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It’s Monday Don’t Forget To Be Awesome!

May 1, 2023 — 9 Comments

F/ 7.1, 1/200, ISO 250.

Northern Cardinal ( Female )

My neighbor is really into music.

Even his driveway is hard rock.

Interesting Fact: Many people are perplexed each spring by the sight of a cardinal attacking its reflection in a window, car mirror, or shiny bumper. Both males and females do this, and most often in spring and early summer when they are obsessed with defending their territory against any intruders. Birds may spend hours fighting these intruders without giving up. A few weeks later, as levels of aggressive hormones subside, these attacks should end (though one female kept up this behavior every day or so for six months without stopping).  ( http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/lifehistory )

I Am Looking Up To You!

April 29, 2023 — 7 Comments

F/5.6, 1/500, ISO 320.

Elegant Tern

How do you organize an outer space party?

You planet.

Interesting Fact: The oldest recorded Elegant Tern was at least 20 years, 11 months old when it was found in California in 2010, the same state where it had been banded in 1989. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Elegant_Tern )

Those Who Fear The Thorns Cannot Pic The Roses.

April 23, 2023 — 5 Comments

F/8.0, 1/250, ISO 320.

Savannah Sparrow

Why did Cinderella get kicked off the soccer team?

Because she ran away from the ball.

Interesting Fact: Raising young is hard work: a female Savannah Sparrow must gather 10 times her weight in food to feed herself and her young during the 8 days they are in the nest. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Savannah_Sparrow/ )

I Have A Audition For A Zebra.

April 22, 2023 — 7 Comments

F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 320.

Black-and-white Warbler 

Why are ghosts such good cheerleaders?

Because they have a lot of spirit!

Interesting Fact: The female Black-and-white Warbler selects a well-hidden nesting location at the base of a tree, rock, stump, or fallen log, or under a bush or shrub. Nests are usually built on the ground but occasionally are placed in a cavity atop a tree stump, in a rock crevice, or on a mossy bank up to six feet high. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-and-white_Warbler/lifehistory )

The Deeper You Look The Better The Treasure.

April 22, 2023 — 14 Comments

F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 500.

Yellow Warbler

What did the judge say when a skunk walked into the courtroom?

“Odor in the court!”

Interesting Fact: Yellow Warblers build their nests in the vertical fork of a bush or small tree such as willow, hawthorn, raspberry, white cedar, dogwood, and honeysuckle. The nest is typically within about 10 feet of the ground but occasionally up to about 40 feet.  ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow_Warbler/lifehistory )

Here I Sit Broken Hearted Tried To Poop But Only Farted

April 20, 2023 — 27 Comments

F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 500.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Why did Bob throw the clock out of the window?

Because he wanted to see time fly!

Interesting Fact: Yellow-rumped Warblers flit through the canopies of coniferous trees as they forage. They cling to the bark surface to look for hidden insects more than many warblers do, but they also frequently sit on exposed branches and catch passing insects like a flycatcher does. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-rumped_Warbler/lifehistory )

I Was Redhead Before It Was Cool!

April 19, 2023 — 10 Comments

F/10.0, 1/400, ISO 640.

Northern Cardinal ( Male ) 

Why did Captain Kirk go in to the ladies room? 

Because he wanted to go where no man had gone before.

Interesting Fact:  The Cardinal nest typically takes 3 to 9 days to build; the finished product is 2-3 inches tall, 4 inches across, with an inner diameter of about 3 inches. Cardinals usually don’t use their nests more than once. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/lifehistory )

The Time You Enjoy Wasting Is Not Wasted Time!

April 14, 2023 — 12 Comments

F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 320.

Palm Warbler

What’s red and bad for your teeth?

A brick.

Interesting Fact: Though the Palm Warbler’s name might imply it is a tropical bird, it’s actually one of the northernmost breeding of all warblers (only the Blackpoll Warbler breeds farther north). They got their name from J. P. Gmelin who named them based on a specimen collected on Hispaniola, a Caribbean island with a lot of palm trees. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Palm_Warbler )

It’s Good To Be The King

April 10, 2023 — 4 Comments

F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 250.

Belted Kingfisher

What do you call a pig that does karate?

A pork chop.

Interesting Fact: Belted Kingfishers excavate burrows in earthen banks, usually avoiding ones with vegetation (especially trees, whose roots get in the way of digging). They generally choose a bank near water, but may use a ditch, road cut, landfill, sand pit, or gravel pit far from water. A pair may select a nest site during courtship, usually high in the bank where floodwaters are unlikely to reach. The male probes the bank with his bill, flying back and forth to the female, who calls continuously from a nearby perch. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Belted_Kingfisher/lifehistory )

Blue Looks Good On You!

April 6, 2023 — 14 Comments

F/5.6, 1/160, ISO 320.

California Scrub-Jay

Why did Papa Smurf send Smurfette to see a doctor???

She was always feeling blue…

Interesting Fact: Look closely, and you’ll see an intriguing difference between the California Scrub-Jay and its close relative, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay. The bill of a California Scrub-Jay is stout and hooked, giving it extra power and grip as the birds hammer open acorns in their oak woodland habitats. By comparison, Woodhouse’s have thinner, more pointed bills that nimbly reach deep into pinyon pine cones to pull out the pine nuts inside. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/California_Scrub-Jay )