tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91215493089158477452024-03-05T15:26:10.032-08:00My Bird Sanctuary DreamDianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.comBlogger200125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-75866766070486524202010-08-11T13:20:00.000-07:002010-08-11T13:23:02.210-07:00My Song Sparrow Series - Discovery<div style="text-align: justify;"> <i>(One of the dangers of leaving too much time between experience, photos and actual posting, is getting dates and times mixed up. Last post had some such errors - which I've corrected. The photos of the mother sparrow on the nest were taken on the 14th, not the 17th. My apologies for the mix up.)<br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I was getting a little anxious because of the heat and wondering if the eggs were viable. When the mother didn't get off the nest, the last time I'd checked, I was concerned that either she wasn't feeling well, maybe due to her neck injury, or that the eggs might be hatching. When I could, I would watch for her to leave the nest and come to the feeders, so I could go out and see what, if anything, was happening.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Three days later, our paths crossed, so to speak - I was at the window when she came to eat. I grabbed my camera and went out there, almost at a run.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I peaked in and this is what I found....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4p2AkthUwxAP_CAXyQZycUWE4LCKP8i09tkStNqQcWpanWLB36IxQizhzjf0fgcyTN9pItFXJokxE_3ua6M38T9pKxMtqq_830HtsmyY9WIxZeADL_cjniT8FWljQ8H7IYVU0W31dFy8/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4p2AkthUwxAP_CAXyQZycUWE4LCKP8i09tkStNqQcWpanWLB36IxQizhzjf0fgcyTN9pItFXJokxE_3ua6M38T9pKxMtqq_830HtsmyY9WIxZeADL_cjniT8FWljQ8H7IYVU0W31dFy8/s400/IMG_0001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> I was so excited, I could hardly hold the camera still enough to get a photograph of this brand new baby! It is unfortunate that I hadn't checked the nest sooner in the week. Ten days had gone by, so I'm really not sure exactly how old the baby was at this point. It looked pretty new - maybe a day or two - but, for my purposes I called this Day 1.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">As soon as I touched a branch with my camera, the baby's head immediately popped up, eyes barely opened but beak opened wide, and it made the tiniest "squeek" baby bird sound. I knew it would be OK because the mother was eating at the feeders and would be bring supper really soon. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgOZBWyPFqNO3M-pAbMkvMuymq2mMfZP9KOotj_UaE1FwzDTkn2bckQoPvCst0Jk3eTcha2FF77SJNEcx0pVsBBYCCi9CCYF_fClJR17Wcp2bec5n8u2UNC4mbk506q4tNC3FH0HLKwM/s1600/Baby-Bird-edit-IMG_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgOZBWyPFqNO3M-pAbMkvMuymq2mMfZP9KOotj_UaE1FwzDTkn2bckQoPvCst0Jk3eTcha2FF77SJNEcx0pVsBBYCCi9CCYF_fClJR17Wcp2bec5n8u2UNC4mbk506q4tNC3FH0HLKwM/s400/Baby-Bird-edit-IMG_0002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(Next time: The First Week of Growth)</div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(Photos taken 07-17-2010, Canon Rebel, Xsi 1.4 lens)</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-88513363697509795042010-08-06T20:07:00.000-07:002010-08-11T12:47:29.155-07:00My Song Sparrow Series - Activity at the Nest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i>I apologize for leaving so many days in between posts. In addition to getting my daughter ready for Running Start at the local community college, I've been busy selling and ordering my college textbooks for September! I've registered for three 5 credit classes - Anthropology, Economics and Eng.102. I am excited to be able to go full time. Don't tell anyone, but, I'm already enjoying the Literature text. ;) <br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I left my story hanging in the air, so while I have a few moments, I will catch you up from where I left off. The story began July 4th when my son found the nest in the rhododendron bush, and my last post was about the song sparrow mother bathing in the water dish on July 7th and 8th. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">It was the afternoon of the 14th when I went out to check on the nest. The mother sparrow was sitting on the nest and she didn't move - even when I got pretty close! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I was glad to see that the rhodie leaves were providing her with some shade. You might laugh, but I had seriously considered putting up an umbrella or something to protect her from the elements - her nest seemed to be so exposed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I was so thankful that she didn't scurry away. She let me take a couple of pictures and then I left so as not to disturb her too much.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">When I looked at the photos, I was delighted! She looked like a radiant momma - a gleam of light in her eye. I was thinking that her eggs must be ready to hatch soon - if all was well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5bkVRr9TNXUhz-QPOh2MF1hMJpJGKBhXihfFJIYaCfieKCs0aYbPJHxvLnUwrM_rxRuaVGVwTnjXMX0KQc99acKQpacEKuYK4L2sKrBJnRlgWdZX9bvGuejSz4N9Xb4QAsxmL479OYs/s1600/song-sparrow-edit-2-IMG_030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5bkVRr9TNXUhz-QPOh2MF1hMJpJGKBhXihfFJIYaCfieKCs0aYbPJHxvLnUwrM_rxRuaVGVwTnjXMX0KQc99acKQpacEKuYK4L2sKrBJnRlgWdZX9bvGuejSz4N9Xb4QAsxmL479OYs/s400/song-sparrow-edit-2-IMG_030.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Just a reminder - click on the photo to see an enlarged view)</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">(Next time - Three days later - Discovery!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(Photo taken 07-14-2010; Canon Xsi 250mm lens)</span></span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-43074438498943139152010-07-29T09:41:00.000-07:002010-07-29T09:41:07.712-07:00My Song Sparrow Series - Water<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I have had a water dish at the feeders this year and I've seen birds take a little drink and even step into the dish from time-to-time. There has never been the activity that I thought there would be, but I have seen the birds splash in puddles around here - so that's ok. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">However, we had a few hot days in the first week of July, and to my delight, this little mother sparrow....well, see for yourself!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEVmae5_CQTjJH6_WsdueeiODzmE5Et7EypPT7p-EIcwt9vmSL0Wfbsfu4cVVHGAmiP_zDZo4ZkAsyO8GOMa-fRSF8XXF9sAriIOtNdvniPI1pZh-PIEYmDKgO3QwI2GOASehHioKeiQ/s1600/bird-bath-edit-IMG_0344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEVmae5_CQTjJH6_WsdueeiODzmE5Et7EypPT7p-EIcwt9vmSL0Wfbsfu4cVVHGAmiP_zDZo4ZkAsyO8GOMa-fRSF8XXF9sAriIOtNdvniPI1pZh-PIEYmDKgO3QwI2GOASehHioKeiQ/s400/bird-bath-edit-IMG_0344.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AHbypWYZ8G89c5LA_hp6_dtmaUUv2enGFEiYj7v6ch8AO0Mxmm4Hwbr1sD3ezFN-afDkeHNYZvF6FGOAJePi-7UGzQJ9Y1_eH6LU9wKn4fEnDtUOsfMx7zL8l3heyLsIunbxsII37wc/s1600/bird-bath-edit-IMG_0347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AHbypWYZ8G89c5LA_hp6_dtmaUUv2enGFEiYj7v6ch8AO0Mxmm4Hwbr1sD3ezFN-afDkeHNYZvF6FGOAJePi-7UGzQJ9Y1_eH6LU9wKn4fEnDtUOsfMx7zL8l3heyLsIunbxsII37wc/s400/bird-bath-edit-IMG_0347.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR98_xfTibH8onUPbbdVvuKAkZfImds70FxsRbC9RC3bR_Nb4SqZ0RGwU8uMyMBxtNCJ7AlDKzWbYyrmJVlhz4O2iZCALjoCAPjVf898_-Rk70bl4fgkZdrXg0sP9Yplqu2XpovcCJvlw/s1600/bird-bath-edit-IMG_0351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR98_xfTibH8onUPbbdVvuKAkZfImds70FxsRbC9RC3bR_Nb4SqZ0RGwU8uMyMBxtNCJ7AlDKzWbYyrmJVlhz4O2iZCALjoCAPjVf898_-Rk70bl4fgkZdrXg0sP9Yplqu2XpovcCJvlw/s400/bird-bath-edit-IMG_0351.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">She was drenched! I love the second photo - you can see her outstretched leg as she tries to get completely under the water. Not one other bird - gold finch, house finch, pine siskin, or nuthatch bathed, even in that hot weather, like she did. I thought maybe the cool water felt good on the back of her neck. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">It was so much fun to watch her and she came several times a day when the temperatures were in the 80's. I made sure that there was always fresh cool water and a couple of times, I would just get it filled when she would fly across the driveway and plunge in again! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">More photos from the next day: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvDsqCL4JOvm26cbySL39qKWXXS2O569jzy_vSaNNRFpqMOoKu5N6xBPInmqrtz3HicB7oei_XjWG1-YJ19AZRxnNd2dAjFoAb5idLUE_-0wiP7FmqVX-OHcX89nTNxMsUxgqXv7hks0/s1600/bird-bath-edit-IMG_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvDsqCL4JOvm26cbySL39qKWXXS2O569jzy_vSaNNRFpqMOoKu5N6xBPInmqrtz3HicB7oei_XjWG1-YJ19AZRxnNd2dAjFoAb5idLUE_-0wiP7FmqVX-OHcX89nTNxMsUxgqXv7hks0/s400/bird-bath-edit-IMG_0004.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyaiOdJb_SJtSXIem671zD7wxyvz-ZW-aW1z6m1aqnEBAk_z_83ftaY4c-0Kghx5P8uDUh_6bo-joJQUVLYR1PlUmaJjJBoNlSvNcoEeY8aM0Tb-gBjm0t3IU2iNKnzdUUio_dlTE_VRg/s1600/bird-bath-edit-IMG_0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyaiOdJb_SJtSXIem671zD7wxyvz-ZW-aW1z6m1aqnEBAk_z_83ftaY4c-0Kghx5P8uDUh_6bo-joJQUVLYR1PlUmaJjJBoNlSvNcoEeY8aM0Tb-gBjm0t3IU2iNKnzdUUio_dlTE_VRg/s400/bird-bath-edit-IMG_0007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I don't know how she could fly with all that water in her feathers! </div><br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Just a little post note: </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">A couple of weeks ago I looked out and was happy to see another mother song sparrow with a fledgling at the feeders. BOTH of them headed for the water and splashed around! And, still, notably, other birds are not attracted to it as they are. Interesting....</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">(Next time: Activity at the nest...)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Photos taken 07-07-2010 & 07-08-2010, Canon Rebel Xsi, 250mm lens - thru the window pane)</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-83182124774953521992010-07-27T10:21:00.000-07:002010-07-27T10:21:06.302-07:00My Song Sparrow Series - The Back of Her Neck<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">It was about ten or twelve days before I could get some good photographs of the problem on the Song Sparrow's neck. I had gone out to check the nest when she decided to fly up on that weed again - in full sun - perfect for photos. And, she stayed there - grooming herself - plenty of opportunities to see the back of her neck. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I didn't know what to think when I looked at the photos.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eN67BluCRaSv0OULP8rhMU4k4Otf2JYq_Bo_3Eg_ofDwQZI-nx1iXkF7iLJAVgKlcpLTZ_WOLBLcxiZIymm1rpkYDPeuDgdWr5vmaS4CnL0qGmlKHqzOO2Ah1BWbFR2mr9U_NVsPV8Y/s1600/sparrow-neck-IMG_0051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eN67BluCRaSv0OULP8rhMU4k4Otf2JYq_Bo_3Eg_ofDwQZI-nx1iXkF7iLJAVgKlcpLTZ_WOLBLcxiZIymm1rpkYDPeuDgdWr5vmaS4CnL0qGmlKHqzOO2Ah1BWbFR2mr9U_NVsPV8Y/s400/sparrow-neck-IMG_0051.jpg" width="391" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnU-0hswLIiAjuOu_8nqS063JxbWDR1v0xaQqaUTfNsnXo89r5Egx8B76xebg9YKr2U91wBSsFjH7ObHxgPFwNxhErEC9IfqhvZp_8I92KWu0kjAKCModudjc7DffFPEAF2Nm-qmKcM4/s1600/sparrow-neck-IMG_0067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnU-0hswLIiAjuOu_8nqS063JxbWDR1v0xaQqaUTfNsnXo89r5Egx8B76xebg9YKr2U91wBSsFjH7ObHxgPFwNxhErEC9IfqhvZp_8I92KWu0kjAKCModudjc7DffFPEAF2Nm-qmKcM4/s400/sparrow-neck-IMG_0067.jpg" width="387" /></a></div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZznVKg1ZZ0B9YQcIvrytqS_5P7DAWdwXIhyphenhyphenUDu2olnddEUuzClTccUTQhifaNiAlA9dTRgb4Aefwxbn4oqf-Z6brUTu9RRitZ80c5QKZw1-f5PLLqpEGw7NPvQCsY8uJQDIOppdj-3J4/s1600/sparrow-neck-IMG_0061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZznVKg1ZZ0B9YQcIvrytqS_5P7DAWdwXIhyphenhyphenUDu2olnddEUuzClTccUTQhifaNiAlA9dTRgb4Aefwxbn4oqf-Z6brUTu9RRitZ80c5QKZw1-f5PLLqpEGw7NPvQCsY8uJQDIOppdj-3J4/s400/sparrow-neck-IMG_0061.jpg" width="367" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I looked up everything I could think of about why sparrows go bald, but nothing seemed to describe this kind of presentation. Then I emailed the local raptor center describing the situation and including photos. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I got a reply that evening, </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><i>"This looks like possibly an old injury of some kind, with a little bit of a scab left. With any trauma like that sometimes the feathers won't grow back, leaving the exposed skin." </i></b></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">She also said that the fact that she was acting healthy was a good thing. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">This mother Song Sparrow was really getting into my heart. Now I had empathy for this tiny little creature whose home and "family" had been messed with, but even more so when I know that she deals with a physical problem, and has a clutch of eggs that she is responsible for that might yet hatch into even more responsibility! It was very difficult, at times, for me to let nature take care of nature - and not get too involved in the process, but I did manage to do that. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;">(Tomorrow - Did you know that Song Sparrows LOVE water?)</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Photos taken 07-19-2010, Canon Rebel Xsi, 250mm lens</span>) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-34491419841454222152010-07-25T20:55:00.000-07:002010-07-25T20:55:05.774-07:00My Song Sparrow Series - Identifying the Mother Bird<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The next morning, July 5th, as soon as I ate my breakfast, I went out to the rhodie to see if I could get any photos of the mother bird. It wasn't easy. I couldn't get very close when I would see and hear the leaves flutter as she was scurrying out of the nest and into the bush. I don't know if she was trying to distract me away from the nest, or if she was protecting herself from danger. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Finally, during one of my attempts, she perched up in the tall weed that grew above the top of the bush. Thanks to my 250mm lens, I got a few photos of her - here is one. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0AuCAbOZyI3Ylcyn43VgnbcD-GOU51NXWU4T23CH-zbpDSaBknYPTdTEyI_MCYaartgrW6_8CjRMRVvjDow0WTladvVd4nXysCib4fSdUJZ-eIYA924zVD-277zaDwPV55_xB-bV35w/s1600/nest-3-edit-IMG_0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0AuCAbOZyI3Ylcyn43VgnbcD-GOU51NXWU4T23CH-zbpDSaBknYPTdTEyI_MCYaartgrW6_8CjRMRVvjDow0WTladvVd4nXysCib4fSdUJZ-eIYA924zVD-277zaDwPV55_xB-bV35w/s400/nest-3-edit-IMG_0007.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then I watched her fly to the feeders and was able to get a few more photos good enough to compare </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">with the field guides. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTm1Y4DWcMTDnoe7Whzrf2l866iWFim0AIFNAk9E2BgXopOnz8JI2zgQMxNMrA7DX12FirG3mUeuF4GBMl2EwL8O1iUoMS6lK5XoPwwDHYqK5UdlFoeBEQ7iCX0usaLsDZgAJtgXHirk/s1600/nest-3-edit-IMG_0032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTm1Y4DWcMTDnoe7Whzrf2l866iWFim0AIFNAk9E2BgXopOnz8JI2zgQMxNMrA7DX12FirG3mUeuF4GBMl2EwL8O1iUoMS6lK5XoPwwDHYqK5UdlFoeBEQ7iCX0usaLsDZgAJtgXHirk/s400/nest-3-edit-IMG_0032.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAH-dii1850tNmaIzrnQOgSTDEOlA6AFUlilGci7IMmWljJVuYMx9vwYxz5bIr4unBovNhxoeikryYc3Ok8OXvHcGR-gey79Qq0w6eW1fh5ihwlvLCsdCTxPg3UfFKl2T5VpaNxRtMKpA/s1600/nest-3-edit-IMG_0045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAH-dii1850tNmaIzrnQOgSTDEOlA6AFUlilGci7IMmWljJVuYMx9vwYxz5bIr4unBovNhxoeikryYc3Ok8OXvHcGR-gey79Qq0w6eW1fh5ihwlvLCsdCTxPg3UfFKl2T5VpaNxRtMKpA/s400/nest-3-edit-IMG_0045.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It still took me a while to figure out what she was - a very common Song Sparrow (Pacific Northwest flavor). I didn't realize just how common until a few days later when I saw a sign posted at the Railroad Bridge Park where a group of birders take a morning walk every week. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7PCF9YVjv_DoPPoeaeHroyfJiMW88GekHhSfRffhrbmDDgcL5V7p5SIANIVTL9nPHKzDS9mkCQAHyEEdtyXeFcEHYYXy6B1iIH3RqpJWgn1IE8kZbX2xRjTUvW5f32lY0apdoevMtKE/s1600/sign-edit-IMG_0093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7PCF9YVjv_DoPPoeaeHroyfJiMW88GekHhSfRffhrbmDDgcL5V7p5SIANIVTL9nPHKzDS9mkCQAHyEEdtyXeFcEHYYXy6B1iIH3RqpJWgn1IE8kZbX2xRjTUvW5f32lY0apdoevMtKE/s400/sign-edit-IMG_0093.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Gosh, where have I been???)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">One photo I had taken that morning troubled me. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1rqYrEG7tfurn7eoYBLzdMaGNIqY9AZCDHHmG2FyHbdlGeNgkYUIQvC__yfMicUP9cci3XMzbrifWZgYzw26_CinYvW2V4DJyw9DJjeMIwkkXx7koD7RUYTgxlZMqOKlwmi6KQg22FY/s1600/nest-3-edit-IMG_0038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1rqYrEG7tfurn7eoYBLzdMaGNIqY9AZCDHHmG2FyHbdlGeNgkYUIQvC__yfMicUP9cci3XMzbrifWZgYzw26_CinYvW2V4DJyw9DJjeMIwkkXx7koD7RUYTgxlZMqOKlwmi6KQg22FY/s400/nest-3-edit-IMG_0038.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I had never seen the feathers on the back of her neck stand up like that before, or was the back of her neck bare? I wondered if it was caused by an aggressive male? or Was something in the bush chaffing her? or Was it from mites or infection? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The one good thing was that she did seem healthy and was very busy going back and forth from feeders to nest all day. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But, now I had to find out what that was all about. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Next: The Back of Her Neck)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Photos taken 07-05-2010, Canon Rebel Xsi, 250mm lens)</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-80944005264686563302010-07-21T22:44:00.000-07:002010-07-21T22:45:30.834-07:00My Song Sparrow Series - Did Mother Bird Come Back?<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After her world had been torn apart, and her home renovated and relocated, I wondered if the mother bird would return to the nest. I wondered how far along the eggs were in the incubation period and how long they might have been uncovered that afternoon. I even wondered if this was an abandoned nest? </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">All evening I watched, and about 4 1/2 hours after the nest had been discovered, I saw her (through the 250mm lens). I was so excited I could hardly keep still - but, keep still I must, or risk scaring her away and the eggs being uncovered longer. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyM4BgSzo1jdeaAcSu8FyiRqgSE-8IHVdipG8rGbLF9A6djCxbKC2WD1-ORBk8ji_ZVhrW_M_jmyiUYi1184FyP9UYDfjxzwI_4UryA0STqmJr9psRzDiZM519cqMRCz-ilHZKb-boNA/s1600/2-nest-edit-IMG_0012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyM4BgSzo1jdeaAcSu8FyiRqgSE-8IHVdipG8rGbLF9A6djCxbKC2WD1-ORBk8ji_ZVhrW_M_jmyiUYi1184FyP9UYDfjxzwI_4UryA0STqmJr9psRzDiZM519cqMRCz-ilHZKb-boNA/s400/2-nest-edit-IMG_0012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">She was very cautious as she checked out the new situation. I could see her looking over every aspect, and I think she even checked out the green wire I used to pull some of the branches together! </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It still took a while before I could tell if she was actually getting in the nest and setting on the eggs. Every 20 minutes or so, my curiosity would drag me out to the rhododendron to see if she was anywhere near. At one point, after getting used to seeing only straw and eggs, I was startled to see a little bird head in the nest. It was her, laying so flat and deep into the nest, you could hardly tell she was there! </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(In the following photo, you can see the brown tail feathers sticking straight up - looks like a branch at the far left of the nest.) </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I was so relieved and hoped that she had been there more times than not that evening, and that I just hadn't been able to spot her. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Remember, this little bird has had my attention for quite a while at the feeders, and now, after that whole evening, I had "bonded" with her. She made me smile just to think of her safe and snug in her nest, and I knew I would sleep better knowing that her eggs were covered and warm.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQeT_8LteLei_kmVwppt6j_oZI9TpToYki1H1qHnUphmDgSv-z2QR7dfn-QbhlvyeU117G2RBcq3H4jMcdVWgMAoZGKgvwlgKIznvFKPkSn2rFnnISs4Dce-gOkdH7Vjk59me8dcyBPs/s1600/2-nest-edit-IMG_0015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="332" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQeT_8LteLei_kmVwppt6j_oZI9TpToYki1H1qHnUphmDgSv-z2QR7dfn-QbhlvyeU117G2RBcq3H4jMcdVWgMAoZGKgvwlgKIznvFKPkSn2rFnnISs4Dce-gOkdH7Vjk59me8dcyBPs/s400/2-nest-edit-IMG_0015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now, you may have been able to recognize this little mother, (and maybe the title of my series gave it away?), but at this point in the story, I still wasn't sure, so I was looking forward to the next day when I would be trying to identify what species of little brown bird she actually was! </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Tomorrow - Find out what this bird is, and something unusual about her ;) </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Photos taken 07-04-2010, Canon Rebel Xsi, 250mm lens)</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-2356943947441926402010-07-20T14:45:00.000-07:002010-07-20T14:48:21.581-07:00My Song Sparrow Series - July 4th<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Vetch, vetch, and more vetch! My yard is being overtaken by this viney weed. As you can see, it is thick and it covers anything it can climb over - including the rose bush and the rhododendron in my front yard. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On July 4th, my son decided to attack the vetch, for which I was very thankful. Soon he came in to tell me that he'd found a "Robin's nest" when he had pulled the vetch off the rhododendron (which is about 5 ft. tall).</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjB0nkPOfu47SHKTah3dNmJBOBR18-gG4xvFaksXuMdFaDy2EKE8CheAEIlz8oUnvuIkrLoKgfPZ0RYhuGz3_SvhjySiRMRZNx26HlV6Wp1jVjZdUZxRU7uEbVOPLQQuz4BEM7BmgLa94/s1600/vetch-IMG_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjB0nkPOfu47SHKTah3dNmJBOBR18-gG4xvFaksXuMdFaDy2EKE8CheAEIlz8oUnvuIkrLoKgfPZ0RYhuGz3_SvhjySiRMRZNx26HlV6Wp1jVjZdUZxRU7uEbVOPLQQuz4BEM7BmgLa94/s320/vetch-IMG_0001.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyrn_d2Nt6vMZGc-_Te_rgKer6fHGX-tfIrkm0gZjMI4vCPPPAFBoTA3B4IkTMty22q1sMTJs_p77wNuRN3TvxzU45BLWihOQpJN67dA8kFTFE7Wqi9kQdYtd9Qb1Ebm-VziKSTgoFFQ/s1600/vetch-IMG_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyrn_d2Nt6vMZGc-_Te_rgKer6fHGX-tfIrkm0gZjMI4vCPPPAFBoTA3B4IkTMty22q1sMTJs_p77wNuRN3TvxzU45BLWihOQpJN67dA8kFTFE7Wqi9kQdYtd9Qb1Ebm-VziKSTgoFFQ/s400/vetch-IMG_0004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Of course, I had to go out and take a look! I wondered what bird would build a nest so close to the ground? </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There it was - with four eggs in it. I could see why he thought it was a robin's nest. The eggs were blue, but they were also spotty. My immediate concern was, "How do we save the nest?" We could find out what kind of bird's nest this was later.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHe_1gH8dDo4QJKxIcND7-1Q-wb_HxTC15QLqQUNuxsX5YUQZYisxbHzF7nM_32nLEFc1foHdQUxQUR1FNc7ND6R_vYEfsEJkM5ogxRGortMGzLODkbuI9S80CY2njwCPtwr2FKEajNUo/s1600/nest-edit-IMG_0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHe_1gH8dDo4QJKxIcND7-1Q-wb_HxTC15QLqQUNuxsX5YUQZYisxbHzF7nM_32nLEFc1foHdQUxQUR1FNc7ND6R_vYEfsEJkM5ogxRGortMGzLODkbuI9S80CY2njwCPtwr2FKEajNUo/s400/nest-edit-IMG_0007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just a few weeks before that, thanks to my bird blogging friends, I had read an article about what to do if you find a nest that has fallen from it's place. I got a plastic container, poked holes in it, put a piece of paper towel in it and went out to the nest. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The nest was bigger than I thought, so I wasn't sure if this was going to help or not, but I kept working at it. I had some green wire which I used to fix the nest to a rhodie branch very close to where it had been pulled from, and then I wired some of the branches together to form as much of a barrier against the world as I could.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiL9C690Kdl_wUVKYK7r88cafsnrfHxfLnnH1s14lve9ot_cHtYRRNYxRpKh6fa_rv42sWVIzwrpE78L5ZuCbfzPheq8LWWVZFwSGevh4W7DX2yv4ijLOCfLzSRpIOlg99oKS2W8UhPvI/s1600/nest-IMG_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiL9C690Kdl_wUVKYK7r88cafsnrfHxfLnnH1s14lve9ot_cHtYRRNYxRpKh6fa_rv42sWVIzwrpE78L5ZuCbfzPheq8LWWVZFwSGevh4W7DX2yv4ijLOCfLzSRpIOlg99oKS2W8UhPvI/s400/nest-IMG_0009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After all of this, I still wondered if the mother bird would come back, and even though I had read that birds aren't sensitive to human smell on nests or babies, I still wondered if she would sit on the nest with all the renovations I had made. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Tomorrow's post - Did the mother bird come back?)</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: xx-small;">(All photos taken with Canon Rebel Xsi - o7/04/2010 and 07/20/2010)</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-36826159287904843362010-07-19T20:29:00.000-07:002010-07-20T14:17:41.595-07:00My Song Sparrow Series<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I haven't blogged in so long! I can't list all the things that I've been occupied with, but there hardly seems to be enough hours in the day or enough energy to do all that could be done. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I haven't lost my love for birds, or photography, for that matter. I've been quite busy with both and want to post a bit of a series over the next few days about something that I've been following this summer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I've been acquainted with the <strong>House Sparrow</strong> for a long time, and met the <strong>Chipping Sparrow </strong>in my journeys this year, but this spring, I've discovered a few more sparrow species that live here. The <strong>White Crowned Sparrow</strong> and the <strong>Savannah Sparrow </strong>are plentiful in this area. Maybe I just never noticed them before, but I've enjoyed taking many photos of both species this year. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On May 12th, I posted the following photo. I wrote that I had a difficult time identifying the bird. I thought it may have been a sparrow, but was so confused, I even thought it could have been a female blackbird for a while! After quite a few more photos and reading, I learned that it is a female <strong>Song Sparrow</strong> - very common in this area, from what I hear, though I had never noticed one in my yard before. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The little bird has enchanted me from the beginning. For quite a while, she was the only one, like herself, visiting the feeders. She is almost chocolate brown on her back, speckled down the front, a gray eyebrow and her tail often sticks up making her look alert and industrious. She minds her own business; eats from the feeders or the ground, and is very regular at the feeders. For some reason, she reminds me of old fashioned times and always makes me smile when I see her fly in. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLwbrbI-mEuGn7sYqMw6NDlpUD6tMoiEeKmwMBY8tdM3-Ik3hNUa_XBDemn_4iT-ctEYZNeXE5x1B0SLeo9skj4jlASwsa6kuqlHWynn6xVP4TyLTWypaqwuNQohGY2-LhJh17GXxecw/s1600/blog+sparrow+edit-IMG_2228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLwbrbI-mEuGn7sYqMw6NDlpUD6tMoiEeKmwMBY8tdM3-Ik3hNUa_XBDemn_4iT-ctEYZNeXE5x1B0SLeo9skj4jlASwsa6kuqlHWynn6xVP4TyLTWypaqwuNQohGY2-LhJh17GXxecw/s400/blog+sparrow+edit-IMG_2228.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">(Tomorrow's post - What happened on July 3rd?</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">oops! I meant July 4th!)</div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-47383812261219071662010-06-30T15:42:00.000-07:002010-06-30T15:46:05.811-07:00House Finch Overcoming Handicap?<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I do not know how this little finch has made it thus far. He wasn't able to crack any of the sunflower seeds, that I could see. I am very sad for the difficulties that a little creature of this nature has to deal with. At the same time I am inspired. If a little bird can overcome such a major handicap, what do I have to complain about?</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Canon Rebel Xsi, 250mm lens 06-30-2010)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">~click for enlarged view~</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2FKidDGyowtdoDKJowHWMjEsi1UhKHC6Pf6oLL1j1067NSb_uIkqh9Pj2JS-ykMSGX4Axk8LMtD-ijE78UvpAqcmAy5AMvHmyjJm1Gd-nNcWxE6OQUAhdTq2wrA469_D99-vlR49AgI/s1600/beak-edit-IMG_0016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2FKidDGyowtdoDKJowHWMjEsi1UhKHC6Pf6oLL1j1067NSb_uIkqh9Pj2JS-ykMSGX4Axk8LMtD-ijE78UvpAqcmAy5AMvHmyjJm1Gd-nNcWxE6OQUAhdTq2wrA469_D99-vlR49AgI/s400/beak-edit-IMG_0016.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSnRj4WZXXfhmGJI86HFKuZ6gDGGXCokB0dQkL-QF7KHYWZgn4feyOKZ4_iIefSdxs15vTkRG8l5MuGMROx5HWfiz5C6xJk70GFG-l7f8dZPalLIsdWtxUww2gscglo6tGIlV1HU7icE/s1600/beak-edit-IMG_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSnRj4WZXXfhmGJI86HFKuZ6gDGGXCokB0dQkL-QF7KHYWZgn4feyOKZ4_iIefSdxs15vTkRG8l5MuGMROx5HWfiz5C6xJk70GFG-l7f8dZPalLIsdWtxUww2gscglo6tGIlV1HU7icE/s400/beak-edit-IMG_0009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GI-wIiA5eUybaqlUIC4oj0x1JJWC8YY14CsVvjkvkZZ_8Ka9Sj8uB1URne60xIbCICkLsjY6u7PPt8HBKJf0xizHG5sd6IQftJ5WG1Arf3rhjiHrMUF596FR4HJWiP1Xl9Tbh7gFS0w/s400/beak-edit-IMG_0031.jpg" width="400" /></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-14144889789996242972010-06-10T19:04:00.000-07:002010-06-10T19:04:26.711-07:00New Bird ;)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXOgUUcOvm62nn42M0x2nhHzoCH_x2MK7vUws7CR5pYYn3aL56O-DPx4KAbIvALQ9HbPenLNmNln35S7CYOyT5nhJ75V2c4eXHmI6slhpbVLAp3DHtt_l7TTVX1llqHqrm19V_PdQNbOo/s1600/Tanager+2+IMG+0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXOgUUcOvm62nn42M0x2nhHzoCH_x2MK7vUws7CR5pYYn3aL56O-DPx4KAbIvALQ9HbPenLNmNln35S7CYOyT5nhJ75V2c4eXHmI6slhpbVLAp3DHtt_l7TTVX1llqHqrm19V_PdQNbOo/s400/Tanager+2+IMG+0011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">No - it's not a photoshop job...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And, no - it's not a gold finch with a sunburn ;) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My daughter is convinced that there are hybrid birds,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">but, it's not a hybrid.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It is a Western Tanager - I had never seen one before - </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and, JOY</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was in my neighborhood ;) </div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-21125023317974426432010-06-09T18:23:00.000-07:002010-06-09T19:36:47.124-07:00The Savannah Sparrow<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCivjoYr7qnXGTF23I1ugxv-9TjqbEJxXL9CQSmLJcbygZe4dUQfHs21t8gcjZ1HldcrI601su7o7ThUFC10lKYh1FndGPHiNBBg7pNRcl_ySU1tqAx8zV0r7WA-tsxnPIRNqSTPb7cg/s1600/Savannah-Sparrow-IMG_0177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCivjoYr7qnXGTF23I1ugxv-9TjqbEJxXL9CQSmLJcbygZe4dUQfHs21t8gcjZ1HldcrI601su7o7ThUFC10lKYh1FndGPHiNBBg7pNRcl_ySU1tqAx8zV0r7WA-tsxnPIRNqSTPb7cg/s400/Savannah-Sparrow-IMG_0177.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnaoW9prQ5He51Eo6Ft-DolVgBplFk7RrHf80CE0_lsWWvehpFE1IylZx5ZFZT3M687txouIm8tjG4wr-pQQjHzUexupasE_uDmGHst0-ld0rX1hyFBxjiLZiA0_mF-i-lnkF6M-IFw8/s1600/Savannah-Sparrow-IMG_0183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnaoW9prQ5He51Eo6Ft-DolVgBplFk7RrHf80CE0_lsWWvehpFE1IylZx5ZFZT3M687txouIm8tjG4wr-pQQjHzUexupasE_uDmGHst0-ld0rX1hyFBxjiLZiA0_mF-i-lnkF6M-IFw8/s400/Savannah-Sparrow-IMG_0183.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh37NvGFvDB9NNfsh2CaayQ9aWHuqkY8pEzZ0jgHVJkWtwnV8GP_kBp_snGtywB9C984rGGbFUwW6Eb97pjb43k_21UxAaxah2YW81OYhnrc_kmHKFy9_MVZWKWc_JU_vx7YbR4TVlet4/s400/Savannah-Sparrow-IMG_0190.jpg" width="363" /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I had never noticed this little bird prior to my walk the other day. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">It is the Savannah Sparrow </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">and there seems to be quite a few around my neighborhood. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">They are quite friendly, </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">as I could get quite close to take their pictures. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">As I walked, </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">different ones of them would fly along the fence line - </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">sort of following me? </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">But the young sparrow in the next two photos was so cute! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">It was very curious and made all kinds of funny poses. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">As you can see, </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">it is much fluffier than the adult in the photos above.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebF6uHaJeyQiIfXyssi9jjajbgslgTkAkLYz2RPwElkGT5WlWUB1bz5gpHEp4KTiFHOMoEqPMZfMnt6rfFAPAswsT551Qi-vcXAfvL3Qp8aVJaRubMRjDtZ819IdpcuBEQ7dhVI_iNgQ/s1600/Savannah-Sparrow-IMG_0182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebF6uHaJeyQiIfXyssi9jjajbgslgTkAkLYz2RPwElkGT5WlWUB1bz5gpHEp4KTiFHOMoEqPMZfMnt6rfFAPAswsT551Qi-vcXAfvL3Qp8aVJaRubMRjDtZ819IdpcuBEQ7dhVI_iNgQ/s400/Savannah-Sparrow-IMG_0182.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9NAuQbHQs5klzh8zBJ0kTuoe4rzWHnX51JfJWqMRkliEwWuVBfO-1HEzC6oerWFc4SzRuUoi19p1PcacyExx2PsyMJc2IERP3rk-r-nUvpXwmGMLToo-D0T0GL3YsJqgA6BX2StQF-M/s1600/Savannah-Sparrow-IMG_0060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9NAuQbHQs5klzh8zBJ0kTuoe4rzWHnX51JfJWqMRkliEwWuVBfO-1HEzC6oerWFc4SzRuUoi19p1PcacyExx2PsyMJc2IERP3rk-r-nUvpXwmGMLToo-D0T0GL3YsJqgA6BX2StQF-M/s400/Savannah-Sparrow-IMG_0060.jpg" width="365" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Last winter, I was getting discouraged. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">It seemed there weren't very many different species of birds </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">right around here. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">But, this year I'm discovering there are many more kinds of birds!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Part of it is having a camera that brings the birds closer </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">so I can see the differences. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">A sparrow isn't necessarily just a sparrow ;) </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Now I can recognize about six different sparrows alone! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Next post </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I'll show you another new bird I discovered on this same day ;) </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Canon Rebel Xsi, 250mm lens, cropped - 06-05-2010)</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-5497496856219164012010-06-08T18:42:00.000-07:002010-06-08T18:44:12.009-07:00The Bee<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YD7cMcEylu226q0vtrLOjFXrTvwpKJh5J8RMJdY_hEO3j-sd5RAhflGNZpxuvTRzKa-bcVPnqEzEQvEjH_AuLdo7kQimdwnO-J_BmB0SWDeo46KcewFmkd5_NBG1BUHSXrt82zQ-Od8/s1600/edit---IMG_0101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YD7cMcEylu226q0vtrLOjFXrTvwpKJh5J8RMJdY_hEO3j-sd5RAhflGNZpxuvTRzKa-bcVPnqEzEQvEjH_AuLdo7kQimdwnO-J_BmB0SWDeo46KcewFmkd5_NBG1BUHSXrt82zQ-Od8/s400/edit---IMG_0101.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I was in the park on Thursday taking pictures of flowers and raindrops. When I was about as close as I could get to the center of a rhododendren blossom, this bee flew in and "joined me." I stayed right where I had been and began shooting him :-o (with my Canon, so, no harm done...)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDhe1LaVadnL-nSV4zqRqqv3hxAozMSHIHZyRetFczOwvBc4dau92S4_DxJlwaZAUl40nRbnRyupTBDp5L0wnYS2I9y4-OUCtJqoNgcnaUcwsuehq4yLn4sr-DGnw-PfCso0A2HnpD8w/s1600/edit---IMG_0102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDhe1LaVadnL-nSV4zqRqqv3hxAozMSHIHZyRetFczOwvBc4dau92S4_DxJlwaZAUl40nRbnRyupTBDp5L0wnYS2I9y4-OUCtJqoNgcnaUcwsuehq4yLn4sr-DGnw-PfCso0A2HnpD8w/s400/edit---IMG_0102.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">He took a lick of something - you can see his probiscus...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-t0EbkW8jwiV7jTKSf1LPkP38fRWoosTwuVce5bPQdht31s-z4Kf4yRwjn6XsOIZnYvQkXmrlsduz69pyY6E9b4-eme_kaWAQdq7Ui7uDBNptWLxLijBGmBlPecL5k8q7bkj29l1ThXM/s1600/edit---IMG_0106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-t0EbkW8jwiV7jTKSf1LPkP38fRWoosTwuVce5bPQdht31s-z4Kf4yRwjn6XsOIZnYvQkXmrlsduz69pyY6E9b4-eme_kaWAQdq7Ui7uDBNptWLxLijBGmBlPecL5k8q7bkj29l1ThXM/s400/edit---IMG_0106.jpg" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">...and then he lay back and was having a grand time! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I could almost hear him humming! ;) </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw9GC4GdW5uAyo3oJ_YFtQIK54G38sfdVwYkSlgBjCfE87WezRTGyW9yym6Lx5WuRKskpOYqTXPJgsYdD3pFC_gUXp3T4297IP6_Z6kE2x791kQ9AUs_ke0Oks3ti4md9FkcM-Rhyxcqs/s1600/edit---IMG_0108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw9GC4GdW5uAyo3oJ_YFtQIK54G38sfdVwYkSlgBjCfE87WezRTGyW9yym6Lx5WuRKskpOYqTXPJgsYdD3pFC_gUXp3T4297IP6_Z6kE2x791kQ9AUs_ke0Oks3ti4md9FkcM-Rhyxcqs/s400/edit---IMG_0108.jpg" width="365" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">He made me happy just watching him ;) </div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-69035326658101311222010-06-06T13:13:00.000-07:002010-06-06T13:13:57.316-07:00Chickadees in the Cedars<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Friday evening, after seeing the Red-breasted Grosbeak and the Spotted Towhee, my attention was taken to the cedars alongside the garage. The whispy squeek of chickadees was constant - it sounded like the cedars were full of them!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">I stood and watched for a few moments and sure enough, there was a lot of activity on the underside of the branches. It could have easily been missed, but especially because of the wind that engaged the branches in a wild evening dance. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">From my vantage point, standing on the other side of my van, I shot as much as I could, hoping to get at least a couple of shots. I have enjoyed watching chickadees foraging in tree branches - they are so fast - and so I was challenged to try and catch them in a photo.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Well, I was pleasantly surprised :) </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-C1PnibWPtZvMVrzQhJR1nHBnoedUw5YgEtNtahX0usAyyd9FHonuymNOh0qBDzOsNnKJLgE3mn3qJ7gE-A1asi7VVFBes7CurqnSiWPDqObMaeiwjFzzTuBN5r35AsYrWB1xZHYQIi0/s1600/edit-e-IMG_0037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-C1PnibWPtZvMVrzQhJR1nHBnoedUw5YgEtNtahX0usAyyd9FHonuymNOh0qBDzOsNnKJLgE3mn3qJ7gE-A1asi7VVFBes7CurqnSiWPDqObMaeiwjFzzTuBN5r35AsYrWB1xZHYQIi0/s400/edit-e-IMG_0037.jpg" width="387" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7aMOkuFI3RQ1cUANVnBGYjw3QOn8oYmC1ENfPxP_hvn5WuPrFRjHLaQeOzei1dLG5hyphenhyphenirgo00kTFSzLxIvA43p5poDdAGADVe5qw8wrKBA5CxeQqqfh6bb8jU4ck3MaY13CPIwXg9kQ/s1600/edit-e-IMG_0039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7aMOkuFI3RQ1cUANVnBGYjw3QOn8oYmC1ENfPxP_hvn5WuPrFRjHLaQeOzei1dLG5hyphenhyphenirgo00kTFSzLxIvA43p5poDdAGADVe5qw8wrKBA5CxeQqqfh6bb8jU4ck3MaY13CPIwXg9kQ/s400/edit-e-IMG_0039.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">I was absolutely thrilled to get another "parent-feeding-fledgling" photo! It's the second one this week! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjd-hzf1j-JL4TYbKKeNS_RI6tkc4RCbKhScRcFblNIefH_WemR4aG6df_V-AZ2mJF6nQPVf9JFeiIAORBAatQBM_hJRInS1EVkQGLQWxBgfCqYnlaYr8IC2bzVNj6EDHLJViVgd8_LQ/s1600/edit-e-IMG_0043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjd-hzf1j-JL4TYbKKeNS_RI6tkc4RCbKhScRcFblNIefH_WemR4aG6df_V-AZ2mJF6nQPVf9JFeiIAORBAatQBM_hJRInS1EVkQGLQWxBgfCqYnlaYr8IC2bzVNj6EDHLJViVgd8_LQ/s400/edit-e-IMG_0043.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">And then, they posed so nicely in the evening sun ;) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBcUjT2zYwFV1wMsqNyZIi5APoB7liK9NFz5BnnHwt7gcR25dRW72Q-fj7WrM8qMu2Bz_i2dKsc0MGe-Mw5GgKDCf55yww7VDXr7oq7jRzmPbkUaIDKHkcQLq_vGND96rV8ttbLcaLYo/s1600/edit-e-IMG_0044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBcUjT2zYwFV1wMsqNyZIi5APoB7liK9NFz5BnnHwt7gcR25dRW72Q-fj7WrM8qMu2Bz_i2dKsc0MGe-Mw5GgKDCf55yww7VDXr7oq7jRzmPbkUaIDKHkcQLq_vGND96rV8ttbLcaLYo/s400/edit-e-IMG_0044.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was a pretty awesome evening - </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Totally unexpected</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">but,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">thoroughly enjoyed!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Canon Rebel Xsi, 250mm lens, f 8.0, ISO 1600 - cropped and sharpened slightly</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-37373253051674144832010-06-05T19:59:00.000-07:002010-06-05T19:59:17.773-07:00Two Birds on the Same Page!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDoMcIAK489gSmBffAhmbKk_-i9A-u-RbkD7sv71hyLF0Zeluk7vdNLwtk-gD2Ctf_8FKXYyNq0f-lN-TqEVGKZ6fS8Y3CGp-2X8no8NB3CHEzLO5-o0InPDLS6p3L0tiU34Nv17nsGwA/s1600/Red-breasted-Grosbeak2-6-4-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDoMcIAK489gSmBffAhmbKk_-i9A-u-RbkD7sv71hyLF0Zeluk7vdNLwtk-gD2Ctf_8FKXYyNq0f-lN-TqEVGKZ6fS8Y3CGp-2X8no8NB3CHEzLO5-o0InPDLS6p3L0tiU34Nv17nsGwA/s400/Red-breasted-Grosbeak2-6-4-.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This photo is really poor and probably shouldn't be posted at all. When I ran to get my camera, I found the short lens was mounted on it. So, it was either change the lens and lose the shot ,or take the shot and hope to get something. Well, I got it ;) </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I didn't know what this bird was until I looked it up - female Red-breasted Grosbeak. I was so excited! <br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Later in the evening, I was out in my yard and saw another bird of which I wasn't sure. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz67xXEYLuEu-lUBMHea3TqIWwdceMkLgSJsNTMzj2MwRibZqqe8dJJxJVVVNgy89pXNolcBwX_uCQ1vCIPA2pToNj0CmEflurF9JNPX9Ibi317hSeuxTEbq1w0iJ5kZQ-2a4bgSJtUe8/s1600/edit-e-IMG_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz67xXEYLuEu-lUBMHea3TqIWwdceMkLgSJsNTMzj2MwRibZqqe8dJJxJVVVNgy89pXNolcBwX_uCQ1vCIPA2pToNj0CmEflurF9JNPX9Ibi317hSeuxTEbq1w0iJ5kZQ-2a4bgSJtUe8/s400/edit-e-IMG_0002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was a Spotted Towhee - I haven't seen one in a long time. He was sitting in the branches of the rhododendren bush - very shaded. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">But, then, he got brave and jumped out right on to the driveway in front of me! His red eyes really sparkle in the evening sun! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioqRhjvDODood3vwgQtkjtvLPcBYDKM3_i6WJkuzmWyCDjmscuOAWBiyLeYIKTUykUx-WgVFpDLU4u8gUqRWE-hcCGJoxAiOkiFVO6eYbagVAqHefTk9KoQNcHmIM-JQZNkgDmYVFy9E/s1600/edit-e-IMG_0018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioqRhjvDODood3vwgQtkjtvLPcBYDKM3_i6WJkuzmWyCDjmscuOAWBiyLeYIKTUykUx-WgVFpDLU4u8gUqRWE-hcCGJoxAiOkiFVO6eYbagVAqHefTk9KoQNcHmIM-JQZNkgDmYVFy9E/s400/edit-e-IMG_0018.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I looked in my Kaufman Field Guide, to check the identification of the Towhee, (because I get his name mixed up with the Varied Thrush), it wasn't hard to find him because, interestingly, he was on the same page as the Red-breasted Grosbeak! Funny how things happen sometimes ;) </div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-30949600197069975182010-06-04T17:03:00.000-07:002010-06-05T08:03:06.648-07:00Surprise Sparrow Shots!Yesterday, at the park, I was changing my lens after taking some close shots of a bumble bee having a grand time in a rhododedron blossom ( I will post them at a later date). I had been using the 18-55mm for raindrops and textures, but I wanted to switch to the 250mm for some long shots. <br />
Some fluttering caught my attention about 12 feet up the path.<br />
I knew it was a sparrow-type bird, but couldn't see it very clearly because it was somewhat back-lit. I aimed and took some shots, not certain that they were going to be anything to blog about. The glare on the LCD really doesn't give me an idea of what I've gotten sometimes. <br />
<div style="border: medium none; text-align: justify;">Anyway, it turned out that I was photographing a White Crowned Sparrow and that was neat because I have one that frequents my feeders. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrCyFrR1CItAu2WHw_SFJImYyN3-x7dvDdADyYonvSbXnArYc8cDC9d27oSIj6NOe6WPLK5w6fkPc9MDDTAiyNXKaqRsukCHSqwOzf5I_XkauIUGrWnDtwd6VKDtPkv-pwcFD-Poe83w/s1600/edit---IMG_0129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrCyFrR1CItAu2WHw_SFJImYyN3-x7dvDdADyYonvSbXnArYc8cDC9d27oSIj6NOe6WPLK5w6fkPc9MDDTAiyNXKaqRsukCHSqwOzf5I_XkauIUGrWnDtwd6VKDtPkv-pwcFD-Poe83w/s400/edit---IMG_0129.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border: medium none;">At the same time, I saw another fluttering on a rock close by, and I'm really into getting action shots these days, so I aimed and took some shots.<br />
C<i>lick-click-click! </i></div><div style="border: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXGF1SgcF80ZaaVNg5q_CCPXUjsYCGegvrXF5HwYj4um5pey-bI33qpyc9_t2QgZFFcAZGGnQhw7LccjJvtKQFB5a9P1-OECVZjyDQKp85IrTQjSsWo8_A68G3pLrnoFK9zXzqpcqK9w/s1600/edit2---IMG_0133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXGF1SgcF80ZaaVNg5q_CCPXUjsYCGegvrXF5HwYj4um5pey-bI33qpyc9_t2QgZFFcAZGGnQhw7LccjJvtKQFB5a9P1-OECVZjyDQKp85IrTQjSsWo8_A68G3pLrnoFK9zXzqpcqK9w/s400/edit2---IMG_0133.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It turns out that the bird on the rock was a juvenile - really young - looks wet behind the ears, I guess you could say - and I think he looks a bit disgruntled.<br />
Before I put the camera down, the first bird I had seen, joined the party on the rock! It was his mother and she had a seed for her baby! (I'm supposing he was disgruntled because he was hungry) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4cur29kh2svaXDVAikfq6cptECM9cOEhn9zIwlkCK92SOreCv5ntX7cgPC1dqES_O7hTiQlDv5SD6OKpiixH2tNjK7azAKGBWm30fSr21nXhHlMmta2VkiKdA0AeebAR8O5yK0Ll_yc/s1600/edit---IMG_0134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4cur29kh2svaXDVAikfq6cptECM9cOEhn9zIwlkCK92SOreCv5ntX7cgPC1dqES_O7hTiQlDv5SD6OKpiixH2tNjK7azAKGBWm30fSr21nXhHlMmta2VkiKdA0AeebAR8O5yK0Ll_yc/s400/edit---IMG_0134.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border: medium none; text-align: center;">I think she must be trying to get her beak back, but he's so hungry, he won't let go! ;) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQM6idt1vm-k1Z1zN7h4ipnVHtI6cWdFRsKFCtNT_tD6leEh3-soCZhgsVupuCV9vwvYgSKS4OLos5ocOTenoa4xSMOY-u8_SxINXboAANn4ROEM-Buz74KbIrTJQ4QPuqgh_2waVmKI/s1600/edit---IMG_0135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQM6idt1vm-k1Z1zN7h4ipnVHtI6cWdFRsKFCtNT_tD6leEh3-soCZhgsVupuCV9vwvYgSKS4OLos5ocOTenoa4xSMOY-u8_SxINXboAANn4ROEM-Buz74KbIrTJQ4QPuqgh_2waVmKI/s400/edit---IMG_0135.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border: medium none;">Anyway, it was a wonderful surprise to come home and find these photos on my flash card! It was pretty lucky, I guess you could say, because it certainly didn't have anything to do with my expertise intentionally setting controls on the camera! </div><div style="border: medium none;">Oh happy day! ;) </div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Canon Rebel Xsi, 250mm lens, cropped - 06-03-2010)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Click to see an enlarged view ;) </span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-75875712859543409892010-06-03T20:30:00.000-07:002010-06-03T20:30:49.453-07:00At the Park Today<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today at the park, I saw a little bird</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana;">I had never seen before. </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana;">A Bushtit - very tiny - </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana;">not easy to spot.</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIZ0jHdTAju4PYdWsx7nyeFX6-DhgxCz6YAMdUZz_I6pWO29jArPzXjt8gl6Jr0IkR9vVau-jncVRHVdl2R2yUmM8Ft67jbfw5oThsGj7JiIAi0gG_uAdL3Sdkiem2VCkeN1lSZKeI1Y/s1600/edit---IMG_0308-z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIZ0jHdTAju4PYdWsx7nyeFX6-DhgxCz6YAMdUZz_I6pWO29jArPzXjt8gl6Jr0IkR9vVau-jncVRHVdl2R2yUmM8Ft67jbfw5oThsGj7JiIAi0gG_uAdL3Sdkiem2VCkeN1lSZKeI1Y/s400/edit---IMG_0308-z.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I collected photos of raindrops :) </span></em></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqosyMxuzAZduTYjw5lwB2UpI5FE9dlJOncohyfPw5AycquCpS6hLf-r0zUqNJoh4gveUsYRkYVpK8dA2CX2m2gZaWTT1QfOuk61h6_Nrw-ivSBK1MWRUUL3zQ_RkXTpa8e_KbqsB9f30/s1600/edit---IMG_0015c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqosyMxuzAZduTYjw5lwB2UpI5FE9dlJOncohyfPw5AycquCpS6hLf-r0zUqNJoh4gveUsYRkYVpK8dA2CX2m2gZaWTT1QfOuk61h6_Nrw-ivSBK1MWRUUL3zQ_RkXTpa8e_KbqsB9f30/s400/edit---IMG_0015c.jpg" width="396" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Canon Rebel Xsi, 250mm, cropped - 06-03-2010)</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">click to enlarge ;) </span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-63529985616364742632010-06-02T20:37:00.000-07:002010-06-02T20:37:29.113-07:00Deer In My Backyard<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixU5glDm7kp_eWQ3z2XCCj-MNfmulZCvpC1EpI9njD0511v0xA3x7B779x-CI1Q0UQ0NvmCQ1kg92JCTw3lwDeWkegymXaKbiRL3Ey6ekGqSENn0tYlV_FI2kdqFpbH9BR3LUO1UP1WZE/s1600/edit-IMG_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixU5glDm7kp_eWQ3z2XCCj-MNfmulZCvpC1EpI9njD0511v0xA3x7B779x-CI1Q0UQ0NvmCQ1kg92JCTw3lwDeWkegymXaKbiRL3Ey6ekGqSENn0tYlV_FI2kdqFpbH9BR3LUO1UP1WZE/s400/edit-IMG_0001.jpg" width="347" /></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I raced out feeling like I, too, could leap like a doe. </div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I saw one pass my kitchen window - </div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">could hardly believe it! </div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">They hardly ever come to my yard. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFuit7TAfQ0rQiSZNXHl0JEcvLho1HS9ydyyZY2SN5ajDorr7WMLwZfxO3p1t9hZcZfRekN44gqM8NiUOAcQOQ6JteAPGLC80C7S5ZcPugWJFFt4ZTiy6DwUkmiAZ-FuSw5lwdyK2Pr8/s1600/edit-IMG_0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFuit7TAfQ0rQiSZNXHl0JEcvLho1HS9ydyyZY2SN5ajDorr7WMLwZfxO3p1t9hZcZfRekN44gqM8NiUOAcQOQ6JteAPGLC80C7S5ZcPugWJFFt4ZTiy6DwUkmiAZ-FuSw5lwdyK2Pr8/s320/edit-IMG_0003.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">They realized they were stuck. </div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Jump the fence in the direction of the barking dog, </div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">or </div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">try to run past the human with the "gun." </div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">(I had my 250mm lens)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXFQm-pI0yX09paSbkK7mW-T-kTrqkbypHPGileSBQU48paYtdYCg31Z3oWRQI8AydBnQKEGuwSZpqqiW4yazoMUKQVQVbEn9v84iBCcw5sMiHvVag9eTmnAkJhVnjromxLGlclHhsHU/s1600/edit-IMG_0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXFQm-pI0yX09paSbkK7mW-T-kTrqkbypHPGileSBQU48paYtdYCg31Z3oWRQI8AydBnQKEGuwSZpqqiW4yazoMUKQVQVbEn9v84iBCcw5sMiHvVag9eTmnAkJhVnjromxLGlclHhsHU/s400/edit-IMG_0007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">They chose to try to get past me! </div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There was only 1 1/2 times the width of the driveway between us.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I was amazed! </div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Even at that close proximity,</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">the grace with which they made their escape</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">was breath-taking....</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDDRslUBmos6G8HXO9LrkgI9GqA-qN6TCOlAbZgbc-ByQXmUAUPIBxgVBxM5w9e8i178-Dfg6CVZwJll3nbQeq-gpDhk8Oz6kvi4hcnBLLPH10hUhyphenhyphen44h6jXbSpYc9E0vYtL3houh8rU/s1600/edit-IMG_0012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDDRslUBmos6G8HXO9LrkgI9GqA-qN6TCOlAbZgbc-ByQXmUAUPIBxgVBxM5w9e8i178-Dfg6CVZwJll3nbQeq-gpDhk8Oz6kvi4hcnBLLPH10hUhyphenhyphen44h6jXbSpYc9E0vYtL3houh8rU/s400/edit-IMG_0012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Canon Rebel Xsi, 250mm lens, very little cropping - 06-01-2010)</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-33151792131573632392010-06-01T13:13:00.000-07:002010-06-01T13:16:18.555-07:00The End of the Rainbow<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">We've had a lot of rain -</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">last week, weekend, and looks like all this next week. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">Last evening, just before sunset, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;">the clouds, still pouring rain on us, pulled away from the horizon</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRKj54AVx4UT_WRRzfSY9I-ss4WnBwaCSFq3dyftXeSM4cu852e0oqb8n2kiTP7ThTgtsAKC9RUSnXryCsmCG-SD9I_LBJKOlXI4jhLAnLJbX3vA5eu4uX8yV8ho0cECCHYidbZq-QLA/s1600/edit-IMG_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRKj54AVx4UT_WRRzfSY9I-ss4WnBwaCSFq3dyftXeSM4cu852e0oqb8n2kiTP7ThTgtsAKC9RUSnXryCsmCG-SD9I_LBJKOlXI4jhLAnLJbX3vA5eu4uX8yV8ho0cECCHYidbZq-QLA/s400/edit-IMG_0004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;"> and </span>the most glorious rainbow stretched across the road, </div><div style="text-align: center;">practically in my backyard! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkl504cQMIu4JC3UTIx1HR4ZJ-BXqBxwXx-SO-WCAy4hWgIYZR1R38tNriAG20egaj9LHf3UteHrTdFdlSkGPMGM1n4Fxl3V9K7-0H50Aktztor7HVi5Q0EThB0W-xjh_312Iz9kJ0hk/s400/edit-IMG_0005.jpg" width="267" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnshEE5OlLwQ3l_uUbP8Gp-o-KuDFl8ckH_a1Lf_3ZcNs1lvjCUAZkjRnx2cfQl6io9DOHl918gfZCTBMcaXUemfFlPnmZgrqfNnCJZbXPcqrdbp8a2wPIRuN1NgtVwX0X-S94nLD0IAA/s1600/edit-IMG_0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnshEE5OlLwQ3l_uUbP8Gp-o-KuDFl8ckH_a1Lf_3ZcNs1lvjCUAZkjRnx2cfQl6io9DOHl918gfZCTBMcaXUemfFlPnmZgrqfNnCJZbXPcqrdbp8a2wPIRuN1NgtVwX0X-S94nLD0IAA/s400/edit-IMG_0011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Canon Rebel, Xsi, 18-55mm lens, f 8.0, ISO 1600, cropped slightly)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-36439310926666113022010-05-31T17:09:00.000-07:002010-05-31T17:10:29.322-07:00Amazing Finch!<div style="text-align: center;">I was glancing out my window and saw this valiant little finch. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Its leg is stiff - unusable. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I was amazed that it has thrived - </div><div style="text-align: center;">looks healthy </div><div style="text-align: center;">and can perch with one leg! </div><div style="text-align: center;">But, amazing still....</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVH20nUadGtsQ6N4WSboiSHTqayPg-EuHfitcr307xD9X4qKs_-y8ul0piXNwo_mShsh7xtm8WULRUn1iYZkmdxxdK9zKXiIZrT-xwgQlxLps3EzIRRe8YNyQi6YeaYIPoOJjx1uJFk8/s1600/edit-IMG_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVH20nUadGtsQ6N4WSboiSHTqayPg-EuHfitcr307xD9X4qKs_-y8ul0piXNwo_mShsh7xtm8WULRUn1iYZkmdxxdK9zKXiIZrT-xwgQlxLps3EzIRRe8YNyQi6YeaYIPoOJjx1uJFk8/s400/edit-IMG_0001.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">...is this act </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">(and I have a couple of othershots like it!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">It looks like she can fly with ONE WING! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">That's just doesn't seem possible...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSDkE17XYkxGrqE7sz8EMgAH9_SL9OGclLhyphenhyphenB_eBSQyh8vXG6H4-QtX84OxzOfLJUklvGRUEG9XLlQEwBRZ3cDtpe1x98_LmaWxGTfT0sv9QK_30V82R3txzDIE3AGIEzb6_gVqtsBas/s1600/edit-IMG_0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSDkE17XYkxGrqE7sz8EMgAH9_SL9OGclLhyphenhyphenB_eBSQyh8vXG6H4-QtX84OxzOfLJUklvGRUEG9XLlQEwBRZ3cDtpe1x98_LmaWxGTfT0sv9QK_30V82R3txzDIE3AGIEzb6_gVqtsBas/s400/edit-IMG_0006.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-34646370160717806722010-05-23T12:01:00.000-07:002010-05-23T12:01:20.418-07:00Sparrow House Activity Update<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Remember the Sparrow couple I posted on May 7th? </div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, they must have liked the house because now...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTMrHqbs1NFaM9NTCP0w0jjsfupBSKwZmiFVUHOovnUZ4PPi8eHnYb-Mj1dgmiKN1OuiNPBaCO8m8tAtB5bkyjx9cYQP3qG4pIm0BPnFvDdvMFpAEFgnga2nsN3kzSGHYkEMgzkxD4Ug/s1600/Sparrows-edit-2--IMG_1962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTMrHqbs1NFaM9NTCP0w0jjsfupBSKwZmiFVUHOovnUZ4PPi8eHnYb-Mj1dgmiKN1OuiNPBaCO8m8tAtB5bkyjx9cYQP3qG4pIm0BPnFvDdvMFpAEFgnga2nsN3kzSGHYkEMgzkxD4Ug/s400/Sparrows-edit-2--IMG_1962.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> ...this mother sparrow is back and forth</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">carrying flying insects, two at a time!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8AE3JpMmuuiV8A2PYxn15T-5H_K9EBRyjyE3rBY8Fd4e36bz7tlAsnyNEoxUug1g3ZcloVbYffGlsY0v3tcJwQbqYO_FifIJA0cM1-G6Eb-9TZIKl5CDUC1Lwg8L4vc05HeenoswlwW0/s1600/edit-IMG_2552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8AE3JpMmuuiV8A2PYxn15T-5H_K9EBRyjyE3rBY8Fd4e36bz7tlAsnyNEoxUug1g3ZcloVbYffGlsY0v3tcJwQbqYO_FifIJA0cM1-G6Eb-9TZIKl5CDUC1Lwg8L4vc05HeenoswlwW0/s400/edit-IMG_2552.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Because I was so close to the house, she was very cautious.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">First, she would fly along the hedge watching me.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Then she would land on the top of the swingset </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">and watch some more. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally, she would land on the house....</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqGI7pf7Q-ECEJxEfMRj2r7Ndqp74iW-ZRugWdQ69IQ_XnKAyVo-S18R8BDz5-kOQYRASHBUK70lfL2-PgU1sP6CxTuESyny_DrR8YO6nHtsXnfenK_9H3UeXQPw2iLL83sGPyDv70gY/s1600/edit-IMG_2517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqGI7pf7Q-ECEJxEfMRj2r7Ndqp74iW-ZRugWdQ69IQ_XnKAyVo-S18R8BDz5-kOQYRASHBUK70lfL2-PgU1sP6CxTuESyny_DrR8YO6nHtsXnfenK_9H3UeXQPw2iLL83sGPyDv70gY/s400/edit-IMG_2517.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">...pop in...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPowa7FwDy1sxpSa5YOOVd1tRABTDkAoUcVlVhqx_bhgIihS9r8rYXZzoeEJcgH03pr6hWfQqm-bz5_kl676YaVssrhaBOwfW28_TC84lH3-PAVoziAGt3bCwfEy-7w1alLyJK3STB-E/s1600/edit-IMG_2560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPowa7FwDy1sxpSa5YOOVd1tRABTDkAoUcVlVhqx_bhgIihS9r8rYXZzoeEJcgH03pr6hWfQqm-bz5_kl676YaVssrhaBOwfW28_TC84lH3-PAVoziAGt3bCwfEy-7w1alLyJK3STB-E/s320/edit-IMG_2560.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">...and pop out, again! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She did this, over and over, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">until sunset...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Amazing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Photos taken 05/22/2010 - Canon Rebel Xsi; 250mm lens, f 8,0, ISO 400 and 800)</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-90293988927095519882010-05-21T20:31:00.000-07:002010-05-21T20:31:04.354-07:00Welcome Back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05pwwjATnWem-jXyQsx0sNDyxPb3k1a2oL4HJFz62_LTFhx0tF1onVGrAXqaXm_HvsYUSSqs0w7qRR7UYzuQSodKThgRgV8lx2CDP8cYrunNZql3u6RywXwmI1gCfCHA6O31yrMWz3xw/s1600/edit-IMG_2360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05pwwjATnWem-jXyQsx0sNDyxPb3k1a2oL4HJFz62_LTFhx0tF1onVGrAXqaXm_HvsYUSSqs0w7qRR7UYzuQSodKThgRgV8lx2CDP8cYrunNZql3u6RywXwmI1gCfCHA6O31yrMWz3xw/s400/edit-IMG_2360.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">This is one of the little house finches </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">that was happy to be back at the feeders this evening. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">It seemed like he was heaving a sigh of relief when he arrived! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Poor thing!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8u202msq8_iDO7S2qcAid_vhz-FtNXy23wuoYBEPA0O3NbSyZBkg6ULfsb8r1ofsTPdUwX82a-DWCCrmz2bCF-aHnftLLYPd7JLyHTXcpd4Uvlx-b2Y5c0PhqIw0RRH7BCvh-2xQVqXU/s1600/edit-IMG_2350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8u202msq8_iDO7S2qcAid_vhz-FtNXy23wuoYBEPA0O3NbSyZBkg6ULfsb8r1ofsTPdUwX82a-DWCCrmz2bCF-aHnftLLYPd7JLyHTXcpd4Uvlx-b2Y5c0PhqIw0RRH7BCvh-2xQVqXU/s400/edit-IMG_2350.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">And this handsome guy is one of those house finches </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">that is more orange than red - </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I love the color!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">So nice to have you back, boys!</div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-30242737842624208302010-05-21T17:04:00.000-07:002010-05-21T17:06:50.176-07:00The Birds and the Wasp?<div style="text-align: justify;">A quick update on the Grackles - </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jayne suggested putting out safflower seed, so I went to Walmart and picked up a bag. I also got a new tube feeder that is a better quality than the ones I used to have; with that I bought a bag of "Songbird Seed" by Scott - mostly niger thistle and a few little tiny seeds, all of which fit through the small finch port on the tube feeder. <br />
I loaded the tube feeder; put fresh blackoil sunflower seeds in the tray feeder; filled one of the house style feeders with safflower seeds (took the other one down for now); filled the water dish and took down the suet cake. And then I waited. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">It didn't take long for the Grackles to appear. The feeders had been empty since the day before. They jumped from here to there and back again - even looked on the ground for seed. They returned about six times, aftere which I didn't see them the rest of the day. Then, they came only once this morning. I get the idea they don't like safflower seed very well? ;) </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meanwhile, the finches have come back strong, and, of course, that makes me extra happy! One pretty little female is pulling cotton like crazy for a nest that is up about 50 ft in the tree! </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Later this afternoon, when I was going to sit down and look at my camera book, I saw a wasp on the outside of my window and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try some close-up photography. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The downside is that the photos are through a double-paned window that isn't very clean :( The upside, however, is that I got some really interesting shots! </div>He was grooming himself, so in this photo he is reaching for his antenna while scratching under his leg. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nosjrM_ct-911fdfLSjLS7OrSxz_qXs_uKYgquI4r9qJ0nYsvj5T6zIVVI0TSrOZAI6ZkSr7_Ehp89F6LLmzu6PQ4B5o3h6CFLPfRpKZ8YA6upYXRjWLZyxfWVnGE7NExFmk6BxcfSo/s1600/edit-IMG_2323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nosjrM_ct-911fdfLSjLS7OrSxz_qXs_uKYgquI4r9qJ0nYsvj5T6zIVVI0TSrOZAI6ZkSr7_Ehp89F6LLmzu6PQ4B5o3h6CFLPfRpKZ8YA6upYXRjWLZyxfWVnGE7NExFmk6BxcfSo/s400/edit-IMG_2323.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Look at those pinchers! Scary equipment!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1KipJHglCLf_vsjRFfImvJXPWPPnxBEHEUfqliK_5NPcl6LAVSdCTQj69fdxtVl86EVAYz4GXDdZGFfbTz9I4HqgQjXEpoJETr79U4NHYr3WzVmIVoQTaYtgNdJo7LxTe-Rz72OiM8RY/s1600/edit-IMG_2320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1KipJHglCLf_vsjRFfImvJXPWPPnxBEHEUfqliK_5NPcl6LAVSdCTQj69fdxtVl86EVAYz4GXDdZGFfbTz9I4HqgQjXEpoJETr79U4NHYr3WzVmIVoQTaYtgNdJo7LxTe-Rz72OiM8RY/s400/edit-IMG_2320.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> When Mr. Kitty heard the beep and the shutter of the camera, he had to come investigate for himself. I wonder what they are thinking as they look at each other through a glass barrier? <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9mCG1smmpiabfC5HYu_R4aDeK4jFAQC1qET90LlFkxmu9TBEz4KulIWz3W79jE3aW-Yesfr_1civA7RR8hE2ONufDGfbgAL0pOjn-8WDWBuGixwdkQI1nMR6Y9C9_jkecu4TXPPY_j4/s1600/edit-IMG_2335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9mCG1smmpiabfC5HYu_R4aDeK4jFAQC1qET90LlFkxmu9TBEz4KulIWz3W79jE3aW-Yesfr_1civA7RR8hE2ONufDGfbgAL0pOjn-8WDWBuGixwdkQI1nMR6Y9C9_jkecu4TXPPY_j4/s400/edit-IMG_2335.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(All photos were taken with the Canon Rebel Xsi, 18-55mm lens, f 8.0, ISO 1600 - edited for cropping and sharpening - click on each photo for enlarged view - ;) </span>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-36040262066055800272010-05-19T11:03:00.000-07:002010-05-19T11:08:14.476-07:00Hummingbird Nest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dMAFTrAmxjpzOJs0tQp8tuDsaab9XVIxWiSET97GfmjEeE_AK344tVpkv9JbQed9jcRnw5LQ5WsOP9ZSjYPXGmXsMP4KPnl4SB5gA0siPDr4hGyPxpUsv-3L6w4mwA77lmP1ax1p2pk/s1600/edit-IMG_2296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dMAFTrAmxjpzOJs0tQp8tuDsaab9XVIxWiSET97GfmjEeE_AK344tVpkv9JbQed9jcRnw5LQ5WsOP9ZSjYPXGmXsMP4KPnl4SB5gA0siPDr4hGyPxpUsv-3L6w4mwA77lmP1ax1p2pk/s400/edit-IMG_2296.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My son works for landscape company and yesterday he brought home a hummingbird's nest. The owner of the property wanted his trees trimmed. When the crew went to the job a while ago, they found the nest and it was occupied. They "flagged" it, and waited until it was no more activity. Yesterday, when they checked it, there was a broken egg and a dead baby, which they removed before trimming the branch.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am truly fascinated with it. It is remarkably small and masterfully crafted. I cannot imagine a little hummingbird constructing such a sturdy piece of work, nor can I imagine how two little birds could reside in the small cavity until it was time to fly. They must be so tiny when they leave the nest! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdyC688vWSQ89ihd69_Sx2kkYXbPtrBOClVEfMHMKG0dBAY6zCsz15lj-cWCTlD4nLiZrCTYe7ZPhYKapy66Cvkl_jnnsfl5e5ojQI0M7BzTo0Zz8bLlDU1lM3Jkq9oYkcG-TuJnFYvQ/s1600/edit-IMG_2288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdyC688vWSQ89ihd69_Sx2kkYXbPtrBOClVEfMHMKG0dBAY6zCsz15lj-cWCTlD4nLiZrCTYe7ZPhYKapy66Cvkl_jnnsfl5e5ojQI0M7BzTo0Zz8bLlDU1lM3Jkq9oYkcG-TuJnFYvQ/s400/edit-IMG_2288.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Measurements: </div><div style="text-align: center;">depth along the branch - 2 in.; </div><div style="text-align: center;">circumference outside edge to outside edge - 11/2 in.; </div><div style="text-align: center;">circumference inside edge to inside edge - 1 in; </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6gRmYD7ltyoPKdQTB57lN2duDx35bA-HYpck90zh_MATRLNiq45-uIn6a8jx2AHeebZYx-G_fshGVSse6nF4h3Qzq3pf1_YR-KIF59kBj9C6hl930PFmBZZlZGMxwCVfDWwWlxIEWk4/s1600/edit-IMG_2291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6gRmYD7ltyoPKdQTB57lN2duDx35bA-HYpck90zh_MATRLNiq45-uIn6a8jx2AHeebZYx-G_fshGVSse6nF4h3Qzq3pf1_YR-KIF59kBj9C6hl930PFmBZZlZGMxwCVfDWwWlxIEWk4/s400/edit-IMG_2291.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have no idea how the nest is attached to the branch! The above photo is the back and there is nothing there that has substantial holding power. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">It seems that the main component of the nest is the light green stringy moss woven to form the cup shape. On the outside of the stringy moss is a layer of "chips" - used like shingles - I imagine to keep it dry? The inside is lined with tightly woven cotton - similar to the cotton I have at the feeder stations - finches love it for nesting.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next photo shows the bottom of the nest. Nothing can penetrate the walls of the nest - and if I were a hummingbird baby, I think I would be pretty comfortable as long as I fit!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDExgE0DsWYIknArPNKdAJbQnswVLkWZqt_bCaKECNw-806bS0d4l4erO3dirVYwbJkCF9AswFfzwrIrA9D-JXESnElTql2zGLFXlbNmkvJrMebOpzi8zZxFAOmVUg_z0Y2mBBuFyRjkg/s1600/edit-IMG_2295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDExgE0DsWYIknArPNKdAJbQnswVLkWZqt_bCaKECNw-806bS0d4l4erO3dirVYwbJkCF9AswFfzwrIrA9D-JXESnElTql2zGLFXlbNmkvJrMebOpzi8zZxFAOmVUg_z0Y2mBBuFyRjkg/s400/edit-IMG_2295.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I never tire of the wonders of the world around me. No matter how I may be feeling or what is going on in my life, the created world always intrigues me, amazes me, and speaks of the peace, joy and love of the Creator to me.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Photos taken 05/19/2010; Canon Rebel Xsi, 1.4 lens, f5.6, ISO 400) </span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-9625192076214216992010-05-17T14:17:00.000-07:002010-05-17T14:22:21.368-07:00Eurasian Collared Doves<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppO2v3d6mvArXRQpcdW6ajXRzlmHr51WGGZJTNGuXdVvkpRdNqSHjvvw4I533AgcDCragQ6eTpXw8_SNhi7vlD9JvXPcGtP1jgeHU0_kmrWQt1TuUehigV2SmnLPH3zkchLDc2DWAY1Y/s1600/edit-IMG_2260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppO2v3d6mvArXRQpcdW6ajXRzlmHr51WGGZJTNGuXdVvkpRdNqSHjvvw4I533AgcDCragQ6eTpXw8_SNhi7vlD9JvXPcGtP1jgeHU0_kmrWQt1TuUehigV2SmnLPH3zkchLDc2DWAY1Y/s640/edit-IMG_2260.jpg" width="323" wt="true" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This spring, I've seen dove-like birds a couple of miles from my house, when I've been taking my daughter to school. It is common to see pigeons here, but not doves and certainly not in my yard. I recall seeing birds of this family in my yard only twice in the 7 years I've lived in this house. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today, when I'd finished eating lunch, I looked out my window and saw two birds in the oak tree. At first glance, I thought they were Mourning Doves - regardless, they looked lovely in my tree. I got the camera and got a couple of shots from the open window and decided to try to get closer by going outside. I got a decent photo or two in spite of the rain, and then, came in to crop and identify. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was looking under "Mourning Doves," (no crescent under the eyes); "Turtle Doves," (no speckled wings), and finally, by describing the bird to a friend, found out that they were "Eurasian Collared Doves" - duh! You'd think the collar should have helped me guess ;) </div><div style="text-align: justify;">They were introduced to the United States through the Bahamas and then Florida. They quickly spread to the west coast and in northern regions of Canada. They've even been seen in Nova Scotia, where I am from! They eat grain from the ground and can be tamed enough to eat out of your hand. Some are kept as pets. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you are not familiar with the bird, and would like to read more about them, here are a couple of links.</div><a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eurasian_Collared-Dove/lifehistory">http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eurasian_Collared-Dove/lifehistory</a><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Collared_Dove">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Collared_Dove</a><br />
As I sit here, I can hear their <em>coo-COOO -coo</em> in the backyard, and I'm smiling hugely at the sound of it, even though no one is here to see it ;)Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9121549308915847745.post-23142965907461580412010-05-15T22:50:00.000-07:002010-05-15T23:12:59.126-07:00Bee Greetings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Seemed like she was on one of her first outings after the long winter. The sun was warming and waking up all living things it touched - including me! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I was out taking photos of blossoms when I heard the sound of her wings buzzing. I'm not afraid of that sound. It came closer and closer, and then, it stopped. My ears told me to look down. There she was - nibbling on my laces. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">She wasn't very fast or energetic; instead, she had a dreamy look about her. I knew she meant no harm so I spent a moment watching her - enjoying the close-up view of the bee on my shoe. ;)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Then, not wanting to pass up a photo opportunity, I took her picture, wished her well, and soon, she floated up into the air again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjON_hxyVjStk1ny1r7gBOovYNxCdfkXm4_JJCKHxIgh8ZmaLLiyi4U2xqC29NuqT0Z6TjS1UMdenGgzfuF_bYCdPycbK78btBdC_1DJPTr4bRSnz5H7K7OhSn-YqyboTCf5d5rk5b7joo/s1600/edit-IMG_1590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjON_hxyVjStk1ny1r7gBOovYNxCdfkXm4_JJCKHxIgh8ZmaLLiyi4U2xqC29NuqT0Z6TjS1UMdenGgzfuF_bYCdPycbK78btBdC_1DJPTr4bRSnz5H7K7OhSn-YqyboTCf5d5rk5b7joo/s400/edit-IMG_1590.jpg" width="357" /></a></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16085619568210006654noreply@blogger.com2