Saturday, May 26, 2012

More Of The Usual

I come up with the best titles, don'tcha' think?

Still sifting through some of last fall's shots and here's what I came up with.

Ever seen a Bluejay prepared for take-off? Me neither, until I got lucky with the pic below. It's blurry but the unusual posture makes it a keeper.


Looks like this red squirrel is riveted by the scene too.


Sometimes we see the same birds often enough that we begin to recognize them and give them names. The following pic is of a sparrow we came to call "Chubs." See if you can figure out howcum....


I knew you could!!

 I was pretty darn excited one day last fall at Hilary's. No, this time it had nothing to do with her beauty, grace and wit. I spotted a Cedar Waxwing feeding on some berries in a tree. It was very quick, nibbling and hopping and nibbling and hopping. I had a heck of time trying to get, and keep him in focus long enough for a decent shot. Well, I got a couple that qualify as decent but will have to hope for other opportunities to take better ones.

 In the first, he's about to gobble a berry.


In the next, you can see a little more of him. They're a handsome bird.


Trees growing near the edge of a lake in the Canadian Shield area don't have it easy. They can't extend their roots lakeward - seasonal water fluctuations, freeze/thaw cycles - thwart the establishment of solid footing. So, they often have to send their roots back towards shore to find solid purchase. When three or four mature trees are grouped close together, the competition can make for a tangle of roots, criss-crossing and overlapping each other - as seen below.


The grey squirrel below seems to have finished his granola bar. And please sir, could he have some more?


I think I'll caption this next one.


"What? Behind my back? Nuthin'...."

Some waterfowl, like loons and cormorants, need a running start to get airborne. Running on water, that is. They can look pretty goofy. But a pic of a cormorant trying to taxi out of the water is a good way to exit this post too. 'Til next time....

17 comments:

  1. I love bird pics! Thank you for sharing those. The tree pic is very cool and kinda eerie. The one with the squirrel and the granola bar is cute. It looks like he is signing "more." LOL!

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  2. Frank, are you selling these? If not, you should be.
    :) Good Word

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  3. Very good shots! Chubs looks like he's shared too many of the squirrel's granola bars.

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  4. What a great set of photos, Frank. I love the regal look of the cedar waxwing and the way the gray squirrel's tail is fanned out behind him. That's an adorable capture, by the way. Chubs and I have something in common. And I won't be asking you to give me a nickname.

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  5. Excellent selection, Frank. I love the bluejay taking off.

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  6. great pics Frank. Last year I happened to sight a flock of cedar waxwings in one of the trees out front. they were only there for a day or two, passing through I guess. first and only time I've seen them out here.

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  7. Great shots Frank. I especially like the tree roots and the squirrels.

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  8. the blue jay looks like an Olympian about to dive in or start running, his feathers are so much like arms
    incredible shot

    I love how you see nature with empathy and involvement and then share that through your photos

    I adore Chubs!

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  9. - Dawn, you might be right. Thanks. :)

    - Thanks, Lisa. Nice to see you. It's been a while. :)

    - Anytime, Bruce. Thanks for the visit.

    - He does, indeed, mimi. One more seed and he might explode. ;)

    - Lol, Linda. I suspect you're exaggerating a tad. Thanks for the kind words.

    - Thanks, Leah. Glad you liked it.

    - Thanks, Ellen. My sister has mentioned seeing a large flock of them too. I'd like to. I think three or four is most I've seen together. And usually, it's just one or two.

    - Thanks, Reb.

    - Thanks, Dianne. I appreciate that. :)

    Thanks all, for taking the time to visit and comment.

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  10. All great pictures, but the little squirrel with the empty wrapper is particularly charming. The tree roots sort of resemble snakes.

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  11. Enjoyed your photos, Frank.

    The tree roots reminded me of a large snakes body coiling its body around its prey. The cedar waxwing smooth and flawless looking feathers is a treat.

    All the other photo's have merit too. The first shot looks as if the Blue-jay's wings have been clipped.

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  12. Cool stuff as always. I'm a bit late, but I also loved the rose in the April 17 group of shots.

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  13. - Glad you liked, Linda. :)

    - Thanks, Daniel. Those roots definitely have a snaky aspect.

    - Me too, Cay. Thanks for the visit.

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  14. Great Pitures! The three and birds was fantastic!
    Have a nice weekend!

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  15. great shots...you must have a very pricey lense!

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  16. Thank you, Min.

    Thanks, Laurel. (And yeah, they're fairly pricey.) ;)

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