What's New!

Red & Yellow - Judith Sparhawk

In the same garden as yesterday's cactus post, I saw this beautiful cactus flower. The plant itself wasn't very pretty, but it was covered with dozens and dozens of buds and just this one open flower. I don't think I've ever seen a cactus flower just like this one, yellow with the pretty red center. 4/10/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Crowns of Magenta - Judith Sparhawk

When walking in the neighborhood, one garden had several blooming cactus plants. This was one type, small, with tiny bright pink flowers around the crowns. I thought it was a really fun one, so couldn't resist a shot. The tops of these cactus spears wee about two inches across, with each flower about 1/4 inch across. 4/9/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Wisteria - Judith Sparhawk

I took my camera on my walk today, and walked to a street I don't always get to. I found some wonderful flowers in gardens on that street. These wisteria flowers were down over a wood fence--the were lovely and smelled great! 4/8/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Tree Swallow - Judith Sparhawk

When I was last down at San Jacinto Wildlife Area, I expected more swallows flying over the ponds. There were just a few this time, mostly Tree Swallows. This one sat still long enough for me to get a shot of it.(Usually they are just swooping over the wetlands in search of insects, next to impossible for me to capture with the camera.) 4/7/21 www.sarhawkphotogrphy.com

Hillside of Color - Judith Sparhawk

Yesterday I posted a pic of the beautiful Gasania Dasies at Yucaipa Regional Park. This image is of one of the hillsides of the daisies, showing the masses of color they provide. There were a few wildflfowers peeking out here and there, but these planted flowers were the showtoppers this visit! 4/6/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Gasania Daisies - Judith Sparhawk

When I went to Yucaipa Regional Park the other day, I saw that the hillsides were covered with these daisies. They aren't wildflowers, but were beautiful, with several different color combinations. It was hard not to take too many pics of them! 4/5/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Happy Easter! - Judith Sparhawk

Continuing in the bunny theme, these cute little guys are wishing everyone a Happy Easter. They were part of a window display in a jewelry store in Redlands. OK, OK, I will stop with the bunnies. I must admit I relate much more with the real bunny hiding in the grass than I do with the cutesy bunnies shown here. However, this does remind me of the many-years-ago fun with my children, dying eggs, hiding eggs and treats in the garden and around the house, and sharing these fun moments. 4/4/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Easter's Coming! - Judith Sparhawk

While walking in downtown Redlands, several of the store windows had an Easter theme, mostly based on cute bunnies and colored eggs. I thought these were cute, so took a quick pic. These are a bit different from the bunny in the grass yesterday--a bit more festive. 4/3/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Hiding Out 'Til Easter! - Judith Sparhawk

I went birding at Yucaipa Regional Park today. A lot of the wintering birds are gone, but the wildflowers are beginning to bloom. I happened to spot this little bunny in the grass, sitting completely still, as if hiding. When I got my camera on him and got one shot off, he ran across the path and into the bushes. I figure he's waiting for Easter, hiding out in the wings for the festivities to begin! 4/3/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

American Avocet - Judith Sparhawk

When I was at San Jacinto Wildlife Area the other day, there were still a few smaller ducks left, and a few waders like this American Avocet. This one is in breeding plumage, based on the rusty head and neck--after breeding it will be just black and white for the rest of the year. This is likely a female, which has a more curved bill than the male. They feed by sweeping their bills side to side through the water. The markings on her underside are reflections from the water. 4/1/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Springtime at the Ponds - Judith Sparhawk

I went birding at San Jacinto Wildlife Area yesterday, and this is one of the ponds I drove around. The yellow flowers are blooming--3 or 4 different species of yellow, and the trees are leafing out. The wintering birds are thinning out, and it was 85 degrees in the afternoon. We had a dry winter, so it is not as green and full of wildflowers as it gets after a "good winter". Still, was a nice outing and a peaceful place to hike. 3/31/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Motion in Light - Judith Sparhawk

This is another abstract created from shooting the same glass paperweight. It seems to have an endless variety of looks, depending on the angle of view. It's been fun revisiting this piece of art glass with my camera and a new eye. 3/30/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Tending the Eggs - Judith Sparhawk

This is a White-faced Ibis, showing the white breeding colors, and turning her eggs before settling back down on the nest to continue incubating them. That long curved bill is handy for more than just digging in the mud for food! This nesting bird was photographed in the Escondido area, north of San Diego, California. 3/29/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Brandt's Cormorant Portrait - Judith Sparhawk

This is a close view of a Brandt's Cormorant, from the breeding colony on the cliffs by La Jolla Cove, in the San Diego area. During breeding, the skin patch under the bill is bright blue, and is used in mating displays. This is the more common cormorant in that area--nearer home, the Double-crested Cormorant is what I usually see. 3/28/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

White-faced Ibis - Judith Sparhawk

This shot is of a couple of White-faced Ibis. It shows them without the white face, which only shows up during breeding. I liked the colors in the water, and their reflections. They were photographed at San Jacinto Wildlife Area. 3/27/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Field of Flowers - Judith Sparhawk

I was walking in my neighborhood recently and passed this yard that was just filled with African Daisies. It was such a great blast of color! I had taken my camera out to shoot the great clouds that afternoon, but this was a fun surprise. 3/26/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Light Fantastic - Judith Sparhawk

This is another abstract created from one of my glass paperweights. A couple of days ago I posted one, this is another from the same paperweight, just a different angle. This is my favorite of my paperweight collection. I found it about 35 years ago in a shop in the French Quarter in New Orleans. I was pretty poor in those days, but loved it so much I purchased it for $95 (on my BankAmerica card--yes, that long ago!). At some point I decided it would have to pay for its room and board (so to speak), and I have photographed it many times over the years. It has paid for itself many times over by now! In these recent shots I have attempted to keep more of the light and translucence in the captures. 3/25/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Judith Sparhawk

When I was in downtown Redlands the other evening, I noticed two girls playing in Ed Hale Park. They were climbing up and jumping off some rocks, both holding a flower and wearing cowboy boots. As I watched, it was fun seeing them so absorbed in their play. I took several shots, just for fun. This is a collage made of 4 of the shots. Nothing dramatic or out of the ordinary, just girls at play in a time when we have spent so much time at home. The LOVE sign on the side of a jewelry store, which I've posted before, is in the background of the shots. 3/24/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Abstract I - Judith Sparhawk

The other day I was playing around with a couple of my glass paperweights in my light box. One in particular created some interesting abstract patterns. After cropping and playing with the colors a bit, this was one of them that I liked. 3/22/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

The Keyhole in the Door - Judith Sparhawk

I ran across this photo of an unusual door, which I found on an old ship at the Tall Ships Festival. I liked The hardware, including the very large keyhole, considering the size of the door. It would take some key to unlock that door! 3/20/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

The Bejeweled Dragonfly - Judith Sparhawk

This is the top of a small metal box I own. Until I was photographing it I hadn't really noticed all the details (I've only owned it for 10 years!) ;-) The box is about 1 inch across. 3/18/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Window at Los Rios - Juith Sparhawk

This photo was taken in the small community of Los Rios, across the railroad tracks from San Juan Capistrano Mission, down the California coast. Several years ago we took the train down for a field trip there, and after shooting the mission, we walked across to Los Rios. Seeing this pic makes me want to go back! 3/17/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Blossom Time - Judith Sparhawk

When walking in the neighborhood, I have often passed this cactus plant, and liked the overall look of it. The other day I noticed that it has started blooming, with come of the stalks covered with many tiny yellow flowers. The next time I walked on that street, I took my camera, It must be spring, with flowers bursting out all over! 3/9/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com

Cinnamon Teal...Bottoms Up! - Judith Sparhawk

Just for fun, a couple of shots I took down at San Jacinto Wildlife Area recently. I thought it was interesting to see how they were all up and swimming at once, and then were all down at the same time. Not the sharpest shot, as they were moving fairly fast, but I kind of liked it anyway. 3/8/21 www.sparhawkphotography.com