“Evil Eye”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
This past winter, a friend took me to photograph a canvasback. I was excited because I have never photographed one. Also, canvasbacks in Tennessee during the winter are uncommon.
I kinda felt sorry for him, because he was the only one of his kind living at the pond. The only other birds were mallards. He blended in but stuck out like a sore thumb.
Canvasbacks are wary and he proved no different. When I walked around the lake to him, he swam away.
In this photo, it looks like he is giving me the evil eye for following him.
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
www.judyroyalglennphotography.com
Location: Maryville, Tennesse
“Chillin’”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
Last week, I went to Murfree Springs Wetlands. All the critters were in their hiding places and did not want to show their cute little faces.
A family of raccoons live in a dead tree in the swamp. The top part of the tree that they hung out in broke off, and they now live in the bottom of the tree. A small black peep hole only gives glimpse of them when they stick their heads out.
I met a fellow photographer who also was waiting for their debut. He noticed a raccoon snuck out the back door of the tree and was foraging in the marsh.
The raccoon crawled up the tree and began cleaning herself. She grew tired and laid down briefly so we could get our shot!
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
www.judyroyalglennphotography.com
Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
“Magical Morning”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
Cades Cove, Tennessee is always magical. This particular morning the fog danced around the Dan Lawson Place like a ballerina making it even more magical.
The frozen ground was white as snow and the water reflected an array of colors. It was a stunning sight.
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
www.judyroyalglennphotography.com
Location: Cades Cove, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
“Pigeon Jam”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
A park volunteer told me about a white pigeon in Cades Cove last week. He said the pigeon had a tag and a light on it and may have escaped from Dollywood.
A friend and I were driving around Loop Road when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted it. Thankfully, there was a place to pull off. I quickly motioned for my friend to park.
The pigeon was very tame and let us get close to photograph him. One of my goals was to photograph his feet so I could maybe get the numbers on the tags.
I wanted to catch it with my butterfly net and hopefully find its owner. I did not know if I would get it trouble so I let him be.
A “bear jam” happens when tons of people are looking at the bears. It backs up traffic sometimes causing it to halt. So, I titled this photo “Pigeon Jam” because it caused traffic to back up. The tourist were excited to slow down and take a cellphone photo of the little guy. Before long, he flew away after our photoshoot.
I went to the ranger station hoping I would have its tag numbers to report. Anxiously, a looked through the photos and sure enough, I had one tag number. The tag number was 80, which was on the blue and white striped tag. The other tag was orange, but I could not see a number. The workers went to the data base and sent an email with the info to find his owner.
Fingers crossed!
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
www.judyroyalglennphotography.com
Location: Cades Cove, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
“Curlicue”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
Hiking on the trails in Cades Cove are always fun. A lot of times I come up empty-handed and don’t see any wildlife—sometimes I hit the jackpot.
I hiked on a trail with a friend where there had been bear activity. Before long, we ran into a sow and her cubs.
It had been raining, and I did not notice the impact the rain had on the cub’s hair when photographing him. When I edited the photo, I noticed he looked like he had just gotten a perm along with the fern in front of him. I could not have planned that any better.
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
www.judyroyalglennphotography.com
Location: Cades Cove, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
“Better Late Than Never”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
My 30th wedding anniversary was a few weeks ago. We were planning on celebrating by going on a cruise then COVID-19 happened. Maybe we will celebrate a little late. Better late then never!
This photo was taken on our last cruise with Princess Cruises in 2018.
Location: Somewhere in the Caribbean Sea
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
“Last in Line”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
Earlier this spring, I had the privilege of photographing my first fox kit. He was adorable to say the least. I loved when he looked at me with those blue eyes!
Mama fox had already moved all the other kits and this kit was the last in line. He patiently waited where he was told.
I never got to see him again as mama fox moved them to a new location. It is a memory I will never forget!!
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“Butterfly Watching”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
My neighbor has a beautiful papillon dog named Nick.
I invited a friend over to photograph my monarch butterflies as I released them. Nick enjoyed watching from the window upstairs.
It was really neat that he watched us release butterflies as the French word for butterfly is le papillon. The papillon's ears resemble the wings of a butterfly.
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
www.judyroyalglennphotography.com
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
“Quitting Time”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
The horses in Cades Cove, Tennessee work hard during the day taking guests on trail rides. I love photographing them when they get off from work then sprint to see the other horses in the pasture. The markings from the saddle can still be seen on his back.
I envisioned this shot when I saw the beautiful yellow flowers. By the time I got to photograph the horses, it was raining. It did not stop me from taking the shot.
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
“Pandemonium”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
A tranquil spring afternoon unfolded in front of me at Cades Cove, Tennessee. A mama sow and her three yearlings were doing what bears do—foraging for food in the luscious green fields.
The bears were causing quite a stir. People were doing crazy things to get the treasured shot. One young lady climbed a tree that we told her had poison ivy on it and she replied, “That doesn’t matter” as she scampered up the tree. Another lady wouldn’t let the bear cross the road and got too up close and personal and the sow bluff charged her.
The story behind this shot was even better. A man climbed in a bunch of shrub trees because the grass was quite tall, and it was difficult to get a good shot of the bears. Then it happened. The mama bear and one yearling stood to their feet and another was on alert. The man fell out of the shrubs and it freaked the bears out.
The yearling in the bottom of the photo charged half-way to the man. No one knew what was going to happen next. Luckily for the man, the yearling came back.
Two of the yearlings shot up a tall tree and one tried to sleep to recover from the scare. Mama bear settled down after standing up once again to assess the scene.
Wow! What an encounter!
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
www.judyroyalglennphotography.com
Location: Cades Cove, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
www.judyroyalglennphotography.com
My blog has issues with me replying to comments. If you would like to pick up this story please contact me at jglennpacs@yahoo.com
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
“You’re Not Alone”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
I first noticed this black bear yearling in Cades Cove last year as he was running across the road. My first glance was a bear butt as he entered the woods. Before long, he was in a field sitting all alone.
Mama bears give birth in January and stay with their cubs for about 16-17 months. Watching their bond is amazing to witness. She devotes her life protecting them from danger and teaches them what to eat.
The sad part occurs when she must chase them away. June rolls around and it’s mating season. She allows the yearlings to stay in her territory but avoids those areas. When she does encounter them, she chases them away.
Yearlings must figure out things on their own. Eventually, they become confident, independent bears and start a family of their own.
The good news is we are never alone. It may feel like it with the quarantine because of the Coronavirus. But God is with us every step of the way. No matter what we have done, he still loves us.
God said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
I hope you have a “beary” good Memorial Day Weekend!
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
www.judyroyalglennphotography.com
Location: Cades Cove, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
#CadesCove #GreatSmokyMountainsNationalPark #blackbears
#CadesCoveBears #GSMNP
“Posed Poppy”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
I love the field of poppies at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia—they explode with color. It will stop you in your tracks.
This image was taken in May 2018. I wonder if they are shining their pretty little heads off right now.
To purchase wildlife and nature fine art prints, please visit my website:
www.judyroyalglennphotography.com
Location: Athens, Georgia - State Botanical Garden of Georgia
“Wylie Coyote”
Judy Royal Glenn Photography
Word was out—a coyote was hanging out at the restrooms in Cades Cove late in the evening. I was shooting with some other photographers, and I told them I wanted to see the coyote.
First, let me say that more than likely the reason he was there is people are probably feeding him. Don’t feed the coyote! His long tail was tucked beneath his legs signifying he did not want to be there.
People were calling him Wylie. A lady believed he was part dog because of his white legs. He did sit like a dog in the parking lot staring at the cars as they passed by.
I wish he was like the other coyote in the field next to him looking for rodents. That’s what coyotes are supposed to do.
www.judyroyalglennphotography.com
Location: Cades Cove, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
