C.A.Creighton Photography

Great work and a beautiful bird.

In Venice Florida its not just big flashy wading birds or alligators, there are plenty of forrest birds also. The next few posts will be about them. This is a Red Bellied Woodpecker which no matter how hard you may try finding the very light blush on it's belly is rare at best. But never the less flashy in it's own right. Pretty entertaining to watch. It has a large range covering all of east of the Mississippi. Though originally found in the southeast is now found as far north as the Great Lakes region. Talk about omnivore this guy is a total opportunist, eating Acorns, nuts, wild and garden fruit, seeds, tree frogs, eggs of small birds, oozing tree sap and small fish. Aggressively defensive of mate and nest and shares incubation duties. Found mostly in deciduous forrests but also a mix of coniferous and deciduous as in Florida. Likes rivers and swamps so right at home. OM1 OM 150-600 + MC14 1/3200 sec. f8 FL(FFE) 968mm

In Venice Florida. This is a Red Bellied Woodpecker which no matter how hard you may try finding the very light blush on it's belly is rare at best.

OM1 OM 150-600 + MC14 1/3200 sec. f8 FL(FFE) 968mm

#birds
#wildlife

Thank you Rob.

On the sound side of Jockey's Ridge a Great Egret taking flight.

9/13/25 Nags Head NC (US)
OM1 OM 40-150 + MC14 1/3200sec. f6.3

"The Ant and the Little Blue Flower" The title to a children's book that hasn't been written 😊. This guy and his blue friend are from our garden on Colington Island. The flower is a Climbing Dayflower (Commelina diffusa). The ant is a Barbary Harvester Ant (Messor barbarus) which can carry 20 times their body weight 😮. Their called harvester ants because among other things they eat seeds. Some farming practices bring them in to control weeds. But the home owner who cares about their lawn may not appreciate that they particularly like grass seeds. Another trait they have that is problematic is they will bite if disturbed so avoid contact. Ruth was bitten by one and her hand swelled up. She's fine but who knew? Fire ants yeah but these cute little guys, avoid. OM1 OM 90 macro w/MC20 1/100sec F14 July 25 2025

"The Ant and the Little Blue Flower"
This guy and his blue friend are from our garden Colington Island. The flower is a Climbing Dayflower (Commelina diffusa). The ant is a Barbary Harvester Ant (Messor barbarus).

OM1 OM 90 macro w/MC20 1/100sec F14 July 25 2025

#macro
#macroaddicts

On a very young sunflower blossom is a Feather Legged Scoliid(not a typo),Wasp(Deilis plumipes), a pollinating nectar lover low key, can sting but rarely does, they are not interested in you.
Colington Island August 17, 2025
OM1 OM 90mm macro + MC20 1/100sec F13
#macro
#macroaddicts
#wildlife

Thank you wolfsburg.

Roseate Skimmer wings as optical lens. I don't often work in full sunlight but I'm glad I did since it's the most likely time to find the Roseate Skimmer out and about. It likes the heat while other dragonflies prefer the early morning and afternoon during the summer. This is most likely a female as the males are very colorful with deep shades of pink purplish like colors on the their thorax and abdomen while the female has a more subdued brown hues with a long dark stripe down it's back. The males do a unique courtship dance showing off their flying abilities and brilliant coloring to attract females. They are a native species and can be found as far south as Brazil. As with other dragonflies and damselflies they consume mass quantities of mosquitoes which is far better than the ridiculous chemical sprays towns still use which kills mosquitoes and many other beneficial things reducing the food source for dragonflies and in turn dragonflies themselves. The Big Stupid Cycle. You don't want to be bitten by mosquitoes spray yourself. Colington Island NC (US) July 26, 2025 OM1 OM 90mm macro w/MC20 1/100sec f14 See less — with Ruth Wyand at Colington Island.

Roseate Skimmer wings as optical lens. I don't often work in full sunlight but I'm glad I did since it's the most likely time to find the Roseate Skimmer out and about.
#macroaddicts
#wildlife
#macrophotography

Colington Island NC (US) July 26, 2025 OM1 OM 90mm macro w/MC20 1/100sec f14

Excellent idea, a sort of Gimminy Crickett theme who, on second thought wasn’t a cricket at all but a grasshopper in nymph form. Mystery solved.

In small doses the Greybird Grasshopper (Schistocerca nitens) in the Short Horned Grasshopper family can cause mild defoliation nibbling on leaves and fruits but in swarms, which I've only heard about, they can devastate an entire crop reducing food security a lot. But they look good doing it. This is in the Nymph stage and has not developed wings yet, reproductive capability or final coloration but it can eat. The adult is much larger and will molt until it achieves its final form. In our garden on Colington Island NC (US). OM1 OM 90mm macro + MC20 1/250sec f7.1 no flash

This is a Greybird Grasshopper (Schistocerca nitens). It's in the Nymph stage the adult is much larger and will molt until it achieves its final form.
In our garden on Colington Island NC (US).
OM1 OM 90mm macro + MC20 1/250sec f7.1 no flash
#macro
#macroadditcts
#wildlifephotography

Ok children today's class is about sex. These are two Milkweed Assassin Bugs (Zelus longipes) part of the Assassin Bug family (Reduviidae) working on making babies. Don't be alarmed they have an ominous name but are highly beneficial to any garden as they like to eat aphids, beetles, some spiders,(some larger spiders eat them, it's a tough world) caterpillars, leaf hoppers and mites. They are generally beneficial to plants. A unique ability they have is using a sticky substance on their legs to catch prey which is uncommon to non web producing critters. If you trace their legs it will make sense and you'll be able to tell their antennae apart. I flipped the image sideways for a better view otherwise it would make you dizzy 😊. OM1 OM 90mm macro + MC20 1/100sec f14 w/flash July 26, 2025 Colington Island NC (US) in our backyard garden.

Ok children today's class is about sex.
These are two Milkweed Assassin Bugs (Zelus longipes) part of the Assassin Bug family (Reduviidae) working on making babies.
OM1 OM 90mm macro + MC20 1/100sec f14 w/flash
July 26, 2025 Colington Island NC (US) in our backyard garden.
#macro
#macroaddicts

A Black Shield Bug like the Green one from earlier but not green. Still stinky if it feels threatened. In our wildflowers on Colington Island NC (US) on June 13, 2025. It's got eyes like a '30s automobile 😄.
OM1 OM 90mm macro + MC20 1/125sec f14
#macro
#macrophotography
#macroaddicts
#wildlife

Ruth Wyand and I on Ocracoke Island Ramp 72 March 24, 2026 wandering to the beach and back. Among the plentiful selection this Great Egret had had enough feeding for a while and was heading back to roost in the marsh woods.
OM1 OM 150-600 1/3200 f5.2
#birds
#wildlife
#landscape&wildlife

I found a couple of mushrooms growing on my garden gate on Colington Island NC (US) July 20,2025. They are called Rusty Gilled Polypore (Gloeophyllum sepiarium) and are found on dead conifer wood. They are considered inedible. They can grow singly or in clusters. In mushroom terms they can be considered gregarious 😊 which I found to be pretty funny use of the term. The enlargements show relative size to the screw head and how furry they are. OM1 OM 90mm + MC20 1/00secW/flash f14 30-35 frame focus bracket.

I found a couple of mushrooms growing on my garden gate on Colington Island NC (US) July 20,2025. They are called Rusty Gilled Polypore (Gloeophyllum sepiarium) and are found on dead conifer wood. They are considered inedible. They can grow singly or in clusters. In mushroom terms they can be considered gregarious 😊 which I found to be pretty funny use of the term. The enlargements show relative size to the screw head and how furry they are. OM1 OM 90mm + MC20 1/00secW/flash f14 30-35 frame focus bracket.

I found a couple of mushrooms growing on my garden gate on Colington Island NC (US) July 20,2025. They are called Rusty Gilled Polypore (Gloeophyllum sepiarium) and are found on dead conifer wood. They are considered inedible. They can grow singly or in clusters. In mushroom terms they can be considered gregarious 😊 which I found to be pretty funny use of the term. The enlargements show relative size to the screw head and how furry they are. OM1 OM 90mm + MC20 1/00secW/flash f14 30-35 frame focus bracket.

I found a couple of mushrooms growing on my garden gate on Colington Island NC (US) July 20,2025. They are called Rusty Gilled Polypore (Gloeophyllum sepiarium) and are found on dead conifer wood.
OM1 OM 90mm + MC20 1/00secW/flash f14 30-35 frame focus bracket.
#macrophotography
#macroaddicts

More like a discovery. Keep it up it looks wonderful.

On a bitterly cold day in December (2024) the 6th to be exact Ruth and I were at the Edwin B. Forsythe Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville NJ (US). There was a lot of action that day and among many birds we spotted this Great Blue Heron laser focused on a fish in the water waiting for his moment. It was fast to say the least and he had no trouble gulping him down. Life goes on. OM1 OM 150-600 + MC20 1/8000sec f11

Ruth and I were at the Edwin B. Forsythe Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville NJ (US) on Dec 6, 2024. We spotted this Great Blue Heron laser focused on a fish in the water waiting for his moment. Life goes on.
OM1 OM 150-600 + MC20 1/8000sec f11

#birds
#wildlife
#landscape&wildlife

Chris Creighton is at Colington Harbour, Colington Island Nc. eonsrdptSo06 1 3 gm8 0 9t a A umh176 f a 2aha4 Y 0   r 73 e 3 t f y : l0 e 5 0 s d 1 M t a · Kill Devil Hills · Shared with Public I dropped in recently (July 17 2025) on my territorial Damselfly a Ramburs Forktail/Bluetail (Ischnura ramburii) having a snack in our backyard garden. Not sure what he or she is eating but it was a flying insect. Their hunting/flying skills are reknown only paralleled by their cousins the Dragonfly. This one seems to have picked up some hitchhikers in the form of Immature Water Mite larvae in sacs attached to it’s side. They feed off the Damselfly until maturity and then drop off and eventually become free roaming predators in a pond of their choice. Thanks to Amber Roth and Geevee Snow for their water mite info contribution. I had no idea what they were. 😮 Nature provides constant fascination and a certain amount of irony. OM1 OM 90mm macro 1/00sec/w/flash f14 9 frame focus stack

Chris Creighton is at Colington Harbour, Colington Island NC
I dropped in recently (July 17 2025) on my territorial Damselfly a Ramburs Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) having a snack in our backyard garden.
OM1 OM 90mm macro 1/00sec/w/flash f14 9 frame focus stack
#macrophotography
#macroaddicts

Free weights are harder because your using more peripheral muscles that are part of the group but don’t get worked enough with a fixed motion machine. Balance plays a big part in working the peripheral muscles. If your serious about getting truly strong then free weights are the only way to go.

Thank you very much Jan.

They do like communicate.😄

Thank you Misty.

Chris Creighton is at Colington Island. Ssnerpoodtl326hu4327 4 8i910a84m59l15l0a04fgiui0u2l01mcii40 h 0f · Kill Devil Hills · Shared with Public Just before going in for the night on July 18 2025 after bug hunting in my garden on Colington Island in North Carolina (US) I spotted a Squirrel Frog (Dryophytes sqirellus), a type of tree frog, on a fence ledge. They are nocturnal and eat bugs near lighted areas. They have a very distinctive squirrel like chirp and a raspy call from the males that they do just before and during rainfall. (sometimes referred to as a 'rain frog') Who needs a weatherman to tell you when the rain falls, or something like that. It is quite a choral experience and loud 😄. Pretty common along the Outer Banks and range from Southern Virginia to Southeastern Texas along the coastal plain. They come in various colors of lime green that kind of glows , tan, brown with and without spotting and will change color to match their location. I particularly like the 'gold leaf' markings on front and back legs. Eyes have a bronze circle with a black center. This one didn't stay around for long, it had an appointment to get to so no frontal portrait. OM1 OM 90mm macro + MC20 1/100sec/w flash f14

Chris Creighton
July 18 2025 On Colington Island in North Carolina (US) I spotted a Squirrel Frog (Dryophytes sqirellus), a type of tree frog, on a fence ledge.
OM1 OM 90mm macro + MC20 1/100sec/w flash f14
#Landscape&Wildlife
#Wildlifephotography
#Macrophotography
#Macroaddicts

This is a colorful pollinator wasp without a common name from the family of Mason Wasps referred to as Parancistrocerus histrio. My ID isn't 100% positive but at worst it is very close. Not particularly aggressive really focused on the job at hand extracting nectar for food. This is at the Butterfly Garden in Kill Devil Hills NC (US) on May 20th 2025. OM1 OM 90mm Macro +MC14 w/flash at 100sec f14

This is a colorful pollinator wasp without a common name from the Mason Wasps referred to as Parancistrocerus histrio. My ID isn't 100% positive. This is at the Butterfly Garden in Kill Devil Hills NC (US) on May 20th 2025
OM1 OM 90mm Macro +MC14 w/flash 100sec f14

#macro #macroaddicts #wildlife

Bean Flower

From our garden on Colington Island NC (US).
A bush bean to be exact. July 12, 2025

OM1 OM 90mm macro + MC20 125sec. f14 18 frame focus bracket.

Chris Creighton is with Judy Marie and Jim Alton in Somers Point, NJ. July 3, 2025 under the Somers Point Ocean City Bridge NJ (US). A White Ibis in flight. (Eudocimus albus) a wading bird eats crustaceans, crayfish, crabs, insects, snails, frogs, marine worms, snakes, small fish. Gathers in flocks and prefers salt marshes but can be found in fresh water on the coast if the food is there. Lives from South Jersey to South East and South West Texas down to Northern South America to Cuba across to West Coast of Mexico. OM1 OM 40mm-150mm + MC14 1/4000sec f14

Chris Creighton is with Judy Marie and Jim Alton in Somers Point, NJ.

July 3, 2025 under the Somers Point Ocean City Bridge. A White Ibis in flight. (Eudocimus albus) a wading bird

OM1 OM 40mm-150mm + MC14 1/4000sec f14

#birds
#landscape&wildlife
#wildlifephotography

Thanks so much JBtheBC I really loved working on this one. It wasn’t dynamic action but the tension of the vine with the killer colors just pumped me up. Subtle but joyful.

My first Monarch (Danaus plexippus) of the season seen at The Rookery by the Somers Point Ocean City Bridge Somers Point NJ (US). The Monarch finds good plants for laying eggs by sensing the suitability with their feet. They are best known for their 3000 mile migration that takes 4 generations to complete so finding good plants is pretty vital. They also tend to not to be eaten often since they eat milkweed which is poisonous and makes predators vomit. July 3, 2025 OM1 OM 40mm-150mm 2.8 +MC14 f7.1

My first Monarch (Danaus plexippus) of the season seen at The Rookery by the Somers Point Ocean City Bridge Somers Point NJ (US).
July 3, 2025 OM1 OM 40mm-150mm 2.8 +MC14 f7.1
#omsystems
#omsystemsambassador
#butterflys
#insects
#naturephotography

Thank you Lester.

On July 3 Judy, Jim and I went birding under the Somers Point / Ocean City Bridge Somers Point NJ (US) by the visitors center. Here is portrait of a wise looking White Ibis that I waited patiently to look my way.
OM1 OM 40-150 2.8 + MC14
1/4000sec f7.1 ISO 4000

#birds
#wildlife
#nature
#wadingbird

Thank you Leslie, I like your work also.