Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Black-Headed Grosbeak...

We've got several pairs of black-headed grosbeaks (Pheucticus melanocephalus) at our feeders this year.  I took these photos last weekend (all with 400mm stabilized telephoto, handheld).  THe first two photos are of a female, the last of a male.  As usual, click to enlarge...

  

Apollo 11...

If you're ancient enough, and were at all interested in space exploration, I'm sure you'll remember that day in 1969 when Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins lifted off from the space center in Florida – headed for mankind's first landing on another body in space.  Here's a view you didn't see back then: a slow-motion camera focused on the Saturn V's first stage engines as the vehicle launched.  It's narrated and quite interesting.  Even after all these years, I remain awed by the remarkably advanced technology of Apollo 11...