We were at the Niobrara Valley Preserve this week. It was a quick trip, with little time for photography. I did manage a few shots, though, so I’m sharing them here.
A few of us went for a short walk up the hill behind the headquarters Thursday afternoon. I don’t remember who spotted the first one, but we suddenly realized we were in the midst of an impressive congregation of walking sticks. We were finding 3-5 per square meter for a while. After we walked another 20 meters or so, the numbers thinned, but we were still seeing them here and there. Imagine how many we must have missed! It appeared to be a meeting of potential lovers, given the kind of activity many were engaged in…This salt marsh caterpillar species (I think?) seems to become a photographic subject for me at least once or twice a year, including this handsome individual.We drove to town for supper and on the way back, the sun was rose big and orange over the horizon. By the time we got back to the headquarters and I could escape with my camera, most of the moon’s color had gone, but I did manage one decent photo of sand bluestem in front of it.With a rising full moon, star photography was tricky, but I wandered down to the Norden Chute to see if I could use the moonlight’s illumination of the falls to my advantage, while still getting a few stars in the background. It’s not my all-time favorite photo of the Chute, but it was worth the (pleasantly quiet) time I it took to play around near the water.
3 thoughts on “Photos of the Week – August 17, 2019”
I found my first walking stick at Sandyland. It was so beautifully camouflaged it took a third, then a fourth and fifth look to be sure of what I was seeing.
A walkingstick appeared on my drapes some months ago. Unfortunately, it had already died. I’m guessing dehydration or starvation. (What would it eat in the house.) I don’t know how or when it got in. Another great crop of photos.
The Prairie Ecologist 
I found my first walking stick at Sandyland. It was so beautifully camouflaged it took a third, then a fourth and fifth look to be sure of what I was seeing.
A walkingstick appeared on my drapes some months ago. Unfortunately, it had already died. I’m guessing dehydration or starvation. (What would it eat in the house.) I don’t know how or when it got in. Another great crop of photos.
Great photos once again!