Who’s a pretty bird? I seem to have a knack for bird photos. There were quite a few birds in the top 10 last year. Here’s a pretty Cockatiel.
WELCOME 2017
Happy New Year!
Welcome 2017
Photo #2
I’m still sorting through the Whale pictures. I went on quite a few whale watches this summer so there are a ton of pictures. I eliminated all of the flukes and tails because I have lots of those so they lack that “special” quality I’m looking for.
This one is another surface feeding humpback. I like this because of the boat in the background and the shoreline. It gives you as reference point for size and the relationship to the shore. The water depth is relatively shallow where these whales are feeding.
Check out all of the gulls flying around hoping for an easy dinner.
Photo Number 1
Although I called this Photo Number 1, I don’t mean it’s necessarily the best. I mean it’s the first photo to make the cut.
This is a photo of a humpback whale “Surface feeding” as he skims the surface with his mouth open, the baleen strains the water out leaving the tiny fish and krill in his jaws.
The photo is sharp, can be enlarged and caught an unusual subject. It’s not everyday you see a whale feeding like this.

Baleen – Stellwagon Banks, Massachusetts Bay, MA
Anyone who knows me understands that I have a fascination with humpback whales. I’ve been following them and whale watching for over 30 years. This season was one of the best whale watch season I can remember. I even saw my first breaching whale. Unfortunately it was too far away for the picture I got to pass the top 10 criteria test.

Humpback Breaching, Stellwagon Bank, Massachusetts
Top 10 2015
To help get into the spirit of my top 10 search, here are the top 10 from 2015. Several have been enlarged and framed. A couple of the bird photos hang in my work place. Hopefully when I’ve gone through 2016 those 10 will be better than these. Hopefully.

Bayou Bridge , City Park, New Orleans

Egret, Orlando Florida

Egret #2, Orlando Florida

Hungry Egret with Hot Dog, Orlando FL

Great Blue Heron, Herring Run , Middleboro, MA

Germany (Epcot). Walt Disney World, Orlando FL

Cinderella’s Castle in “Ice”, Walt Disney World, Orlando FL

King of Beasts, Animal Kingdom, Disney World, Orlando FL

Rain Forest, New Orleans Aquarium

New Orleans Cemetery
So that’s the “bar” Let’s see what I managed to capture in 2016 and how they will compare.