Three little birds showed up today. I was pleased to see them Since experimenting with the cameras, the birds have not been showing up and remaining in a constant range well enough for me to capture them. I was pleased to see them because I am not sure what one of the species is. This is the eastern phoebe, of course. And this is the eastern bluebird. And…
Playing with the new camera on a day when it is grey and rainy seems like it should result in some excellent learning experiences. But I don’t think it did. For right now, the Nikon D3300 and I are getting to know each other. Here are several familiar scenes/activities reproduced today with this device. Starting at the boring end and crescendoing near the pinnacle (of an almost flat day!). Aperture:…
The light-hearted backyard is back. A bright sunny (though not warm) day. When I looked out the sliding door this morning, I saw a burst of activity in the wild life. The white duck – the mallard hen – skittered down the bank, to the shore, and it looked as though it was being chased by a circling snowy egret. I’m not certain how likely such a thing is, so…
We’ll start here. Did I ever tell you about this snowy egret and tri-colored heron that hang around and hunt together? Several weeks ago I started noticing that both these birds showed up at the same time each morning in that little bay across the way. I would photograph them just on the basis of their being birds in the backyard. After several days, it dawned on me that they…
The sound did not pull my attention. Too often had I been frustrated by turning just in time to see only the spreading waves. I never managed to see the fish themselves break the surface, but only the water’s concentric rings dispersing. I never quite have my eyes in the right place. So I didn’t turn around. Straightening my back in mild irritation, I pulled my elbows in and grasped…
It is more than halfway through my 30 day challenge. I’m not entirely pleased with the quality of my writing, and will be rather relieved not to have to do this everyday. Yet, I feel like the obligation is useful since practicing a skill means improving that skill – usually. So, it turns out that what I enjoy most about this challenge is being able to take note of both…
This afternoon, the backyard journey extended several miles to the north end of Tampa – Lettuce Lake Park. It is a 240 acre park with a tremendous boardwalk over a swamp that feels almost primitive. The sight of alligators lounging on fallen logs, and snakes curled around themselves next to pond lilies do nothing but enhance that feeling. It is a wonderful place, a half an hour away, that I…
Overnight the world broke into a million tiny shards and fell upon the water. Well, it looked like that this morning, at any rate. As the day dawned the rain fell in large flll droplets and the wind created a grey sheet around the backyard. It is remarkable how the quality of the mornings changes with the gusting winds. As the winds slowed and the curtain of shadows slowly lifted,…
The backyard is great fuel for the imagination, but it is also calming.It is not difficult to find a peacefulness here. I like to see the wind rippling across the water, and the reflection of light laid down like a path. One of the sounds I miss from growing up is the wind through a bamboo grove. It is a different quality from wind through any other trees, I think….
The anhinga, or snakebird is interesting. It is neither very attractive, like most birds, nor graceful – at least not in the air. It is territorial and has a raucous cawing sound. Yet it is quite appealing to me. It flies competently, swims masterfully and stumbles around like a duck on land. What intrigues me about it primarily is the quality that gives its nickname: snakebird. It moves through the…