Twist and Turns is the design of this tree, plus it is a great spot for the birds to perch on high above the forest floor. The trees in the south have so many different designs to them. Amazing how the branches seem to go in all different directions.
She was framed by His words to represent His Creation
Have a Wonderful Weekend
Twist and Turns
The Tri Colored Heron, this is a new bird for me to photograph. I posted one photo of it awhile ago, but I did not know what it was until a fellow blogger saw the photo and said it is named a Tri Colored Heron. Well, I was hoping to see this bird again and I did. I thought at first it was just a young heron because it is smaller but it is so much more colorful than the Blue Heron I normally see.
The fellow blogger is; Wildlife Intrigued, you can visit his blog by clicking his channel name. He has wonderful photos of birds as well and he is doing a count on how many he can see in a year. If you are interested there is a movie about this very subject; The Big Year, it is a true story about people who love to photograph birds and doing a big year, meaning seeing how many birds they can see in one year. A movie trailer below.
The big year record of 840 species was set by John Weigel of Australia in 2019
The world big year record of 6,852 species was set in 2016 by Arjan Dwarshuis of the Netherlands.
I started counting the birds I have seen and photographed this week, I made a spread sheet and started looking them up. So far I have come up with 83 species of birds and still counting that I have photographed.
The Tri Colored Heron
Don’t Forget to Look Up, well I went for a walk to my favorite little lake here and they have a dock over the water and some benches to sit on. I walked up to the benches and sat down one early morning. I was enjoying the view in front of me and then I looked up and to my surprise, right above me stood this beautiful Egret bird, as quiet as it could be.
I slowly raised my camera up to photograph this bird high above me. Then it flew off, what a fun surprise this was. Sometimes I focus to much on what is right in front of me and I miss the beauty that surrounds me from above looking down at me.
Don’t Forget to Look Up
Precious Are We, these two lovely ducks were walking along in the park. One looks a little ruffled, maybe it is the younger of the two. I added some flowers to the photo because they just looked like they should be enjoying flowers on this beautiful Autumn day. But there was another duck not far behind them. A grumpy looking duck to say the least.
Now it could just be the dark feathers around his eye, but he looks like he is having a bad day, giving my the ole stink eye like some of the deer did last year when I photographed them. 🙂
He is unique, but I have to say his feathers are just as beautiful as the two from above.
His back feathers look like a warm throw blanket, with a beautiful design all his own.
Precious Are We
For the Love of Pelicans, who’s bills hold more then their bellies can. 😉
The two pelicans species I have photographed here in the mid west. The Great White Pelicans and the Brown Pelicans. Yesterday I talked about the difference in their size.
They do look similar with their actions and how they hold their heads. But,
The White Pelican has the largest wing span reaching 108 inches across. Their wings are beautiful and uniform which makes them glidge effortlessly above. They swim on the water and catch their fish by scooping them up in their bills.
The brown pelican is made for speed and diving. Their wings spans are shorter, their feathers on the wings are ragged and torn.
Because, they dive sometimes from as high as 60 feet. Air sacs beneath the skin on their breasts act like cushions. Also, while diving, a pelican rotates its body ever so slightly to the left. This rotation helps avoid injury to the esophagus and trachea, which are located on the right side of the bird’s neck.
This is how a Brown Pelican catches food, diving in head first. They can’t be all pretty and preened when nose diving all day for food.
Have a Great Weekend
For the Love of Pelicans
The Beautiful Brown Pelicans
I am back in my favorite place, where I can see the Brown Pelicans everyday. Those of you who have seen my blog post from way back know that I have photographed a lot of the Great White Pelicans and I photographed them in Iowa of all places. But the brown pelicans are only found down south on the ocean waters.
The biggest difference between the two types of Pelicans is the color of course and then their size. The White pelicans have a wing span of 108″ and the Brown pelicans have a 78 inch wing span. I will show the difference on tomorrow’s post.
The Beautiful Brown Pelicans
Deep Thoughts by Darren the Heron, My Heart Will Go On as I stand here alone on this beach, looking out over the water wondering where she went.
Play the video at the end and then look at the pictures again. That is what I was thinking when I first saw Darren the Heron standing alone on the beach looking out over the ocean.
Deep Thoughts by Blue Heron
Blue Heron on Vacation, one thing about the birds when you get down by the ocean is, they are not to afraid of people. So they stand right next to you which is great for photo opts. You will find them near people especially if they have a fishing pole in their hands, looking for a easy meal.
Blue Heron on Vacation
The Mississippi River, we are back along the Mississippi River. It has been awhile since we camped along the river. A bit muggy this time of year, but always something to see.
The Mississippi River
Diving Head First into a New Adventure this weekend. It is my birthday weekend, I am turning the big 60 years old. A year ago I picked where I wanted to be on my 60th birthday and these photos will give you a little hint. . But this adventure does not end with just a weekend. 60 is the new 30, we are never to old to make our dreams come true, faith and trust.
Of course a lot has happened over this past year and I never write my plans in stone. One never knows if tomorrow will come, I take one day at a time and enjoy it to the fullest.
So I am going to say; Have a wonderful weekend a little early today.
Diving Head First
Yellow Daisy’s for Fall, there are still some daisy’s growing here and there this September. Such a bright beautiful color.
Oh, and the finches are still sporting their yellow feathers.
Yellow Daisy’s for Fall
The Young Eagle This beautiful young eagle has been visiting our place lately. He is very noticeable just from his size alone. Even hidden in the shade of these trees, his silhouette is quite breathtaking when I notice him on the branch of this aspen tree.
The plumage of juvenile and immature bald eagles shows a good deal of variation. In fact, immature bald eagle plumages are among the most complicated and difficult to classify among North American birds.
Have a Great Weekend
I Was Waiting For Them this morning. Every morning about 4 groups of geese fly over head towards the east. This first photo shows the sun is just coming up as they fly over, so you can see the sun light on the front of their wings. I have not seen geese all summer but come September they do this fly over everyday, I am not sure where they are going and in the evening they fly back towards the west.
They start about 7:30 am, when the sun is just coming up and by the 3rd group that fly’s over, it gets a little brighter and the sky starts turning into a beautiful blue instead of gray.
Have a Wonderful Weekend.
Until We Meet Again – to the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds in my yard this year. I have made a note on my calendar, for the first time this year, I have not seen these beautiful little birds. I believe they started their long journey south. They have been all over my fall flowers and feeders throughout August and now they are gone.
So here are some of my best photos during 2021 of the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. Safe travels.
Until We Meet Again
What Day is It – Varietay Friday, Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Stay cool, it is warm in my neck of the woods. Enjoy the Great Outdoors if You Can. 💕
What Day is It
He Created Male and Female; He created salvation; which is heaven and earth. That which it holds is beautiful.
Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Male Ruby Throated Hummingbird
He Created Male and Female
Before Migration Begins, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds double their weight from 3 grams to over 6 grams prior to departing. They don’t stay pudgy for long, though. In northward migrations, it’s not uncommon for a hummingbird to weigh around 2.5 grams when it reaches U.S. shores!
Each year, hummingbirds embark on two migrations – one north and one south. These migratory journeys, which can span hundreds or thousands of miles, require immense preparation and a shocking amount of energy from these small birds – the smallest in the world.
In the fall hummingbirds can set out as early as late July and the last stragglers will cross the southern U.S. border by late October. It’s this amazing cycle of hummingbird migration that can also bring a sudden swarm of activity to your hummingbird feeders. If you have a well-maintained hummingbird feeder, expect plenty of new visitors as they try to boost their energy before the next stage of their journey.
I am taking lots of photographs of them right now before they leave. I look forward to seeing them again next year.
Before Migration Begins
Young Eagle Stopped By today, I have not seen many eagles this year. Only on occasion when they fly by and sometimes stop and hang out in a tree for a little bit. This one here just glided right in, he was so far away, I wasn’t sure what it was at first.
So I got the big camera lens out and that is when I realized it is a young Eagle. I never get tired of seeing them.
So I thought I would share some of my favorite Eagle photos below.
Young Eagle Stopped By
Update on the Tree Swallows, Well, I did not get any purple martins at my bird houses this year. But the pair of Tree Swallow birds are still here. I lowered the bird house last week and they have 5 eggs in their nest. So maybe there will be little ones flying around soon. The eggs have been there for quite awhile it seems like. But I have seen them coming in and out of that apartment in the house.
Now, they are called Tree Swallows, so I am assuming they should be nesting in trees, but I think they like being barn swallows and/or apartment dwellers.
Last week I had a surprise visitor at our back yard. A mother black bear and her yearling cub. I will be posting photos tomorrow and a video on You Tube, it was an amazing thing to see.
Want to Fly Like an Eagle, to the Sea, Fly Like an Eagle, Let my Spirit Carry Me
Click this link to see these hummingbirds flying in slow motion at my place. Humming Birds in Slow Motion – You will see where I photograph these birds from my porch and the camera that I use.
Time Keeps On Slippin
Slippin, Slippin
Let My Spirit Carry Me
The words are from a song by the Steve Miller Band 😉💕
Want to Fly Like an Eagle
Good Thing It is Summer or his tongue would stick to the metal. Be honest, who did that when you were younger. Had your tongue get stuck to a metal pole. I did, on the playground during recess. They dared me and I went ahead and tried it. But I barely touched it, I was only stuck for a few seconds. I never forgot it, good thing we get a little wiser as we get older.
Good Thing It is Summer
White Pelicans on the Mississippi, well I am not any where near the Mississippi River this year and I do miss seeing these beautiful birds. Luckily I have plenty of photos to look back on when I want to take a look at these magnificent birds. So I thought I would share some of my favorites today.
White Pelicans on the Mississippi
Male and Female Hummingbirds, here are two of the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. The male is the first photos here perched on my hummingbird feeder. They are so friendly, they sit so close to us when we are out on the porch enjoying the day.
And this one is the female, she does not have the bright colors on her throat area, but still is sporting some beautiful green feathers across her head and back. I so enjoy watching these little things.
Male and Female Hummingbirds
Duck Duck and Duck, I have not seen many ducks or geese this year so far. But, then again I have not gone to any lakes this past week or so. I will have to be getting out there again soon. It has been pretty quiet around my place right now with the birds. They are sitting on nest I imagine.
Duck Duck and Duck
What a Conundrum Amidst , trickery I tell you. Well, I have been watching these two birds for a couple of weeks now. Thinking they were purple martins, but because of a fellow blogger who commented on my last update about these birds, I have been tricked by these little Tree Swallows. He mentioned that they looked like Tree Swallows, so I started to investigate and by golly they are.
They fly like a purple martin and they have pointy wings like one. Their blueish, purplish sheen made me think they were purple martins. But you can see the difference below in the two birds. Now they both eat lots of bugs and are fun to watch fly. But, Purple Martins live in colonies and Tree Swallows like to be alone, just the one pair.
Purple Martin Tree Swallow
And the Tree Swallows like to have the whole house to them selves and will chase off any other birds. I noticed this week, that the female was picking up nesting material and putting it in every apartment in this house. I thought to my self, ” How nice of her to furnish the other apartments for other birds, or she was just confused which one she wanted”.
Well, I have read about how to discourage them from taking up resident here, I will be lowering the house and taking their nest out so that maybe they go find a tree to nest in. Being they are called Tree Swallows. 🙂
At the end of the day, I learned about a new bird I have never seen before and a rainbow came out in the evening as I sat on my porch watching nature in my back yard. Have a great weekend.
What a Conundrum Amidst
Nature in its Smallest Form, in the broadest sense, is the natural, physical, material world of Creation. It is often taken to mean the “natural environment” or wilderness, wild animals, rocks, forest, and in general those things that have not been substantially altered by human intervention, or which persist despite human intervention.
Nature; the Natural Beauty of life.
I don’t see rainbows very often and this one came out late in the evening after a little rain we were having, right before sunset.
Nature in its Smallest Form
Ruby Throated Hummingbirds have arrived, coming from as far south as southern Mexico and northern Panama. Since hummingbirds lead solitary lives and neither live nor migrate in flocks, an individual bird may spend the winter anywhere in this range where the habitat is favorable, but probably returns to the same location each winter.
Some will skirt the Gulf of Mexico and follow the Texas coast north, while most apparently cross the Gulf, typically leaving at dusk for a nonstop flight of up to 500 miles, which takes 18-22 hours depending on the weather.
Hummingbirds are carnivores, nectar is just the fuel to power their flycatching activity. Ruby-throats begin moving north as early as January, and by the end of February they are at the northern coast of Yucatan, gorging on insects and spiders to add a thick layer of fat in preparation for flying to the U.S.
The initial urge to migrate is by the shortening length of sunlight and has nothing to do with temperature or the availability of food; amazing that nature follows the Light. The sun, moon and stars, they have a purpose. Amazing how it all comes together as designed.
Ruby Throated Hummingbirds
The Light in Their Eyes, Oh how I love to see these birds so close. I see the reflection of the clouds in its beautiful eye. Birds have been a part of my life since I was a child, I never get tired of seeing them and now as I am older, I see their beauty even more trough the light in their eyes.
The Light in Your Eyes
I Am a Landlord Now, that is what they call you when you put up a Purple Martin House for the birds. We use to have a house for them when I was a child. My grandfather built one and we always had birds in it. So my husband put this one up for me 3 days ago and we are already getting visitors.
According to my research, having a Martin house is like being a land lord. You have to make sure no other birds try to nest in it. It has to be in the right location and the right height to attract them. In the spring this breed of bird sends out scouts to roam the landscapes looking for houses for the colony. Over the years these birds have figured out that they want their houses to be close to human houses. Because humans keep predators away, like racoons, cats, larger birds.
Usually two will come by and check out the house and the location. So yesterday our first two came by for a visit and today they came back for a second look around. One sat up on top surveying the landscape.
The other one was peaking inside the apartments to see if they were up to par. They are particular about their housing units. They like a 6x6x12 room, ours are 6x6x6. We will see if they want to rent the apartments or not, it is free rent for them. 🙂
They are such a pretty bird and they eat lots of bugs. We will set up a second house once they start living here. In the fall one has to take the house down and clean it and have it ready for them again next year.
The Common Grackle, doesn’t appear to be so common. They are like a beauty in disguise. Most days they look like your average black bird. As if they were created to make one stop and really look at this bird, to not just take them for granted. Wait for the sun to come out, when the Light shines on this plain bird, amazing things will happen before your very eyes. It is like seeing a rainbow for a few seconds and then it is gone.
Have a Wonderful Weekend
