Author Archives: Chet Gottfried
A Zabulon skipper
A Zabulon skipper (Lon zabulon) is a smallish butterfly but average as far as skippers go. I consider it to be thumbnail size. I come across one in central Pennsylvania about every other year, but this season was different since … Continue reading
Monarch color
By “monarch color” I don’t mean “typical” monarch photos (which, incidentally, I love to take) but a different category altogether. The following photos make use of different angles and lighting conditions to present artful monarchs.
More hummingbird photos
One day last week when I was outside photographing butterflies in my backyard, a ruby-throated hummingbird came along. Given that my 200mm macro lens depends on manual focus, image clarity depends on a fair bit of luck. And I was … Continue reading
A tiger swallowtail
The tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) is one of the largest North American butterflies, and the following photos are all from my backyard. Theoretically, this particular tiger swallowtail is a male (because of the bright yellow), whereas the females are darker … Continue reading
It’s time for hummingbirds
Autumn migration is underway for hummingbirds, and for Pennsylvania that means the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). Consequently, I have many and excellent opportunities to photograph them. Of course it helps to have a pollinator garden and/or a hummingbird feeder. I … Continue reading
A hummingbird clearwing
Since a snowberry clearwing featured in my previous post, I thought it fair to have a hummingbird clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) be the subject of this one. A hummingbird clearwing is the larger of the two hummingbird-type moth, about half again … Continue reading
A snowberry clearwing
The snowberry clearwing (Hemaris diffinis) is the smaller of the two species of hummingbird moths in the United States. It is somewhat larger in body size than a bumblebee but has a magnificent presence thanks to its wonderful wing motion … Continue reading
Red squirrels don’t beg
Red squirrels often shout, curse, or complain, but they don’t beg.
A celebration of bumblebees
Actually, it is a celebration just as much of thistle flowers, on which bees of all types and butterflies both dine on – in terms of gathering pollen and/or nectar. They leave the flowers as beautiful as on first arrival.
A great egret in flight
Whereas a green heron in flight is aerodynamically superb, a great egret in flight is something else: extra long feathers, neck, legs, and toes. But however strange, in flight a great egret is remarkably graceful, beauty on wing.
