A Grand Bird Day (for a short while...)

There was not a bird in sight for a while this afternoon, so I thought it would be a good time to clean the feeder ledges. On my way, I caught sight of a hawk perched in a very tall pine and stopped dead in my tracks. “Oh, my!”, I thought, and dashed to the house to get the camera. Have you ever run, while feeling you were in slow motion? Just look at that hawk! No wonder the feeder birds fled. Click to enlarge the photos.


Camera in hand, stomping through mud puddles, my eyes were fixed on the handsome creature. He was perched waaaaay up there.

My Stokes Field Guide helped me to call this one a Cooper's Hawk. I love this guide...


Oh, let's see another...

After taking several photos the camera died. Kaput. No reviving. Impatiently, I fidgeted with it, mumbling words of disbelief… This happened when the bird was starting to spread wings and show off. “%$^*)(*&^$%!!!” My fault. The battery died. Now I know to charge the battery at least once a week. Another lesson learned.

One last photo of Mr. Cooper...

So, I stood in the middle of the yard, defeated and frustrated. He spread his wings, swooped overhead and disappeared behind my neighbor’s house. He’ll be back, probably to fly away with one of the doves like he did last week. I was name-calling the doves this week and now I feel bad...


Earlier in the day, I was tiring of vacuuming and looked through my bathroom window to find a nice little surprise.


I jumped when I saw a Carolina Chickadee fly by the feeder. This little bird is quick and darts to and from the feeder in a bat of an eyelash. I was nervous and had a hard time focusing on the action at the feeder but I did manage to catch him in a tree during a pit stop before the last leg of his journey for some sunflower seeds.

I have learned when using full zoom that you must not breathe, belch, cough, or sniff while focusing. Your feet need to be planted firmly. As time goes on, I'll learn more things about photography. I had a hard time because I was probably too excited to keep my hands and balance steady. Even with image stabilization, the operator needs to keep herself in control!


Still having problems with my focus, but here’s a male House Finch that came to visit today.

It was a good day that ended too soon. For three hours, I walked past the battery charger, looking for a green light. Sigh...

Need more feeders! All over - north, south, east, west. I should have let the dustballs accumulate and went shopping today.

A 75 degree day. I heard a lawn mower.