Near Famous

Photography by Charles W. Melton
Nature Photography

Recent Images

Previous Recent Images can be found here.

10070822 Varied Bunting male, Passerina versicolor. Taken on July 21, 2010 near Proctor Road, Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona, with a 600mm lens and 1.4x.

10051982 Mississippi Kite male and female, Ictinia mississippiensis. Taken on May 30, 2010 at Holy Trinity Monastery, St. David, southeastern Arizona, with a 600mm lens.

10051836 Tropical Kingbird, Tyrannus melancholicus. Taken on May 30, 2010 at Holy Trinity Monastery, St. David, southeastern Arizona, with a 600mm lens and 1.4x.

10040351 Flame-colored Tanager male, Piranga bidentata, in oak tree. A very rare visitor to the U.S. This spring marks the eighth year that this bird has returned to this location. Taken on April 9, 2010 at Madera Kubo, Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, southeastern Arizona, with a 600mm lens and 1.4x. About half the frame.

10030075 Pinyon Jay, Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus.Taken on March 5, 2010 in Hereford, Arizona, with a 600mm lens.

10020376 Green Kingfisher female, Chloroceryle americana.Taken on February 14, 2010, at Kingfisher Pond, San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, Sierra Vista, Arizona, with a 600mm lens. Large crop.

10011676 Leucistic Vermilion Flycatcher, Pyrocephalus rubinus. Vermilion Flycatcher males are normally colored brilliant red on the head, breast, and underside, with a dark back and wings. Females are normally gray-brown on the back with streaked white undersides. This individual lacked pigment over much of the body making it leucistic rather than albino. Taken on January 29, 2010, at Sweetwater Wetlands, Tucson, Arizona, with a 600mm lens. Slightly cropped.

09110810 Ringtail, Bassariscus astutus. This relative of the raccoon occurs throughout the southwestern U.S. but is rarely seen due to its nocturnal behavior. The body measures slightly more than one foot with the tail extending about the same length. They are very agile climbers and feed on a wide variety of food including small mammals, insects, birds, and fruit. Taken on November 11, 2009, in Miller Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, southeastern Arizona, with a 150mm lens. Full frame.

09093027 Hubbard's Silkmoth recently hatched larva and eggshell, Syssphinx hubbardi. This larva had just emerged from the egg and measured 5mm in length. It feeds on mesquite leaves for several weeks, going through several molts, and eventually burrows into the ground to pupate. Next summer the adult moth will emerge. Taken on September 18, 2009, in Miller Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, southeastern Arizona, with a 150mm lens and extension tubes. Slight crop.

09082209 Mantisfly, Dicromantispa sayi, eating fly. With raptorial forelegs similar to a praying mantis, Mantisflies are able to capture other insects with lightning speed. Almost the entire insect is consumed except for the wings and sometimes the legs. Taken on August 24, 2009, in Miller Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, southeastern Arizona, with a 150mm lens. Full frame.

09071498 Robber Fly, Dogmites sallei, feeding on a carrion beetle, Thanatophilus truncatus. These robber flies are also referred to as "hanging thieves" due to their habit of hanging by one or both forelegs while feeding on their prey. They catch their prey in flight and use their piercing mouthparts to feed. Taken on July 18, 2009 in Miller Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, southeastern Arizona, with a 150mm macro lens. Full frame.

09080258 Dull Firetip Skipper Butterfly, Pyrrhopyge araxes, feeding at verbena flowers. Taken on August 4, 2009 in Carr Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, southeastern Arizona with a 150mm macro lens. Full frame.

09080135 Robber Fly, Stichopogon trifasciatus, feeding on another fly. Taken on August 1, 2009 near Patagonia, southeastern Arizona with a 150mm macro lens. Slight crop.

Previous Recent Images can be found here.