Category: backyard visitors

backyard visitors, birds, bluebirds, fun, go with the flow, live and learn, moments, nature, Nature's beautiful creatures, nesting, perseverance, photography, technology, unintended images

Surprise…

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I think Dad forgot that Mom was in the birdhouse, because I wasn’t the only one surprised when she suddenly launched herself out the door and off to who knows where.    My view through the lens was this one, and the feature photo is the next one.  Startled him right off his feet, and I didn’t see it until I looked at the pictures in the computer.03-25-20bluebirdsagain They got me excited yesterday.  I happened to look out the window and Dad was on the drain spout with a nice little worm in his mouth.  I immediately got excited that they were feeding babies, or at least he was feeding Mom while she was on some pretty blue eggs.  But off she flew, and he gulped down his catch, and I was left scratching my head.

Mom was back and forth the rest of the day, but still bringing nesting materials.  She did stop to pose for me though.03-26-20bluebirdlooks4.jpg03-26-20bluebirdlooks3.jpg03-26-20bluebirdlooks.jpg03-26-20bluebirdlooks2.jpg03-26-20bluebirdlooks5.jpgDad’s contribution to all this was to sit on my TV antenna and serenade all of us while Mom was busy.  All day.  All day busy for her, all day as the singing supervisor for him.  I guess it works for them…03-26-20bluebirddad.jpg03-26-20bluebirddad2.jpg03-26-20bluebirddadcamera.jpg

And this is my new normal.  Considering social isolation and the impending possibility of a new little bluebird family right on my doorstep, so to speak.  Big heavy lens and big heavy tripod, in the living room, at the ready…

'scene' along the way, backyard visitors, flowers, home, moments, perseverance, photography, reality check, Rise and shine, technology, unintended images

Social isolation…

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I’m alone so much of the time that the ‘isolation’ part of this whole thing is no big deal to me, but the timing wasn’t great. I had just resolved to start swimming again, my favorite form of exercise, but the pool is now off limits.  The beach is also.  But I can walk.  And as I walk I am amazed to hear the songbirds, though I usually can’t see them.  So when I did see this bluebird perch in the tip top of the tree it tempted me to take it’s picture with my phone.  I’m surprised it turned out as well as it did.  With photos on the brain I couldn’t help but stop to take pictures of this beautiful hibiscus shrub at someone’s front door.  The sun was right behind me, I had to angle myself to keep my shadow off the flowers.  The shrub was loaded with blooms, it was pretty spectacular in the sun.

03-23-20hibiscus03-23-20hibiscus203-23-20hibiscus303-23-20hibiscus3This last picture was taken the next day with my little Lumix lx5 camera, which I had tucked away and nearly forgotten was there.  It’s a point and shoot, easy to carry, and I wanted to take the same shot as the iPhone shot from the day before, just for fun.  It must have been the same time of day because the shadow is in the same place.  I should carry it with me more often.

backyard visitors, birds, egrets, Florida wildlife, live and learn, moments, nature, perseverance, photography, reality check

The intruder…

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She pulled into her carport, her mind on thoughts of putting her groceries away and what she might make for dinner later on.  The carport was narrow enough that she had to fold her mirrors in, and even then there was barely enough room to pull in and still have room to open the door on the driver’s side to get out.  It was especially tight that afternoon, and she squeezed herself out of the car and turned to walk out, and that’s wen she saw him.  The intruder.  She hadn’t seen him when she pulled in, he had made not a sound. She was completely taken by surprise, and he stood there blocking her way to leave and get to the safety of her house. She stopped short and they stared at each other, until she finally said, “Hello.”IMG_226203-10-20intruder103-10-20intruder2

He was young, inexperienced, she knew that by looking at him.  She was sure he had panhandling on his mind.  But he was barking up the wrong tree, so to speak, because she knew that he needed to learn to fend for himself if he was going to grow and thrive into adulthood.  They live in a very rich environmental area for him take care of himself, she was sure of that.  So she moved toward her door and he backed off, but only a little.  And when he finally decided to move on she was glad.  Even though he was moving down the street to another house where I’ve heard they do feed him. 03-10-20intruder3

The lasting thought from this encounter was to wonder how in the world she had not seen him as she pulled into her driveway.   Was she daydreaming, not looking?  She vowed to be more observant in the future…

backyard visitors, birds, Florida wildlife, go with the flow, home, home improvements, life goes on, nature, neighbors, nesting, on closer examination, perseverance, photography

Be it ever so humble…

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This birdhouse of my uncle’s has seen better days, but it has hosted families of bluebirds for at least a few years now.  And two years ago I came over to his house and stationed myself out front with my tripod and camera and captured the action as they were feeding their young.  But last year the blue birds were chased off, evicted sort of, by another, larger bird, and they didn’t raise a brood in this house, so my uncle moved the house across the street to what is now my house.

Lately there has been a lot of activity at the birdhouse, and the other day I finally tried to see what bird was paying attention to the house, hoping for bluebirds of course. But I could’t see what they were so I took a few pictures, but I still couldn’t say for sure what they were since was getting dark out, and it was even darker under the carport.  But I heard some activity early yesterday and I saw a bird actually leave the house and fly to the palm tree close by.  It turned out to be a Red-bellied Woodpecker.  This may explain why the entrance hole is not the precise hole that it once was.  This bird has done some home improvements, made it her own.  I can relate.  Be it ever so humble there’s no place like home. 1-7-20meettheneighbor1-7-20birdhouseAh, but I wrote this a couple of days ago and there are new developments.  Seems I wasn’t too far off the mark hoping that it was bluebirds that were interested in the birdhouse.1-8-20Bluebird11-8-20bluebird21-8-20bluebirdfeatureAnd the other possibility is that there is an odd couple in the neighborhood.  Stay tuned…1-8-20oddcouple

'scene' along the way, adventure, backyard visitors, friends, fun, life goes on, nature, perseverance, photography, road trip

Backyard views…

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There’s one in every neighborhood.  That one tree that sets the stage for the fall foliage every year.  Ahead of the curve, and getting prettier every day.  Just gorgeous.  But the black squirrels really caught my eye.  And don’t think they sit and pose for you because they don’t.  I had to work for these photos and they aren’t great, but at least I know that I really did see black squirrels.

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backyard visitors, birds, Florida wildlife, home, nature, Nature's beautiful creatures, perseverance, photography

A gentleman caller…

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Yesterday I got a surprise when I looked out front to check and see if the trash had been picked up yet.  It had.  But as I headed out to put the trash can away I discovered a visitor on the lawn.  Funny that he was there because lately I’ve been lamenting to myself that I can’t just sit out in the back yard and have photo ops come to me any more.  And birds have been scarce in general, even in places that I thought you would always find them.  It was a young wood stork, smaller than most of the ones I’ve seen.

Of course I grabbed the camera and went out the door for pictures.  This didn’t seem to bother him a lot, he stood his ground and I sat on my stoop and started shooting.  Personally, I think he liked the photo shoot.  He certainly turned this way and that, maybe he was deciding which was his best side.  He also was approaching me, making me suspect that someone has been feeding him.  I understand the urge to do that, and I even had frozen corn and peas which I’ve read is what you are supposed to feed ducks, if you can’t resist feeding them.  But I did resist.  Eventually I’d taken so many pictures, and I wondered what mission he’d been on when I interrupted him, so I went inside.  I couldn’t resist checking to see what he was doing though, but I didn’t have to look hard because he was right outside my front door, looking in.  I hope his interest in people doesn’t cause him problems, but on the other hand I hope I see him again.10-14woodstork710-14woodstork110-14woodstork210-14woodstork310-14woodstork410-14woodstork610-14woodstork5