-
Stunning Beauty
A female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), hit by the sun at just the right angle and intensity, showing off her feathers at their best. Cardinals are at their brightest coloring by midwinter/early spring, in preparation for the spring breeding season. They go through a complete molt in late summer, leaving them with not the brightest…
-
An Occasional Visitor
This morning there was a visitor at the birdbath. That’s generally where I see the Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). Most often I see one at the birdbath, but on occasion I’ll see one at the Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) or Beautyberry bushes (Callicarpa) eating the berries. Mostly it is just one, not two or three.…
-
Stained Glass Treasure
A large blue piece of art, a stained glass star created by my son as a gift to me. Snow in the background. Wishing you the best of the season, and a 2024 filled with many good things. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!
-
Colorado Blue Spruce
This Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens), on Dec 21, 2013, making its first appearance as a Christmas tree in the cabin. Shortly after, it was planted in the yard just outside my studio windows. And now it has taken its place again in the living room as a much larger Christmas tree, standing a stately…
-
Oh Happy Day
A snow that sticks to everything. Wonderful for photographs. We had some like this twelve days ago. It was a marvelous 2.75 inches, but this image is from the end of January, 2005. Its been captured by a Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana) with its handsome cones and needles that are 1.5 to 3 inches long.…
-
Growing Up With Iris
Iris were always in the gardens that my Mom created. They were her favorite flower. And of course she was quite fond of the many shades of purple. Today is her birthday and I’m thinking fondly of those purple iris that pleased her so much. These iris are growing in one of my gardens. They’re…
-
Caught In Flight
The birds are so entertaining, going after the pinecones that have been coated with peanut butter and then rolled in sunflower kernels. Here, a Chickadee (Paridae) is hovering to get some of the snack I’ve created for the many birds. Peanut butter and sunflower kernels go into the suet that I cook up for them…
-
Female White-breasted Nuthatch
It took a couple weeks but the White-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) have returned, after no bird feeding for quite a while. They’re cute little birds that make a sound like an old toy tin car tooting its little horn. Or think of that little car laughing as it moves about. That’s the sound of the…
-
Berries For Winter
Eastern Red Cedar berries (Juniperus virginiana). Though you can’t see them in this image there are many other Robins (Turdus migratorius) and Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) enjoying the treats that this tree provides for them. In a few minutes they’ll be swarming to the bird bath, gathering around for a refreshing drink of water. No…
-
And So, It Rains
They said this would happen. And so, it rains. Just as they said. Color me very pleased. This photo, a very spent seed head of Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota). A seed head totally rain-sodden. _______________________________________________________________________ If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!