Spring on the Mountain

We had a great trip to Timothy Lake on Mt. Hood this week.  The weather was great and the scenery was incredible!  Great view of Mt. Hood no matter where we found ourselves on the lake.  

 Mt. Hood was always in view!

 Our great campsite...right on the water.

 SQUATCH (my Land Cruiser!) guarding our campsite.

 We ate well!!

 One of my favorite sunsets in 42 years!

 I didn't expect to see the otters on this trip...but they were out fishing for trout. These two decided to stop and pose for a photo!

 Told you they were fishing!

 After the catch.

 Not many boats on the lake...but the few that were had a lot of luck.

 Jared wanted me to shoot this...turned out great!

 Mergansers were fishing too!

 The kids had fun...we weren't ready to leave.

 The kayak has been good to us over the years...thanks Kevin! The whole family can still fit!!

Took this shot to show the mayflies on Jared's hat. They were everywhere...and the trout were hitting the surface all over the lake.

We had a really great trip and can't wait to go back. We plan on taking all the family up when they're here this summer! Timothy Lake is only one of many to choose from...they're all awesome and we plan on hitting many more before summer's up!  

I'll be posting full-size photos of all the good stuff on the website www.bradwatsonphotography.com. Check back soon...I also plan to update the blog every week or two this summer!

Have a great week!

Neighborhood Trees and Flowers

Walking around the neighborhood...crazy cool and wet June in Portland!  We're finally getting some blooms and the roses are about to pop.  Thought I'd share some flower and tree photos.

 Love all the neighbor's flower beds!

 Trees in bloom!

 Colors!

 Trees!

I'll be posting more photos from the beautiful Pacific Northwest soon!!

Brad

May in South Texas

I had a great trip to South Texas last week.  Temps were a bit warm, but still quite a bit of bird action.  I'm posting a few shots (not great quality) of a few birds I saw while driving around working.

Lots of doves on the ranch this year.  This one was just begging to have it's photo taken.

Northern Bobwhite Quail...always hanging out under the feeders.  It's been a great year for quail down south!

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher...always one of my favorites!

Haven't ID'ed this bird yet.  Maybe a Least or Western Sandpiper?  A group of four stopped over for a rest in a puddle after a brief rainstorm.

Obviously not a bird...but a cool photo anyway!!

Eastern Kingbird hanging around the windmill...and the water.
  

First time seeing a Groove-billed Ani!  Very cool bird to watch in the field.

Hermit Thrush hanging out under some vegetation near the water.  Seems like most critters are already staying near the windmills due to the drought. 
                                                                        

This little Barn Owl's parents weren't too excited when I poked my head inside their hiding place.  But, he produced a nice smile for the camera!



All in all a great trip.  A lot of work done, some flying in the helicopter, and a few nice bird photos.  I'll be adding some better quality photos to the galleries in the next few days...so check back soon!  

Until next time!
Brad

Neighborhood in Bloom

Our neighborhood is beginning to resemble a painting!  All the fruit trees along the sidewalks are in bloom and everyone's yard looks like a crayon box full of colors.  Can't wait for all the blooms to turn into plums and cherries!!

Ready for Summer in Oregon

Well...we've been getting out when the weather allows and we're ready for our first full summer in Oregon! Had a great trip to Cape Lookout near Tillamook, on the beautiful Oregon coast last weekend. We saw grey whales on their northerly migration, a juvenile bald eagle soaring right over our heads and some spectacular views off the trail on the way in.

I can't wait to get out and start capturing some great photos in the upcoming weeks...and I'll be updating the blog more frequently!

Talk to you soon!
Brad

The Big Move

Well, we're finally here...Oregon!!  It took a while but we made the move and are getting settled.  Kids start school in two weeks and work is awesome.  Lindi already has the house feeling like home and the weather is so great.  I look forward to many great photos up here...and more of south TX when I'm down at the ranch for work.  

More coming soon...

Brad

New Photo Uploads

Hi folks!  Uploaded some new photos tonight in the Recent Uploads gallery.  I haven't captioned or added key words, so they're kind of random.  Thanks for looking! 

http://bradwatsonphotography.com/2/99085/#/gallery/recent-uploads/