Archive for the ‘Photography’ Category

In 1962, NASA acquired 140,000 acres of land, water and marshes adjacent to Cape Canaveral to establish the John F. Kennedy Space Center. Despite the massive undertaking of sending a man to the moon, not all the land was needed, so the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established on the unused portions. Today, you can see manatees, tropical birds, turtles, otters, bobcats and yes, the occasional rocket launch. Photo by Jose Torres. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 8/29/17.
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Arrowleaf balsamroot blooms create a field of gold. These vibrant native western wildflowers are part of the sunflower family. Photo by USFWS. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 8/18/17.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan. Along its 42 miles of Lake Superior shoreline are over 15 miles of towering sandstone cliffs, 12 miles of beautiful beaches and 5 miles of sand dunes. You can climb to the top of a lighthouse, hike through forests, kayak past waterfalls or just lay on a beach. Photo by Betty Greene. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 7/10/17.
The gorgeous Guadalupe Mountains National Monument. Photo by Andrew Slaton. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 7/10/17.
Located on the border of Wyoming and Montana, the Pryor Mountain Wilderness Study Areas rugged, isolated portions of the Pryor Mountain Range may be tough to get to but the view is worth it. Some areas are only accessible by ATV, horseback or on foot. In less than 13 miles, the landscape transitions through a wide spectrum of geologic and biotic features, ranging from desert environments to those found in sub-alpine mountainous settings. Pryor Mountain is approximately nine miles north of Lovell, Wyoming. Before venturing into this wilderness study area, make sure to check in with the Bureau of Land Management’s Billings Field Office and grab a map. Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 7/15/17.
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There are skies and then there are Blue Ridge Parkway skies. The southern end of the parkway in North Carolina winds through the highest elevations, offering dramatic mountain top views. When photographer Robert Stephens chanced upon this scene at Bear Trap Gap, he said “It almost felt like an out of body experience. You can’t believe what you’re seeing, but it’s there! I was so in awe of the light filtering over the ridges I had to remember to snap my shutter!” Photo by Robert Stephens. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/24/17.
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The sun sheds golden rays as it sets over a prairie meadow at Colorado’s Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge. Two Ponds is the smallest Refuge in the national system. Photo by Seth Beres. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 8/25/17.
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2 orcas visit the Glacier Bay National Park. Photo by Nick Harrison. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 6/25/17.
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Glacier Bay National Park
Fairweather Mountains
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This brilliant yellow dragonfly rests on an aquatic bulrush plant. A fierce predator, it hunts mosquitoes & other insects. Photo by the USFWS. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 8/4/17.
On June 20, 1782, the bald eagle was placed at the center of the Great Seal of the United States and remains a symbol of our proud country. After a dramatic recovery, bald eagles are found in every state but Hawaii, soaring high and inspiring the nation. Photo from the Gulkana Wild and Scenic River in Alaska by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/20/17.
The North American porcupine is a skilled climber, spending a lot of its time in trees eating bark. It has 30,000 sharp quills. Photo: USFWS. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 8/20/17.
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Streaming sunlight & summer serenity at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Photo by Jerry Jelinek. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 7/7/17.
With massive granite towers stretching skyward and building-sized boulders scattered in valleys, there’s no need to ask how City of Rocks National Reserve in Idaho got its name. Dramatic geological features make for excellent nature study and even better climbing. You can also learn about unique plants, wildlife, and the history of Native Americans and early settlers at this fascinating park. Photo by National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/27/17.
On June 30,1864, President Lincoln signed the Yosemite Land Grant, protecting the Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley – an area that would later become Yosemite National Park. It was the first time the government protected land because of its natural beauty so that people could enjoy it. Thanks to John Muir’s passionate writing to further protect the delicate ecosystem of the High Sierra, Yosemite became our nation’s 3rd national park 26 years later. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Basiago. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/30/17.
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To explore Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska. you’ll need to use a boat, a plane or your feet. Pictured here is one of the small islands in Aialik Bay. Photo by David Breslauer. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 7/6/17.
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Kenai Fjords National Park
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J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is located on Sanibel Island in south Florida. Part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States, the refuge is famous for its spectacular migratory birds. One of the most recognizable is the roseate spoonbill, a large pink bird that uses its long, curiously shaped bills to catch prey as it wades in shallow water. Photo by of Harold Wagle. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 7/7/17.
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This sharp-tailed grouse is lekking—dancing and singing as an invitation to mate. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 8/11/17.
A red fox in Maine’s Acadia National Park. Photo by Matthew Lambert, National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/28/17.
A broadhead skink spotted at Marais des Cygnes #NationalWildlifeRefuge in #Kansas. It lives in wooded habitats & eats insects. Photo: USFWS. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 8/9/17.
“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Photo of a Western tanager at Wyoming’s National Elk Refuge. Photo by Ann Hough/USFWS. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 8/16/17.
North America doesn’t have lions, but we do have the “mountain lion” (a.k.a. cougar, panther or puma). Photo by Justin Shoemaker. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 8/9/17.
American avocets take flight at Utah’s Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge where wetlands provide food, shelter, space, & water. Photo by USFWS. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 8/12/17.
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