Poor Quality Bird Photos and Police Funnies

No, Mary does not take great bird photos. The majority of them look like this. The Great Blue Heron was antsy and didn't give me a break.

I’ve taken so few photos that all I have to offer are these…bad…photos. One out of forty might be worthy of National Geographic publishing (just joking), so when I take less than five a day which is the norm lately, this is what I get.









I admit this is not too bad. She’s a beauty, despite her photographer.




Fiddling with the camera, I missed the sip and dip at the pond.




The skies are loaded with vultures and hawks and I get dizzy, as you can see in this photo. A low-flying hawk in the center of the photo would make me proud.

Faceless Carolina Wren. I cursed after this shot.




Whaaaat? Ugh.




Can you find the Tufted Titmouse?



They blend in with the landscape very well. White Throated Sparrows are beautiful off the ground, like the Juncos.

Big news! Just before sundown this evening, a Carolina Wren bedded down in my hand-made Barn Swallow nest. I was blaming the nest renovation on House Sparrows. I’ll take the Carolina Wrens! The Barn Swallows probably won’t return anyway. But…maybe I’ll make another nest… Any thoughts on a Wren using a nest modeled for a Barn Swallow?

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Regarding Police Funnies, the cadets are working hard and learning a load of emotional discipline. During formation and other exercises, they are forbidden to express emotion. No tears, no anger or contempt, and no sense of humor. They are tested, ruthlessly! Look at their faces.



I heard of this story and I’m glad I wasn’t there. During formation, cadets are expected to be spotless and well groomed. One unfortunate cadet was coated with cat hair all over his black uniform and hat. Sgt. Moore questioned him about his lack of grooming and the cadet replied, “SIR! It’s cat hair, SIR!”

“What’s your cat's name?”, questioned the Sergeant.

“Fluffy, SIR!”

“What kind of F’ing, blankety-blank name is THAT for your @#@$$%, F-ing blankety-blank cat? And why is your F-ing cat crawling all over you, cadet blankety-blank?”

No expression. Never a hee-haw or fall down laughing even when it’s totally hilarious. This is what they are trained to do when they’re faced with a hilarious crime scene. And, believe me, they are out there. It would be disrespectful to hee-haw at victims or during crazy situations.

My daughter has a face that tells her story, minute by minute. You can read her feelings in an instant by glancing at her. She would never make it through basic law enforcement training if she wanted to, and neither would I. It would only take a few hours in the academy before she would be reduced to a puddle of angry tears and severe consequences. You see, I too, have this laughing or crying thing going on. Have you ever laughed uncontrollably in church on Sunday? I have, when my Dad hit loud, sour notes in song and praise. Laughter in church is forbidden and viewed as a total lack of respect. Sorry. When I was in the fifth grade, I had a giggling disorder that made my old, wooden student desk rock and knock on the hardwood floor. All I needed to do was look at Joe Shiavoni’s nose…he was small but his honker was way larger than life. My teacher, Miss Norton, who I thought was old but was probably younger than twenty-five, raised her right eyebrow at me many times and I went home from school with damp panties a lot during that school year. But she liked me.

So, I guess there is truth in the statement,

“There are people who are meant to be the police,

and there are people who are meant to call the police.”

The latter would be me.