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…
31 days. What I have learned, for a start, is that I like documenting events. I have a poor long term memory, but also one easily triggered by a smell or a particular photograph. Words allow me that too. So I appreciate that I am cementing the memories with this process. And, too, I now feel confident to record the summer trip. But we’ll get to that in a minute….
There is, indeed, rain. The rain torrents and abates. And does it again. We have had so many inches, it seems like summer around here. The sky has disappeared and there is only a low hanging slightly fuzzy light grey blanket above. And a darker grey sheet beneath. It is wet. Today might be the first since the rains started that I have seen no sun and no blue anywhere…
It was a day unlike any of the past three weeks – nothing new or surprising happened in the backyard. Bound to happen, of course. This is not to say there wasn’t a plentiful supply of the usual. But even for me there are only so many pictures I am willing to devote to remembering the ibis, or heron or egret that walked into the backyard. So, I went hunting…
It was freezing last night. In the morning, the grass was dotted with frozen sections. They looked like early fall snowflakes on the ground. I donned several layers of clothes and went outside, and sat on a cushion to wait for the backyard to come alive. I particularly wanted the otters, but they did not show. Yesterday’s exciting account is still not written. Soon. As I waited in the…
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…
Nothing. And all things. I’m surprised that after almost six months of daily observation and photographing the backyard wild, it remains so new, and I still enjoy it to such a degree. Actually, this moon, this is pretty new and exciting. It was late afternoon, the temperature falling as the sun set bathed the tree tops in light, the moon sat high on the other side. I am inordinately pleased…
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…
I overheard someone say today that if winter wasn’t going to show up by December, it just shouldn’t bother. And, though it has been colder, it was pretty chilly for Tampa. It was nice, though, with a balmy breeze, low humidity. Like a nice Ohio fall day. This heron huddled against the gusts of wind. I took this photo from dozens of feet away. The great white heron is one…
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…