PrairieDust visual journal

photographer Dave Leiker

Burgess Marsh #4

Burgess Marsh #4

Flint Hills Wildlife Refuge, Kansas – Hidden in the haze must be thousands of birds, coyotes, snakes, frogs, raccoons, possoms, deer, and an untold number of creatures I’d never suspect. I hear their calls penetrate the fog. But all I see are a couple ducks,...
Burgess Marsh

Burgess Marsh

Wetlands area at the Flint Hills Wildlife Refuge – north of Hartford, KansasSaturdays are good mornings to sleep in, but I was up early anyway. A quick glance at my iPod for weather information said “clear”. A look out my door indicated “heavy...
Banded Garden Spider (Argiope Bruennichi)

Banded Garden Spider (Argiope Bruennichi)

I believe this is a banded garden spider, a member of genus argiope, as is the more common golden garden spider. They both have the trademark Z patterned web decoration. This spider was found, preparing for lunch, along a roadside in west Osage county, Kansas.
Seed Heads & Sunflower

Seed Heads & Sunflower

I’m still experimenting with sunflowers here, there is so much one can with this expressive creature, especially when the textures of late September add to the mix. This composition uses out-of-focus background and soft tones to emulate the look of a wash over...
Corn Row Sunset

Corn Row Sunset

Near Miller, KansasI was on an exploration trip with fellow photographer Herb Hobson yesterday. As the sun began to sink we were hoping to find some kind of evening (magic light) image. We drove around Miller, which has a ghost town look about it, then saw these rows...