Photographed April’s Full Pink Moon
Full Pink Moon 2021
Imperial moth
Today, I was visited by this beautiful male Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis ). They are one of the largest and most prolific moth species in the United States. We see them quite often in North Georgia, and their calm behavior make this particular species of moth perfect for photography.
I was able to relocate him from under our outdoor spotlight to a leaf. This allowed me to use my handy Manfrotto tripod, and a Canon 35mm macro lens, to capture the close-up shot. It’s difficult to get well lit macro shots, but the built-in light on the Canon lens takes care of this. If you enjoy macro photography, and are in the market for a lens, I would definitely check out this one. I have come across two of these moths this year, along with some Luna moths, hopefully I will be fortunate and see a few more before the season is over!
Red-shouldered hawk
I spotted this magnificent Red-shouldered hawk yesterday sitting on a tree branch in the summer rain. We have a few that live in this area, but it’s difficult to tell whether or not you’re seeing the same one. The coloring on their feathers helps them blend flawlessly into the foliage, and if you’re lucky enough to see one, it’s rare to notice any unique features that distinguish it from another.
Usually it’s the size of the bird that stands out the most, we do have some considerably larger females that frequent this area. They’re easier to see through the forest than the males and tend to be hunting small rodents or snake which we have plenty of here. Watching these incredible creatures soar through the air and swooping down to the forest floor is such a treat and I feel very lucky to have been able to capture a few Red-shouldered hawk close-ups on camera over the last few years.
