by Kevin Shank | Mar 1, 2024 | 2024, 03 March, Articles & Stories, Birds, Contest, Let's Take a Hike, Photo Contest, Warblers
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Month of March Photography First Place Winner Gracefully flitting about, this lovely Townsend’s Warbler perched on a rose tree outside my window. Warblers are often a symbol of spring, as they arrive on the wings of the...
by Kevin Shank | Feb 29, 2024 | 2024, 03 March, Articles & Stories, Astronomy, Eclipses, Premium Edition, Solar Eclipse, Sun, The Photo Focus
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Solar eclipse. Photo © Choosakdi Kabyubon|Dreamstime.com. I visualize several groups of solar eclipse observers. One group makes no effort to photograph it. They simply enjoy the view without the distraction of fiddling with...
by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Birds, Chickadees & Titmice, Contest, Covers, Hawks, Eagles, & Kites
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by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Storms, Weather
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive My March Contest Lenspiration Second Place Winner March in Southern Africa marks the beginning of autumn. This is the rainy season in the eastern part. With temperatures still warm and humidity high, thunderstorms often...
by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Articles & Stories, From the Editor's Quill
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Last year we did a joint contest with Lenspiration photography students titled “My March.” Categories included, “Through my lens,” “Through my brushes,” and “Through my pens.” We announced the contest winners in the July...
by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Birds, Hawks, Eagles, & Kites, Invisibles, Puzzles
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by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Birds, Hares, Rabbits, & Pikas, Mammals, Owls, Pictures and Poems, Waterfowl - Geese, Swans, Ducks, Loons, Grebes, Woodpeckers
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by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Birds, Blackbirds, Orioles, Meadowlarks, Creation Close-ups, Mammals, Rodents
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by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Birds, Mailbox, Nuthatches
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by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | Birds, Waterfowl - Geese, Swans, Ducks, Loons, Grebes, You Can Draw, You Can Draw Submissions
by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Articles & Stories, Exploring Nature, Frogs and Toads, Mammals, Reptiles & Amphibians, Salamanders
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive After a snowfall, look for fresh animal tracks to identify. Hunt for shed antlers. Maintain bird feeding stations with seeds and suet treats. In late February or early March, wood frogs and salamanders come out of...
by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, End of the Trail
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive My March Contest Lenspiration Third Place Winner Photo © Tabitha Parris.
by Kevin Shank and Cheryl Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Birds, Fill-In-The-Blanks, Gamebirds, Mammals, Matching, Premium Edition, Puzzles, Study Guide, True and False
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive I was deep in the forest, hiking with a friend and my camera. In the snow were the tracks of a bobcat. I was delighted. Bobcats are such beautiful animals, and I wished to see one. They are so elusive that, even where...
by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Camp & Cabin Cookin', Premium Edition
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by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Articles & Stories, Premium Edition, The Photo Focus
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive F/stops sound high tech, and might even sound like something that will take all the fun out of photography. Stick with me, though, and you will learn they are not quite as scary as they sound.The term “f/stop” refers to the...
by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Birds, Focus Illustrated, Owls, Premium Edition, The Photo Focus
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive I was intrigued by this Northern Pygmy Owl photo as soon as I saw it. What a splendid photo opportunity Josiah had. My fingers itched, though, to do a few tweaks, some of which we have touched on in previous Photo Focus...
by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Astronomy, Favorite Focus, Nebulas, Premium Edition, The Photo Focus
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Horsehead Nebula. Photo © Kevin & Adrian Shank. While the Orion Nebula is by far the most fascinating target in Orion, when it comes to photography, the Flame, Horsehead, and these other emission nebulas give it a “run...
by Kevin Shank | Feb 1, 2024 | 2024, 02 February, Articles & Stories, Birds, Sparrows
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive It all seemed so noble, and Nicholas Pike decided to do it. Why not, when America was swarming with green canker worms, gregarious grubs, and multiple pests? In his mind’s eye, he saw the House Sparrows getting busy in this...
by Kevin Shank | Jan 2, 2024 | 2024, 01 January, Birds, Chickadees & Titmice, Favorite Focus, Larks, Moon, Premium Edition, The Photo Focus
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Nebraska sunset. Photo © David Miller. Last quarter moon. Photo © Britney Martin. Black-capped Chickadee. Photo © John Leck. Horned Lark. Photo © Weston Martin. Photo © Josiah...
by Kevin Shank | Jan 2, 2024 | 2024, 01 January, Articles & Stories, Premium Edition, Snow, The Photo Focus, Weather
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Editor’s note: For background to this lesson, you may recall that last month I mentioned how my interest in learning snowflake photography led me to the book by Don Komarechka, Sky Crystals. Mr. Komarechka goes into...
by Kevin Shank | Jan 2, 2024 | 2024, 01 January, Camp & Cabin Cookin', Premium Edition
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by Kevin Shank | Jan 2, 2024 | 2024, 01 January, Acrostic, Fill-In-The-Blanks, Matching, Premium Edition, Puzzles, Study Guide
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by Kevin Shank and Adrian Shank | Jan 2, 2024 | 2024, 01 January, Astronomy, End of the Trail, Nebulas
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Orion Nebula (M42) and Running Man Nebula (NGC 1977). The Orion Nebula is one of the most splendid nebulas to enjoy through a telescope. While our eyes see a bluish white nebula, photography can pick up the hydrogen alpha...
by Kevin Shank | Jan 2, 2024 | 2024, 01 January, Caption This, Carnivores, Mammals
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive We invite you to submit your caption for this photograph. The photograph will be used on the back of the May issue, along with our choice of a caption or captions.We appreciate your following these rules for...
by Kevin Shank and Adrian Shank | Jan 2, 2024 | Articles & Stories, Astronomy, Comets, Meteors, Nebulas, Planets
View the January 2024 Nature Friend Magazine January starts off with a bang. The Quadrantid meteor shower, often considered one of the best showers of the year, peaks the night of 3/4. The best views will occur in the early morning hours of the 4th. With minimal...
by Kevin Shank | Jan 2, 2024 | 2024, 01 January, Articles & Stories, Birds, Butterflies, Moths & Skippers, Hawks, Eagles, & Kites, Insects & Arachnids
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Find frost flowers or ice needles. These occur when the air is icy cold yet the soil is still above freezing and plant roots are active. In mid-January the wintering eagle population peaks in Virginia. Now through March is a...
by Kevin Shank | Jan 1, 2024 | 2024, 01 January, Carnivores, Mammals, You Can Draw, You Can Draw Submissions
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by Kevin Shank | Jan 1, 2024 | 2024, 01 January, Astronomy, Mailbox, Rockets, Spacecraft
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by Kevin Shank | Jan 1, 2024 | 2024, 2024, 01 January, Birds, Caption This, Penguins
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by Kevin Shank | Jan 1, 2024 | 2024, 01 January, From the Editor's Quill, Puzzles, Scavenger Hunt
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