After spending much of the summer cataloging old photos, and by old I mean anything digital, I’m beginning to think she had the right idea.
Luckily I captured enough special moments that it almost made all the work worthwhile. Not sure Lael feels the same way after spending 120 hours editing and cataloging the shots.
Even on a slow day, I can usually manage a picture or two that I like from a day’s walk at Theler. Considering how many Osprey I’ve seen this year, it seems appropriate on a recent visit that I got this shot of the resident flying overhead with a sole in its talons.
It was even considerate enough to wait for us on our return to the car
and seemed more than willing to pose for us.
I don’t think I’ve ever got a straight-on shot of an Osprey before. The size of those eyes must explain why it is so successful at spotting fish while hovering high in the sky.
These are definitely the summer doldrums as far as local birding goes, but curiosity and habit bring me back to Theler Wetlands weekly unless we are out-of-town. With fewer birds to be seen my attention often turns to flowers like these delicate purple flowers that flourish in the shade
or this Columbine that seems to prefer direct sunshine.
Occasionally I’m lucky enough to get a shot of the juveniles that are keeping their parents busy gathering food.
It’s even rarer to see a curious fawn.
No matter what we see, though, it’s a great way to get some exercise.
After nearly two and a half months of “vacation,” I was more than ready to return to the comforts of “home.” It was especially nice to reap the rewards of last summer’s hard work and just rest in our newly-landscaped backyard.
The bees, butterflies, and birds seem to enjoy our new garden almost as much as we did. Though the bees seemed to enjoy the new plantings more than our other visitors, we were rewarded by sightings of several birds we haven’t seen in our yard for years.
Small flocks of American Goldfinches frequented our plum tree.
A rarely seen female Black-Headed Grosbeak
joined flocks of Purple Finches, Tree Swallows, Song Sparrows, Stellar Jays, etc.
Nevertheless, the Anna
and Rufous Hummingbirds
continued as headliners of our backyard show.
Frequent backyard visitors, supplemented by weekly walks at Theler Wetlands, repressed the urge to hit the road to distant birding sites. Luckily, Fall Migration has begun at the beach just as our backyard visitors have seemed to thin out.