It Has a Song

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. ~ Chinese Proverb

Not to worry. This isn't another song challenge. This post is all about birds.

I've only ever seen mockingbirds in one spot, and that's in my local park. In fact, I've only ever seen one at a time so perhaps it's the same beauty which keeps on showing up. On this day, I was able to get a couple of distant shots of my feathered friend, though he was perched in such a way that made it difficult to focus on him instead of the surrounding tree parts.

No, we have been as usual asking the wrong question. It does not matter a hoot what the mockingbird on the chimney is singing. The real and proper question is: Why is it beautiful? ~ Bertrand Russell 




Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy... but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird. ~ Harper Lee


I always get a kick out of a hawk sighting. Living in the city as I do, that doesn't happen exceedingly often. And when it does, if I'm lucky, I'll have a zoomy lens on my camera at the time. I was just starting my walk when I spotted this guy (probably a Cooper's Hawk) landing on a nearby branch. I was fortunate to see him but the above mentioned lens was not to be. This was the best I could do with the 100mm lens.

The hawk is aerial brother of the wave which he sails over and surveys, those his perfect air-inflated wings answering to the elemental unfledged pinions of the sea. ~ Henry David Thoreau

A clever hawk hides its talons. ~ Japanese Proverb

Common but always sweet, there are plenty of sparrows to be seen in my neck of the woods. They seem to pose so nicely for the camera.

I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn. ~ Henry David Thoreau 

A forest bird never wants a cage. ~ Henrik Ibsen

Some thoughtful person must have filled these pine cones with suet for the birds. They had been picked clean by the time I happened upon them along the creekside path, but I liked the way they looked dangling in the late-day sunshine.

Those little nimble musician of the air that warble forth their curious ditties, with which nature hath furnished them to the shame of art. ~ Izaak Walton

I realized that if I had to choose, I would rather have birds than airplanes. ~ Charles Lindbergh

While walking near Frank's place late in January, I heard a distressed chickadee and a rather upset young squirrel in a wooded area they call the Woodland Path. I looked around to see what might be causing their discomfort and saw this barred owl fast asleep in a nearby tree. The light wasn't wonderful and subsequently, neither were my photos but I was still happy to see this beauty. I'm pretty sure the creatures around him were safe during the daylight hours.

A wise old owl sat in an oak.

The more he heard, the less he spoke.

The less he spoke, the more he heard.

Why aren't we all like that wise old bird?

~ Nursery Rhyme

I rejoice that there are owls. They represent the stark twilight and the unsatisfied thoughts we all have. ~ Henry David Thoreau

More photos in a few days.

All Creatures Great and Small

Frank and I had a wonderful ten days up at his family cottage where we enjoyed incredible weather, decent fishing, great company and amazing creatures - great and small.

Benny of course, is an amazing creature who is both great and small. He was wonderful company for me when I spent one night alone while Frank made a quick trip home to prepare one of his sons for his own time away from home.



This photo was taken through the screen door. He's chilling out on the front deck, just enjoying the sunshine. He loves the cottage life.

When we arrived, Frank's sister Theresa was there to greet us. She had two new orphaned raccoon kits with her - born about a month apart. The first day she had them up at the cottage, Spike came around to sniff their empty carrier which had been left outside. Sugar hasn't been seen since late last summer but we're hopeful that she's found a mate and moved on out of the territory. It's what I'd like to believe. If you're unfamiliar with Sugar and Spike, you can read all about these darlings here. They were released at the cottage last summer.



Great: This is Bubbles and she's the older of the two. She might look rather large in this close-up view but really she's only a bit bigger than her adopted brother Bayley.




Small: And you can see how tiny he is. Aren't they adorable?




Great: The Great Blue Heron is a frequent visitor of the cottage where he likes to fish in a nearby bay. I was sitting on the dock, reading when I happened to look up in time to see him do this fly-by. Luckily, I usually keep my camera close at hand.




Small: A smaller winged, blue critter, and also a regular visitor to the cottage is this lovely dragonfly.




Small: Another one of the many dragonflies seen around the cottage. This one was snapped from a distance with the zoom lens.




Great: Not a dragonfly but perhaps a great fire-breathing dragon announcing the end to a perfect day with a blazing sunset. Can you see him?




Great: A few of these beauties were circling over the cottage one afternoon. Frank and his niece Jenna each figure it's a Broad-winged Hawk.




Small: Another winged lovely circled around the front yard a few times and then posed for this photo. It's a White Admiral Butterfly.

On our last evening at the cottage, Frank's sister Lisa and I took Benny for a walk up the road. Lisa has a keen eye and ear for birds and she soon spotted what she initially thought was a hawk flying ahead of us into the trees.




Great: She soon focused on where it landed and discovered that it was this beautiful Barred Owl. The light was dim and the branch high enough to make this a less than sharp shot but I still wanted to share this wonderful bird. It was hissing at us and we were hearing similar sounds from the left and from behind us. We soon saw why this bird was mildly distressed.




Small: Landing on the branch just in front of us, was this young owlet. There were at least three owls in this young family. Lisa and I figured that the parents were upset with us for standing there so long, watching and snapping photos. Maybe Benny was of concern. Maybe Benny was a meal consideration! We decided to move along, very appreciative to have witnessed these marvelous creatures.




Small: Another stunning creature is the Ruby Throated Hummingbird. Depending on the light, this tiny gem of a bird can appear drab gray or a brilliant green. The male's throat is ruby red but often appears yellow or orange - again, depending on the sunlight or its absence. This little female is perched on the clothesline between two standard sized clothespins. It gives you a good idea of just how tiny she is. You might want to click on this (and the next image) for better detail.




Great: Standing close to the feeder which is conveniently situated to catch the late afternoon sunlight, I was able to capture a photo which shows just how brilliant this male's colours are. Isn't he great?




So ends a perfect day. More cottage photos coming soon.

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canucks!