100-400mm MK2.

I tried to look up as many names and locations as I could find in the guide.

Atlas Moth – AsiaKJ5D5418-FrameShop Zebra Mosaic – Central AmericaKJ5D5421-FrameShop Tiger Longwing – Central AmericaKJ5D5429-FrameShop Blue Morpho – Central AmericaKJ5D5434-FrameShop No clue, not in the guide handout, but would say some type of Swallowtail.KJ5D5442-FrameShop Sara Longwing – Central America KJ5D5445-FrameShop Doris Longwing – Costa RicaKJ5D5459-FrameShop Tiger Longwing – Central America KJ5D5466-FrameShop  Blue Morpho – Central AmericaPBKJ6781-FrameShop No clue, not in the guide handoutPBKJ6799-FrameShop No clue, not in the guide handoutPBKJ6800-FrameShop Paper Kite – Malaysia PBKJ6801-FrameShop No clue, not in the guide handoutPBKJ6822-FrameShop No clue, not in the guide handoutPBKJ6826-FrameShop Blue Morpho – Central America finally got one to open it’s wings.PBKJ6834-FrameShopWell worth the $10 admission.  I stayed for about 90 minutes.  I definitely will be going back next time it comes back.  Lots of people with camera phones, but I saw one lady shooting slow-motion video so I tried on on a Swallowtails since they hardly ever land.

To learn more about this event you can visit www.bitg16.org

I need to check both local Rookeries for babies this coming week.

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Life is good and I am blessed.

Kent

UTSWMC Rookery

Got a tip that the great egrets were starting to nest and in breeding plumage.  Since Miss Sharon is up in Illinois helping Corie thought I might as well load some gear and head down there to see what the fuss was all about.

The University of Texas Southwest Medical Center UTSWMC has set aside a 4 or 5 acera section of land as a rookery.

Easy parking and a very easy walk all the way around the rookery.  The light was perfect in the late afternoon.

Great EgretsPBKJ6448-FrameShop PBKJ6506-FrameShop PBKJ6508-FrameShop PBKJ6548-FrameShop PBKJ6596-FrameShopI would guess that there is at least 250 pairs right now building nest.

Black Night Herons are just starting to come in and I saw at least 4 pairs.PBKJ6588-FrameShop

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Life is good and I am blessed.

Kent

 

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden

I heard the Tulips were up early and in full bloom and might not last until the Tulip festival on April 10th. So I went down to check them out at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.

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The cherry trees were in full bloom too.

KJ5D5396-FrameShop KJ5D5402-FrameShop KJ5D5415-FrameShop KJ5D5416-FrameShop The Azaleas were in full bloom too, reminder me of Augusta.PBKJ6420-FrameShop Under the tulips they had planted Pansies to come up incase the tulips are done blooming before the festival.PBKJ6426-FrameShop PBKJ6429-FrameShop

I have a season pass and have been there 2 other times.

https://kentjarrett.com/dallas-arboretum-and-botanical-garden/

https://kentjarrett.com/dallas-arboretum-and-botanical-garden-2/

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Life is good and I am blessed.

Kent

Local Birds

Two weekends ago (3/7/16) I went out to check out a tip on a great horned owl nest. Sure enough I found my first Texas Great Horned Owl.  She had taken over a nest up on a power line tower.  Couldn’t find the male and I left her alone as I am pretty sure she was sitting on eggs.  I’ll head back soon to see if I can get a glimpse of the babies.

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Ventured off to find a pair of Barred Owls I had another tip on and all I could find at that location is what I believe to be a Cooper’s Hawk.

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On the hike out and back towards the car I ran across an Eastern Bluebird.

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Next up some spring flowers down at the Arboretum.

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Matt, Ashly and Layla March 2016 visit

Sometimes it isn’t all about photography, nature and wildlife.  Sometimes it is about family!  Nothing like family visiting to help my mental state of being.

Layla loves the zoo, so we went back to the Fort Worth Zoo again on Saturday.  The weather was perfect!KJ5D5251-FrameShopMatt really liked my 100-400 lens for walking around and snapping a few photos.  Doesn’t this one look like a Billboard?KJ5D5247-FrameShop Another Matt PhotoKJ5D5253-FrameShopMatt and Sharon thought this turtle looked like ET the way his neck was stretched out.  Another Photo by Matt at crazy high ISO!KJ5D5323-FrameShopPhoto Mar 12, 3 23 56 PM-FrameShopLayla loved being pulled around in my collapsible wagon.  Tough life: Right?Photo Mar 12, 3 45 05 PM-FrameShopLayla liked the monkeys the best!Photo Mar 12, 2 03 34 PM-FrameShopOK, so I did snap a few photos on my own.KJ5D5245-FrameShop KJ5D5255-FrameShop KJ5D5271-FrameShop  Female wood duckKJ5D5283-FrameShop Male wood duckKJ5D5286-FrameShopKJ5D5356-FrameShop  Red IbisKJ5D5325-FrameShop KJ5D5326-FrameShop  Ruddy Duck, bill looked fake!KJ5D5360-FrameShop KJ5D5372-FrameShopSunday was opening day of the Pool!  Water was 88 and the air temp was 82.Photo Mar 13, 2 54 41 PM-FrameShop I am about three weeks behind on editing and the blog so my plans are to catch up while Sharon is out of town.

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Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent