Wildlife

Being Watched

~ laura lecce ~ 4 Comments
Being Watched - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Being Watched – Photograph by Laura Lecce

I love snorkeling. Mostly because the ocean floor feels like a completely foreign world, with so many interesting landscapes and weird creatures to explore. Every reef I’ve been to is quite different and unique in its corals and wildlife. Even the same reef can look different every time you look at it, with new creatures every day. Sometimes I feel as though the creatures are watching me as much as I am watching them, looking at me like I’m out of place. Large schools of fish will cluster around you, or swim past you like a large shimmering wall, wondering what you are. They give you just enough space, so that you could not catch them if you are a predator. Smaller fish, which live in soft corals and anemones are very defensive about their little garden. They will face you, and even get a bit aggressive if you get too close. I give them plenty of space in the hope that they know I am just there to watch. Its a truly fascinating world, and I hope to see much more of it in future explorations.

Making The Climb

~ laura lecce ~ 11 Comments
Making The Climb - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Making The Climb – Photograph by Laura Lecce

What must life be like for this caterpillar? Its world is so small right now, that this plant seems like the tallest tree to climb. Maybe it doesn’t even think that at all, it just climbs upwards not worrying about how far it is to the top. Slowly, methodically and determined. Does it know or understand that it will have wings and fly one day? Or will its metamorphosis be a surprise and with wings it exits, wondering what happened to the caterpillar body it once had? Its previously small world is all of a sudden much bigger, and it will just fly.

The Polka Dotted Butterfly

~ laura lecce ~ 1 Comment
The Polka Dotted Butterfly - Photograph by Laura Lecce
The Polka Dotted Butterfly – Photograph by Laura Lecce

This photo was taken in Ontario, Canada, on the way to see Niagara Falls. I sat next to this large pot of colorful flowers, and this butterfly decided to sit next to me. I absolutely love the white polka dots on his black and brown wings.

Making Honey

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Making Honey - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Making Honey – Photograph by Laura Lecce

Yet another lovely nature photograph from Tasmania. Spring time brought with it many intensely colored flowers and the bees were all hard at work. The purple flower, yellow and black bee and lime green background all work together to enhance each of the colors even further. I was just lucky I finally got one photo where the bee stood still long enough to be in focus! There were so many of them on these particular flowers, and at first I was trying to follow the bees with the camera, which was not working. After much frustration and blurry bees, I eventually changed my strategy and just held the focus on the flower instead, until the bee landed in the frame. This gave me much more control over the focus without my camera moving around as much. This photo also reminds me that purple was my favorite color as a child.

On The Hunt

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On The Hunt - Photograph by Laura Lecce
On The Hunt – Photograph by Laura Lecce

This very cute echidna was photographed just outside of our lodge near Cradle Mountain in Tasmania. The echidna is a uniquely Australian creature with a resemblance to hedgehogs and porcupines, except that strangely, they lay eggs. On this particular afternoon, this echidna was on the hunt for ants and termites, using long claws to rip apart this tree trunk. Tasmania is rich in Australian wildlife and a wonderful place to get away and relax.

Life at Sea

~ laura lecce ~ 4 Comments
Life at Sea - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Life at Sea – Photograph by Laura Lecce

This photograph took quite a few tries to get it perfect. Animals don’t always behave the way you want them to, and so one must have patience. This was clearly the rock of choice for these Australian Pied Cormorants, and they sat there every day at this beautiful beach in Dunsborough, Western Australia. This was the one photo where they weren’t sleeping with their heads tucked under or noisily squabbling at each other. Sitting on a platform that is barely big enough for the five birds, they were constantly trying to push each other off to gain more space. The sleek black and white look of these birds is a wonderful contrast against the wavy turquoise waters, and makes for a beautiful picture.

Golden Spirals

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Golden Spirals - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Golden Spirals – Photograph by Laura Lecce

These Spiral Gilled Tube Worms live embedded in mounds of coral. The spirals which they project out are used for feeding and respiration. In addition to a very interesting shape, they come in an array of beautiful colors, which often makes them the subject of underwater photography. This particular photograph was taken while snorkeling in Malaysia, however, they can be found in many tropical corals around the world. When disturbed or startled, they instantly tuck themselves into their burrow, forcing me to hold my breath while they slowly fan themselves out again. I never would have thought I would find a worm so gorgeous.

What a life

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What a life - Photograph by Laura Lecce
What a life – Photograph by Laura Lecce

This iguana is a resident of Washington Slagbaai National Park in Bonaire. A small island in the Caribbean, it is one of the less travelled destinations in this area. The turquoise colored water of its beaches can provide stunning backdrops for any photograph. This particular iguana was incredibly unafraid, and wanted to climb into my lap to eat the avocado I was spreading on my sandwich. I have photographed many iguanas while on vacation, as they are remarkably individual with unique patterns and coloring of their scales. A truly beautiful creature, even if, regardless of how happy and relaxed they are, they always look grumpy.

Blue Bird of Western Australia

~ laura lecce ~ 1 Comment
Blue Bird of Western Australia - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Blue Bird of Western Australia – Photograph by Laura Lecce

Photographs of birds are always tricky and the smaller the bird the shorter the time it stands still. This gorgeous little bird is fittingly named the Splendid Fairywren. One of the common visitors of Cottage Café at The Berry Farm in Margaret River, Western Australia. A beautiful little spot to sit outside surrounded with tranquil garden, whilst drinking tea and enjoying delicious homemade scones with jam. I was lucky enough that this particular bird was not shy, and sat on my table happily eating the crumbs of my scone. A photograph of stunning blue bird to eternalize a beautiful memory.