Winter Solstice Approaching...

We had a sweet visitor early this morning before I made coffee I was at the window snapping this photo, its not Tulip but one of her friends 

She was so close to the fence 

This morning it's a little hazy as we have rain arriving on the weekend so the clouds are 

forming. 

earlier in the week it was very sunny and cold...

The crisp air makes for better photos with highlights and sparkle..

And some wonderful blue sky...

I actually sneaked up on this guy...when I first approached he was enjoying the view....

Then he heard me, 

And I guess he thought WHAT the heck...can't a bird get some peace n quiet anymore?

Then in true Mockingbird form he put his tail up and looked me right in the eye...

This is something I really enjoy interaction between myself and a wild creature who responds!  He stuck around only a couple minutes then off into the Brambles...

I stopped at Goodale park, it was soooo  dead but one Song Sparrow answered my phishing

Since they cut the trees  away from the one area by the lakeshore more of the Pitcher Plants have grown in, I guess that is a good thing, unless  you're a bug...
they are a pretty red color then they die back for the winter...

I made a stop at Quaker Cemetery A very old burying ground...

 it's been a long time since I stopped by here I knew they were building something behind it BUT why did they clear off so many trees?? LAZY contractors, they built cookie cutter housing right where it used to be  woods,  that area was part of Bramblewood...a very special place. 

I did find some seasonal  color and some birds...

At least the cemetery is securing  some green space 

Hope it stays that way...

 there's so many different types of trees all mature and providing food for birds...like this Cedar 

Over in the thick stuff near the edges of the cemetery I saw White Throated Sparrow and Easter Towhee, Dark Eyed Junco...

 ...but then I heard a crisp call from the Crepe Myrtle 

A Blue Headed Vireo, 

There has been a lot of growth in our town the past couple of years not sure I'm onboard with it..

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Random stuff...

I spend a lot of my free time these days trying to match up old photos with old blog post...so IF you see any weird posts pop up and then disappear that's what is happening.  I recently said Summer is Flexing her Muscles and so the heat is rising, afternoons are good to be inside with the AC on while I do my photo replacements...I almost have it down to a scientist, ALMOST...

Eastern Towhee at the Cemetery 

 We need some rain so Im watering the plants every day that is a chore but we have not had humidity so it dries out very fast, the last 2 days we had some humidity and even a tiny shower.  Then last night it poured...so my plants are happy.  Saw this today when I went out, 

I was happy to see they put up a blinking light and these cones to slow people down and they had 4 signs at this intersection...I hope the cows are home safe.  

The Vernal pool was busy with Green Herons all busy looking for frogs...last yr they nested nearby and I think this year they nested here again, I saw 6 in total today..in fact a few of them could have been young ones, they fledge at 30 to 35 days after hatching.  

Im trying out a new to me camera.  I was about ready to give up and relist it, because I need a bigger view finder.  I Love my old camera but now it's giving zoom motor problems.  SO if I don't keep this Nikon B700 I will sell it on ebay and purchase the same Panasonic again, I really love my old camera. (Panasonic Lumix FZ80) It has a huge view finder, it's easy to use, the buttons are all in a logical place...its fully manual if you want, and it's pretty tough and stands up pretty good to my abuse.  I think it's the sand and pollen that has ruined the zoom motor as that lens feeds out it picks up contaminates, especially in spring. I do try to clean it off. 

This was taken with the FZ 80 Carolina Wren in my yard

This was taken with the B700 Chipping Sparrow at the Cemetery 

The B700 is 20.1 Megapixel, the FZ 80 is only 18.1...they both have 60X zoom, and 4 K video.  

I dont want to rush my decision, because I like it better now than the day I first started using it about 3 weeks ago.  Because of the smaller view finder I'm not able to spot birds up in trees as quickly so that is a Big Minus.  It  has taken me this long just to become familiar with the menu of the camera.  And I still don't understand all of it. 

This I took with the B700

This one below with the FZ 80

Quality wise it's about equal but ease of use the FZ 80 is much faster, easier to find the buttons in a quick grab, and just overall I enjoy using it more.  Even with the zoom motor failing it zooms faster. 

So that's something I have to decide.  

I have my very own Blue Jay, he sits in my window tree so I call him my Blue Jay, 

There is racoon visiting my yard again...I tried to photo him thru the window glass and it's at last 50 ft away so not a good shot but I saw movement and zoomed in and that's what I saw...

I know Annie has been going out for barks lately...I guess she saw him. 
I did relocate 4 squirrels outta my yard over the weekend.  3 males and one non nursing female. There's 4 more that are making me crazy so they may be going soon.  This time of year the forest is full of food.  

Solitary Sandpiper at the vernal pool...


A couple weeks ago I took my bike to McBee...the sand is deep there but I had a go at  it.  And I have been trying to figure out how to access a pond that shows on the map in the management area...it looks interesting, I found a service road but the area is fenced and the gate is locked so I need to speak to one of the rangers and see how to get in there...While I was searching I found several  Hooded Warbler, the males would not sit still for a photo but this female did...

If the males hadn't been singing I would never have known this was the female...

So a quiet week in my world...next week is supposed to be cooler so I hope to get out and explore more.  I had my final shot last Thursday.  

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Slow week...

I don't have much this week as it turned really cold! 

I did finish getting my belonging back in the van...I had the brakes and bearings done but I still hear the sound...so looks like more repairs are in my future...

It's good to have brakes not grinding...

I did not get out much for birding or hiking, I stopped at the  park nearby to do a sweep of the lake for ducks...saw none tho...

No one was around, this photo doesn't tell you just how cold it was that's why I was the only one there...several Golden Crowned Kinglets greeted me.

And an American Crow...

As well as some Chipping Sparrows...a flock of about 50 scattered as I drove by....this is the time of year we have more sparrows around...

And an Eastern Bluebird....

I always thought this was a result of pollution..,but it's actually the surface of the water  has a lot of air, 

This water flows over the spillway of the lake, I guess the air is introduced at that point and the foam develops and it collects up against this log...

I am now already busy on another project..it involves this large tube..

 

That's all I have this week, we had some rain, then the cold and I spent one entire day dealing with the garage visit, and then another one getting my wood box replenished and another running errands, and before I knew what was happening an entire week was over. 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Home all week...

This week I went no where fun or interesting.  Lots of new birds arrived at my house...and that was fun...I have been involved in a project and it has keep me very busy.  

The Hermit Thrush teased me into stopping to go in for the camera.

take my picture

I'm replacing the interior ceiling in my van the old stuff which was put in when it became a conversion van is saggy, rattles, and keeps me from being able to stand up in the central area.  So Im changing that...took out the old, that was hard.  I will post some photos when Im all done...

 the Dark Eyed Junco's are here...

I shared the Golden Crowned Kinglet last post so this week it's the Ruby Crowned Kinglet 

This is one of the  oaks on the homestead..

the Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers, 

more Chipping Sparrow,  

Several Red Breasted Nuthatch visited  I was happy to catch one with the camera...I  had been hearing them in the woods all week long...hope they hang out with us this winter. 

Northern Cardinals are beautiful year round in my yard..but especially when the leaves are matching colors...

A little Downy Woodpecker wonders which limb to explore next..

The Camelia's  are blooming early...

Look at this beetle I found when I split a piece of old wood...poor guy I took him out of his winter hiding spot..hope he will make it I put him back on some old wood but I don't know if he can find his way back into the center of it...Notice the false eyes.

Eastern Eyed Click Beetle

And yet another Red Breasted Nuthatch shot soooo cute..

Annie getting a walk about...

Fly Over

 And I'm changing the name of my van...
something Celestial is what I'm thinking..

And check out the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker as he enjoys a ripe American Persimmon that didn't fall off the tree....yum yum. 

Press Play

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.