HSNP An Autumn Sunrise from Hot Springs Mountain
I love a beautiful autumn sunrise from the top of Hot Springs Mountain. It is a perfect start to any morning hike. Breathe. Pause. Enjoy the colorful light then hit the trail.
🐦🍄🌿🍁🌄 Happy Autumn Hiking!🌄🍁🌿🍄🐦
Love to ALL!
Lee
The past few weeks the rain in rainforest has been a constant in Hot Springs National Park. Wave after wave of lightning and thunder storms has kept us off the trails. Light fog and drizzle offered us a perfect opportunity to finally get out for a morning hike.
I was photographing colorful fungi (saving for another blog) when from the corner of my eye I glimpsed two large birds lift off from the trail. Turning slowly I was surprised to see a small Pileated Woodpecker sitting on the trail splashing in a puddle created by storm runoff. Not quite Juvenile and closer to being a chick it was enjoying an impromptu bath. This was a wonderful unexpected sight in the early light.
Love to ALL,
Lee
In 2009 when I began my foray into Nature photography I was not a birder. When I began hiking in Hot Springs National Park during the winter of 2009-2010 Birds became my companions. Even in the harshest weather Woodpeckers, Cardinals, Sparrows, Mockingbirds and Pine Warblers were with me along each trail. In those early days of hiking I only had my 5-year-old Sony Cybershot and each clear shot of a moving bird felt like a miracle. I used to call my camera the “Magic Box” as often I had no clue what I had captured until I returned home and scoured the Internet for bird identification.
To get better shots of the many beautiful birds I would stand out-of-sight in the pagoda on Hot Springs Mountain. One morning in February of 2010 as I was looking out over the valley when I heard loud squawking on the lawn below. I glance down and saw a flock of Robins grabbing at seeds and in the melee were smaller Birds holding their own. The Lovely Creatures of the Forest on the Hot Springs Trails I realized they were the same type of Bird I had seen briefly in January.
The exotic markings on the Cedar Waxwing made me take a second look all Birds. I began to see them all with a greater appreciation for their unique and individual beauty. Nature’s winged artistry.
Love to ALL!
Lee
I am originally from Oregon and had never experienced the humidity of the South until I moved to Arkansas in 2009. Air that you can see was something I had previously associated with 70s air pollution. Yup I am that old LOL. In Hot Springs, Arkansas the humidity mixes with the minerals escaping from steam vents to create a filter on my lens cover. I have often complained and grumbled as I tried to take photographs in the dense air. This year I am going to embrace the phenomena as my camera’s Chi.
Love to ALL!
Lee
Paparockzi: The art of photographing Nature’s “Rock Stars”.
Winter is the perfect season for everyone to hone their Paparockzi skills. Sun has full access to highlight the colorful layers of each unique rock as the canopy recedes. Rain washes each unique sculpture to reveal the glorious detailed surfaces. Lichen paints the formations with muted colors and delicate textures.
Much Love to ALL!
Lee
Hike Our Planet - @HikeOurPlanet 