Watcha lookin’ at?

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Dick

While birds are my preferred subjects, there are just enough squirrels in our yard to entice me, once in awhile to put down my slingshot, and pick up the camera. Don’t worry, I don’t shoot to harm, mame, or kill (I’m not that good a shot anyway!). Rather my efforts are more along the lines of “go eat your own food and leave the birds’ food alone.”

When they’re not stealing the bird food I really enjoy their antics. I still marvel at how they can run down a tree head first and stay in control. Their ability to jump straight up (past the squirrel-proofing devices) and onto the feeders is just amazing.

If I don’t feed them enough they will come up to my office window and look in as if to say, “Where’s my dinner?” A small modeling fee for their time in front of the camera.

Posted in Critters | 2 Comments

New Kids …

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Dick

We have “new kids” on our block – or should I say beach. More precisely, I should say we have two new goslings on our beach. just a couple of days ago we noticed a pair of Canada Geese on the shore and very close by were the two goslings you see in the picture.

They stop, rest, and feed on our beach and then move to the neighbors’ or go across the lake to another area. It is great to watch how the little ones stay close to mom & dad. One will ocassionally wander off exploring, but when they realize how far away they are from mom (maybe 4 feet) they go rushing back to her protection. Mom & dad stay on heightened alert all the time and the least little disturbance sees the family off into the water and away from the perceived danger – even my opening a sliding glass door was enough to set them in motion.

I have taken a few pictures from a distance (600mm lens) and have stopped as I want them to feel comfortable and safe on our beach. Spring is a wonderful time of the year.

Posted in Birds | 1 Comment

Up in the Sky…

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Dick

The Bald Eagle is my most favorite bird! Growing up I dreamed of being able to see just one Bald Eagle. Now I see them a few times a month in my own yard – or at least in our trees and on the lake (See previous posts)!

Kathy & I were out looking for Sandhill Cranes earlier this month when I spotted 2 Bald Eagles circling each other right above our heads. I thought it might be their mating ritual but as late in the season as it is I think they were playing or protecting territories.

These are such magnificent birds. I am glad they are making such a wonderful comeback.

Posted in Bald Eagles, Birds | Leave a comment

“Cranes!”

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Dick

Kathy & I finally had some free time to make our annual Sandhill Crane viewing trip to the Grand Island-Kearney Nebraska area of the Platte River. So many things had been going on around the house this spring that we just couldn’t get away before now. It’s late in the season to see them, but we went anyway. Many cranes have already headed to their breeding grounds up north. It is such a fabulous sight to see 500,000 or more Sandhill Cranes in a very narrow stretch of the Platte River.

We left our house about 0730 and headed toward our usual spotting area. Saw Wild Turkeys, Grackles, Starlings, but only 1 crane during the first couple of hours. Then Kathy turned a corner and I looked up. I shouted, “Cranes!” Kathy about ran off the road. No, they weren’t Sandhill Cranes, they were Construction Cranes… It was a mean trick to play.

About 10 minutes later we did see about 100 real Sandhill Cranes circling to land for brunch. They are an incredible sight to behold. Cranes have been passing through this small area of Nebraska for thousands of years. I’ll post some of those pictures if I find any “good” ones.

Posted in Things | 1 Comment

Flamingos & Shrimp

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Dick

Sunday was our first outing in the boat this season. A mild winter meant an early ice melt so we retrieved the boat from winter storage early. We were cruising the lake with friends when we passed 10-12 plastic flamingos in a yard. Some were bright pink, some were a bit faded, and a couple were almost white. I asked the kids if they knew why flamingos were pink. They all chimed in, in unison, “Shrimp!”

Quite right. That got me thinking of my outing to the San Diego Zoo a while ago. There were quite a few newly hatched chicks in with their parents – and grandparents I suppose. While making clicks, I overheard one of the zoo guides tell his group that the flamingos get their pink color from eating shrimp. The shrimp, and other foods they eat, are rich in alpha and beta carotenoid pigments. The zoo, however, found it too expensive to feed their flamingos real shrimp so they add a supplement to the feed that mimics the alpha and beta carotenoid pigments. Viola, pink flamingos.

Posted in Birds | 2 Comments

Union Pacific Living Legend #844

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Dick

Living just a mile or so from the rail road yard and the main rail line running through town with some 80-100 trains per day one gets used to the sound of the whistle of the diesel locomotives. So, when we heard the whistle of what was definitely not a diesel locomotive we determined a steam engine was in town.

I dropped what I was doing – at the insistence of my loving wife – grabbed my camera and headed off – at legal speed of course – to the old depot. Sure enough, one of the Union Pacific’s Living Legend steam engines, #844, was in town. As usually happens at times like these, a crowd had gathered. I found a parking place that I think was legal and headed for the tracks.

#844 is a beautiful steam engine that has been restored through the hard work of many dedicated individuals. To find out more about this wonderful steam locomotive you can check out this website…

http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/steam/locomotives/844.shtml

 

Posted in Things | 3 Comments

Hawk-eye

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Dick

I am blessed to have an office (I should say “Retirement Retreat”) that looks out over a lake, trees, and several bird feeders. The ongoing action is quite distracting – thank you! I love it! About a week ago I looked up from my computer to see this Sharp-shinned Hawk sitting on our deck railing about 12 feet away from me. This hawk was looking for lunch. We have a 10′ blue spruce about 15′ from where the hawk was sitting. He kept watching the tree (where the finches and juncos wait their turn at the feeders – and stay out of the reach of predators). When the hawk saw a bit of movement in the tree it would fly straight into the tree in search of food. It would then come back to the railing. The hawk did this for quite a while – long enough for me to get to my camera and make a few clicks. It actually came back the next day. Don’t know if lunch was ever served.

Posted in Hawks | 1 Comment

Angry Seas

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Dick

Kathy and I stopped on the Outer Banks, NC, on our way up the east coast recently. I was able to reserve a hotel room overlooking the beach (off-season helped, I’m sure). We had a great view of the “angry sea.” Winds were very high. Sand and sea foam were blowing everywhere and no one was venturing out on the beach. It was late in the afternoon and the sky was heavily overcast. I tried a 5 exposure hand-held series of shots with the intent to do an HDR image. This image is the result. The movement of the waves, when the images were combined, created an interesting effect. Note the two poles free-standing standing to the right of the pier. They were gone the next morning.

Posted in Places | 2 Comments