Just a Couple of Birds
Wings just touching the water as this heron skims across the water. This is one of my favorite type of shots with birds flying.
The laughing gulls have arrived. A fitting scene with the boat in the background I thought.
Just a Couple of Birds
The Only Birds that I photographed in this area, geese, swans and one gull. I am hoping to see more birds soon as we travel. Have a great weekend.
The Only Birds
Resting its Foot, at first I thought there was something wrong with its webbed foot. But they can actually get their feet way up there on their backs, because I saw it drop the foot after awhile.
Resting its Foot
This Week the Swan, we are in Grand Haven Michigan, and by far this is the most swans I have ever seen in one area.
I will share a few of my favorite photos that I took of them this week. Such a beautiful bird.
This Week the Swan
Tahquamenon Falls – another waterfall I always wanted to see. Beautiful area, I bet the fall colors are spectacular now. We were there a few weeks ago.
The state parks are sure nice these days. They make wonderful trail systems to get to all the hot spots. Makes for easy hikes for all ages.
Falls below or click here; Tahquamenon Falls
Tahquamenon Falls
Chic Chic Chickadee, so many different poses. Taking a photo of these little birds perched on a branch is easy, and lots of different looks. But trying to get them flying is more of a challenge. Fast little birds.
But oh so cute
Chic Chic Chickadee
Sandra J’s Adventures Outdoors
Real Christianity the Great Awakening
By RJ Dawson
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“Capturing the world, one breathtaking moment at a time.”
Finally Made it to a Waterfall – sometimes summer’s can be busy. We always try to take a couple of days to go for a walk at some waterfalls in our area.
Finally Made it to a Waterfall
Overlooking Its Domain – I am just getting to my eagle photos that I took a couple of months ago. I never get tired of seeing these amazing birds.
This one has one eaglet in the nest behind it. Amazing when you can find a nest and just sit back and enjoy watching them.
Have a great start to your week.
Overlooking Its Domain
Sandra J’s Adventures Outdoors
Real Christianity the Great Awakening
By RJ Dawson
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“Capturing the world, one breathtaking moment at a time.”
Northern Flicker, I was sitting on the porch watching this beautiful bird as it is looking for food. I have a pair of these that nest near the cabin every summer.
They love going in the soft dirt of the garden as they hunt for food. I don’t seem to have that many birds this year. But I can always count on seeing a couple of these.
When the Raven Flees
This morning, I watched a raven—a mighty bird in size and strength—being chased off by a much smaller blackbird. The raven didn’t fight back. It simply flew away, retreating from the smaller bird’s fierce determination to protect its territory. I captured the moment with my lens, but it lingered far longer in my heart.
It’s a scene I’ve watched many times in nature, but this time it stirred something deeper. I couldn’t help but think about what’s happening in the world—the constant unrest, the senseless killing in countries across the globe, the headlines filled with pain and violence. It’s relentless. And it’s easy to feel helpless, or worse, numb.
That raven reminded me of how even the strong must sometimes retreat. That courage isn’t always about fighting back—it’s about knowing when to move, when to rise above, and when to find refuge.
In the chaos, I find myself returning to one safe place: my faith in our Creator. The world may roar around us, but there is peace in His presence. There is order, purpose, and rest. It’s not always found in the news or the noise, but in the quiet of morning light, in the beating wings of birds, and in the whisper that reminds me I am held.
Maybe today, instead of trying to make sense of the madness, we simply lift our eyes. We look for beauty. We choose compassion. We stand firm in truth, but we also know when to fly—not in fear, but in wisdom. Just like that raven.
Have a wonderful weekend.
From my heart to yours,
Sandra J’s Photography
Sandra J’s Adventures Outdoors
Real Christianity the Great Awakening
By RJ Dawson
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“Capturing the world, one breathtaking moment at a time.”
The Ruby’s Are Back – every year I wait in anticipation to see the first Ruby Throat hummingbird arrive here at home.
They are not very afraid of us here and they allow me to get pretty close to take their photos. Always a challenge but so worth the effort.
The Ruby’s Are Back
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Wildlife in my Backyard – the sandhill cranes are back. I would love to get a photo of them flying.
They have a pretty impressive wingspan like the blue herons do.
The white tailed deer still look pretty scruffy. Losing the winter coats. Walking amongst the dandelions. They could eat some of those dandelions, I sure would not mind.
Wildlife in my Backyard
Sandra J’s Adventures Outdoors
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By RJ Dawson
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Colorful Ibis Birds – Creation at its best.
Colorful Ibis Birds
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Juvenile Ibis Bird – I find these birds to be pretty special as well as the Spoon Bills. One only sees them in the south. Such a unique design.
This one below is one of my favorite shots.
Juvenile Ibis Bird
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Pelican Close Up – this gorgeous bird just happened to be perched on a railing near some fisherman of course. Lots of folks were taking his photo as did I. When one has a chance to get this close to a wild bird, it is an amazing experience.
Pelican Close Up
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The Osprey in Flight
Another fun bird to photograph, especially when they are flying. They can hover for a long time as they look around in the water for a fish to snag.
This shot below show the orange hue color of their eyes. Which I have never noticed before.
The Osprey in Flight
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Portrait of a Rooster
Portrait of a Rooster
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Kestrel – American Kestrels occupy habitats ranging from deserts and grasslands to alpine meadows. You’re most likely to see them perching on telephone wires along roadsides, in open country with short vegetation and few trees.
My first sighting of one of these colorful birds.
My shutter speed on the camera wasn’t nearly fast enough to stop motion of this quick bird.
Have a great weekend.
Kestrel
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Birds in the Nature Preserve – Just a few of the birds I saw while driving around the nature preserve. A lot of the usual ones like the herons and a few ducks now and than. We are a little late for migration time so there were not as many birds as earlier in the year I am sure.
Most of them were quite far away from where we were standing. I found this photo below interesting as the alligator swam past the Anhinga bird perched on the dead tree.
We did find at one end of the lake a lot of bird feathers. The alligators do eat birds.
Looks like this bird blind got hit by a storm and ripped the roof right off of it. Closed for the season.
Birds in the Nature Preserve
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I finally spotted two new bird species and one I’ve been hoping to see for years at the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge!
Whenever I’m traveling, I always pull up Google Maps to check for nearby wildlife areas. In the Southeast, especially along the coast, there are tons of them, thanks to the vast marshlands.
Lately, I’ve been discovering more wildlife refuge areas that let you drive through the landscape. These parks have roads winding through the marshes, giving you deeper access to the area and better chances of spotting wildlife.
Savannah National Wildlife Refuge is one of those special places!
We didn’t spot many bird species as we drove through the area, but I did add two new ones to my list.
My first exciting sighting was a wood stork. They were distant, but I still got a good look with my binoculars.
Then, as we walked down a narrow trail alongside a waterway, a hint of pink caught my eye. Sure enough, there they were!
The spoon bill bird. I finally got to see them. A pink bird. Quite amazing. So different from all the other birds. We are in South Carolina where I finally got to see these. I thought I would have to go to Florida to see them.
Savannah National Wildlife Refuge
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My Second Favorite Bird – The Great Blue Heron photographed in South Carolina at a National Wildlife Refuge
My Second Favorite Bird Have a great week ahead
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Birds – Starting to see some birds other than the blue jays from home.
First the Double Crested Cormorant known for those striking blue eyes. One of these days I would like to get a close up photo of this birds eye. So unique.
The Little Killdeer bird. Always fun to see in the spring time.
But very fast birds, it was very hard to get a shot of this one flying.
This photo below was from last spring, just cute as is. Two goslings.
Birds
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Life often teaches us in the most unexpected ways, and sometimes, it takes the simplest moments to reveal profound truths. Recently, I experienced a beautiful metaphor for resilience and grace. I want to share this lesson from a little seed I planted and then forgot.
A few months ago, I planted a few sunflower seeds. I nurtured it for a while, watering and tending to it with hope and excitement. But as time went on, I grew disheartened. The seed showed no signs of life, and eventually, my attention waned. I stopped watering it, convinced that it had failed. I gave up on it completely.
Imagine my surprise when I returned to the garden weeks later. There, midst the weeds and the remnants of my neglect, stood a stunning flower, vibrant and full of life. The colors were brilliant, and its presence was nothing short of miraculous. How could something I had abandoned flourish in my absence?
In that moment, I couldn’t help but reflect on how similar this is to our own lives and faith journeys. We often plant seeds of hope, love, and dreams. However, we sometimes see them wither due to doubt. Despair or the daily grind can also cause them to wither.
We find ourselves overwhelmed, wondering if anything we’ve nurtured will ever bloom. Just like my neglected seed, we feel like our efforts have gone unnoticed, forgotten in the chaos of life.
This experience with the flower taught me a powerful truth. Even when we give up, God is still at work. There are times we feel our prayers are unanswered. We believe our efforts are fruitless. But, like that seed, growth often occurs beneath the surface. It remains unseen and unfelt.
God’s timing is perfect, and His plans are often beyond our comprehension. My flower emerged when I least expected it. Similarly, we find that our moments of struggle and doubt can lead to unexpected beauty. Sometimes, what seems like an end is merely a pause, allowing God to work in ways we can’t imagine.
Autumn Sunflowers
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Graceful Pelican Landing A Mesmerizing Display of Nature’s Precision
Witnessing a white pelican land on water is a mesmerizing spectacle of nature’s artistry and precision. As the pelican descends, its majestic wings spread wide, creating a grand, sweeping arc against the sky. The powerful beats of its wings gradually soften, guiding the bird into a graceful and controlled descent
The air currents interact with the pelican’s wings. This creates a delicate balance. It allows the bird to approach the water with both elegance and precision.
The pelican in the water, glances to its right, clearly uncertain about the landing abilities of the other bird.
As the pelican touches down, the air currents from its landing ruffle the feathers of the second pelican nearby.
This graceful landing is marked by the pelican’s aerodynamic glide. It skillfully uses its feet as natural skis. This is a testament to the remarkable interplay of power and poise in nature.
It’s a moment where every element—from the sweeping wingspan to the delicate touch on the water—comes together. It results in a harmonious show of beauty and precision.
Graceful Pelican Landing
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The white pelican is a majestic marvel of nature, embodying a blend of grace, power, and beauty in its wingspan. As it spreads its wings, the sheer expanse is nothing short of breathtaking. With a wingspan that can reach up to nine feet, the white pelican commands the sky. Its presence is almost regal.
The beauty of the white pelican’s wingspan is remarkable. The contrast of its pristine white feathers against the vast sky accentuates this beauty even more.
As sunlight filters through the feathers, they can shimmer with a soft, iridescent glow. When the pelican soars, it casts a striking silhouette against the horizon. Its wings form a dramatic, sweeping arc. This captures the eye.
A Majestic Marvel of Nature
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Cooper’s Hawk – here it is. A small hawk, but he can move. He was chasing the blue jays in and out of the trees so fast. It was hard to get a photo of it.
He would chase one and then it would escape through the trees. It would wait for one to move and at it again.
The blue jays are just as fast and can zip in and out of the tree branches as well.
I never did see the hawk catch one bird. I did see the blue jays chase it off many times. But it would come back a few days later and try again.
Nature taking its course. Oh, and when the blue jays are warning everyone around that the hawk is here. All the bird species take cover. The chickadees stay hidden until the coast is clear.
Have a great weekend.
Cooper’s Hawk
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Little Known Fact about the Blue Jays, or maybe others do know this about this colorful bird.
They work together when danger is close by. I have heard others say that blue jays are a pest. Mainly because they kind of hog the bird feeders. Well, they do that, yes. I have seen them, but other birds can be pushy as well, like the grackles and morning doves.
I saw for the first time a Coopers Hawk hanging around my bird feeders this year. It just doesn’t seem right that a bird will eat another bird. Coopers hawks do just that.
We knew when the hawk was in the area because all the blue jays give out warning calls. All of a sudden the hawk is flying after one, as the blue jay gets away. All the blue jays start chasing the hawk.
I will have photos of that tomorrow. I was pretty impressed how these blue jays stuck together to try and chase it off. More tomorrow.
Little Known Fact
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There are 4 species of nuthatches found in North America. They are the red-breasted nuthatch, the white-breasted nuthatch, the brown-headed nuthatch, and the pygmy nuthatch.
While they have distinct physical features, these tree-climbing birds share habitat, food, nesting, and foraging behaviors in common.
I photographed two of them this fall here at my place. The white breasted and the red one.
Plus I included some more Chickadee photos. I can’t resist taking their photos when they practically come right up to me.
There Are 4 of These
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They May Be Tiny but they are fast little birds. Here’s to some of the prettiest tiny birds this fall from my backyard.
Little Birds in Slow Motion Video Link
They May Be Tiny
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5 Ds of Dodge Ball – Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge
These blue jays have the moves of the old Dodge Ball Game. Do you remember that game. I do, we played it in gym class. I don’t think they play that one anymore.
I just bought that old movie Dodge Ball, it is a classic for me.
Dodge
Duck
Dip
Dive
Dodge
5 Ds of Dodge Ball
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