Say's Phoebe

 

"Tame birds sing of freedom. Wild birds fly."

~John Lennon

A short post today, just a lovely bird. Busy, busy, busy! The Sandhill Cranes are home, and it's the last day of summer! So, I have stuff to do!

Lorquin's Admiral ( Limenitis lorquini )

 

Lorquin's Admiral

Cosumnes River Preserve, River Walk

Galt, California

April 30th, 2026

A fallen blossom returning to a bough, I thought... but no a butterfly"

~Arakida Moritake 

Traditional Japanese Poetry: An Anthology

Yesterday was a beautiful day. Hubby and I took a walk, and a roll in my wheelchair, along the Cosumnes River Preserve, River Walk. It was peaceful and produced several birds we have not yet added to our birds list for this year, so that was nice. In fact the whole day was amazing, except for the keys that were dropped right on top of my head, the scary encounter with the skunk that ran right past my husband's feet, and the large rat and assorted lizards we encountered. We were definitely spending a day in nature! I will share more about all this later, but I guess on the bright side, the keys didn't break my nose, or put my eyes out, the skunk didn't spray us, the rat didn't bite us, and the lizards were quite content to mind their own damn business. As I said, yesterday was a beautiful day. There is beauty in the world!

More later...

It Was A Very Good Tuesday

 

"We begin to read each book, 

not knowing if we will see a peacock's feathers, or a baboon's arse."

~Kevin Ansbro

Hubby and I took a ride to Tracy yesterday, just to check out the range on the new EV, and while there we decided to check in at the Clifton Court Forebay, to see what new and wonderful birds might be lurking about. We first found about 100 or so swallows, cliff swallows I think, flying around the first bridge on the road. There may have been a couple different species of swallows, they were flying so quick I couldn't quite get a shot of them. I need to come back in the early evening, when they are slower and ready to roost. You can spot them on the telephone lines sometimes. Next, to my delight, we came across a flock of Caspian Tern. I love those birds, and I was afraid I wouldn't get to see one this year, but happily, there they were, flying on both sides of the forebay! I only wish they could have been a bit closer, my camera is feeling it's age, but still, I'm not really complaining! It was nice. And it was nice in general to get away from all the drama of worldly events. As irritating as those worldly events were, finding, photographing, and being able to enjoy the beauty of those beautiful birds erases a lot of bad! And to make it all that much better, I had a delightful dinner with my hubby, a Jersey Mike's sandwich, and a Habit Burger Garden Salad. Yep, it was a pretty good Tuesday!

A New Bird

 

"We are nature. We are nature seeing nature. The Red-winged Blackbird flies in us."

~Susan Griffin

It felt good to get out the other day and do a little photography, unfortunately this is the only good photo I got, but I will have more opportunities coming up, so this won't be my last photo this year.

Don't you just love the beauty of the Red-winged Blackbird? And they have a lovely song too!

Happiness, Sayeth the Raven

 

"Ravens taught me to pay attention. The desert taught me to see. Art and artists taught me to see more... and better... and to savor, appreciate and protect,"

~Linda Durham

Is it a good thing to see a raven? Is it a bad thing to see a raven? There are a lot of schools of thought on that. As far as I am concerned, most things outside of my own intuition is superstition. Black cats are not bad luck. I have never experienced bad luck after breaking a mirror, let along seven years. One of the best days of my life, was marrying my husband on October 13th, and nothing has ever happened to me after walking under a ladder. Although, now that I think about it, I don't walk under that many ladders. Hmmm. Anyway, I was so happy to be able to add this wonderful bird to my album of bird species I have seen this year. There it was, drinking from a small puddle, just outside the gates of the Yolo Bypass Wilderness Area, in Davis, Ca. A moment like that shouldn't be passed up. And I didn't.

Happiness

The Belted Kingsher On This Side Of The Road

"Knowing birds is like being fluent in a foreign language, or adept with a musical instrument."

~Katheen Jamie Findings

Another slightly blurry photo of a bird, but for some reason, I really like it. It's a little vague in mood, and it's cold, but it appeals to the attempted artist in me. It was just beginning to get dark, so working with the lighting was a little difficult. The light on this side of the road was waning, the opposite side was blinding white, due to the small fields that were flooded for winter visitors like geese and certain migrating ducks. Belted Kingfishers are not known for their patience, so I had to decide fairly quickly, if the shot was worth the moment. In the end, my love for these birds decided for me! I got better shots, and I was happy with the other ones, so it all made for a good day!

Inspiration

"One shouldn't be fooled by how quickly they startle. Bluebirds just like open spaces, that's all. Open fields where they are free. And when they find a place, they come in hoards, and they keep coming. They're faithful little settlers. They know when they have found a place of beauty."

~Ashley Clark

Paint And Nectar

Just a splash of color, on a cold, dark, rainy day. I hope to see a lot of more, Western Bluebirds, through this spring. They are one of the most beautiful perching birds in the valley. I count on them for inspiration. 

A Few Of My Favorites...

 

"You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, all the books you have read, the music you have heard, and people you have loved."

~Ansel Adams

Photography means a lot to me, but I sometimes sacrifice the quality of my photos, so I can get a picture in the moment. Bird photos sometimes have to be taken, before you think about whether the opportunity will be for the art, or whether it will be to build your yearly bird list. I try really hard to bring the two together, but oh boy, there are challenges. Weather. Birds that seem to fly at the speed of sound. I am getting older, so I am having a bit of a tremor in my hands, which might be from arthritis. There are a lot of factors. But here I want to share the ones I got right, or at least, okay. There is a lot of emotion here. They reflect happiness, sadness, serenity, wonder. It has been quite a year, filled with, you know LIFE. Each year I try to get a photo good enough to enter into the Audubon Photography Contest. Hopefully, 2026 will be my year!

My Year End Favorites

Autumn's Pacific Flyway

 

"Autumn is a place where words fall short. It is a magic that must be felt breathed, experienced, and treasured."
~Laura Jaworski

Pintails. Shovelers, and my favorite of all, the Greater White-fronted goose! That's him in the background, photobombing his friends, but of course, he'd call it watching over his pals. Northern Pintail, with their elegant lines, blue bills, and gorgeous tails are a pleasure to photograph. As is my favorite goose. A lot of different birds are starting to come into the valley, from the Pacific Flyway. Pretty soon the Snow geese and the Ross's geese will arrive. I am betting it will be next week, or maybe the first week of December. I can't wait for their return! The more the merrier!

Autumn's Sandhill Crane

 

"Birds are the eyes of Heaven."

~Suzy Kassem

Rise Up And Salute The Sun: The Writings Of Suzy Kassam

These birds are so unbelievably beautiful, that you should believe me when I say, I will never be able to photograph them in such that will pay justice to their grace. All I can do is try, and try again, but personally I know it can never be done. These birds live in my heart.