Tortoise

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Tortoise

Can you guess where I found this turtle? It wasn't hard to spot at the Columbus Zoo. This is the largest turtle I've seen. The males weigh more than 550 pounds, with a four-foot shell. Scientists believe that tortoises live longer than any other animal. But this is hard to prove, because they outlive the scientists!

Mountain Railroad

Favorite Pastimes

Mountain Railroad

Here is a special treat for you, my friends. I used my camera's video feature to capture my train in action. I combined eight videos to create the effect I wanted. In the background you can hear "Life's Railway to Heaven" played by Steve Kaufman, my favorite guitarist.

Blue Moon

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 Blue Moon

And here is a special surprise: after the sunset, the moon appeared. Thanks for taking this walk in the park with me.

Sunset In The Park

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Sunset In The Park

It is always tempting to linger in the park and watch the sunset. I don't usually hang around that long, but on this particular evening, I was at the Metro Park photo group. We were supposed to be doing bird photography, but I guess the birds had all gone to sleep. So I snapped this beautiful sunset instead. I think it makes a nice ending to our walk in the park.

Purple Sunburst

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Purple Sunburst

Now the sun is getting lower in the sky. Our stroll in the park is coming to an end. Catching the sun coming through a bunch of flowers is fun. I thought this purple bouquet made a pretty nice frame.

Creek

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Creek

Here is a sudden change of seasons. We did want to walk down by the creek, didn't we? I hope you have your boots on, 'cause this is the only creek picture I have. However, it does showcase the beauty of the park, even in the midst of winter.

Yellow Flowers

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Yellow Flowers

You can see many different wildflowers on a walk in the park. In the summertime, the trails are surrounded by meadows of beautiful colors. This flower looks like a yellow coneflower or maybe a kind of daisy. Gold Finches love it and can be seen sitting on the yellow flowers. Other wildflowers along the trail include Queen Ann's lace and honeysuckle.

Purple Flowers With Sky

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Purple Flowers With Sky

Why don't we take some time to stop and smell the roses? I like the angle I got on these pretty wildflowers. I guess I was a lot shorter then.

Ancient Trail

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Ancient Trail

Let's hike down this ancient trail. I thought this was a pretty neat sign. The trail goes down by the creek and through the woods. You can also see an ancient Indian mound. Quite possibly, it was made by Indians of the Fort Ancient period. There is a large mound in the shape of a fort at the Fort Ancient monument near Oregonia

Fence By Trail

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Fence By Trail

There's nothing like a walk in the park to soothe your spirits and give your mind a break. So let's take a little hike at Battelle-Darby Creek Metro Park. Isn't this an inviting picture with the flowers nodding over the fence and the trail beckoning ahead? I took this picture several years ago and the park has changed since then. There are bison now and a fancy new nature center in the works.

Mallard Duck

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Mallard Duck

The Mallard is thought to be the most abundant and wide-ranging duck on earth. I guess that's why we found one at the zoo. It was sharing the river with the sea gull. This picture is kind of unusual because you can actually see the duck's foot. Like most ducks, this one seems to be smiling.

Sea Gull

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Sea Gull

Here is a bird that was not in a cage. Do you know what it is? The Columbus Zoo sits on the bank of the Scioto River. The zoo has a dock you can walk out on to look at the river. That's where I found this sea gull.

Galah

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Galah

This cute little parrot is native to Australia. It is one of the most widespread parrots and spends its time hunting for seeds, nuts, and fruit. But it can also become quite a nuisance, causing major damage to cultivated grain crops.

Black Swan

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Black Swan

Although you may think of swans as being white, this Australian swan is black. It is also native to Tasmania and New Zealand. It's diet consists of grasses and water plants. It's red beak is quite a contrast to its black head.

Sacred Ibis

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Sacred Ibis

This little bird looks like a cross between a flamingo and a pelican. Sacred ibises are native to East African wetlands, where they probe the mud in search of food. They roost, feed, and fly in large groups, but build their own nests, sometimes on top of telephone poles. What an interesting bird!

Trees With Sunset

Mud Valley Memories

Trees With Sunset

This is a very peaceful shot of a sunset over Mud Valley. I can almost hear the twittering of the birds as they settle down for the night. The cool night air would be drifting in over the valley. We might smell leaves burning or freshly-mown grass. I like how the sun lights up the trees.

Crowned Crane

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Crowned Crane

This magnificent bird is called the East African Crowned Crane. They are one of the largest cranes, about three feet high, and live in flocks of 100. They build nests in marshes, where both parents help hatch two to three chicks. They draw insects to eat out of the marshes by stamping their feet as they walk.

Blue-Bellied Roller

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Blue-Bellied Roller

Here is a bird of a different feather. the Blue-Bellied Roller comes from Africa. It is found from Senegal to northeast Zaire. It likes to perch on trees or overhead wires while watching for grasshoppers. I guess it gets its name from the twisty-turny way it flies. I really like how this bird looks.

Buff Orpington Hen

Pictures From Spring Valley

Buff Orpington Hen

This hen is a Buff Orpington. We got four in this year's batch of chicks, but one grew up to be a rooster, so we have three hens. This one's name is Sunflower and it's not very friendly. It usually lays pinkish eggs.

Barred Plymouth Rock Hen

Pictures From Spring Valley

Barred Plymouth Rock Hen

This chicken is one of the new Barred Rock pullets we got this year. It's name is Velvet and it is the most friendly of all the Barred Rocks. It is about seven months old and lays tan eggs—sometimes with a double yolk.