Photo Blog

ILLINOIS DEER - SATURDAY FARMER'S MARKET

2012-05-24T09:58:04Z

Here are a few deer that I ran into this week in Central Illinois.

I willl have a booth at the Ellington Farmer's Market this saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. The market is held in Arbor Park near Ellington Center. See http://ellingtonfarmersmarket.com/ for more information.

2012 RELEASES

2012-04-28T03:24:37Z

I've created a new gallery with 63 of my latest images. Click on the lnk below.

http://www.ericjvirkler.com/fine-art-galleries/2012-releases/

Bobcat goes swimming

2012-03-26T04:06:13Z

This bobcat had its eye on a couple of wood ducks before leaping into the water and swimming away.

Taken in: Tolland County, CT

DAVID VS. GOLIATH

2012-01-13T12:09:25Z

Two unevenly matched bull moose square off amongst the cottonwoods near the Gros Ventre River in Jackson Hole.

PAINTED WITH FIRE

2012-01-04T04:40:00Z

East of Yellowstone Lake Yellowstone National Park

Fire destroyed the timber, allowing sunlight to once again hit the forest floor. The crisp days of fall have turned the undergrowth from shades of green to orange and red.

BULL ELK BUGLING

2011-12-28T12:38:24Z

Yellowstone National Park

BULL WITH ATTITUDE

2011-12-22T04:01:12Z

Near the Gros Ventre River, Jackson Hole, WY

This bull moose is showing his teeth in a rare display of anger after his mate walked out on him.

Afternoon Snack

2011-12-13T17:52:24Z

Lamar Valley, Northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park
Rich evening sunlight bathes this red fox, causing it to squint, as it looks for a place to store it's freshly aquired snack for a later time.

CONTEST WINNER

2011-12-03T12:38:03Z

Here is a list of the guesses that people came up with. I could visualize each of the guesses, everyone did a really good job of coming up an animal that it really could have been. Unlike the contest I ran in 2009, but that one was nearly impossible. (See link below if you missed that contest and are looking for a challenge.)

http://www.ericjvirkler.com/photo-blog/2009/9/14/contest.html

The guesses were

Whale frolicking

osprey

penguin

dog (labrador)

whale's flapper

swimming elephant

nessie

orca

river otter

humpback whale

leatherback turtle

loon

dolphin

osprey going after a fish

beaver

muskrat

not a giraffe

NO EYE DE AH

eel

Many of these guesses were duplicates, so it looks like many of you were thinking along the same lines. See below for a better angle of the animal.

Does that help, or does it merely eliminate many of the guesses? See next photo for the answer.

The correct answer is RIVER OTTER.

Congratulations to Keegan E. (formerly of Trinidad & Tobago), whose name was drawn from a plastic hardhat.

An Honorable Mention goes to Dan V. and Robert F. IV who also guessed river otter.

CLOUDY NOVEMBER = EXCELLENT COLOR

2011-11-29T17:20:09Z

A great side effect of all these cloudy days we get in November is that sunrise and sunset are often spectacular. Here are sunrise and sunset photos from Monday, with a little bit of wildlife sandwiched in between. (Not a bad way to start off the week)

Shenipsit Lake, CT