24-JUN-2018
Great Egret at Kirk Pond
Kirk Pond really has a wetlands feel to it. I guess the birds think so too, as one will see egrets, herons, cormorants, sometimes eagles, often ducks and geese, plus several varieties of small birds. It is not a really large park, but a good place for a walk. I think this Great Egret adds a nice touch to the ponds.
25-JUN-2018
American Wigeon
I always enjoy seeing the American Wigeon. It's a pretty bird. This one is a breeding male with a gray head and beautiful green stripe behind the eye. The top of the head is white. The body is cinnamon and it has white patches on the sides of the rump.
26-JUN-2018
Immature Bald Eagle Pair
I saw this juvenile Bald Eagle pair in Fern Ridge Wildlife Area. I was surprised to learn that they don't attain adult plumage till they reach five years. (See link to All About Birds below.)
"Cool Fact" from 'All About Birds':
"Immature Bald Eagles spend the first four years of their lives in nomadic exploration of vast territories and can fly hundreds of miles per day. Some young birds from Florida have wandered north as far as Michigan, and birds from California have reached Alaska."
"Adult Bald Eagles have white heads and tails with dark brown bodies and wings. Their legs and bills are bright yellow. Immature birds have mostly dark heads and tails; their brown wings and bodies are mottled with white in varying amounts. Young birds attain adult plumage in about five years." -
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/overview
27-JUN-2018
We Had Company Today!
We had a visitor to the little orchard in our yard (three apple trees). Carol and I sat on the porch and watched for about twenty minutes as the young female blacktail ate small apples that have fallen from the trees. It was great fun. She was very wary and looked up anytime she heard a noise, including the click of the shutter on my camera. I got some nice shots from the porch, but this is my favorite. I got this shot when I sneaked out the back door and took the picture from around the corner. We welcome visits from this pretty youngster anytime. :)
28-JUN-2018
Don't Bug Me!
Our daughter has some huge daisies in her yard, at least I think they are daisies. Anyway, I saw a bug (not sure what kind) on a petal in the right light and couldn't resist a photo. Hope you enjoy it!
29-JUN-2018
Flying Low! But Who? Greater Yellowlegs and Female Mallard
This pair of flyers were flying low among the reeds in the wildlife area. I believe the lower bird is a female Mallard, but I don't know what the bird above is. I think it is a shorebird of some type, but couldn't match it to any photos I found in my bird book or online. Don't confuse the yellow legs for a beak, which is black. The bird is going the same direction as the duck. If anyone can help with the identification, it would be greatly appreciated.
Some friends online told me the bird I needed indentified is a Yellowlegs. My local Audubon contact and his friends ID'ed the bird as a Greater Yellowlegs. Good enough for me! :) It definitely has yellow legs!
02-JUL-2018
First Anniversary - Kayla and Nick
Our granddaughter and her hubby, Nick, enjoyed their first anniversary on July 2nd. They wanted me to do a photo shoot with them that day, so we went to beautiful Owens Rose Garden where I shot a number of pictures. There were quite a few that we liked and it was difficult to pick one to post, so I picked this fun shot I really enjoyed doing. Here you see a 1 year marriage in front of a 130 year old tree! May their marriage flourish, be well rooted and last like this tree!
06-JUL-2018
Portrait of Kayle and Nick
This is another image from the photo shoot I did for our granddaughter and hubby. This is one of my favorites of the shoot. As Carol says, youth is beautiful.
08-JUL-2018
Stalking Its Prey!
Lest you forget about my fondness for the Great Blue Heron I thought I would post this photo shot in one of my favorite haunts, Delta Ponds. The heron is intent on stalking the fish there. It had just caught one when I walked up to the spot. I waited a little while but it didn't get one. I am sure that when I walked away it probably speared a nice one! Oh well, maybe next time.
09-JUL-2018
Black-necked Stilt in High-key Setting
I got another shot of a black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus). It is such an interesting bird! I loved the high-key setting at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area. Seeing this bird was a real treat for me! It is a striking bird, with black-and-white color and long, thin red legs. It is found along the edges of shallow water in open areas like found in the wildlife area.
10-JUL-2018
A Young Buck Who Thinks He owns the Road!
On a walk along our country road, I saw two deer running across a field. I wasn't able to get a photo. Disappointed, I took a picture of a deer statue in a front yard nearby. Then as I walked a little farther, two young bucks crossed the road ahead of me. I got two shots and both were good. I liked this one of the second deer as it started across the road. Good thing I had my camera along! :)
11-JUL-2018
Take That, Spiderman!
Tree Frogs are the cutest little things, so tiny! When I let Miko out the backdoor, I noticed this little one on our doorframe. Naturally I had to run and get my camera for a shot or two. The frog was in a position that made a great shot difficult, so I did my best.
As mentioned, the frog has the unique ability to climb straight up a wall and stay there securely. Such wisdom we see in nature! According to a video on YouTube, "The Red-Eyed Tree Frog has survived for millions of years because of its colourful adaptations, and it may still be evolving. But how?" That is the question for sure! I see just too much evidence of wisdom and design in all facets of nature and the universe for it to all happen by chance. And to credit the creature with the smarts to know what they need, and then change their design to invent something brand new that we can only imitate, is more than I personally can accept. Yes, wild creatures do have the ability to adapt to circumstances, just as we humans do, but not to design or create. However, I know we all agree that this ability of the frog is amazing.