I challenged myself to take and share a photo every day during 2026. Some are photographs I worked to capture, some are cell phone snapshots, and some are me playing around, trying new techniques and subjects. What I’ve enjoyed most about this project is how aware it has made me of what is around me. I find myself noticing so much more because I’m always looking for my photo for that day. It has been a fun project that I’m learning a lot from.
January 1 - My handsome boys Bruce and Buckley
2026-1-1 - Eustis FL - Carolina Wren 1.jpg
2026-1-1 - Eustis FL - Eastern Gray Squirrel 1.jpg
2026-1-1 - Eustis FL - Mourning Dove 1.jpg
2026-1-2 - Eustis FL - Eastern Bluebirds at nest box 000.jpg
2026-1-2 - Eustis FL - Eastern Bluebirds at nest box 3.jpg
2026-1-2 - Eustis FL - Eastern Bluebirds at nest box 5.jpg
2026-1-2 - Eustis FL - Eastern Gray Squirrel 1.jpg
2026-1-2 - Eustis FL - Little Blue Heron - juvenile 1.jpg
2026-1-2 - Eustis FL - Palm Warbler in the lily pads 1.jpg
2026-1-2 - Eustis FL - Red-winged Blackbird 1.jpg
2026-1-3 - Eustis FL - American Crow 0d.jpg
2026-1-3 - Eustis FL - Mischief helping make the bed 1.jpg
2026-1-3 - Eustis FL - Monarch Butterfly.jpg
2026-1-3 - Eustis FL - Palm Warbler 0.jpg
2026-1-3 - Eustis FL - Pine Warbler (2).jpg
2026-1-4 - Mount Dora FL - Anhinga 0.jpg
2026-1-4 - Mount Dora FL - Wood Stork 1.jpg
2026-1-5 - Eustis FL - Palm Warbler on a Red Powderpuff tree.JPG
2026-1-5 - Eustis FL - Red-bellied woodpecker with a peanut.jpg
2026-1-6 - Back yard in early morning e3 small.jpg
2026-1-7 - Eustis FL - Hooded Merganser - female 3.jpg
2026-1-7 - Eustis FL - Mottled Ducks 1.jpg
2026-1-7 - Eustis FL - Sandhill Cranes 0 small.jpg
Day 8: This gorgeous male Cardinal enjoyed a meal of suet on a cold morning.
2026-1-10 - Brown Anole Lizard in the fence post 1 (1).jpg
2026-1-10 - Little Blue Heron on my flooded dock 1.jpg
2026-1-11 - Eustis FL - Red-shouldered hawk pair in yard 1 (3).jpg
Day 12: American Crow on my back deck. Temperatures dropped overnight and it was cold enough this morning for me to actually capture his breath as he called out the morning peanut alert!
2026-1-12 - Eustis FL - American Crow cawing 1.jpg
2026-1-12 - Eustis FL - Eastern Gray Squirrel with a peanut.JPG
2026-1-13 - Black-bellied Whistling Duck 0.jpg
Day 14 - A pair of Ring-billed Gulls stroll along a dock with a line of Double-crested Cormorants looking on. It was very windy and the birds were all taking shelter on the dock.
Day 16: Here's a lovely Mourning Dove peeking out from behind some Spanish moss in an oak tree. It was cold this morning and I think she enjoyed a little shelter.
Day 18: A bright yellow little Pine Warbler, bringing warmth and color to a cold gray day!
Day 19: I've been trying to photograph these Sandhill Cranes & Mallard for weeks. I finally did it today! I believe the cranes raised this Mallard. They act protective toward him & they're always together. He's HUGE - clearly thriving on a crane diet
2026-1-19 - Sandhill Cranes with Mallard 5 small.jpg
2026-1-19 - Sandhill Cranes with Mallard 6 small.jpg
2026-1-20 - Eustis FL - Cardinal - female 5.jpg
2026-1-20 - Eustis FL - Cardinal - male 0.jpg
2026-1-20 - Eustis FL - Pine Warbler 0.jpg
Day 20: A Pine Warbler perched on the bird feeder pole in the early morning light this morning.
2026-1-20 - Eustis FL - Red-winged blackbird - male 1.jpg
Day 21: A female Hooded Merganser, a winter visitor in my area.
Day 23: I captured a photo of this Bald Eagle flying over Lake Apopka, Florida, this morning.
Day 24: Brothers through thick and thin! My Dad and my Uncle Spencer! They both have their challenges to deal with, but it will take more than that to keep these spunky octogenarians down!
Day 26: A sweet little Eastern Gray Squirrel taking a nap on a tree branch.
2026-1-27 - Red-shouldered hawk poised for flight 0.jpg
Day 28: Red-bellied Woodpecker looking for food.
2026-1-29 - Little blue Heron with messy beak 1.jpg
Day 31: I finally got a photo of the elusive Blue Jay who has been visiting my feeders! Unlike most neighborhood corvids, this guy is very shy. I finally got the photo by using my garage as a hide and shooting out the window.
Day 34: Addlestone Library at the College of Charleston. This library is home to (among other things) the South Carolina Historical Society Archives. I spent the afternoon there finding a treasure trove of family history documents.
Day 35: A pair of Hooded Mergansers at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina. It was raining but they didn't seem to mind.
Day 36: My grandmother's former home in Charleston, SC. It's undergone a lot of careful historic restoration work since she sold it. The house is the historic Chancognie House, built in 1813.
2026-2-6 - Cypress and Tupelo Swamp 00 small.jpg
Day 38: the famous Angel Oak tree on John's Island, South Carolina. Confession: I used Photoshop to remove a small fence that surrounds the tree and a couple of people who wouldn't move! 😂 This 400-500 year-old tree deserves the spotlight by itself.
Day 40: I returned home from travels today and was quickly greeted by this special Red-winged Blackbird when I filled my feeders! The poor fellow only has one foot and both legs are deformed. I was worried how he'd fare while I was gone, but all is w
Day 41: My photo a day photo today is actually two photos - of my favorite reasons I'm happy to be home from travels. Bruce and Buckley are on the couch and Mischief is licking a catnip toy in his favorite box.
Day 42: A close up of the beautiful details in a Mourning Dove's markings.
Day 43: Today's photo is the first decent photo I've ever taken of a Gray Catbird! They usually shy away too quickly for me. This one was visiting my bird bath. I had no idea they actually have whiskers!
Day 44: A beautiful male Wood Duck perched on my duck box this morning so I could take his picture! Actually, he was standing guard while Mrs. Wood Duck checked out the duck box to make sure it was ready for occupancy.
Day 48 - These are the very popular Pickle Ball courts at the main park in our small downtown. This is in the charming Florida city of Mount Dora.
Day 49: Today's photo is of delicious and beautiful chocolate! I couldn't resist taking a picture. 😋Handcrafted in Mount Dora, Florida at family-run KKÔ Chocolate.
2026-2-21 - Barred Owl at St Johns River.jpg
2026-2-22 - Grandma and Grandpa Beebes memorial bench on Lake Gertrude.jpg
Day 55: I finally got a photo of the pretty little Yellow-throated Warbler who visits my feeders! He's very shy and darts away if he sees me peeking out the window.
Day 57: This elegant Great Egret is spending the afternoon standing on my dock, so I decided he should be my photo for today. Such a beautiful bird!
2026-2-26 - Great Egret on duck box 2.jpg
2026-2-26 - Great Egret on duck box 3 small.jpg
2026-2-26 - Great Egret with wing outstretched 1 signed.jpg
Day 58: A male Hooded Merganser putting on a show.
Day 59: My cat Mischief thinking "Yeah, yeah, yeah, happy Caturday. Whatever."
Day 60: I found a number of Anhinga on my morning walk today. I loved this male perched in the Spanish moss and thought he'd look nice in monochrome.
Day 61: All I had with me was my cell phone, but this congregation of White Ibis perched in some Cypress trees caught my eye this morning!
2026-3-3 - Eustis FL - Cardinal at feeder - male (38).JPG
2026-3-5 - Brown-headed Cowbird female 0.jpg
2026-3-7 - Little Blue Heron - juvenile - walking on lily pads.jpg
Day 67: Today's photo is of our local Sunday morning farmer's market. I love walking through there and seeing all the fresh produce, breads, honey, plants, and crafts - all from local growers and artists.
2026-3-9 - Bruce trying to look innocent.jpg
Day 69: I was happy to get a photo of this visitor to my yard today. The Sandhill Cranes in my area have begun forming large groups for migrating or pairs for nesting. I was surprised to see this one alone. Maybe Mrs. Sandhill was on a nest nearby.
Day 70: My Dad's the star for today's photo. He's 87 and has Alzheimer's, but he definitely remembers that he likes car rides and pastries! 🥰
Day 72: What was supposed to be an easy 6-hour direct flight from Orlando-Seattle became a long travel day, due to weather delays and diversions! But I got to see Salt Lake City when we were diverted there - beautiful! And I made it to wonderful, wet
2026-3-14 - Dark-eyed Junco - Seattle.jpg
Day 74: Today's photo is of the iconic Salmon Bay Bridge in Ballard, WA. It's beautiful here no matter which way you look!
Day 76: A selfie of me visiting Microsoft! I worked here for 25 years until retiring a few years ago. So many memories of crazy hard work, products that help people do business, and most of all, the incredible, brilliant, dedicated, talented people I
2026-3-20 - Short-eared Owl - Skagit Valley.jpg
2026-3-22 - Eagles - Camano Island WA.jpg
2026-3-24 - Forest Tent Caterpillars at vets office.jpg
2026-3-25 - Mischief snoozing in a box.jpg
Day 85: I was trying to get a photo of this Pileated Woodpecker in my front yard today. He was hidden by the leaves and moss. Then a Red-shouldered Hawk flew over, calling, and the woodpecker looked up at him, giving me this shot.
Day 86: An American Crow in my yard. I just love watching the crows. They come flying across the lake when I call them in the morning after putting the feeders out.
2026-3-28 - Pair of Burrowng Owls - Osceola County.jpg
2026-3-29 - Tufted Titmouse on my feeder pole.jpg
Day 90: Today's photo of the day is this lovely female Snail Kite who I found today at Emeralda Marsh in Florida.
Day 91: Today's photo is of the NASA Artemis II launch to circumnavigate the moon. This is the first crewed launch to the moon since 1972. Godspeed to the 4 astronauts on board! (I took this from 90 miles away from the Cape Canaveral launch site.)
Day 92: Mama Wood Duck with her babies on the lake behind my house. The ducklings love to play on top of the Lotus leaves in the lake!
Day 93: I stepped outside this morning in my flip-flops & came inches away from stepping on this venomous Coral Snake! It's a bad photo but I jumped back inside faster than the Artemis rocket! I opened the door just enough to get a photo of him headi
2026-4-4 - Red-bellied Woodpecker looking for bugs.jpg
2026-4-5 - Osprey with fish being mobbed by a crow.jpg
2026-4-6 - Leafcutter Bee on flower at Mt Dora Library butterfly garden.jpg
2026-4-7 - yard full of sandhill cranes.jpg
Day 98: A bright male cardinal in the rain.
Day 99: Just had this afternoon visitor to my bird feeders! A couple of the photos I got show that she's a nursing mother so I'm guessing she got the little ones tucked away for a nap and was trying to get a quick meal!
Day 100: It was a happy surprise to find a pair of Wood Ducks visiting the tray feeders on my deck this afternoon! They're usually so shy that I don't get to see them up close. The female was heads-down eating while the male stood watch.
2026-4-11 - Retention pond with Sandhill Cranes and other birds.jpg
Day 102: I was focused on the raccoon on my deck and didn't even notice the possum in the corner! Busy night out there tonight! 😂
Day 104: The Lakeside Inn in Mt. Dora, Florida. Built in 1883, this is the oldest continuously operating hotel in the state of Florida and the last of the grand victorian era hotels still remaining in Central Florida.
2026-4-15 - Brown Anole on patio chair.jpg
Day 107: A male Eastern Bluebird peeking out of the nest box on my dock. He's been flying back and forth with food and I haven't seen the female so I'm guessing she's sitting on eggs!
Day 108: Since today is Caturday, I took a Mischief portrait for my photo of the day. This is Mischief's "Are you aware my bowl is empty?" look.
2026-4-19 - Black-bellied Whistling Duck on my dock.jpg
2026-4-20 - Male Cardinal covered in spiderwebs in trees at Trimble Park.jpg
2026-4-21 - Black-bellied Whistling Ducks on my deck.jpg
Day 112: A Magnolia blossom, lit up by the sun, in black and white.
2026-4-23 - Buckley keeping me company when I had a cold.jpg
Day 114: Since my Bird of the Day photo was a male Wood Duck, I thought Mrs. Wood Duck should get equal billing & be my photo-a-day subject for today. She made several visits to the seed feeder this afternoon while he stood by and let her eat.
Day 115: I used my cell phone to take this photo of a Limpkin during my morning walk. The funny thing is, there weren't any colored flowers in the lake! I don't have any idea how my cell phone captured that. Maybe sunlight reflecting off the water? O
2026-4-26 - Yellow Rat Snake on my dock.jpg
2026-4-27 0 Osprey in nest with 2 babies - Merritt Island.jpg
Day 118: The Lubbers are here!!! I saw this plant on my walk this morning, covered in hundreds of invasive Lubber grasshoppers. Where's a flock of hungry Grackles when you need them?
2026-4-29 - Orchid in my neighbors yard.jpg
2026-4-30 - Canada Goose Gosling - Lakes of Mt Dora.jpg
2026-5-1 - Immature Little Blue Heron with a Grass Shrimp - Lake Apopka.jpg
2026-5-3 - Chaos on the deck - Wood Ducks hissing at squirrels.jpg
2026-5-4 - American Redstart in my yard.jpg
2026-5-5 - Baby Canada Goose at Lakes of Mt Dora.jpg
Day 127: Early morning photo of the day today! This cute little bandit set off my deck camera at 4 AM.
2026-5-8 - Eastern Gray Squirrel grooming on the fence rail.jpg
2026-5-9 - Mischief wants cream cheese.jpg
Day 130: My photo for today is of my beautiful mother, in celebration of Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing Moms out there!
2026-5-11 - Great-crested flycatchers settling in to the nest box on the dock.jpg
2026-5-12 - Osprey flying past apartments in Mt Dora.jpg
Day 133: A Red-bellied Woodpecker in an oak tree, looking through the Spanish moss in hopes of finding a hapless bug.
2026-5-14 - Day 134 - Tufted Titmouse 1e.jpg
Day 135: Portrait showing the stunning colors of this beautiful male Wood Duck.
2026-5-16 - Female Cardinal in the rain.jpg
2026-5-18 - Great Horned Owl 0 - small.jpg
2026-5-19 - Cardinal - male - on phone wire 00 signed.jpg
Day 140: I was looking for a cat-proof container for Mischief's treats when I turned around to find this! I guess this is the kitty version of getting caught with your hands in the cookie jar! 🤣
2026-5-21 - Red-bellied Woodpecker on tree 0.jpg
2026-5-22 - Gray Squirrel stuffing peanuts in his mouth (4).JPG
2026-5-23 - Mt Dora FL - Barred Owl on green branch - cropped 1e final.jpg
2026-5-24 - Yellow rat snake under my deck.jpg
Day 145: Great Blue Heron with a Greater Siren. He fought with the siren for quite a while but finally swallowed it in about two gulps! Sirens are a type of giant salamander found in the coastal southeastern US.
2026-5-26 - Grandpas store location on Donnelly Street.jpg
2026-5-27 - Eustis FL - Great-crested Flycatcher with cicada - signed.jpg
2026-5-29 - Eustis FL - Sandhill Crane Colt 3.jpg
2026-5-30 - Wood duck female in flight 0.jpg
Day 151: American Crow raiding the nest of some very distraught Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.
Day 152: I was shooting in very bright sunlight this morning and was having a hard time finding nice light for photos of this Limpkin. Then he turned just the right way and, magic!
2026-6-2 - Eustis FL - Carolina Chickadee on feeder pole 00 (1).jpg
Day 154: Eastern Bluebird on the duck box. The bluebirds returned to find the Great-Crested Flycatchers in their nest box, so the bluebirds moved in next door. They aren't the happiest neighbors! Lots of squabbling on the dock!
2026-6-4 - Eustis FL - Eastern Bluebird in tree 2 signed.jpg
2026-6-5 - Eustis FL - Red-shouldered Hawk on tree branch 6.jpg
2026-6-6 - Eustis FL - Plumbego flowers 0.jpg
2026-6-8 - Eustis FL - Red-shouldered hawk on deck railing - eating cicada 2.jpg
2026-6-9 - Gray squirrel napping on deck railing 1.jpg
2026-6-10 - Mt Dora FL - Osprey taking off from a pond 0e signed - small.jpg
2026-6-12 - Lake Apopka FL - Black-necked Stilt with babies 1e.jpg
2026-6-13 - Eustis FL - Carolina Wren portrait.jpg
2026-6-14 - Orchard Orb Weaver Spider 1.jpg
2026-6-15 - Sleepy Gray Squirrel on squirrel box 1- small.jpg
2026-6-16 - Red Shouldered Hawk - downtown Mt Dora 0.jpg
2026-6-18 - Sandhill Crane parents with babies.jpg
2026-6-18 - Scarlet Rosemallow or Swamp Hibiscus (1).jpg
2026-6-19 - St Johns River - Osprey on nest with baby peeking out 00.jpg
Day 171: A Great Blue Heron hunting for minnows in the shallows of Lake Dora. Taken with my cell phone from downtown Mt. Dora, Florida, during my morning walk today.
2026-1-4 - Mount Dora FL - Lake Dora boardwalk 3e.jpg
2026-1-4 - Mount Dora FL - Lake Dora boardwalk 4.jpg
2026-1-7 - Eustis FL - Sandhill Cranes 2.jpg
2026-1-11 - Eustis FL - Eastern Gray Squirrel in her nest 1.jpg
2026-1-15 - Spanish Moss in the wind.jpg
Day 173: I wasn't happy with any of the bird photos I took today. I was just deciding I'd have to post a blurry hawk photo for my photo of the day when I looked out my window and saw this beautiful sunset brewing over the little lake I live by! Thank
Day 174: This juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk is peeling back the bark in a Sycamore tree. I suspect he's looking for cicadas to eat - the trees are all buzzing with them this time of year!
Insects
