A ho hum Sunday

I decided not to take a drive up the Steens Mountain trail today because I really needed to take care of some chores.  So it was a cleaning day with a capitol C.  I cleaned the inside of the rig, and I cleaned my clothes.  Things seemed to be kind of slow in blogland as well.  On a bright note, the awning went out and stayed out on the first try.  That hasn’t happened in months.
As I sat out under the awning waiting for the dryer to finish it’s business, two Lewis’s woodpeckers were flying about the trees down the road a little ways.  If you look closely at the bird on the left, you can make out the typical pointed tail feathers that all woodpeckers have.  They help prop the bird up when it is on the bark of a tree.  Unlike any other woodpecker, the Lewis’s hawks insects on the wing.  They fly out from a perch like this and catch the insects in the middle of the air.  The other woodpeckers just….peck wood!  :)  The two birds really put on an aerial display for me today, and I appreciated it.

That was about the sum of my day for today, but I would like to broach another subject.  I would like to preface it with a statement saying that I hope not to offend anyone, and please know that I appreciate each and every comment that my readers post on this blog.  Some newer readers have asked what camera I have.  I use a Canon Rebel XS.  Others have commented something on the order of “you must have a really good camera to get those pictures.”  Well, yes, I think it is a pretty good camera, but I’m here to tell you that I think the best camera in world doesn’t mean you’re going to have good pictures.  It is a lot of work and learning, and I’m still learning.  I won’t go into all the technicalities, but for every picture that I post, many many shots are discarded.  This blog and it’s pictures are a work in progress, and I hope you’ll all stick with me as I work on improving both.  :)

Thanks for stopping by…. talk to you later,  Judy 

What a mistake!

Today started out as every other Sunday, recently.  I did the laundry and then headed to Lago Vista because I was out of some essentials....milk and bird seed!  I picked up the needed supplies, and eventually went outside to enjoy the sunny, but windy, day.  I put Emma on the leash, had my camera around my neck, and we headed out to see what there was to see.  It seemed that hundreds of Missouri primrose had popped up overnight, and I chased down several butterflies for fantastic shots.

Back at the rig, I thought I heard the high pitched chattering of hummingbirds, so I dug out my hummingbird feeder, filled it, and set it outside within seven feet of my rocker.  Then I sat down and waited.  Sure enough, within an hour the hummers began to appear.  The lighting was just right, and I took numerous shots of both male and female black-chinned hummingbirds.  I also spent a couple of hours shooting more pics of avian friends.

As the sun was beginning to set, I headed indoors with great anticipation of editing all of the photos from today.  That's when I discovered my mistake.  Last night, I had neglected to put the 1GB flashcard back into the camera!  :(  That means all of my photos from today were nonexistent.  What a bummer.  I found that the flashcard had slid under my laptop, so I didn't notice it last night.  Dang!

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to try again tomorrow....

Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later,  Judy

"Craning" my neck!

If there is one thing that the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is famous for, it is the abundance of sandhill cranes that migrate here to spend the winter season. My mission this morning was to pick up John, and head out on the auto tour route to find what birds we could and photograph them. On my way to the volunteer village, I stopped at a viewing area just as the sun was coming over the mountains.

The sandhill cranes spend the night in the water to stay away from coyotes and other predators. As I pulled over, they were getting ready to head out for the morning to feed in local fields.
It wasn't long before they took flight....
The sun was just peeking over the eastern mountains as they headed out for the day.
It was a gorgeous morning to be out and about on the refuge.

Sandhill cranes aren't the only birds to be found on the refuge. Flocks of snow geese have also begun to arrive.

Their numbers will increase dramatically in the next month or so. Every time there is an approaching cold front, more cranes, geese, and ducks arrive.

Cranes are one of my favorite birds, and we saw many today. So, you'll have to put up with several pictures of them. I love listening to their calls as they fly, and as they prepare to move from one field to another. This sandhill was fluffing his feathers in the wind. Cranes mate for life, so this pair is bonded.
See the red top knot?
While the cranes and geese were feeding, many Northern harriers were coursing the fields looking for rodents.

.

What a great morning it was touring this refuge! It was in the 30's when we started out and the wind was blowing up to 30 mph, but seeing all the wildlife was worth the frozen fingers. ;)

.

I leave you with one last silhouette...

Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy