Cool Wind tropical hibiscus

Cool Wind tropical hibiscus
'Cool Wind' tropical hibiscus variety
Location:  Kohala Coast, Hawaii

This hibiscus variety is called Cool Wind.  The blossoms are relatively large -- about five inches across. This is a tropical hibiscus variety that does not tolerate frost.  However, in cooler climates the Cool Wind hibiscus can be grown indoors.

Critters blending in with their habitat

Blending in with the habitat is a survival advantage for creatures in the wild.  It is harder for predators to spot a critter who blends in well with its surroundings.  Wildlife photographers aren't exactly predators (we hope!), but sometimes we, too, have some difficulty spotting critters that blend well with their habitat.

Consider the photos series below.  In the first pair of photos an American Pika is  perched on a rock.  The color of its fur is so similar to that of the surrounding rocks that in the longer shot, the little animal almost could go unnoticed.


American Pika (Ochotona princeps)
American Pika (Ochotona princeps)


American Pika (Ochotona princeps)
American Pika - Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
In the next pair of photos, a Yellow-bellied Marmot sits in repose.  This animal's larger size and golden color usually make it easier to spot amid the rocky background than the Pika .  In this instance, though, the critter just happened to stop next to a rock of a color similar to the animal's coat.  I do not know whether this was by intention or by chance, but it did make it tougher to get a photo in which the animal stood out from the background.

Yellow-bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris)
Yellow-bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris)


Yellow-bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris)
Yellow-bellied Marmot - Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Both of these mountain-dwelling species prefer high-elevation habitats. I photographed these two individuals in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park near the base of the Tundra Communities Trail, at an elevation of around 12,000 feet (3,700 meters).

Here are some earlier posts on this blog with photos and more information about these two animals:





Clouds Forming Over the Badlands

Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Badlands National Park in southwestern South Dakota is one of those places that defies description.  The park itself covers more than 240,000 acres, much of which is characterized by erosion-carved buttes, pinnacles and other geologic formations.  The vastness of these features cannot be adequately captured in a photograph, and the wide open sky above adds to the feeling of limitless space.

Scattered along the roadsides through the park are overlook points that afford the visitor breathtaking views.  They also are excellent spots for weather-watching, offering unobstructed views across the surrounding prairies that seem to go on forever.

On the morning this photo was taken the sky was as clear a blue as can be imagined.  By midday this picture-perfect fleet of clouds had accumulated and the first of several passing rain squalls appeared over the buttes.