Today's image is of a Red Tail Hawk that was flying overhead one day while I was out on a walk. This image shows how you can identify one easily when they are in flight. The short bar on the outer part of each of the wings is the identifier. Red Tails are very difficult to ID when sitting as their markings can widely vary and make them look similar to other hawks like Red Shouldered.
MPG Photo Creations
A Photo a Day Blog with Guides to Wildflowers and Butterflies in Kansas
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Monday, February 2, 2026
02/02/26
Happy Monday and happy new week! It's also a double digit day today! 😀 We have had a few good photo opportunities for snowflakes in the least 2 months, the best one was a little over a week ago. Some had a good amount of rime on them but were still quite lovely I thought such as this one. Rime forms when water droplets freeze on the flake after and as it forms. This is a 16 image focus stack to bring out the details.
Sunday, February 1, 2026
02/01/26
Happy first day of February, the year is moving along and winter too, looking forward to being done with that. It's Steamy Sunday here on the Blog! Today's image is a steamy shot of the Wagner locomotive that I get to operate up in Rollag Minnesota at the Western Minnesota Steam Thresher's school and/or Reunion. We were operating the locomotive on this day in September during the Labor Day weekend show. The steam is produced from the injector as it was being ether turned on or shut off. "Train Poop" refers to the ash and coal remnants that come out of the ash pan when we clean it. 😂
Saturday, January 31, 2026
01/31/26
Today's image is another that I did of a tree I had seen in Hershey Park Botanical Garden in Pennsylvania. I was inspired by a poster I had seen in an Extension Agent's office. This has an infrared treatment done to it, along with black and white. I really liked how it turned out, hope you enjoy it as well. 😁
Friday, January 30, 2026
01/30/26
It's Friday, TGIF! Friday's Are Bokehlicious as well so I chose this image for today. I thought the wall behind created an interesting bokeh. This is a Painted Lady Butterfly visiting my Sedum this past September with a bug of some sort incoming as well.
Thursday, January 29, 2026
01/29/26
Today's image is one I hope I get to see again this year. I grow Milkweed that is the Monarch Butterfly's main source of food for it's young. I had several caterpillars this year which was very cool. I hope they grew into the Monarchs I saw in my yard later on. I have yet to find a cocoon.
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
01/28/26
It's Wildflower Wednesday here on the Blog! Today's flower is one I enjoy finding, Fringe Leaf Ruellia. It can grow very low to the ground so often is hidden by taller vegetation, I think I see it most where it has been mowed, usual height is 4 to 20 inches. They usually bloom June through September. It is also known as a Prairie Petunia and is very drought hardy. Livestock will eat it as well.






