the promised (last week) feeding frenzy session

post #480 -- sunny ALL day!
            Well, birds it still is -- the ones that just happen to stop by when the light is OK for shooting through a window. Again, I am NOT a professional bird photographer, someone who has super fast lenses and who would never deign to shoot through a glass window. But how can I not at least try to do it if it's the only way possible  --  right outside the bathroom window on the second floor of our house.  A very young grandchild was staying with us at the time, so she got to see the whole show while it was happening -- for over 20 minutes. (That includes waiting for the parent to come up with several refills.) I am not posting all the photos, but enough for you to get the idea and to share the wonder of it if you are so inclined.  My thanks to this hard working downy woodpecker family!!

Surely I am not forgotten??

work, work, work

Golly, this food prep wait goes on forever!

I know that you know my turn is next!

 

If it's not one, it's the other!!

 

I felt like I had my very own fledgling teaching me patience.  F, thanks for borrowing my camera!

What are you complaining about??

Am going to miss my mates and my mom and my dad.....

           
          Kids - appreciate those prepared meals before all the work is left up to you....

caught in the act, with birds

post #479
          I started preparing this post around noon, but it turns out there's more to it than I realized.  So I took a break to work on my tax prep since I'm meeting with my great preparer at noon tomorrow, in Grayson (near the favorite lake surrounded by cliffs that have often been in my photo stories.) Now it is the evening, and neither task is completed. BUT I just happen, at least, to have some photos to share.
         Last week's thoughts about seeing lead me to this week's thoughts about the dynamics of relying on seeing things in order to realize the opportunity that comes my way.  In my former house, I often felt like I was in a nest, looking out, seeing what ever came to visit.  Birds were usually willing to alight outside. They were particularly drawn to the black walnut tree whose branches hang over the deck. The bark is great for holding a seed, but also there must be something safe about the spacing between the branches?
         As today I gathered together photos of various bird visits, I was amazed all over again. What a privilege. I don't have a reason to be a bird photographer, and I don't have any special lenses or expertise, but the birds appear anyway. I drop everything to make a photo, if it happens that the light is right. It has to be, or I can't take photos through a window.    
         I start out being disbelieving, and then turn grateful, and throughout feel darn lucky.

bedroom window, with a tripod, trying for "two birds, daylight's words" for Counting on the Woods, thank you mourning doves for being able to hang together long enough for me to make this photo!!

I believe this is a fledgling red-bellied woodpecker, in the walnut tree.

Mama cardinal, from the kitchen window

a molting goldfinch on the artwork on the deck, through the sliding door

Fledgling behavior is a good time to record since there is coming and going from the same spot.  Next week I will show the whole series of photos I made from this dad's efforts to feed two offspring.

         

In my experience, this fledgling feeding behavior doesn't last long. Quick learners.

           I want to end this week's post with two photos I made at a friend's farm nearby. The bird is not particularly Appalachian, but he does add a lively dimension to the farm yard! They are just as noisy here as they were when we visited India many years ago. 
         These photo stories of my bird encounters will take up the next two weeks! I'm not just "winging" it. 

I believe the real action and showing off is behind....

but the way he gets his head to stay still with all that shaking going on behind is far beyond my skill set!!

        Now back to finishing my tax prep, can't wait to do more of this next week.

Birds who have visited me, part 3: downy woodpecker family

post # 279
     Today is all about May 29, 2012, looking out the upstairs bathroom window and discovering downy woodpecker fledglings feasting and the parent working his tail feathers off!  My granddaughter was visiting from Colorado, so she and I were able to watch this event for half an hour, starting at 5:15 p.m; she was then 3 1/2 years old. The last four shots were made the following morning, around 8 a.m.  I have never been witness to such an extended feeding ritual before or since. Again, I don't have special "bird lenses", so I just used my trusty 70 - 300 lens on a Canon Rebel T3i. This series provides a story, and that's what I am so happy to be able to share here.

food prep

practicing patient waiting

wow, do I really have to learn how to do all this stuff by myself?

finally!!

What fun for me to be sharing this happening with my own personal fledgling!

 

still feeding the next morning, around 8 a.m.

Gosh, this food stuff is SO EXCITING!

breakfast bar

thanks, and please come back soon

FALL BREAKING -- starting with the "driveway moments"

post #107,  a day late, but the leaves are even better this Monday morning

      Every day around here has new beauties. In this season of color it feels right to start with some "driveway moments," photos taken on that quarter mile road last week and also just this morning on the way back from getting the mail. 

coming home last week

seeing the neighbor arrive --  after I had started on my walk Saturday evening.  Next week I plan to share the photos from the rest of the walk.

walking back with today's mail

getting closer to the house

by the side of the road, a late bloomer, like me

from the middle of our land (where I am standing next to the flower), looking to the west side of our property -- hardly any flat land anywhere....

       I seem to have visitors to this blog from many places in the world, so I am sharing these photos today especially for them.  I promised last time I would have cardinal fledglings and a flicker duet today, but I am still waiting to get more information about the flickers.  Stay tuned.  Here are the cardinals, however, with a recent fledgling being fed on our wet deck.  

       This has been the most amazing year for witnessing fledglings.  I have tried to share many of these events on this blog.  All summer long, on a busy day, I became almost unwilling to look out the window because I didn't have the time to watch the young birds learning how to make it in a ruthless world -- but how could I not not want to watch and to make photos!

       A shout out and thank you to the West Liberty photo group who came here Saturday morning to take photos and see my corner of their neighboring county!  I enjoyed the company very much.  I hope a return visit will be possible in April.  There should be plenty of water over the waterfalls by then.  Not to see any water is disappointing, but not to hear any water is downright strange.