28-OCT-2017
Bumpy Take Off!
Cormorants are quite fast taking off from a body of water. This one went from the water in the spot on the left through two splashes to airborne, something like skipping a rock across the surface of the water. It was fascinating to watch, and interesting to see how quickly they are in the air from sitting in the water. I love to capture such images.
29-OCT-2017
The Beguiling Bewick's Wren
The Bewick's Wren is a pretty little bird, active and often breaking into song. Unfortunately, Bewick's Wren populations has declined dramatically. The North American Breeding Bird Survey estimated that it has dropped by about 39% between 1966 and 2015. It has just about disappeared east of the Mississippi River, and appears to be declining in the West too. That is a shame because I love to see and photograph them.
According to 'All About Birds' - "The House Wren is a likely culprit. Drawn to the same nesting sites as Bewick’s, this widespread wren doesn’t hesitate to appropriate the other birds’ real estate, ejecting eggs and destroying nests..... Bewick’s Wren populations may also be falling prey to agricultural pesticide use, and to competition with the European Starling, House Sparrow, Carolina Wren, and Song Sparrow." (
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bewicks_Wren/lifehistory
31-OCT-2017
Keeping the Local Residents fed during the winter.
After an annual checkup on the growth in my eye, Carol and I spent the night with my sister, Marian, and her husband, Ken. They have two hummingbird feeders that are daily visited by several hummingbirds. I had to shoot through the screen covered window to get any photos at all of them. This is one I got.
I learned something interesting from my brother-in-law. He told me that if one feeds the hummingbirds through the summer and fall, it is important to continue feeding them during the winter. Sometimes hummingbirds will not migrate if they have a ready supply of nourishment at one's feeder. If they aren't also fed in the winter, they could die. It can get cold in the Portland area, so it is important that the liquid is kept thawed out. So my brother-in-law has two feeders out and brings one inside to thaw when he takes a fresh one out. That is really showing kindness to strangers! :)
01-NOV-2017
The Country Life!
Since moving out to the country, after over 50 years in town, we have come to enjoy the country life! It is beautiful out here and common to see an unobstructed scene like this one.
Interestingly, I was sitting in the parking lot of a veterinary clinic and across the street from BiMart when I shot this picture. But it is easy to go just a little ways to be completely away from areas like that. We have two small towns close by, where we can find the necessities of life, and we are only 8-10 miles from Eugene/Springfield. So our home in the country has many advantages over the place in town we had. It is so peaceful and quiet out here! And you can see the stars in the heavens! What a joy! :)
02-NOV-2017
Some Fall Color
We are well into 'fall', very fitting name because of all the leaves falling. The colors are beautiful, though as Steve said, colors may perhaps be a bit duller this year. But there is still lots of color to enjoy.
03-NOV-2017
NOT a Good Camouflage!
Pheasants have such distinctive coloring and feather design. I am pleased to spot them when I can. This one was trying to stay hidden in the grass, but I still got a shot of it.
04-NOV-2017
Oh Deer, Youngsters Are Always Hungry!
These two young blacktail deer were feeding alongside the road. I gently rolled closer and shot pictures from the car. They are ever on the alert. But they were not unsupervised, their mother was not far away.
05-NOV-2017
Marian's Horses
Carol and I loved the busts of horses my sister has in her home. They sit on top of a china cabinet. I thought I would try my hand at photographing them. I think they are beautiful.
06-NOV-2017
Living on the Edge
Cormorants are great fishers. I watched this one as it caught a fish and seemed to almost lose it before getting a good hold on it. Couldn't help feeling at this moment that the poor fish was living on the edge, and didn't make it. I have often seen cormorants dive for fish and come up with a catch, then throw the fish into the air and swallow it as it came down. I concluded that cormorants can't turn a fish with their beaks in order to swallow it, like the herons do. So they toss it into the air. The fish always come down head first, the heaviest end, and the cormorant is master at catching and swallowing. It is an interesting process to watch.
07-NOV-2017
Northern Shrike
I was excited about the little white bird I captured today in the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area. I felt it wasn't a type I had captured before but wasn't sure. So I did a lot of checking in my several bird books at home and references online to find something with similar coloring and type of beak. What I found was that the Loggerhead Shrike closely resembled the bird. I found one that looked like it -
So I am sticking with this ID, unless someone can prove to me otherwise. :)
Ah shucks. Just heard from my Audubon Society friend and he recommends “Northern Shrike”, which are more common here in Oregon. Here is a photo of one that looks just like the bird I saw -
Press here for Link
Just goes to show you who the experts are. LOL Still it was the first one I have seen, that I can recall. So it was exciting to get a nice photo of one. I am changing the ID. Didn’t take long, did it?
08-NOV-2017
Delta Ponds on a very rainy day
Delta Ponds from the north end looking south toward Spencer Butte. The varied views one can see from different vantage points in Delta Ponds are appealing to me, a wonderful park and wildlife area, surrounded by the city of Eugene. The award given to Eugene Parks and Open Spaces by the State of Oregon for this was most deserving, considering they started out with some gravel pits and built it into this!
09-NOV-2017
Power On The Pole
I sure wouldn't want to sit myself there with so many wires and the energy they may contain, but this hawk doesn't seem to care. It was sitting on a power pole not far from the road. I think it is either a Red-shouldered or Red-tailed Hawk. It is true, there is power up there on the pole, but this danger is in the beak and claws of this predator! Small prey be wary! Even so, I thought the pose looked regal.