Another Fazio picture. While we were waiting for the birds to cooperate for photo ops, which never happened, we looked down and all around for other opportunities to take pictures. This was also dragonfly mating season. I have pictures of the dragon flies mating but it seems less than discrete to post them. I would just say that they were gossamer helicopters on a very important mission. As a consolation - here is this amazing neon dragon fly, barely two inches in length. In my imagination he is catching his breath awaiting his next opportunity for an encounter.

My first trip to the Fazio Wilderness, and for the most part the wildlife did not cooperate with my need to take pictures- i.e., the sighting of the rare blue heron, while imprinted on my brain, is not imprinted on my camera because he was so shy about any human presence. I like this picture of a much less coy inhabitant (though I admit ignorance as to his identity) for many reasons, there is a glint of light on his beak - which is why I took the picture, his reflection in the water is glorious, in this parched California he is standing in water, and for birders, he is a harbinger of the magnificent influx of wildlife we are about to receive here in Northern California

My macro lens helps me communicate my appreciation of the beauty of small things. This is a flower in the Fazio Wilderness west of Sacramento. The 80 freeway is less than a mile away so you can still hear traffic - if you are not concentrating on a beautiful flower. This flower was less than an inch in diameter. You can see its companions blurred in the background.