Reached 6,000 Followers this Week! THANKS!
Copyright Jeffrey Foltice
This week was a big milestone for my blog. I passed the 6,000 mark for registered followers! Thanks everybody! 
Let me say I really appreciate your interest and the time you take to check out my outdoor and nature photos. I also wish I had more time to respond to everyone personally, but please accept this note of thanks when you don’t hear from me at other times. The photo I’m posting now could be the same barn swallow in my previous entry, but there were so many flying at impossible speeds, turning on a dime in midair, that I lost track of the individuals. I felt very fortunate to get this one displaying its tail feathers momentarily before it flew off at high speed a second later. I shot this at 1/1300 of a second and F-9, and had to shoot at a faster ISO of 1600 under the available lighting conditions of the time. I used a 200mm F-2.8 lens. Enjoy! (Click on the image to see an enlarged version)
Liquid Flight
Copyright Jeffrey Foltice
I captured this moment today of a Barn Swallow as it sped over the water of a pond in Holland, Michigan. It was one of several that appeared to be hunting for insects as they zigged and zagged over the water tirelessly. (Click on the image to see an enlarged version)
Green Among the Green
Copyright Jeffrey Foltice
I found this Green Heron today in a West Michigan wetland area among green foliage and reeds. I’ve found this particular type of bird to be shy around people. They seem more at ease under cover and moments later this one was hidden from sight.
White Violet
Copyright Jeffrey Foltice
I was pleased to find this White Violet a few days ago growing in the woods at a local Ottawa County, Michigan park. I’ve read that many flowers have guide lines that draw in pollinating insects much as runway lights guide planes in for landings. The lines on this flower will make it much easier for insects to find the right spot to land
Diamonds in the Sky
Copyright Jeffrey Foltice
I was amazed by the sea of stars that appeared after I uploaded this image from my camera. I used a Sigma 10 mm Fisheye lens at F-2.8 ISO 800 for a 30 second exposure in Allegan County, Michigan last night. The conditions were perfect with a clear sky with no wind and no need for a jacket during the warm Spring evening. (Click on the image to see an enlarged version)
Simple Beauty
Copyright Jeffrey Foltice
I found this Spring flower a few days ago growing in the woods at an Ottawa County, Michigan park. I believe it to be “False Rue Anemone”, a member of the Buttercup family. The flower was about 3/4 of an inch wide.
Great Blue
Copyright Jeffrey Foltice
This Great Blue Heron decided it was time to take off after it did some fishing today in an Allegan County, Michigan wetland area. This has always been one of my favorite types of birds to photograph.
American Goldfinch
Copyright Jeffrey Foltice
I spotted this American Goldfinch perched on a flowering tree branch in Zeeland, Michigan yesterday. Now that warm Spring weather has arrived in West Michigan, I’ve been seeing a large variety of birds and flowers arriving. I’ll do my best to share these scenes here
Spread Your Wings
Copyright Jeffrey Foltice
I found this Sandhill Crane flying over an Allegan County, Michigan wetland area this afternoon. I was fortunate enough that it flew fairly close overhead as the sun was shining through its wings. The end result displayed the detail of the feather patterns nicely.
On the Wing
Copyright Jeffrey Foltice
I found this House Wren last weekend in Ottawa County, Michigan. I captured a moment with it in the air near the remains of an old tree stump, using a Canon 200mm F-2.8 L lens with my shutter set at 1/1300 of a second, F-11, ISO 800. House Wrens can be found in most of the Western Hemisphere.
