This handsome mallard stood watch while his mate first pecked around for food on land and then headed into the water for a bath. I rather liked his mirrored reflection.
Category: Birds
Garden surprise
The little daffodils were blooming but they were crowded out by last year’s dead ornamental grass and summer flowers. As I cut away the grass a mass of little white shells caught my eye. Eggs!
Last year’s grass had sheltered a batch of bird eggs, each about an inch in size. I suppose you could call it a “nest,” though it doesn’t appear to have the typical bits and pieces a bird might call home. I don’t know what sort of birds they might have been. They’re long gone now.
It’s a bird…it’s a hawk…it’s a…?
We’ve established the basics here, but I’m not really certain about the rest. Is this a red tail hawk?
Here’s another view. It is one handsome bird. I sorta think it’s a red tail. Would anyone care to venture a guess?
Walking to work
Pond. Ducks. What’s wrong with this picture? Look at the pink webbed feet walking across the top of the pond. Our temperatures haven’t been much above freezing for several days. Most standing water has a good skim of ice across the top. For us that’s cold. And no. I wouldn’t trade with those of you who have it really cold!
What do swans eat?
For a month or two I’ve wondered if we might see migrating swans again this winter. I’ve kept an eye on a couple of fallow fields and was rewarded Monday. Trumpeter swans!
It was a small flock, lunching in a field. They ignored me until I began to get into camera range, then they’d move on. These were the best shots I could get.
Here’s lunch. This field was full of turnips and carrots left after harvest.
Theme Day: Photo of the Year
Happy New Year! City Daily Photo’s theme today is a look back at 2013’s “Photo of the Year,” about as easy for a photographer as it is for a parent to declare a favorite child. This shot takes center stage because I love hummingbirds and I’ve not found it easy to get satisfying shots of them. I like seeing this nest-builder at work. I have a few other favorite children who I’ll bring back for encores in the coming days.
To see other 2013 Photos of the Year, click here.
Spotting a spotted towhee
This little fellow is called a spotted towhee (pipilo maculatus) and is a common bird in western North America. Common they may be, but I find them attractive and was glad to get this portrait.