Our next meeting will be on January 16, 2025 at the Forest and will be starting at 7:00 PM.

Our guest speaker will be Phil Swanson. His presentation is “Birds of the Warbler Yard”

From Phil Swanson

I call my presentation “Birds of the Warbler Yard”.
Over the years I have seen more species of birds in my yard than any other yard in Nebraska. Just last year I saw the 170th bird species in the yard. It was a beautiful Olive-sided Flycatcher catching bees and wasps from my grape jelly feeder.
My slideshow video will show many of those 170 species in my backyard environment. The photos and some short videos will let you see their actions and  behavior. I’ll follow the video with a short presentation giving some tips on how I attract birds to the yard along with some stories.

My bio:
I have lived in my same home in Nebraska since 1971. I started birding in late 1981 and a few months later my good friend, Andy Saunders, at that time Chief Naturalist at Fontenelle Forest, convinced me to photograph birds. I photograph the birds for documentation but obviously try for better and better photos.
I have photographed over 1400 different species world wide. Within the ABA area which is the Continental US and Canada I have seen 730 species and photographed 729 species which at one time was in the top ten in the US. 

Photos Displays are now up

We have put up “Birds of Fontenelle Forest” at the forest and “Bridges” at the Bellevue Library.

Now We Need More, Different Subjects

At the January and February meetings we will be collecting Mammals of Fontenelle Forest and Sunrise/Sunset photos.  Mammals will be a challenge –there are actually 18 mammals listed in the FF guide but some are really hard or nearly impossible to see.  

Featured Photo

Birding Video

About 11 and 1/2 minutes

In Closing

Hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday season and hope we all have a Happy New Year. Please comment below. Leave me your thoughts about doing this year’s photo contest “on line”. This means no printed photos that will hang somewhere. Our judge will judge you .jpg photo files.

We Have Enough

Thanks to all who  sent in Bridges and FF Bird photos.      WE NOW HAVE ENOUGH.  These displays will go up in January.

Now We Need More, Different Subjects

At the January and February meetings we will be collecting Mammals of Fontenelle Forest and Sunrise/Sunset photos.  Mammals will be a challenge –there are actually 18 mammals listed in the FF guide but some are really hard or nearly impossible to see.  

Hi Phil..Could you please send out a blast to the members that we still need some display photos this week if possible?

Birds of Fontenelle Forest

Bridges

They can be dropped off at: 

Mary & Brent Headley.   19340 J St near 192nd & Q,  bbribsyum@gmail.com

Phil Mininni.  621 S 51 Ave.  webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org

Kathleen Crawford-Rose.  123 Bellevue Blvd. S.   katcr@cox.net    

Can you please look at your many photos taken in the past and see if you have “Birds of Fontenelle Forest” and/or “Bridges”. Email the person closet to you and contact them to get your photo(s) to them.

Photo Club Display

From Howard Carson

Today I was in Bellevue and I stopped at the new Library. Your photo display looks great. Professional display. Just like an exhibit at a museum.

Great job. Thank you for making it look so nice.

Thank you to Donna Gray and her volunteers who worked on this new display at the new Library.

Pot Luck Dinner Christmas Slideshow

Thanks to all of you who sent in photos for the slideshow. I received photos from 12 members. See you all on December 19.

Phil

Bob Kerry Bridge by Jason Bowers

One of the photos from upcoming slideshow.

Members and Their Guest Only

Dinner will be at the forest. Show up at 7:00 PM on December 19. There will be a slideshow. And Sue Mininni is working on table center pieces that each table will raffle off for their table’s center piece. Hopefully you all have already signed up to attend and indicated type of dish to share. The club is getting fried/baked chicken and sodas/coffee.

Photo Displays

Bring your photos to December meeting (Pot Luck) for the forest and library displays.

“Bridges” for the Bellevue Library

“Birds of Fontenelle Forest” for the forest display

December Meeting Slideshow

I have received photos from 6 members. I would like to see more members send me photos, 3,4,or 5 photos. There is no particular theme other than to think “Anything Goes”. Send me your photo files to webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org

Treasurer’s Report

From Kathleen Crawford-Rose

Greeting all.

November 1 balance   $752.77

Income from dues          20.00

Expenses                               0

November 30 balance  $772.77

In Closing

If you cannot make it to the Pot Luck Dinner, I want to wish you all a Very, Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Happy Holidays to all of you! And did I mention we are looking for a couple of volunteers to be our president and vice president. I know this is sounding old, but we need you. Please comment below or send to me anything that is on your mind. Send to webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org

Don’t forget to send me your photos for the slideshow.

Winter Photography

FF Photography Club Notice

Our December 19^th meeting will be our traditional potluck dinner with a member’s anything goes slide show.

Club will provide the baked and fried chicken and drinks.  Please bring a side dish, dessert or other item to share. 

RSVP to Mary Headley by December 13^th (the sooner the better)
mheadley5559@gmail.com

Please let her know if you will have a guest (they are welcome) and what you will bring (if you know).

VERY IMPORTANT!  Please send Phil, our web master,  3 to 5 slides to share with the group.

webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org

This is an updated list for our members.

Consider this your homework assignments for the the rest of the year and next.

Greetings!

We are trying to make photography for display at Fontenelle Forest and the Bellevue Library a little easier for everyone.  For 2025, these will be the “homework” assignments for the display photos at both locations.  Knowing the topics in advance, should make it easier for those wanting to participate to have photos ready to go when needed.   So,  when you are out and about, keep the list handy!

The first display for January, 2025, will be:

Fontenelle Forest:   Birds of Fontenelle Forest – prints due at the November and December meetings.

Bellevue Library: Photos of Bridges  taken anywhere.   Prints due at the November  and December meetings.

Happy shooting!

Donna

Meeting starts at 7 PM on Thursday November 21, 2024 at Fontenelle Forest. Enter building at the north entrance down the boardwalk. Our speaker will be Aaron Frey from Rockbrook Camera. Aaron has become a traditional speaker at our November’s meetings. He will be showing and discussing new photographic equipment to our members, All our welcome.

Financial Report

This was submitted to the Fontenelle Forest administration.

October Report

Beginning balance          $622.77

Income from dues             130.00

Balance Oct. 31                $752.77

Meeting’s Minutes

A relative new addition to our menu at the top of the home page is “Meeting Minutes” If you have missed a meeting, you can catch up by clicking on “Meeting Minutes” at the top of the home page.

Photo

by Keith White

Photo Displays

Good afternoon everyone.

We are trying to make photography for display at Fontenelle Forest and the Bellevue Library a little easier for everyone.  For 2025, these will be the “homework” assignments for the display photos at both locations.  Knowing the topics in advance, should make it easier for those wanting to participate to have photos ready to go when needed.  These are in no particular order and we may not use all of them in 2025 but they can carry on through 2026.

So,  when you are out and about, keep the list handy!

The first display for January, 2025, will be:

Fontenelle Forest:   Birds of Fontenelle Forest – prints due at the November and December meetings.

Bellevue Library: Sunrise/Sunset photos taken anywhere.   Prints due at the November  and December meetings.

Happy shooting!

Donna

Video for Printing Photos

Seems to be a commercial, but has some good hints.

The photo contest entries and the winners have been put on our website’s homepage slide show. https://www.fontenelleforestphotoclub.org/ is the link to the website. Please watch the slideshow and through the comments or mail me at webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org any omissions, mistakes…etc you may find. I will correct them.

New Member

We would like to welcome Lorrie Taylor to our club.

Old Member

From Donna;

Good morning,

I had a phone call from Jeff Grill who is the late Essie (Ethel) Grill’s son.  Essie was a former member of the Fontenelle Forest Photography Club.  She passed on at the age of 101.  Her son came across several boxes of slides of wildflower photos taken by his mother.  These slides are of wildflower photos taken all over the USA.  Jeff was wanting to know if the Club or any of its members might be interested in these slides.

Jeff Grill’s cell phone number is left out of this post. Contact webmaster at webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org if interested

I told them the Club itself wouldn’t be interested but that I would pass on the information to the membership.  If you are interested, give Jeff a call.

I also stated he might check with local schools, etc., to see if anyone might be interested but that slides might be a hard sell due to technology issues.

Fontenelle Forest apparently is not interested as they gave Jeff my name.

Kathleen and  Phil, please forward to the membership and put something on the website.

If interested, the obituary is available at   https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/omaha-ne/ethel-grill-11926694

Thank you,

Donna

Meeting Minutes

For September and October will be posted in a separate post/blog

Video for beginning Photoshop (basic)

October 17, this Thursday at 7:00 PM

At Fontenelle Forest. Please attend!

Send Me Photos

We are going to show off our best photos from the Summer. Send me 4-5 photos of your favorite shots. Send to webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org

I have received photos from 6 members. I could use more.

Photo by Keith White

Treasurer’s Report

Photo Club Treasurer’s Report

September 1 balance                                   $322.77

Income from due diligence         300.00

Expenses                                              none

September 30 balance                 $622.77

Raging River

Photo by Margaret West

You May Have Noticed…

I have inserted a couple of photos from two of our members. The photos are from their summer photos they have sent to me. I am thinking of putting photos from our members into these post to show off to the world. Our post are being see around the world. My proof is the number of emails I receive from Russia, Germany, and other countries. Not all of them are wholesome, oh well! If you wish to see your picture taken by you on these post, I will set up a folder and place photos in it that I will draw from and place in these post. Send to webmaster@fontenelleforestphotoclub.org If you send me a photo, indicate “for post/blog”. I would recommend putting a copyright symbol in your photo. I will ask one of you to tell us how to do that. Better yet please comment below on how to do it.

Photo Tips Video

Comment Below

Please leave a comment below. I will also like to hear from you on what you would like to see in my post/blogs. Hope to see you all at the October meeting. Remember to bring your dues in if you have not already done so.

Phil