Cool Nature Photos

[Fuddyduddy1952]

This is nature. Not really cool but be careful!

 

[dj1701]

Clouds were amazing tonight. Put the cell phone down and grabbed the R5. Not bad for offhand shooting with low light.

 

[Dftodd]

This is nature. Not really cool but be careful!

My neighbor had a 36" diameter oak tree splinter like the one in the video.

Except his tree splintered into 8"x30' strips, with the top just dropping straight down since it didnt have anything supporting it anymore.

A couple of those strips ended up in my yard 60ft away.

We heard the boom in the middle of the night and figured it was real close.

Scared the daylights out of us. My wife, the pooch, and I all ended up at least 3ft off the bed when that sucker hit.

Talked to the neighbor the next afternoon when I discovered the tree. He and his wife had the same reaction in their house.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Planted I think it was a 6# or a 9# bag of black oil sunflower seeds (same as what is in bird feeders). This is what they turned into. I noticed today there were 2 gold finch's latching onto some. Eating at the seeds. I'm hoping to create a few photo ops for them for our customers. We'll see...

 

[MossRoad]

I like to watch the sunflowers turn to face the sun all day. Kinda amazing when you think about it.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I like to watch the sunflowers turn to face the sun all day. Kinda amazing when you think about it.

Interesting you mention that. I noticed these sunflowers were all pointing the same direction. East. The sun never hits them directly in their "face" and the sun rises here about now in the southeast. There are trees blocking the first few hours of that sun contact.

I thought that odd I had heard all my life flowers face the sun etc. Sooo I had to google it. Seems young flowers indeed do this "heliotropism" they called it. Then as they mature they turn towards the east to attract more pollinators. Seems the pollinators want their pollen warmed up a bit, even in summer...

 

[MossRoad]

Neat. I never knew that.

 

[MossRoad]

..."heliotropism" ...

That would make a good name for a high school drama club.

 

[masseyrider]

Planted I think it was a 6# or a 9# bag of black oil sunflower seeds (same as what is in bird feeders). This is what they turned into. I noticed today there were 2 gold finch's latching onto some. Eating at the seeds. I'm hoping to create a few photo ops for them for our customers. We'll see...

I've been planting aboot an acre + every year for probably the last 25 years.
When I first started I was still farming and had some land left to fallow. I planted sunflowers thinking I'd cut them when they were mature to feed birds in the winter.
I have yet to have any for winter feeding. They start to strip them when the seeds are still milky.
It's amusing to see the birds hanging upside down getting their fill.
By far the most common are the gold finches.
It also attracts many site seers even though I'm at the end of a dead end road.
Get to interact with the women who think it's so beautiful.
Kept in touch with one couple from New Zealand for a long time. They got lost and found my place by accident. We had a nice visit and just were friendly for a long time. Unfortunately they've both passed.