17-SEP-2018
Cormorant Flying Low
I was pleased to capture this low flying cormorant in the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area before I fell. I was using the Back Button AF which I find enables more success than shutter button half press. The cormorant, perhaps this is a Double-crested Cormorant, has a lot more pretty detail to see when viewed up close.
19-SEP-2018
Tree Swallow With Mouthful
I love those beautiful, fast tree swallows and try to capture some whenever I see them. Fortunately, this one with a mouthful of lunch landed on a wire long enough for me to get a shot of it.
21-AUG-2018
Black-necked Stilt at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area
The Black-necked Stilt doesn't seem to appear at Fern Ridge Lake very often. Those I saw recently are the only ones I have ever seen. They are amazing and it is clearly evident why they are called 'stilts' when one sees those amazingly long legs. I find them fascinating!
22-SEP-2018
Red-tailed Hawk Near Home
This Red-tailed Hawk hung around our Area for some time this year. Maybe it found the food supply abundant. There are lots of small birds and animals in the field, as well as chickens and other barnyard creatures on the farms. Earlier in the year, I used my 150-600 Sigma C that had the reach to draw the bird in as it sat in the top of a tree scanning the surroundings.
26-SEP-2018
Some Old Snags in the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area
Every time I go past these old snags out in the wetlands of the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area they catch my eye. They stand there defiantly when by all rights they should have fallen. I want to stop sometime and explore the view so I can get a more striking composition of them. That may be a while as I continue my rehab from the broken left hip.
30-SEP-2018
Hiding in the Grass
I loved this sight when I saw the deer hiding in the grass. It probably thought I couldn't see it, anyway it seemed so. One just can't miss those ears! It is a young Blacktail Deer.
02-OCT-2018
Put Up Your Dukes!
I always get a kick out of the antics of squirrels! They seem so cheeky! I like this British definition of the word: "impudent or irreverent, typically in an endearing or amusing way, "a cheeky grin."" They seem unusually brave or foolish, whichever it may be. They don't appear to back down easily. I remember them being quite close and protesting loudly that I was invading their territory. :)
06-OCT-2018
Old Is Nice!
I like that thought! :) This old sedan is older than I am but not by much. And it looks so good! Right now, I have to say it is in better shape than I am. It can run! And it dresses up so nice!
07-OCT-2018
Carol in a Jaguar convertible hardtop, 1960
This is a photo of Carol taken probably sometime back in 1960. She was in a friend's Jaguar. It was owned by the father of a close buddy of mine. The photo was taken, likely by my old buddy, before Carol and I started dating, which was in September of 1960. She was a doll then and still is! And the Jag was great! What a thrill it would be to own it now!
10-OCT-2018
Bon Voyage, Peabody!
I guess Peabody, the peacock that suddenly appeared here a year ago, has decided to move on. Where he came from or where he went we don't know. We only know how much we enjoyed his beauty while he was here. He spent the year trying to impress the chickens with his magnificent display, but they were unimpressed. So, perhaps he moved on to look for a sweet peahen somewhere else. Bon voyage, Peabody! I got a number of great photos of you while you were here!
On the negative side, Angie and I both got vehicles that are a pretty deep blue color. For some reason, the cars drew Peabody's attention and he would attack his reflection in the paint job. This was not a good thing for the paint, and as a result both vehicles now have scratches in the side door. But hey, neither Angie nor I had anything to do with Peabody's disappearance and there is no sign of 'fowl play'. He simply moved on to greener pastures, as he had done when he came here.
12-OCT-2018
Happy Landing!
I enjoy very much capturing birds in flight, and caught this Great White Egret just before it landed in Kirk Pond. They are so graceful in flight, not looking near so elegant on the ground. :) But all birds are so fascinating with their inborn skills for flying. No one has to teach them how to fly, like we humans must learn. And then our flying machines are not near so elegant in design nor so unerringly in flight, even on journeys of thousands of miles. The only conclusion we must come to then is that flying is for the birds, and they must be smarter than we are. If so, where did they get the wisdom? Love and wisdom can't be explained by humans' modern theories.
14-OCT-2018
Heading For Cover!
When I saw this Great Blue Heron, it had already seen me first! I was walking in the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area a short time ago when I was surprised by this heron as it fled from a close by pond to head for cover. I thought it looked good with the colorful background.
The long telephoto lens at short range made for very limited DOF. But I liked the effect.