Screaminghawk's
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Linn Run hollow, July 9 2005. It took two tries to catch this Garter Snake. The first attempt had the snake and a handful of leaf litter. The snake was able to escape thru the litter. Moments later the snake came back out from under rocks to bask. Surprisingly the snake did not try biting, nor expel any musk :-) Garter Snake | Garter Snake | Beautiful Wood Nymph | young Turkey Vulture
Loyalhanna Gorge, July 26 2005. young Turkey Vulture | young Turkey Vulture
Donegal Lake, July 24 2005. One adult and three young Osprey in the nest. Sweet Flag, the PA state ranking is Critically Imperiled, the state status is Endangered. See Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program - PA DCNR.
Near Latrobe, late July 2005. A native species and the largest flowered thistle. The two flowers photographed were 2.5 and 3 inches across, soft, and fragrant. Several plants bloom at this location and is quite impressive to see. Pasture Thistle | Pasture Thistle
Photos taken during a bicycle ride from Ohiopyle to Confluence, July 20 2005. Buttonbush | Cardinal Flower | Purple-flowering Raspberry | Ostrich Fern | Ostrich Fern
Ferncliff Peninsula, Ohiopyle PA, June 18 & 24 2005:
Carolina Tassel-rue (Carolina Bugbane), one of the southern species at Ferncliff.
Marshallia grandiflora at peak of blooming at river's edge; Barbara's Button | Barbara's Button
Possumhaw Viburnum is at many places along the river.
1 Pink Lady's Slipper Orchid | 2 Pink Lady's Slipper | many Pink Lady's Slipper | 1 Pink Lady's Slipper, May 21 99
Black Locust tree in bloom in field along Latrobe-Kingston Rd | Black Locust
Louisiana Waterthrush nest, with four (five?) young, beside the Loyalhanna Creek in the gorge between Sleepy Hollow causeway and Longbridge (Rt30e). The nest is on a very steep bank, beside white water where the creek drops over rock ledges. L. Waterthrush nest along this section of creek every year. It is prime L. Waterthrush habitat. Photo was taken June 21st. On June 27 the nest was empty. A short distance down creek from the nest was at least one fledged young Waterthrush bobbing its short, almost non-existent tail.
The family of Osprey, 2 adult & 3 young, at Donegal Lake, June 24 2005. The young are not easy to see when they are down low in the nest.
Eastern Phoebe on nest at natural location (a large boulder that split in half. the nest is attached to one side of the split & the angle of the rock creates a gradual protective overhang above the nest) in a gorge along the Loyalhanna Creek | The split boulder Phoebes have nest (not visible in photo) on right side of split | Phoebe nest
remnants of another Eastern Phoebe nest at natural location, in a dimple on the side of a large boulder, across the Loyalhanna Creek from the previous nest (photo)
Natural rock ledges where Eastern Phoebe & Rough-winged Swallow nest at Loyalhanna Lake in Westmoreland County
Eatern Phoebe beneath rock ledge | Close-up
Rough-winged Swallow nest in rock ledges at Loyalhanna Lake, 7/10/2000
Great Blue Heron perched | Great Blue Heron flying | Great Blue Heron sunning (photos from kayak)
Turkey Vulture sunning | Turkey Vulture flying | Turkey Vulture flying | Turkey Vulture flying (photos from kayak)
Cliff Swallows at Ohiopyle Rt381 bridge Cliff Swallow collecting mud for nest building | Cliff Swallow | Cliff Swallow | Cliff Swallow | Cliff Swallow
Raven nest in the Laurel Highlands | Raven nest
Fall colors at Loyalhanna Lake
Praying Mantis eating a Yellow Jacket on a clothes line pole in our back yard. The Y. Jackets had a nest inside a pipe of the clothes line pole.
Captive immature Snowy Owl at the Wildlife Works, Inc. fundraising walk at Twin Lakes County Park May 22 99 Snowy Owl | Snowy Owl
Twayblade Orchid, June 10 99. A small plant tough to photograph, no bright colors to capture, the flowers were somewhat translucent. Nor did the photo scan well.
A birdhouse I made of driftwood collected while kayaking at Loyalhanna Lake
Freshwater Jellyfish at Loyalhanna Lake in Westmoreland County August 98; Jellyfish | Jellyfish | Jellyfish in net
Copperhead at Ohiopyle, June 2005.
Northern Watersnake, this snake got a good bite on my hand that bled for a while. The saliva of the Northern Watersnake has anti-coagulant properties that causes a bite to bleed. These photos were taken after the snake had acclimated to me. June 19 99.
Northern Watersnake | Northern Watersnake
Queen Snake basking in the April sun, after coming out of hibernation
Writing on fungus beside a mountain stream
Arrowheads a friend's collection of arrowheads found in Westmoreland County
Church in Allenvale, Somerset County
Old Ship Hotel on Rt30 Ship Hotel | Ship Hotel (burned to the ground on October 26 2001)
Laurel Summit is part of the "snow belt". The snowy winter of 2003-04 was good for winter sports. Mushers with their sled dogs ran Laurel Summit Road. Face1 | Face2 | Face3 | Dog truck | Dog truck | Beside truck | Stopped | Stopped | Stopped | Running | Running | Running | Dog | Sled | Dog team | Dog team
In Feb. 2004 Laurel Summit had a 15-20 inch snowpack with a hard surface crust. Walking was next to impossible, the crust would not support a persons weight. But cross country skis or snowshoes were perfect for moving on the crust. Spruce Flats Bog | Bog | Bog | Bog
High water January 8 2005
Bairdstown bridge at Blairsville, backwater of Conemaugh Dam: bridge | bridge
Bush Recreation Area, Loyalhanna Lake. The concession trailer is mostly submerged: Bush Rec | Bush Rec
Conemaugh Dam, on the other (upriver) side of the dam the water level was above the spillway and onto the crest gates: Conemaugh Dam
Boatyard Run Falls in Derry Township on Falls Rd. Winter of 2005. I am in first photo on left side of falls, walking back toward camera which was set on a tripod with timer running
Falls frozen | Breakup 2 days later
More scanned photographs are linked to Images #1 | Images #3 | Images #4 | site map
All of the images linked to this page are scanned photos taken & owned by tim vechter, copyright ©1999-2005.
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