Debra Martz Mugs

Palms Surround the Luxor - Las Vegas, Nevada by Debra Martz The Luxor is one of many beautiful hotels and casinos located on Las Vegas Blvd. The streaks in the sky are contrails from passenger jets as the hotel is very near the airport.

Profile of Displaying Wild Turkey ©Debra Martz It was early morning and we were just starting our day of bird watching. Could not ask for a better start when this male gobbler appeared just off trail and went into full display. Captured at the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in South Texas on March 3rd. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved In My Gallery/Collection: Feathered Friends 3 20230303-DSC_7232.NEF

Green Jay Out On A Limb ©Debra Martz Green Jays are fairly skittish, coming out into the open and quickly flying back into the safety of the thick trees. like those in the background. It's a common tropical bird primarily in Mexico, Central America, and South America, but the Green Jay just makes its way into the United States in southern Texas. I spotted this one at Hazel Bazemore Park near Corpus Christi which was my first time to see one this far "north" in the southern parts of Texas. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved 2024/20160221-DSC_2684.NEF

Immature White Ibis On The Move ©Debra Martz This young one was quite the entertainer as it preened and continually ruffled its feathers. Captured along the 4800 ft boardwalk at South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center the last day of February. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved In My Gallery/Collection: Feathered Friends 20230228-DSC_6747.NEF

Dreamy Heron ©Debra Martz I had just been admiring another Tri-colored Heron from the boardwalk over the marsh area, then I turned onto the boardwalk that goes out to the bay when I spotted this one in the Mangroves. I thought this was a beautiful, dream-like pose by this Heron as it gently preened its gorgeous plumage. Captured along the 4800 ft boardwalk at South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center the last day of February. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved In My Gallery/Collection: Feathered Friends 3 20230228-DSC_6689.NEF

Tri-colored Heron Portrait in Morning Light ©Debra Martz After this one finished with some extended preening, it turned to the side and caught the early morning light just perfectly to illuminate its beauty. Image captured in March at the wetlands of Leonabelle in Port Aransas, Texas. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved

No Man's Land - Oklahoma Panhandle - Black Mesa by Debra Martz The Santa Fe Trail, heavily used by wagon trains, linked Eastern US and Mexico and cut through this corner of Cimmarron County from 1820s to 1860s. Rugged, remote and lawless, it became a popular hideout for criminals. The Notorious gang of William Co's headquarters "Robbers Roost" was located near here. April 22, 1899, No Man's Land officially became part of the Oklahoma Territory. But eons before any of that, dinosaurs roamed here but now, in this day and age, it's a nature conservancy with free range cows and a place for hikers! ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved

Flaming Lips Alley by Debra Martz I ran across this street sign in the Bricktown area of Oklahoma City, OK. No idea why or how it got this name....but I decided to have some fun and add some flames.

Wild Purple Bearded Iris by Debra Martz While out bird watching at the Great Salt Plains State Park in northern Oklahoma, I came across a patch of these beauties growing in the wild! ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved

American White Pelican Migration ©Debra Martz I discovered this migration path for these Pelicans in 2019 and return each year to watch in amazement as the numbers grow the first few weeks in October. Captured at the Great Salt Plains State Park in Northern Oklahoma in During Fall Migration.

Early Morning at Great Salt Plains Lake by Debra Martz We enjoy going to the Great Salt Plains State Park in Northern Oklahoma and staying a week or two in our RV. We like getting up early and checking out the the sunrise from a variety of locations. The sun was slow to show its light due to heavy cloud cover but it finally started breaking through those clouds. The lake is terribly low due to drought. The water should be all the way up to this grass edge. Pray for rain. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved 20221008-DSC_7312

Abstract Swirled Bridge Planks by Debra Martz A closeup photograph of the wood planks/boards of the Queen Emma Bridge in Curacao. I digitally enhanced with brushes to create patterns and colors because Willemstad is such a colorful city. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved

Dinosaurs Once Roamed Here by Debra Martz See that informational sign center, left edge; I learned something new about the area. The amazing story of dinosaur life; some of the larger dinosaurs were discovered in the early 1930s in the Black Mesa area. Dr. J. W. Stovall, who spent a large portion of his career studying the geology and paleontology of the Cimarron Valley in Oklahoma and New Mexico, excavated 17 dinosaur quarries between 1935 and 1942 in Cimarron County alone. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved

Sparrow Blending In With Its Winter Habitat ©Debra Martz I do not doubt that I have walked trails, looking for birds, and simply walked right on by them. I almost did with this one but caught a glance at the last minute. Birds aren't always up in the trees, they are often on the ground or in the brush just at hip level like this Song Sparrow. Image captured on the Eagle Roost trail in the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge of northern Oklahoma. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved 20210203-DSC_3583.NEF

Good Morning Great Kiskadee ©Debra Martz We had just arrived at the South Padre Island Nature and Birding Center but before heading out on the 4800 ft boardwalk we took a walk through the butterfly garden. I didn't see butterflies but did get several different birds! A great way to start the bird watching! ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved In My Gallery/Collection: Feathered Friends 3 20230228-DSC_6617.NEF

pirit Warriors of Little Bighorn, Debra Martz Photography.......................................................... I felt the need to look back as I left the Spirit Warriors circle. This is what I saw and I understood my feelings of why I had to look back............................................................ This bronze sculpture of three Native American Spirited Warriors riding off to battle was designed by Oglala artist Colleen Cutschall. It is a part of the circular Indian Memorial at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana. Within the full circle are granite panels containing photographic images of and quotes from chiefs and warriors. In addition, each tribe worked to identify those who fought and those who di...

Swainson's Thrush by Debra Martz I captured this little one just as I was getting ready to leave/complete my day of bird watching. It was a late Spring migrant passing through Port Aransas, Texas. ©Debra Martz 20190514-DSC_0970

Scratch Where It Itches by Debra Martz What fun to have this Great Egret land on my back deck....and then do some preening and scratching. Made me think of the quote "Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. And scratch where it itches." by Alice Roosevelt Longworth. She was the only daughter of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, and his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee.

Brown Pelican In Flight at Aruba ©Debra Martz I was walking along the beach and came to a small gathering of pelicans when this one decided to fly away into the blue yonder. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved

Morning Flight During Fall Migration ©Debra Martz The early morning light provided a pink cast sky that reflected on water in the foreground. American White Pelicans departing for another area of the lake. What appears as small white dots flying across the lower level of the trees is mainly American Avocets as they migrate here in large numbers, too. October 12th at the Great Salt Plains state park in northern Oklahoma. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved In My Gallery/Collections: Feathered Friends and Oklahoma 20221012-DSC_5845.NEF

Monarch Butterfly Simplicity by Debra Martz Just a day outdoors taking a hike, looking for birds but finding beautiful butterflies. Digital brushes used to add a slight texture to the soft background. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved In My Gallery/Collection "Butterflies Bees Insects" If interested in a license agreement copy and paste this link https://licensing.pixels.com/profiles/debra-martz.html?tab=artworkgalleries 202020170123-DSC_2073-Edit.tif

Cascading Bottlebrush Blooms ©Debra Martz Many would refer to it as a bush, but given its significant height, I consider it a tree! This image was captured on South Padre Island, Texas in March. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved In My Gallery/Collection: Flora 2024-03-05-DSC_0341 Alt Text: Vibrant red flowers burst from the branches of a shrub against a soft, white background. Each flower is composed of numerous delicate stamens that create a fluffy appearance amidst the green foliage.

Make Room For Incoming @Debra Martz In Rockport, Texas there is a large stand of Live Oak trees that serves as a rookery each year during breeding season. It is across the street from the bay which is a source of food for the Herons making this an attractive place to nest. Hundreds of them nest here and as you can see from this small section, the nests are very close together. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved 2024/20190214-DSC_3000.NEF

Downy Woodpecker With a Tight Grip ©Debra Martz The active tiny Downy Woodpecker is a common sight in our backyard, just slightly larger than the Chickadees that also frequent the area. This black-and-white bird feels right at home on small branches, as is seen here clinging with its tiny claws on either side of the limb. While there is a larger lookalike, the Hairy Woodpecker, it is a rare occurrence to spot it in our backyard. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved 20242/20210217-DSC_3986.NEF

Brilliant Red Northern Cardinal ©Debra Martz While walking along the Green Jay Trail, I was in search of the Altamira Oriole. But who can resist the sight of the male Northern Cardinal? He gave me several poses before he flew back into the thicker limbs. Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park in southern Texas on March 3rd. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved

Mandalay Bay - Las Vegas, Nevada by Debra Martz This resort is located on the far south end of The Strip, Las Vegas Blvd. It is known for its pools and lazy rivers, having been voted "Best Pool of Las Vegas" award for seven years in a row. It also boasts great restaurants, theatre shows and much more.

Dust Bowl Bedroom by Debra Martz Houses, during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, often had very little between the outside wall and the inside. Lining the walls in newspaper, which was plentiful, meant that less dust came in with the wind between the cracks of the boards or timbers. One of the inside rooms of the Dust Bowl House replica at the Cimarron Heritage Center in Boise City, Oklahoma. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved 2022-09-28-IMG_2975-Edit.tif

Wooden Vaneless Windmill by Debra Martz We were driving scenic highway 12 between La Veta and Cuchara Colorado when I spotted this windmill. It is one of the most beautiful windmills I've ever seen so of course, it was a "turn the truck around" moment. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved

Roseate Spoonbills Resting Time ©Debra Martz As luck would have it I would finally see some Roseate Spoonbills at a decent distance but they all had there heads tucked in for a nap. Perhaps because they rest on only one leg, this one wobbled a bit so I at least got a quick sight of its namesake, the spoonbill, before it tucked back into position. Captured along the 4800 ft boardwalk at South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center the last day of February. Light painterly touches add to the reeds and water only to remove/smooth some distractions. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved In My Gallery/Collection: Feathered Friends 3 20230228-DSC_6859-Edit.tif

Alligator Lurking In the Water ©Debra Martz Is it defending territory or is it people watching? Captured along the 4800 ft boardwalk at South Padre Island Birding And Nature Center the last day of February. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved 20230228-DSC_6630.NEF

Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge Curacao ©Debra Martz Built in 1888 and named after a Dutch queen, this floating bridge connects the Punda and Otrobanda neighborhoods of Curaçao's capital Willemstad. It swings open on pontoons to allow boat/ship traffic through the narrow harbor giving it the nickname of The Old Swinging Lady. The bridge is now for pedestrians only. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved

Flowering Huisache Branch ©Debra Martz A single branch of the Huisache tree with yellow flowers. It is also known as Sweet Acacia, Mealy Acacia, and Mealy Wattle. Image captured on South Padre Island in March. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved In My Gallery/Collection: Flora 2024-03-05-DSC_0347.NEF Alt Text: A branch with yellow flowers is in focus against a soft, blurred background of blue sky and greenery. The vibrant yellow stands out prominently, highlighting the detail of the flowers and leaves of the Huisache tree.

Heron in the Morning Light ©Debra Martz A beautiful Tri-colored Heron getting its breeding plumage Capture along the boardwalk at South Padre Island Nature and Birding Center the last day of February. ©Debra Martz, All Rights Reserved In My Gallery/Collection: Feathered Friends 3 20230228-DSC_6671

Common Gallinule at Edge of Water by Debra Martz It's not often that I see the full length of the colorful legs and feet of the Galinule (Gallinula galeata) so I was quite pleased as this one posed on the outer edge of the water. I, also, liked the patterns made by the movement of the brackish marsh water at Leaonabelle Birding Center of Port Aransas, Texas. This was taken from the new boardwalk that runs in a different direction from the one that was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey. ©Debra Martz In My Gallery/Collection "Feathered Friends" 20190514-DSC_0922

Lines Angles And A Little Artsy Topping by Debra Martz I created this composition from a portion of the Art Museum of South Texas' rooftop. In 2006 the museum underwent an expansion designed by internationally renowned architect Ricardo Legorreta which tied into the original museum designed by another internationally renowned architect, Philip Johnson. The earlier part of the building was constructed entirely out of white shellcrete and plaster. I liked the geometric patterns of lines and angles, rectangles and the little extra artsy piece on top right section.

Portland Head Lighthouse Cape Elizabeth Maine Black and White Painterly ©Debra Martz One of the most photographed lighthouses in the country was commissioned by George Washington. Portland Head is Maine’s oldest lighthouse and is still active, guiding ships into the Portland Harbor. There is only one day each year when the Coast Guard allows a limited number of visitors inside this storied lighthouse: the annual Maine Open Lighthouse Day in September. Fortunately, there is a museum operating from Memorial Day through October 31 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) inside the 1891 keeper's quarters where you can view several lighthouse lenses and interpretive displays. Black & white conversion and digital brushes and textures were applied to my photo.