The Jacksonville Arboretum: Cutting Edge Technology For The Rains

I love this shot of the rain guage at the Arboretum in Jacksonville.  Cutting edge technology that Thomas Jefferson would love!  I just like the color contrast of the guage against the brown theme of winter/fall starting to fade at the park.  It just would not be the same in a green thatch of grass or somewhere in a yard.  The brown hues int he background with the yellow water gauge is what makes the shot for me.  I shot this with the Canon Rebel xsi EOS digital SLR with a 78mm telephoto lens on automatic setting.  To bad there weren't some drops of water to give it better depth.

A Wood Duck On A Mothers' Day Frolic

While Martha was out tending to her Real Estate business on Mothers' Day Jamie and I took a hike at the Jacksonville Arboretum.  I was able to catch this magnificent and beautiful male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) or what is commonly referred to as a 'Drake' doing a little frolicing near a wooden overhang for visitors to gawk at on Lake Ray.  Wood Ducks usually nest in old tree cavities along lakes and other wetland areas but may nest as much as one mile from the nearest water.  The Drake is one of the most colorful birds in North America while the female or hen has much subtler color tones with a distinctive teardrop-shaped eye-patch.  I shot this with our Canon Rebel xsi EOS digital SLR on automantic setting through a 78mm lens.

A Wood Duck or 'Drake' paddling on Lake Ray