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Assateague Horses - Did you hear the one about the Blacksmith, The Vet and the Jockey…

While roaming the Assateague Islands I ran into this group of horses Yucking it up at the ol Watering hole. I imagined the Mare on the right telling a Joke and the other’s giving a belly laugh at the punch line…

More Ponies to Follow tomorrow…

Photograph Taken on: 08-21-08 7:04AM
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 1/60 Seconds F-Stop: f5 ISO:100
Focal length: 65mm Lens: Nikon 18 - 200 VR Lens

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Bay Pinto with a Blaze - Assateague Islands

The Horses on the Assateague are very Photogenic. This little Blaze is doing her best Paris Hilton Pose for me.

More Ponies Tomorrow…

Photograph Taken on: 08-21-08 7:04AM
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 1/200 Seconds F-Stop: f5.6 ISO:100
Focal length: 120mm Lens: Nikon 18 - 200 VR Lens

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Assateague Island Ponies

The Ponies of the Assateague Islands are a lively bunch of characters. Though commonly called “ponies” the animals are actually horses. It’s heart felt when the these locals act like they own the place. It’s a truly great natural place to see horses in the wild.

The Stallions seem to be mostly Brown solids colors and the Mares are all Painted ponies (Horses). When you see a group together, it seemed like there was always 1 stallion and 4 mares. He always hung back in the rear of the pack. The Alpha female always led the group where ever they traveled.

More to ponies to follow…

Web links for the Assateague Islands:
National Park Service Official site
http://www.nps.gov/asis/

Official Touristy Site info:
http://www.assateagueisland.com/

Photograph Taken on: 11-04-08 12:17AM Manual Mode
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 165.7 Seconds F-Stop: f14 ISO:100
Focal length: 11mm Lens: Nikon 18 - 200 VR Lens

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Sunset on the Assateague Islands

We just finished an early fall trip to the Northeast US. Our First stop was the incomparable Assateague Islands, MD or “The land of the wild Horses”. When we saw this sunset on the first day of our trip, I knew Mother Nature was going to be good to Us as we traveled from here to the top of Maine.

Beginning tomorrow I show a Pony a day until I run out of Pony Photo’s. Today I wanted to show off the Colossal Sunset on the first Day of our Trip. It’s hard for a web optimized Photo to showcase the true Shot. This Panorama was made from 15 Photo’s.

Wow… What a Sunset…

HDR Panorama Photograph Taken on: 09-20-08 11:17PM
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 1/3 Second F-Stop: f18 ISO:200 Aperture Priority
Focal length: 18mm Lens: Tamron SP 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Di II LD Aspherical (IF)

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Suspension Bridge, Hillsborough River State Park, FL

Here is another shot from Hillsborough River state park. The Suspension Bridge is a blast to bounce across. And it makes for a fun Photograph…

HDR Photograph Taken on: 11-04-08 11:17PM
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 1/2 Second F-Stop: f11 ISO:100
Focal length: 18mm Lens: Tamron SP 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Di II LD Aspherical (IF)

End of the Rapids, Hillsborough River State Park, FL

I had the opportunity to visit this, one of Mother nature’s little gems on Saturday night.

We meandered past the Suspension Bridge which I will Post Tomorrow night towards the Rapids section of the river. As we approached I saw this shot, just downstream from the rapids…

HDR Photograph Taken on: 11-04-08 11:17PM
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 6 Seconds F-Stop: f11 ISO:100
Focal length: 18mm Lens: Tamron SP 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Di II LD Aspherical (IF)

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Two Storms Converging at Sunset, Indian Rocks Beach

Tropical storm season is in full swing in Florida. These fast moving Bright, Loud storms make it a fun place for photography. Many times you head out for a sunset shoot and the clouds fill the horizon at the last minute. So, you switch lenses and follow the birds.

Other times like tonight. we had Two storms converge right before sunset. Patch’s of light and clouds,  blue sky’s sprinkled here and there and those awesome colors of sunset everywhere. I had hoped the sun would peak out from below for one last time. But I Guess you can’t have everything…

Here is a shot looking south.

HDR Photographs Taken on: 07-03-08 7:19PM
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 1/125 Second F-Stop: f111 ISO:100
Focal length: 16mm Lens: Tamron 11 -18mm Wide angle lens.

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Anhinga - The Snake Bird - Largo Botanical Gardens

Well, I have been on hiatus for a month, the day job’s been extra busy / crazy.

But birding season has arrived in Florida, so I’m Back…

Over the Memorial day weekend I visited The Largo Botanical Gardens. I’m happy to say the flowers are blooming. The Ponds are full of Frogs. Everything is growing and beautiful.
All is in order for the return of the Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Night Herons, Blue Herons and the Skimmers from their winter stomping grounds in the South.

We ran into one of the locals, an Anhinga, The Snake Bird fishing. While walking along the ponds north of the Gardens proper. We heard a wrestling in the trees, I readied my Camera and this cute Guy climbed the tree to get into the sun to dry his wings.

I peered thru the tree and caught him looking at me….

Photograph Taken on: 05-25-08 5:29PM
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 1/50 Second F-Stop: f5.6 ISO:100
Focal length: 200mm Lens: Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom

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“Chasmosaurus Family checking us out - Dinosaur World” Click on image to view Larger

Chasmosaurus, Saltasaurus, Huge Crocodile and a PachyCephaloSaurus at Dinosaur World

Continuing my Dinosaur World Series…

My favorite Dinosaur of all time has to be the Triceratops. Imagine this, it’s spring, the young bull is looking to challenge the Alpha bull for control of his little harem. They charge with those three tusks leading the way. Boom as they bounce off each others armored heads. To See these guys dueling it out. Man that would be a show. From a distance of course…

“Saltasaurus Mom and Her Baby at the Watering Hole” Click on image to view Larger

On this shot I went “Awww” a mom and her pup at the watering hole.

“A Crocodile and a Watersaurus Fighting for king of the Pond” Click on image to view Larger

Here’s a couple of really big guys fighting it out for “King of the Pond Status”

There is a little side trail on the back of the Park. We called it the “Hunting Grounds”. At every corner was realistic depictions of one Dinosaur (Predator) chasing another (The Prey). So we are walking down the trail and we see some Velociraptors, T-Rex’s, the usual cast of characters. Then we turn the corner and see this Guy, The PachyCephaloSaurus, I was startled. The head was covered with Armour. Sitting at the proper position around the corner to surprise the unprepared visitor. I later read that this guy is a vegetarian and head butted other dinosaurs only when defending himself. Yea, my heart jumped when I ran into this Guy…

“A PachyCephaloSaurus Surprised Us - Dinosaur World” Click on image to view Larger

More Dinosaurs coming Tomorrow… Stay Tuned…

Many More Dinosaurs to Come All this Week: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Dinosaur World Official We Site: http://www.dinoworld.net/

Map to Dino World: http://www.dinoworld.net/dino-start003text.php?page=10

All Photographs Taken on April 1st, 2008. All of these Dinosaur World Photograph’s shot in HDR. Taken using a Nikon D80 DSLR Camera and using a Tamron 11 -18mm Wide angle lens.

“A Stegosaurus Family” Click on Photo to view Larger

Dinosaur World - Stegosaurus, Ultrasaurus and Some T-Rex’s Chasing Prey

I guess the Human race is lucky the Dinosaurs are extinct. I cannot imaging running from a charging T-Rex or come out of the house and find a Brontosaurus chilling in your pool. Here are some little guys getting ready to flee from some hungry T-Rex’s.

“Prey Running from a Pair of T-Rex’s” Click on Photo to view Larger

And Lastly the Guys with the long necks, Ultrasaurus, the Largest Dinosaur of them All.

Tomorrow, I will show a few more of these impressive Sculptures…

Many More Dinosaurs to Come All this Week: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Dinosaur World Official We Site: http://www.dinoworld.net/

Map to Dino World: http://www.dinoworld.net/dino-start003text.php?page=10

All Photographs Taken on April 1st, 2008.
All of these Dinosaur World Photograph’s shot in HDR. Taken using a Nikon D80 DSLR Camera and using a Tamron 11 -18mm Wide angle lens.