Carol Smith
carolsmithphotog.bsky.social
Carol Smith
@carolsmithphotog.bsky.social
2025—No More Excuses

The sun was out yesterday morning after a couple weeks of gloomy fog, thunderstorms, and rain. I had no more excuses to avoid walking. So instead of lounging with my morning coffee, I skipped the coffee and walked over…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/30/2025-no-more-excuses/
December 30, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Showing Some Attitude

Homer, my backyard Anna's Hummingbird who thinks he owns the place —— I guess he does; he's there more than I am —— has been showing some attitude lately. He lets me know when I am intruding on his space…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/28/2025-showing-some-attitude/
December 28, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—After the Storm

Yesterday, after the Christmas storm, I went out to see if there was any damage in my backyard. One of the hummingbird feeders that I had just refilled the day before, was on the ground after twisting in the high winds…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/27/2025-after-the-storm/
December 27, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Merry Christmas!

The Costa Rican Green-breasted Mango sports perfect Christmas colors. While green and red are the primary colors of its feathers making it a perfect Christmas card subject, I'm pretty sure this gorgeous hummingbird…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/25/2025-merry-christmas/
December 25, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Clipper

The Clipper is another butterfly from the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium that I photographed last year. The Clipper is native to Southeast Asia. I love how the yellow in the striped body mimics the yellow in the flowers its…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/24/2025-clipper/
December 24, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—The Magic of Butterflies

The Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium is a magical place, filled with butterflies from North and South America, Asia and Africa in a habitat that keeps the many represented species thriving.…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/23/2025-the-magic-of-butterflies/
December 23, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Saturation

When I was in Costa Rica in March of this year, I was fortunate to successfully photograph ten different species of hummingbirds. One of the most colorful was the tiny male Crowned Woodnymph, only about three and a half inches.…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/21/2025-saturation/
December 21, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—December at the Salt Pond

There isn't much activity at the Salt Pond along the Ferrari Pond Trail this time of year. But a lone Snowy Egret was gulping down something it had found in the shallow pond as I approached the…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/19/2025-december-at-the-salt-pond/
December 19, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Badger!

Last May in the Black Hills of South Dakota, I saw and photographed a Badger for the first time. The Badger was in the process of digging a burrow in the middle of a large, grassy field and she looked up at us with curiosity. She…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/18/2025-badger/
December 18, 2025 at 12:30 PM
2025—Wading and Waiting

A Great Blue Heron wades in a shallow pond at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Florida this past February and waits for something in the water to catch its eye for a meal. I thought the light was especially lovely as…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/17/2025-wading-and-waiting/
December 17, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Burrowing Owls

This pair of Burrowing Owls was in the middle of a soccer field at Brian Piccolo Sports Park in Cooper City, Florida in February. Some of the soccer fields were closed to soccer as the owls had burrowed into the sandy…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/16/2025-burrowing-owls/
December 16, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—The Gloom Continues

It's been a while since the sun has shone here. It's been gloomy, dank, and cold and the fog clings low to the ground. Yesterday, when I climbed up the path to Ferrari Pond, the logs where egrets and cormorants…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/15/2025-the-gloom-continues/
December 15, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—More from the Pond

A few Hooded Mergansers are hanging around Ferrari Pond. I've been told that there are even a couple of pairs that swim in the pond above the waterfall that I walk by each morning. However, to get to them…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/14/2025-more-from-the-pond/
December 14, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—The Icing on the Cake

The scenery is spectacular whether you're inside Yellowstone National Park or as in this photograph, outside the park in Paradise Valley, on the road between the North entrance to the park and Livingston,…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/13/2025-the-icing-on-the-cake/
December 13, 2025 at 1:31 PM
2025—Cloud Drama

Even on a spring day in the Palouse, there is plenty of drama in the clouds. As the clouds merged and then drifted apart, they created small openings that allowed the sun to reach through to reveal the argyle patterns left by…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/12/2025-cloud-drama/
December 12, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Intimate Scenic

Yesterday and today I've been attending an on-line landscape photography workshop through KelbyOne. Landscape photography is not my strong suit and I am always interested in learning new approaches that will improve my…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/10/2025-intimate-scenic/
December 10, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—The Magnificent Rivoli’s

Z9#2 The Rivoli's Hummingbird, one of the largest hummingbirds in North America at 5 inches, is my favorite hummingbird that I see at Madera Canyon in Arizona. His loud, slow hum, that sounds like a…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/09/2025-the-magnificent-rivolis/
December 9, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Above the Fog

For what seems like an eternity, the Valley has been gloomy, overcast with dense morning fog, and with that damp, bone chilling cold that accompanies the fog this time of year. In contrast, communities in the foothills…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/08/2025-above-the-fog/
December 8, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—The Trio

A trio of Double-crested Cormorants gathered on the dead stump in the middle of Ferrari Pond the other morning. The bird in the middle was drying its wings. It is common to see Cormorants with their wings outstretched, drying them,…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/06/2025-the-trio/
December 6, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Landing

Our resident American White Pelican is content to hang around the pond beneath the waterfall on the edge of the golf course. He swims and fishes with Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, Buffleheads, and (surprise!) Canada Geese. I walk by the…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/05/2025-landing/
December 5, 2025 at 1:31 PM
2025—Mink Fur

When I was growing up in the 1950's, my mother had a mink fur wrap that, while stylish at the time, was also horrifying. It was made up of three mink bodies, with dangling feet, tails, and heads, and the mouth of one functioned as a…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/04/2025-mink-fur/
December 4, 2025 at 1:32 PM
2025—BFFs

The rams stick close together. I'm convinced that they even use each other's horns to scratch an itch, especially on top of their heads. The Bighorn on the left, his head under the other ram's horn, seems content to stay that way. BFFs…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/03/2025-bffs/
December 3, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Making Sure

While we were photographing a Bull Elk, a pair of Coyotes appeared from behind the trees. The first Coyote drank from a pool of water in a recess on a large granite boulder then trotted away as the second climbed onto the rock…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/02/2025-making-sure/
December 2, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Grass Reflections

Floating Island Pond in Yellowstone National Park is surrounded by tall grasses. As we drove by on our first morning, the grasses reflected in the dark waters of the pond. There were no birds and no critters at the…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/12/01/2025-grass-reflections/
December 1, 2025 at 1:30 PM
2025—Nose to Nose

The rivalry between Bighorn Sheep rams during the rut is fascinating to watch. The rams cluster closely together, pawing at each other in an attempt to entice a confrontation and even the violent crashing of heads. Then they…

https://infocusdaily.com/2025/11/30/2025-nose-to-nose/
November 30, 2025 at 1:32 PM