03-Dec-2019
Peacock Feather on the Wall
Just playing around with this subject, one I have been wanting to get a picture of. This is the result. It's a feather that our friend, Peabody, left behind. Carol saved it. I think the vase is a momento someone gave Carol over 50 years ago.
02-Dec-2019
What Swims Like A Duck But is Not a Duck?
Contrary to the saying that what acts like a duck must be a duck, here is one bird that swims like a duck, but is no duck! It's the American Coot, a somewhat strange looking creature with quite unusual legs and feet.
About the Coot, the site "All About Birds" says this: "Although it swims like a duck, the American Coot does not have webbed feet like a duck. Instead, each one of the coot’s long toes has broad lobes of skin that help it kick through the water. The broad lobes fold back each time the bird lifts its foot, so it doesn’t impede walking on dry land, though it supports the bird’s weight on mucky ground." See:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Coot/overview
14-Jul-2019
DON'T YOU DARE!
For Nov. 29 - The weather is changing and it's getting cold out. Fall will soon be over. We enjoyed having deer in our yard often this summer and fall. They are such beautiful creatures. The only time they weren't welcomed by Carol was when they ate her flowers. I captured this tempting situation for her.
25-Feb-2019
Just Nine Months Ago!
This was our yard only nine months ago, in February. The snow in our yard got up to 18 inches. Now the surrounding hills are again covered with snow. The Coburg Hills just north of Eugene/Springfield are white. No snow on the valley floor, yet anyway. The temperature tonight will get down to 26 deg, and winter is still a month away, after a break of nine months. Still it is mild here compared with what is happening elsewhere. It just takes us longer to get used to winter.
24-Nov-2019
A Path Through the Park
Lots of leaves on the ground this year. In the city parks, they have a crew that keeps them tidy. A few colorful leaves remain, but many trees look pretty bare. I remember thinking that we wouldn't have much color this year, but I was expecting them too early. It turned out nice after all.
22-Nov-2019
Just Had to Post One More Cormorant Picture!
I just couldn't resist posting another cormorant image. There are a number of them visiting Delta Ponds right now. I had a doctor appointment and needed to pick up an RX in town so dropped by for more photographs. I liked very much the light, colors and detail in this image. Hope you like it too. As you can see, all kinds of wildlife fascinate me!
21-NOV-2019
Double Crested Cormorant
As near as I can tell, this is a double crested cormorant and it posed so nicely for me. I was able to photograph it on a recent visit to Delta Ponds. If you can imagine, Delta Ponds, which lies completely in the city limits of Eugene, is a treasure for local residents. One can see a variety of bird life throughout the year. Some appear for a time during their migrations and others stay year round. The cormorants are among those who stay a while and then move on. I love capturing them in beautiful poses.
18-Nov-2019
BACK AT HIS PERCH!
This is the third year I have seen a Red-shouldered Hawk sitting on a wire along a road a mile or two from home. I always look for it as I go to the store for meds or food. It appears that the hawks winter in this area, because I start to see them again in late fall and winter, even into spring. But I don't see many during the summer. I am glad this one or a relative returns to the same area yearly. It gives me something to look for. Anytime I get a nice photo of it posing for me (well, not really), I am happy.
15-Nov-2019
Rose Hips
A study of nature is so educational. The more we learn, the more there is to learn! Take, for example, rose hips. I never knew much about them until I first photographed them a number of years ago, but have learned what they are and that they are beneficial to humans. No doubt, many drink rose hip tea. Also, rose hips are rich in vitamin C and valuable to ward off colds, etc. We see rose hips appear in nature areas and some parks here in late summer and in the fall where wild roses had bloomed.
This is what Wikipedia says about rose hips: "The rose hip or rosehip, also called rose haw and rose hep, is the accessory fruit of the rose plant. It is typically red to orange, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips begin to form after successful pollination of flowers in spring or early summer, and ripen in late summer through autumn."
I have found photography to be such an educational experience.
12-Nov-2019
Nature's Autumn Decoration
We continue to see beautiful fall colors, even as leaves fall. It's a beautiful time of the year. Rain is predicted for later in the week, and if the rain is more than a drizzle it will bring down more of the leaves. A few trees are already looking bare. Strange that trees get bare when it is cold. Brrr!
10-Nov-2019
Female Scaub Diving!
I have always wanted to capture a pied-billed grebe as it started its dive, and I finally did it! Well, I thought it was a grebe. But a friend called my attention to features that more resemble a scaub, and she is correct. Scaubs dive much like a grebe and are very fast also. I didn't think I was fast enough any more, but thanks to the help of my little Nikon V2 I can say 'mission accomplished.' I caught the scaub at Delta Ponds along with images of other wildlife. It was a good day!
09-Nov-2019
Wet and Wild
I just couldn't resist posting another photo of the River Otter! It was such an interesting and lively character, roaming along the bank of the pond hunting for fish dinner. I think it is a fascinating creature! Here it is glistening with wet fur having come out of the water. It surely has big sharp fangs for tearing its food apart. The otter is not particularly dangerous, but is a wild animal and can be aggressive when necessary.
The official name is North American River Otter. It is not a real small animal, and has a long body and long tail. Check out the National Geographic website for information, such as this:
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 8 to 9 years
SIZE: Head and body: 21.75 to 31.5 inches; tail: 11.75 to 19.75 inches
WEIGHT: 11 to 30 pounds
They can hold their breath underwater for some eight minutes.