Sunday, September 11, 2011

For the Birds and Remembering

mourning feathers3
What's dumb and pretty and struts around with a feather on its nose? Only a mourning dove could be this lovely and this dopey. After her preening session, she carried that feather around with her for the next half hour - possibly longer but she flew away. For all I know she has it still.



lucy3
Now this is a very smart bird. Her name is Lucy and she belongs to Frank. I've never seen her walk around with a feather on her nose. She does however walk around with a question in her voice. That question is "Wanna peanut?"



lucy peanut
Now don't be fooled. Lucy isn't really offering a peanut. She's hoping upon hope that her repeated offers will convince one of us to get one for her. As you can tell by the victorious look in her eye, she's usually successful.



goldfinch in tree
One afternoon, while sitting on my front deck, I noticed the goldfinch high atop a tree branch a couple of houses away. Frank's nifty 100-400 lens allowed me to take this shot from where I sat.



chickadee2
Much closer to me, but in Frank's back yard this time, this lovely little chickadee flew in to dine at the birdie café. Frank sets seed out every evening for them to enjoy and she's about to fly down to partake. I like the way her feathers are backlit by the sun.



zen mallard
One evening, at my local pond, this mallard struck a lovely pose, bowing its head as if in silent remembrance. I didn't realize it until I noticed the date upon scheduling this post, but I find this to be a fitting image with which to end this post on September 11 - ten years after.

This was a scheduled post.

58 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

amen...

Reena said...

Just smilin' ......
We endure!

ADRIAN said...

You are on top form......a great set.

Claudya Martinez said...

I wouldn't mind a peanut.

Cloudia said...

great shots all! Esp Goldy Finch - I gotta get me one of them fancy lenses!


You ROCK


Aloha from Waikiki;


Comfort Spiral


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Pseudo said...

Yes, very fitting indeed.

Dan said...

¤*¨¨*¤.¸¸ ...¸.¤\
\ 9/11 R.I.P ~♥~ \
.\¸.¤*¨¨*¤ .¸¸.¸.¤*
..\
☻/
/▌
/ \ NEVER FORGET!!!

Thoughts & prayers. ~♥~

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

Beautiful images, as always. I think we need a video of Lucy. And thank you for the remembrance of September 11, 2001.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful post! Lucy is delightful and determined, and that last photo is a lovely tribute.

Anyes said...

What a lovely last pose fitting to make us remember.

Bob Bushell said...

Beautiful images, well worth a lot.

Sueann said...

Wow!!! Your images are amazing!
I too will never forget the horror of this day 10 years ago!!!
Hugs
SueAnn

CiCi said...

Magnificent photos of birds. The goldfinch is beautiful. Mourning doves are one of my favorites. We have two pair of them here and they are so graceful and calming to watch.

Brian Miller said...

lovely pics hilary and yes i love the head bowed in the last...

Elizabeth Grimes said...

I always love bird photos. Certainly remembering down this way. Fitting photo.

Anvilcloud said...

I am impressed that you were able to get the goldfinch so clearly but still retain the sky colour.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Lovely captures of some of our feathered friends. The last photo does illustrate the somber, reflective qualities of this day.
Thanks Hilary.

DJan said...

Your bird pictures are so lovely, always. And yes, the last one is a fitting way to remember ten years ago.

steviewren said...

As always, your photos are wonderful. Like the bird...I'm remembering too.

Anonymous said...

Doves really are dopey birds. :-)

ellen abbott said...

Mourning doves are exceedingly dumb and they build the flimsiest nests. It's a wonder they survive.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Beautiful images.This is truly a day of remembrance,even for me in Canada.

messymimi said...

My mother had doves, and they are beautiful and dopey. Their nests fall apart.

Thank you for your remembrances.

Jayne said...

Lovely sentiment and beautiful images, Hilary. Hoping upon hope. Thank you. :)

Linda said...

Love the dove, and indeed they aren't the brightest birds. They will strut along the driveway only moving at the last minute, as if daring you to hit them. In reality, they just don't think to get out of the way.

Maggie May said...

They are so intelligent those birds and you can see the cogwheels going round.
Maggie X

Nuts in May

Anita said...

Dumb, smart, busy, and beautiful - all are a feast to my eyes.

Very thouhtful of you to incorporate a tribute to the memory of Sept. 11, 2001.

Out on the prairie said...

I like the parrot, I have thought a bird could be fun. I would have to ask my pet sitter first, she took some coaxing to take care of all the cats.

Moannie said...

I envy your 'eye' and your super lenses.

Great shots.

Mental P Mama said...

So beautiful. Especially that last one...

Gail Dixon said...

Yes, that 100-400mm lens is amazing. Your last shot was very fitting for today. :)

Grayquill said...

I think birds are near the top of God's amazing creations. You captured the beauty and uniquiness of these birds. Today has been a bit on the somber side - remembering - I think I need to be a bit more like you mallard. Good job!

Anonymous said...

What a great collection - the detail on the dove is amazing!

VM Sehy Photography said...

Lovely shots. Mourning doves crack me up. They're like the dumb blondes of the bird world. Interesting pose for a duck. Very somber.

Scott Law said...

Hopefully we all bowed our head for a moment of remembrance today.

Unknown said...

Very nice, Hilary.

Pauline said...

a perfect end photo -

Suldog said...

At my childhood home, in Dorchester (a somewhat rough section of Boston), we had pigeons - tough, street-smart birds, fairly intelligent, and they even had an alias, as they are officially rock doves. Now, in Watertown, a relatively quiet suburb, pigeons are scarce, but mourning doves are plentiful. In comparison, they are babes in the woods. Yes, dopey, as birds go. Pretty, but dopey.

Dianne said...

it is a fitting image

have you ever seen the commercial with the amazing white booted horses (I can't spell their name) where they travel to NYC and then bow down in front of the skyline

gets me every single time

on a happier note - I have mourning doves always outside and I have taken to telling them you think they're dumb so they should do something clever for me to shoot

of course they don't get it ;)

photowannabe said...

Thanks for the remembrance photos. Well done, even down to the mourning dove with the feather. I love the way you put your photos together.

Country Girl said...

Oh, I love these, Hilary!

Wendy said...

Beautiful, Hilary. Both the pics and the remembrance.

Sept. 11 was my grandmother's birthday. She would have been about 125 years old or so.

Kerry said...

My family is used to hearing me rail about how dumb and careless mourning doves are, and yours just proves my point.

I have never seen a gold finch look so noble!

Dave said...

Good bird photos Hilary. And yes, that last duck with the bowed head does seem appropriate - Dave

Steve Gravano said...

Awesome selection,the dove and feather especially. Maybe she's just proud of her feathers!

Daryl said...

After the long trip out to LA and back I feel a bit like the dove ..

Karen said...

How did you manage that dove with a feather in her mouth? When I grow up, I want to take pictures like you.

Zuzana said...

Lovely shots dear friend, hope life is treating you well,
xoxo

Unspoken said...

I moved to the Washington from California as a twelve year old. I remember the first time I saw a finch in the wild. To this day, I find them magical little birds. I had no idea Frank had a bird. All these years of blog reading and I only know of Benny from your blog :). But it figures. There are animals a plenty in your lives :)!

sage said...

good description of a mourning dove! great photos

lime said...

the mourning dove may be dopey but she is lovely.

Barb said...

You've gone to the birds, and they all seem to tell a story.

Lisa said...

Wonderful and great shots

Lynne with an e said...

A great birds' eye view...and a great view of all the rest of the birds as well.

Birdie said...

The mourning dove. I sort of feel sorry for her. Makes her look so vulnerable.

25BAR said...

These are some fantastic birds enjoying the summer!

Joanna Jenkins said...

i was just thinking it's nearly time for a new pair of rain boots. I'm liking those red ones.

Hope your days are happy ones. xo jj

betty-NZ said...

Lovely shots!