Photographs by Patricia Velte
Patricia Velte is a self-described novice birder although she has been photographing the birds and wildlife of Oklahoma for more than 35 years. She transitioned from 35mm to digital photography six years ago and is an advocate for, and example of, using modestly priced equipment and exploring habitats "close to home" to build a portfolio that includes resident, migrant, accidental and even endangered species' photos. All of the bird photos in her collection were taken in Oklahoma. Patricia is also the creator of Pat's Backyard BirdCam, a web site in operation since 2001 that features two live cameras installed in her Oklahoma City backyard. The range-expanding White-winged Dove and Eurasian Collared-Dove make frequent on-camera appearances. The site receives thousands of visitors each month, including school children who visit the web cam site as part of their classroom studies.
Patricia is a native of Michigan and a graduate of Oklahoma City University where she earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts. She spent 30 years as art director and Internet developer in the broadcasting industry and is currently the owner of a company specializing in web design and development.