Stephen
@spmaestro.bsky.social
Semi-retired educator who now works part-time in adult education; I am a husband, father, power walker/hiker, love photography, and I am probably a tree-hugger.
Monarch Butterfly in Flight
November 1, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Monarch Butterfly in Flight
This Norman Rockwell-esque picture with the caption "Protect Your Homeland Defend Your Culture," sounds like a Nazi way to attract new hires. Whose culture? If it's Noem's and tЯump's, that is not a culture to defend. We never were a melting pot. We've always been a mosaic like it or not.
October 29, 2025 at 11:04 PM
This Norman Rockwell-esque picture with the caption "Protect Your Homeland Defend Your Culture," sounds like a Nazi way to attract new hires. Whose culture? If it's Noem's and tЯump's, that is not a culture to defend. We never were a melting pot. We've always been a mosaic like it or not.
Squirrel with a mouthful or at least a potential mouthful.
October 28, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Squirrel with a mouthful or at least a potential mouthful.
I thought this had to be AI slop, but no, it is real. Dear Leader wants to go after people that do not share his warped POV. It is not a surprise to those that follow politics, but to leave it in writing? Dissent is part of any democracy, but without dissent, you are only left with an autocracy.
September 21, 2025 at 5:41 PM
I thought this had to be AI slop, but no, it is real. Dear Leader wants to go after people that do not share his warped POV. It is not a surprise to those that follow politics, but to leave it in writing? Dissent is part of any democracy, but without dissent, you are only left with an autocracy.
Male ruby-throated hummingbird suspended in mid-air; My shutter speed was somewhere between 1/4000 and 1/6000 of a second to freeze the action. #birds #birdphotography
September 15, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Male ruby-throated hummingbird suspended in mid-air; My shutter speed was somewhere between 1/4000 and 1/6000 of a second to freeze the action. #birds #birdphotography
Black-chinned hummingbird at Turk's Cap #birds #birdphotography
August 31, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Black-chinned hummingbird at Turk's Cap #birds #birdphotography
August 16, 2025 at 5:13 PM
One of my favorite places in Texas and in the USA in general. I like to go during times when there are not many tourists. The complete vastness of the Big Bend area during these times is incredible. #photography
August 4, 2025 at 4:13 PM
One of my favorite places in Texas and in the USA in general. I like to go during times when there are not many tourists. The complete vastness of the Big Bend area during these times is incredible. #photography
I didn't know there was an #insectThursday or maybe someone recently made it up. Either way, here is a snowberry clearwing moth.
July 31, 2025 at 8:35 PM
I didn't know there was an #insectThursday or maybe someone recently made it up. Either way, here is a snowberry clearwing moth.
Black-throated sparrow #birds #birdphotography
July 27, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Black-throated sparrow #birds #birdphotography
Sibling rivalry? #easternbluebird #birds
July 19, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Sibling rivalry? #easternbluebird #birds
When a rude paper wasp photobombs your photo of an American bumblebee.
July 8, 2025 at 6:52 PM
When a rude paper wasp photobombs your photo of an American bumblebee.
Going back a ways in the archive, I took this shot of a bald eagle in the Texas Hill Country off a rather rural highway. At the time, not very many people knew about the large nest that two eagles had created. I this shot, one of them came tantalizing close to the highway for few seconds.
July 3, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Going back a ways in the archive, I took this shot of a bald eagle in the Texas Hill Country off a rather rural highway. At the time, not very many people knew about the large nest that two eagles had created. I this shot, one of them came tantalizing close to the highway for few seconds.
Painted buntings nest in my area, but they are notoriously shy. I have to really go looking for them to find one. Occasionally, they appear in my yard, but they never stay until this year! I finally have a male that has claimed my yard as part of his summer territory. It only took 25 years.
June 28, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Painted buntings nest in my area, but they are notoriously shy. I have to really go looking for them to find one. Occasionally, they appear in my yard, but they never stay until this year! I finally have a male that has claimed my yard as part of his summer territory. It only took 25 years.
A blackburnian warbler that I can finally add to my life list of birds. #photography #birds #birdphotography
June 27, 2025 at 2:57 PM
A blackburnian warbler that I can finally add to my life list of birds. #photography #birds #birdphotography
American Oystercatcher off the coast near Rockport, Texas
June 19, 2025 at 3:48 PM
American Oystercatcher off the coast near Rockport, Texas
Magnolia warbler - dorsal view - from South Padre Island, TX during this year migration. #birding #birdphotography
May 25, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Magnolia warbler - dorsal view - from South Padre Island, TX during this year migration. #birding #birdphotography
American redstart during migration on South Padre Island, Texas. #birding #birdphotography
May 21, 2025 at 4:35 AM
American redstart during migration on South Padre Island, Texas. #birding #birdphotography
Groove-billed ani pair; I got very muddy and took two spills trying to get near this spot where the pair was perching. Anis are a spring and summer bird of far South Texas.
May 12, 2025 at 4:51 AM
Groove-billed ani pair; I got very muddy and took two spills trying to get near this spot where the pair was perching. Anis are a spring and summer bird of far South Texas.
I know that during migration, birds rest and feed at different locations known to them. However, the warblers, like this magnolia warbler that I observed, were constantly moving through the brush grabbing seed or insects or both. I am not sure they conserve much energy.
May 9, 2025 at 4:43 PM
I know that during migration, birds rest and feed at different locations known to them. However, the warblers, like this magnolia warbler that I observed, were constantly moving through the brush grabbing seed or insects or both. I am not sure they conserve much energy.
I'll be heading to the southern part of my state for migration time. Specifically, I'll be in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. I hope to see more of these. Below is a wood thrush that showed up at a water feature.
April 17, 2025 at 7:02 PM
I'll be heading to the southern part of my state for migration time. Specifically, I'll be in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. I hope to see more of these. Below is a wood thrush that showed up at a water feature.
