Flamingo close up at the Pittsburgh zoo.  120 mm, F/6.3, ISO 200, 1/640 sec. exposure.

Flamingos at the Pittsburgh zoo.  120 mm, F/6.3, ISO 200, 1/640 sec exposure.

Monitor lizard at the Pittsburgh zoo.  120 mm, F/4, ISO 720, 1/125 sec exposure.

Moon not quite full.  900 mm telescope, 1/20 sec exposure.

Trees reflected in Marlow Pond at Sam Parr Biological Station.  120 mm, F/4.5, ISO 200, 1/320 sec. exposure.

Snowy reflection in Marlow Pond, Sam Parr Biological Station.  40 mm, F/7.1, ISO 200, 1/200 sec. exposure.

Late winter snowfall.  27 mm, F/8, ISO 200, 1/250 sec exposure.

Sunset over Forbes Lake in Stephan A Forbes State Park.  24 mm, F/8, ISO 100, 1/250 sec exposure.

Bright yellows on a sugar maple.  26 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/125 sec exposure.

Cliffs at LaRue-Pine Hills Natural Resource Area.  18 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/125 sec exposure.

Fall colors at LaRue Pine Hills National Research Area.  18 mm, f/7.1, ISO 200, 1/200 sec exposure.

Fall colors, Forbes State Park, Illinois.  42 mm, F/4.8, ISO 200, 1/40 sec exposure.

Autumn at Forbes Lake State Park, Illinois.  50 mm, F/5, ISO 200, 1/80 sec exposure.

Vultures warming up in the morning at Sam Parr Biological Station. 135 mm, F/6.3, ISO 200, 1/640 sec exposure.

Turkey vultures.  300 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/60 sec exposure.

Evening thunderstorm.

The 2017 eclipse progression from lower left to upper right.

An image of the full corona of the eclipse on August 21, 2017 as seen from Vienna, Illinois.  The image is composed of 9 different exposures ranging from 1/2000 - 1/2 second exposure.  ISO 200, f/11 fixed aperture.

The inner corona of the 2017 eclipse as seen from Vienna, Illinois.  300 mm (cropped), F/11, ISO 200, 1/500 sec. exposure.

The moment of the total eclipse, with potential Bailey's Beads.  300 mm (cropped), F/11, ISO 200, 1/4000 sec exposure.

Eclipse progression, just before total.  Sunspots still visible.  300 mm (cropped), F/11, ISO 200, 1/100 sec. exposure, solar filter.

The beginning of the 2017 eclipse viewed from Vienna, IL.  Sunspots are visible on the surface of the sun.  300 mm (cropped), F/11, ISO 200, 1/100 sec. exposure, solar filter.

Basking turtles in Forbes Lake at Stephen A. Forbes State Park.   300 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/125 sec exposure.

A bald eagle circling over Forbes Lake in Stephen A Forbes State Park, Illinois. 300 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/1600 sec exposure.

Cardinal at the Sam Parr Biological Station in Kinmundy, IL.  300 mm (cropped), F/5.6, ISO 560, 1/30 sec exposure.

A wild rabbit at the Sam Parr Biological Station in Kinmundy, IL.  300 mm, F/5.6, ISO 360, 1/30 sec. exposure.

Spring at Stephen A Forbes State Park, IL.  110 mm, F/9, ISO 200, 1/50 sec exposure.

A blue racer at the Sam Parr Biological Station, IL.  300 mm, F/18, ISO 200, 1/50 sec exposure.

Five-lined skink found at the Sam Parr Biological Station, IL.  240 mm, F/20, ISO 200, 1/50 sec exposure.

A prairie kingsnake at the Sam Parr Biological Station, IL.  260 mm, F/16, ISO 200, 1/50 sec exposure.

Eastern box turtle.  300 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/125 sec exposure.

Some nicely patterned fungi.  98 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/160 sec exposure.

Some of the scenery at LaRue-Pine Hills National Research Area.  18 mm, F/5, ISO 200, 1/100 sec exposure.

A cotton mouth at LaRue Pine Hills National Research Area.  105 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/60 sec exposure.

Can't decide if this is a black ratsnake or black kingsnake.  Found at Pine Hills National Research Area, in Southern Illinois105 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/80 sec exposure.

Fall colors on Forbes Lake.  21 mm, F/8, ISO 200, 1/250 sec exposure.

Fall foliage on Forbes Lake.  45 mm, F/7.1, ISO 200, 1/200 sec exposure.

Minnesota Aquarium in the Mall of America.  26 mm, F/4, ISO 3200, 1/13 sec exposure.

Minnehaha Falls, Minnesota.  24 mm, F/22, 1/2.5 sec exposure.

A farm field full of butterweed.  85 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/400 sec exposure.

A tree frog posing for the camera.  300 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/60 sec exposure, cropped.

A particularly bright lightning stroke reflected in Forbes Lake.  18 mm, F/5, ISO 200, 96 sec exposure.

Last picture of Burden Falls.  18 mm, F/14, ISO 200, 8 sec exposure, circular polarizing filter.

A close-up of the bottom of Burden Falls creating a neat lighting effect.  30 mm, F/13, ISO 200, 8 sec exposure, circular polarizing filter. 

A slightly different angle on lower Burden Falls.  18 mm, F/13, ISO 200, 8 sec exposure, circular polarizing lens.

This is the lower and larger falls in the Burden Falls area.  21 mm, F/13, ISO 200, 8 sec exposure, circular polarizing lens.

A final view showing all of the upper Burden Falls area.  18 mm, F/10, ISO 200, 8 sec exposure, circular polarizing filter.

Another picture of the upper Burden Falls area.  The amount of water flowing over the falls varies quite a bit, from completely dry to gushing.  These pictures were taken a few days after some moderate springtime rains.  24 mm, F/13, ISO 200, 13 sec exposure, circular polarizing filter.

This the Upper Burden Falls area in Southern Illinois.  A neat area that has some impressive waterfalls that will follow in the next several posts.  24 mm, F/13, ISO 200, 13 sec exposure.

More turkeys displaying.  300 mm, F/5.6, ISO 200, 1/320 sec exposure.