Fine Feathered Friends

“In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.” 

~ Robert Lynd

Whether on the wing or at rest, birds are lovely to watch and fun to photograph. Since I've been doing just that the past several weeks, I'd like to share a few of those images below.


A while back, when I posted some pictures of spindle berries, my fine bloggie pal Suldog asked me if they were edible. I have to admit to not knowing that for sure at the time, though I suspected they were not, as the "berry" part is really more like a seed. I looked it up when responding to him and learned that they are edible for birds but rather poisonous for humans. Being one of the feathered variety, this Cardinal was checking them out a few days later.





Canada geese - relaxing, preening and doing a fair bit of pooping atop the dam of our local pond.





One of my favourite feathered friends is the Northern Mockingbird. He he is perched at the top of a dead tree by the pond. I'm also quite fond of that tree, and have posted images of it frequently.





Here's a closer look at this sweetie. It's not the best exposure or even his best side but I'm always happy to see and share him.






Ms. Mallard is showing off her lovely colours in the late day sunshine.






This little Downy Woodpecker was flitting about while I was out walking. It's not a great shot but after several attempts, I finally managed to capture it flying between the branches of this pine tree.





Much to my surprise, I snapped the photo of this hawk through the car windshield while Frank was driving.





Two ducks and a gull - the subjects of this photo are in shadow, but I still loved the colours in the trees and the reflection in the creek.





Over that same creek, you can see gulls flying around at most any time of day. This is a young one, who hasn't acquired his bright, white plumage yet.





This sweet, little sparrow almost faded into the similar colouring of the foliage. If you look closely, you can see a bit of red on his beak from nibbling hawthorn berries.





Last, but never least, the Great Blue Heron, after he had had enough of my incessant picture snapping. Sorry bud!

More photos in a few days.

Leftovers Again?

I have a few leftover images from the month of July. At the time this post was scheduled, I hadn't even uploaded photos from August. I suspect you'll be sharing summer with me for quite some time.


Praise is like sunlight to the human spirit: we cannot flower and grow without it.
~ Jess Lair





I never saw an ugly thing in my life: for let the form of an object be what it may - light, shade, and perspective will always make it beautiful
~ John Constable





Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.
~ Michael Caine





I don't even know what street Canada is on.
~ Al Capone





There stood the purple spires with no breath of air
Nor headlong bee
To disturb their perfect poise the livelong day
'Neath the alder tree.
~ Robert Frost





There is no reason to fear the wind if your stack of hay is well tied
~ Irish Saying






A green heron sits
Watching the sunfish as it gleaming flits
From sheen to shade.
~ Maurice Thompson






There was a girl knocking on my hotel room door all night! Finally, I let her out.
~ Henny Youngman






When the red bird spread his sable wing,
And showed his side of flame
When the rosebud ripened to the rose,
In both I read thy name.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson






“When the sun gets hot and the moon gets hazy
good girls go bad... and it gets crazy!”
~ Rachel Thompson

Back with more soon.

Petals & Wings

It seems that I have an abundance of flower and bird images and so please bear with me for one more round of photos depicting what has caught my eye through summer.



I love the simple beauty of the wild chicory. I photograph it often.





Touch-me-nots (or Himalayan Balsam) are so named for the pods which grow and ripen late in the summer. One very gentle touch and they pop open to reveal the seeds inside. They're irresistible - kind of like nature's bubble wrap.





The pods were just beginning to grow on this plant iwhen the photo was taken. They sure do look pretty in the late-day sunlight.




As do these blushing rose hips.





I'm sure somebody, somewhere knows the name of this wildflower, but it isn't me.





Likewise for this lovely purple plant.





This one I know. It's a coneflower or echinacea.





Sometimes a blossom looks just as pretty from behind.
 

On to the birds...


Mallards are lovely creatures - even when they're moulting heavily. You can see the wee bits of green feathers just beginning to grow back on this fellow's head.





Male cardinals certainly add a splash of colour to their surroundings. This guy is eating Chez Frank.





And this sweet little sparrow became familiar to us over the course of a couple of days. Frank dubbed him Big Nose. Unfortunately, he wasn't coping as well as his mates. He'd stop by the feeding station and eat well enough, but he appeared to struggle and flutter to keep his balance. He flew just fine the first day but his wings didn't seem to be able to give him quite the lift he needed by the next day. By day three, he was clearly ailing - unable to fly at all. Frank tried to coax him into a cage where he'd be able to find food, water and safety from predators overnight but that was just not to be. I think a swift kill (if that happened) was probably the kinder end for Big Nose. We never saw him again after day three. In retrospect (and by Googling) we determined that he probably had the West Nile virus.





Rest in peace, little Big Nose.

Stay tuned for more photos in a few days.

Out Walkin'

From the interesting to the mundane, I see all sorts of things when I'm out walking. My camera and I decide whether or not they're share-worthy. These made that cut and I hope you don't think otherwise. Here's what I saw one day when out walkin'. Come join me.

Snow Blind Friend: It was early in the day and Benny was ready for his walk. For a brief moment, the sun shone brightly. I tossed a stick which our four-legged friend usually chases quite readily. He typically picks it up and runs off with it, lest I try to get it back from him. He doesn't understand fetch and return. On this morning, Benny caught up to the stick but appears to be blinded by this short burst of sunlight.

Hazy Shade of Winter: Did I mention that the sun was only out briefly. Here it is, kissing the day goodbye. It remained pretty dull and hazy after that.

Lost and Found: As I wandered along the park path, I thought I saw a blue jay perched on the fence but upon closer inspection, it was just a lost pair of inside-out mittens or gloves which someone placed upon the fence in hopes of them being reunited with their owner.

Listen to the Mockingbird: Toward the end of my morning walk, one of my favourite birds made an appearance. The Northern mockingbird flitted and landed nearby to feast upon berries.

Little Red Bird: Speaking of beautiful birds, this handsome male cardinal greeted me back home. He dined on seeds which were scattered in my back yard. It's quite possible that Frank snapped this shot as he tends to station himself by the back door more often than not. He might be able to tell you for sure.

Here Comes the Night: Late in the day, it was time for another walk. Night time and a dusting of snow makes for some fun photography. The snow added a bit of light to the otherwise well-lit park. This is the view of part of the dock from across the pond.

The Dock of the Bay: And here's the full view as seen through my lens. You get a better sense that we're standing on the opposite shore, with just frigid water and sleepy mallards in between.

That's our walk for today. As always, you're such fine company. I hope you'll be back in a few days when we walk in the late-day sunshine.

Now, who's up for some hot chocolate?

Connect the Shots

Each of the following photos have been posted before, at different times but together they work as a bit of a theme. The lyrical quotes beneath each one do not match very well with the images but they do relate to the theme. Can you figure it out?

"Come and sit by my side, if you love me. Do not hasten to bid me adieu."

A curious but wary Cardinal watching me from the branch of a newly-budding tree. He sure seems to have personality, doesn't he? He looked into my camera in May/2010.

"I was walking along, minding my business, when love came and hit me in the eye."

A cold drink... one summer evening... on the dock... as the sun set. Need I say more?

"Look at the stars. Look how they shine for you."

One afternoon, back in October, 2008, the air temperature dropped slightly. Walking away from the creek, a fine mist began to form, and drift over the path up ahead. By the time we reached the path just a few meters away, the air was filled with this golden cloud. Here two people, one on bike and one on foot break through the haze.

"I threw a pebble in a brook and watched the ripples run away."

I knelt down to take this photograph of water droplets weighing heavily on an aging blade of grass in July/2009.

"I feel so bad I've got a worried mind. I'm so lonesome all the time."

Walking around my local pond, one July day in 2008, I saw this handsome fellow hanging around the dam. He seemed quite unconcerned with my presence and allowed me to photograph him in all his majestic beauty. I hope I'll see a lot of him this year.

"That feeling goes stealing down to my shoes while I just sit here and sigh."

Celebratory fireworks ended an event-filled weekend in Kingston at Royal Military College on the occasion of my older son's graduation and commissioning last May.

"Sweeter than the roses, covered all over from head to toe."

A tiny, delicate bloom, simple and pretty, caught on my camera last August.

So tell me, how do my photos and quotes relate?

Enough Fluff

Our walk continues from the previous post with a few simple quotes and photos below. I hope you enjoy them.

Snow flurries began to fall and they swirled around people's legs like house cats. It was magical, this snow globe world.
~ Sarah Addison Allen

I look out of this window and I think this is a cosmos, this is a huge creation, this is one small corner of it. The trees and birds and everything else and I'm part of it. I didn't ask to be put here, I've been lucky in finding myself here.
~ Morris West

A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.
~ C.S. Lewis

Advice is like snow - the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper in sinks into the mind.
~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again."
~ Lewis Carroll

Most of the snow has since melted. We've been enjoying milder, albeit rainy weather this weekend. Maybe Spring will soon come calling. Thanks for joining me.