relaxing

Yellow Means Slow Down And Watch Me

April 20, 2016 — 32 Comments

Palm Warbler

F/8.0, 1/200, ISO 320.

Palm Warbler

A male and a female pigeon made a date to meet on a ledge outside
the 14th floor of the Chrysler Building.  The male was there on time,
but the female arrived an hour late.
“Where were you?” he cried.  “I was worried sick.”
“It was such a nice day,” she explained, “I decided to walk.”

Interesting Fact: The Palm Warbler is found in two different forms. Birds that breed in the western part of the range are duller, and have whitish bellies. Those breeding in the eastern part of the range are entirely yellow underneath. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Palm_Warbler/lifehistory )

They Call Me Mellow Yellow

April 17, 2016 — 24 Comments

Yellow Warbler

F/ 6.3, 1/640, ISO 200.

Yellow Warbler

A lady went to a pet shop.
“I’d like to buy two yellow canaries,” she told the owner.
“We don’t have any canaries, but we have these,” the owner
said, as he showed the lady some pale green parakeets.
“That’s not what I’m looking for,” the lady stated.
But the pet store owner refused to give up. He said, “Just
think of them as yellow canaries that aren’t quite ripe yet.”

Interesting Fact: Life can be dangerous for a small bird. Yellow Warblers have occasionally been found caught in the strands of an orb weaver spider’s web. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow_Warbler/lifehistory )

Come Visit My Branch

April 15, 2016 — 16 Comments

Magnolia Warbler

F/5.6, 1/400, ISO 100.

Magnolia Warbler

Two birds in a tree looking down on a man washing his car.

“If he doesn’t hurry up and finish,” says one bird to the 15other, “I’ll shit myself.”

Interesting Fact: Though it has very specific habitat preferences in the breeding season, the Magnolia Warbler occupies a very broad range of habitats in winter:  from sea level to 1,500 meters elevation, and most landscape types, except cleared fields. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Magnolia_Warbler/lifehistory )

No. Stop Don’t SWALLOW That!

April 3, 2016 — 22 Comments

Tree Swallow

F/ 5.6, 1/500, ISO 125.

Tree Swallow

What do you call a chicken in the 1960’s?

A funky chicken.

Interesting Fact: Migrating and wintering Tree Swallows can form enormous flocks numbering in the hundreds of thousands. They gather about an hour before sunset and form a dense cloud above a roost site (such as a cattail marsh or grove of small trees), swirling around like a living tornado. With each pass, more birds drop down until they are all settled on the roost. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tree_Swallow/lifehistory )

Why So Puffy?

April 2, 2016 — 18 Comments

Tufted Titmouse 2

F/8.0, 1/250, ISO 320.

Tufted Titmouse

How many cans does it take to make a bird?

Two cans.

Interesting Fact:  Tufted Titmice nest in tree holes (and nest boxes), but they can’t excavate their own nest cavities. Instead, they use natural holes and cavities left by woodpeckers. These species’ dependence on dead wood for their homes is one reason why it’s important to allow dead trees to remain in forests rather than cutting them down. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted_Titmouse/lifehistory )

I Have A Very Particular Set Of Skills To Find You

March 1, 2016 — 13 Comments

Merlin

F/11.0, 1/500, ISO 250.

Merlin

Two birds in a tree looking down on a man washing his car.
“If he doesn’t hurry up and finish,” says one bird to the
other, “I’ll poop myself.”

Interesting Fact: Merlins don’t build their own nests. Instead, they take over the old nests of other raptors or crows. They also use magpie nests, sometimes laying eggs right on top of the nest’s dome rather than inside the cavity. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Merlin/lifehistory )

Hum With Me

February 19, 2016 — 15 Comments

Rufous Hummingbird

F/ 5.6, 1/125, ISO 100.

Rufous Hummingbird

California Week

Why do hummingbirds hum?

Because they forgot the words!

Interesting Fact: The Rufous Hummingbird makes one of the longest migratory journeys of any bird in the world, as measured by body size. At just over 3 inches long, its roughly 3,900-mile movement (one-way) from Alaska to Mexico is equivalent to 78,470,000 body lengths. In comparison, the 13-inch-long Arctic Tern’s one-way flight of about 11,185 mi is only 51,430,000 body lengths. (AAB) ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Rufous_Hummingbird/lifehistory )

 

Feeling A Little Blue Today

January 19, 2016 — 31 Comments

Blue Jay

F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 100.

Blue Jay

What bird is always sad?

The blue jay!

Interesting Fact:  The Blue Jay frequently mimics the calls of hawks, especially the Red-shouldered Hawk. These calls may provide information to other jays that a hawk is around, or may be used to deceive other species into believing a hawk is present. (  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue_Jay/lifehistory )

Excuse Me?! I Hear Everything That You Saying! 

October 24, 2015 — 10 Comments

Boston Terrier

F/ 5.6, 1/60, ISO 200.

Boston Terrier

Day 297 / 365

What does this dog and my phone have in common?

They both have collar I.D.

Interesting Fact: The Boston terrier breed originated around 1870, when Robert C. Hooper of Boston, purchased a dog, Judge from Edward Burnett known later as Hooper’s Judge, who was of a Bull and Terrier type lineage. Hooper’s Judge is either directly related to the original Bull and Terrier breeds of the 19th and early 20th centuries, or Judge is the result of modern English Bulldogs being crossed into terriers created in the 1860s for show purposes, like the White English Terrier. The American Kennel Club cites Hooper’s Judge as the ancestor of almost all true modern Boston Terriers. ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Terrier )