I took a trip to the zoo yesterday. I know you guys really just come to look at pictures so here is my picture hall from the days adventure. I thought I'd also pause to plug my photography site/archive. Check it out. All of my favorite images are there. Now, without further ado, the picture post:
There were a number of snake species as well. So many in fact that I can't even begin to remember what most of them were, and the majority of the species on display aren't listed on the zoo website. I thought that was rather unfortunate, as I'd like to be able to tell you exactly what I'm showing you. If it helps the snake pictured to the left is most likely a Bushmaster... maybe. I admittedly, do not know my snakes.
The Clouded Leopard actually Graced me with his presence this time around. This also included a lot of pacing, yowling, and spraying everything in sight. I'm not sure, but I feel as if he might be a bit sexually frustrated. That's just what I'd like to believe though. It has absolutely no basis in fact. He was certainly keen to show off for everyone though. In the past I've been lucky to so much as glimpse this cat, and yet this time around here he was practically rubbing about the viewing glass. Apparently spring is the time to go to the zoo if you want to see Cloudy.
I'd like to think that I grew more attached to them today. I typically don't even have the opportunity to photograph them. They're either tucked away somewhere, too far for my lens, or there is a crowd of people too thick to bother squeezing my way through.
I think I may have to come to the zoo on off days more often though, because the animals are much more active and cooperative on days when other potential zoo-goers just don't really want to go to the zoo. Like when its kind of overcast and drizzly for instance. That's a good day to go to the zoo. You can avoid the crowds, and avoid roasting to death in 80 degree weather.
Tree Kangaroos are one of those that I'd really love to get a good picture of some day. Unfortunately the lighting inside is not terribly great in the first place, and the lack of lens stabilization coupled with the fact that the tree kangaroo spends it's time primarily in trees (Surprise), makes getting anything decent especially difficult. This was the clearest shot I was able to take.
The grizzly was right up front though. Whoever built the exhibit must have been a genius because he seems to have put the bears favorite part of the exhibit right next to the viewing window. I feel like this bear is always right out front. He might even enjoy people watching. Who knows. What I do know is that shooting through smudged up, water spattered, and scratched glass is difficult. Especially when you're actually being shoved aside by ill-mannered children.
I don't know if there is a disproportionately large number of birds at the zoo, or if it's just a byproduct of my fascination with them, but I took more pictures of birds than anything else. Granted they are my favorite part of going. There is one tropical aviary where I could probably sit all day if it weren't so humid. Though they do occasionally spray the aviary with water and it feels pretty amazing.
There was a Western Pond turtle. This was pretty exciting for me. The last time I visited I didn't realize the significance of seeing one of these in person. He was super energetic too, and very curious. He came right up to the front of the glass when I walked up to view him.
These guys were pretty darn cute too. I've always been fond of Axolotl's, but the Black-bellied Leaf turtle was a new found love of mine this time around. Seriously, look at that face. He looks so happy just to exist.
The Clouded Leopard actually Graced me with his presence this time around. This also included a lot of pacing, yowling, and spraying everything in sight. I'm not sure, but I feel as if he might be a bit sexually frustrated. That's just what I'd like to believe though. It has absolutely no basis in fact. He was certainly keen to show off for everyone though. In the past I've been lucky to so much as glimpse this cat, and yet this time around here he was practically rubbing about the viewing glass. Apparently spring is the time to go to the zoo if you want to see Cloudy.
He wasn't the only cat out and about that day. Both the Leopard, and the Lions were enjoying the benefits of a cloudy, not so crowdy day. The lions were a riot. There were four cubs total handing out with mom. I'm not entirely sure where dad was. Its possible he wasn't being kept in the same exhibit while the cubs were there, or he could have been lazing about elsewhere enjoying the perks of being a male lion. Mom was mostly just watching the kids play, but every so often she would join in the galavanting, and dart around the enclosure with them.
I'm not typically a huge primate fan. A lot of the time I find them kind of unnerving, and I've seen one too many of those when animals attack shows where people try to keep them as pets and it ends with them losing their face. I know theres a lot of things about them that are good, but with me not being much of a mammal person in the first place they usually aren't my top thing to see or photograph at the zoo.
I'd like to think that I grew more attached to them today. I typically don't even have the opportunity to photograph them. They're either tucked away somewhere, too far for my lens, or there is a crowd of people too thick to bother squeezing my way through. 
I think I may have to come to the zoo on off days more often though, because the animals are much more active and cooperative on days when other potential zoo-goers just don't really want to go to the zoo. Like when its kind of overcast and drizzly for instance. That's a good day to go to the zoo. You can avoid the crowds, and avoid roasting to death in 80 degree weather.
I got lucky with the primates today, though I found myself wishing once more that I had a better lens. A lot of the issues I have with photography at the zoo involve having to use a lens that is incapable of taking a clear shot of anything more than four feet away from it. Lens stabilization would be a great thing to have too. You get much better pictures when you don't have to bother an animal with flash. Not to mention that the lighting is typically better without the added harshness of on-board flash.
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I had great luck with a lot of the smaller critters, such as amphibians and reptiles. They tend to stay still more though, and I can get much closer to them. It's not unheard of for me to be able to take a decent picture of them. It's like photographing plants, or insects. They tend to stay still long enough for you to actually think a shot through before taking it.
Tree Kangaroos are one of those that I'd really love to get a good picture of some day. Unfortunately the lighting inside is not terribly great in the first place, and the lack of lens stabilization coupled with the fact that the tree kangaroo spends it's time primarily in trees (Surprise), makes getting anything decent especially difficult. This was the clearest shot I was able to take.
The grizzly was right up front though. Whoever built the exhibit must have been a genius because he seems to have put the bears favorite part of the exhibit right next to the viewing window. I feel like this bear is always right out front. He might even enjoy people watching. Who knows. What I do know is that shooting through smudged up, water spattered, and scratched glass is difficult. Especially when you're actually being shoved aside by ill-mannered children.
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I don't know if there is a disproportionately large number of birds at the zoo, or if it's just a byproduct of my fascination with them, but I took more pictures of birds than anything else. Granted they are my favorite part of going. There is one tropical aviary where I could probably sit all day if it weren't so humid. Though they do occasionally spray the aviary with water and it feels pretty amazing.
I can easily say that the birds are my favorite part though. This time around I was lucky enough to go with another bird enthusiast who was wonderfully tolerant of my apparent need to spend at least thirty minutes in each aviary bird-watching, and wishing I had a telephoto lens. At one point we actually ran in to a lady with a nice Telephoto. She talked about how hers was nothing in comparison to the ten thousand dollar lenses her friends possessed.
That's a bit Flooring to me to be honest. I've never had a collective ten thousand dollars in my life. I can hardly imagine spending that much on a lens. Maybe if I won the lottery. I suppose I should start playing it if I expect that to be my ticket.
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