Northern spotted owl: seeing red

A wild northern spotted owl roosts on a branch in a stand of old growth timber near Roseburg, Ore., recently.

Normally I hate it when my flash creates the "red-eye" effect, but it looks kind of cool in this case. Spotted owls usually look cute and cuddly, but the red eye makes it look a little moody.

Monarch mania

A cluster of monarch butterflies cling to the mesh covering of the butterfly flight room at the Elkton Community Education Center in Elkton, Ore., on Monday, Aug. 12, 2013. Several hundred colorful monarch butterflies have emerged from their cocoons and are on display at the center. 

A pair of monarch butterflies mate inside the enclosure. The caterpillars are fed milkweed plants and the adults have a variety of blooming flowers to feed on.

A monarch butterfly dries its wings after emerging from its cocoon in the butterfly flight room at the Elkton Community Education Center on Monday.

Mantis: my favorite insect

A praying mantis climbs on a Queen Ann's Lace flower growing in a hazelnut orchard on our farm near Roseburg, Ore., on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2013. Most mantis species are exclusively predatory. They mainly feed on other insects, but are known to prey on lizards, frogs, snakes, birds, and even small rodents.

My mantis photo is highlighted in the Pictures of the Day gallery on ZUMAPRESS.com.

Douglas County Fair

Carnival rides spin on the midway during the annual Douglas County Fair in Roseburg, Ore., on Friday Aug. 9, 2013.

A rabbit named "Paparazzi" shows off his jumping ability during an agility demonstration at the fair. 

Piglets nap after feeding in the swine barn. 

The colorful midway at the fair.

Feeding time.

Several thousand fairgoers enjoy the band "3 Doors Down" as night falls at the fair.
I always enjoy shooting the fair. It was one of my favorite assignments while I was a newspaper photographer.

Along came a spider

A large black and yellow garden spider traps a grasshopper in its web stung in a thicket along a country road in rural southwestern Oregon near Roseburg, Ore., on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013.

Blade runner

A grasshopper climbs a dry stem of grass in a pasture along a country road in rural southwestern Oregon near Elkton on Monday, Aug. 5, 2013.

Thirsty honey bee

A honey bee drinks water from a wet rock along the bank of the North Umpqua River near Horseshoe Bend on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013. Honey bees use water to cool their hives on hot summer days. A strong hive may consume over a quart of water on a hot day.