Monday, October 9, 2017

Clear Creek Nature Center: October 2017

It had been an unbelievable -- and quite possibly unprecedented -- two months since I had last been out shooting pictures.  TWO MONTHS!!  Between the start of school, summer heat, and so on I just hadn't managed to get out.  It took a three-day weekend to finally get me to shake the dust off a bit.  I enjoyed my initial visit to the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center so much this past spring, I decided to see how it looked in the fall.

Turning Leaf, Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center
Fall in North Texas isn't doled out in sweeping and majestic helpings.  Rather, it asks one to seek it in the subtle and intimate.

Turning Leaf, Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center
I hadn't planned on shooting backlit leaves.  But they were abundant in the early stretches of my hike, and they were beautiful.

Turning Leaf, Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center
Spiders had done yeoman's work suspending some of the leaves in place, too.

Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center
I still haven't learned my Texas plants well enough to identify this one.  But I've always been a sucker for seed pods.

Gulf Fritillary, Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center
I saw the most butterflies along the edges of the wetland, including this Tawny Emperor...

Monarch, Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center
... and several Monarchs, none of which would pose in the light for me.  I had to jack my ISO up to 3200 to get something decent of this one in the shade.

Eastern Pondhawk, Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center
Dragonflies are too freaky not to shoot, especially when they pose like this Eastern Pondhawk.

Green Treefrog, Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center
The best spot of the day for me was definitely this Green Treefrog, who couldn't have been more than an inch long.  With a steady breeze blowing, I had a hard time getting a still shot of him soaking up the late morning sun.

Green Treefrog, Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center
In the end, I got both a portrait and landscape orientation that I liked!

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center
I had a really unique angle on this Red-Spotted Purple.  I don't think I've ever seen a butterfly with such a badass expression before.

Two great hours out with my camera.  I hope it's not another two months before my next outing!

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