The bluebirds were busy this morning feeding the little ones. Actually, they’re not so little these days. I don’t think they have much
time left in the nest box. This is the second brood for this pair this year. It will be interesting to see if they have a third!
Doug
www.doughaftphotography.co
This is our great dane Penelope with her, “You haven’t petted me in days” look. That’s a lie by the way, but she does put on a good poor pitiful me face.
Doug
I was sitting on the back porch enjoying the morning, having coffee when this guy came along. Yes, I take a lot of pictures of cardinals. They’re great subjects and it’s hard to resist those bright red colors on the males. Maybe I should do a coffee table book dedicated to them? The city of Gaylord Michigan maintains a herd of roughly 70 elk. It started with 3 elk when a local nature center closed. The herd is contained w
ithin a 100-acre park. Viewing areas provide a great way to watch these beautiful animals. I was there last weekend (Feb 15/16) and managed to take a few shots.
Michigan also has a wild herd of 500-1000 elk. Perhaps next trip I’ll dedicate some time to tracking them down! But the park is so much easier!
This guy didn’t seem to want his picture taken! I finally managed to get in front of him and get the shot. But, he did seem to give me quite the dirty look.
It’s a damp rainy morning here in Athens. But the birds seem active despite the weather. This eastern towhee has been difficult to photograph. Lucky for me he showed up this morning when I had my camera in hand! This guy and I have been playing a form of hide and seek for the last three weeks. Every time I saw him, I didn’t have my camera. Every time I had my camera ready, he was a no show! Patience eventually pays off and I got my shot.
Please click on the picture to visit my online store. There you can see and purchase my work on various products/mediums.
As always, your feedback and/or questions are always welcome.
Thanks,
Doug
Cades cove landscapes are one of my favorite things to photograph. This is especially true on cloudy days when the light is soft. The clouds just seem 
to draw you in. Another aspect of Cades Cove is the remaining churches, cabins, barns, etc. 
that harken back to an earlier time. It’s a challenge to attempt to capture both the beauty of the place and the harsh reality of life “back then.” If you have visited Cades Cove, I’d love to hear your stories of what you saw, heard, or felt while there!
Thanks,
Doug
Spent Monday morning (April 8th) in Cades Cove, part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It was a bit cloudy with an occasional sprinkle, but still a great day. Cades Cove is a large valley encircled by an 11 mile, one way loop road. It’s a great place to view/photograph wildlife. If you visit the Smoky Mountains, you owe it to yourself to drive the loop. Just don’t, be in a hurry!
We had hoped to see black bear, but that was not to be. However, deer and turkeys were everywhere! We spotted a coyote in the distance, but he/she was camera shy. Just too far away even with a long lens. 
These two turkeys were good enough to pose for a portrait, as was this little girl.
Hope you all have a great weekend coming up! Your comments are always welcome. Also, if you haven’t already, please visit my online store by clicking on either of these pictures.
Thanks,
Doug
Yesterday I went for a drive through the Joe Wheeler State Park. The park was hit by a tornado back in the spring and suffered some major damage. Luckily, things are getting back to normal. During the drive, this little girl decided to stop and pose.