Autumn's Migrating Bufflehead

 

"Fall comes with many colors, to challenge a green summer."

~Neamat Alishiryan

The prettiest of the migrating ducks, the pretty little Bufflehead! They are fast little diving ducks, and they are the smallest of that class, weighing only about a pound. They are great fun to watch, and quite a challenge to photograph, as they dive down really fast, and bob back up only when they feel like it. They are gorgeous birds, the males with the colors of the rainbow around the head, and the females have a beautiful white streak on both sides of their head. Their migrating flight brings them from Alaska and Canada, flying at night to reach the Pacific coast and sometimes spots inland, like Cosumnes River Preserve. It's nature like this, that makes me thankful that I moved out to the San Joaquin valley, because I never saw them when I lived in the Bay Area. They are all over the place here, but now that I know I can find them in Bodega Bay, I will visit more often. That will be especially convenient if we move somewhere near the upper coast, of Sonoma, or Marin Counties, or even somewhere on the western Delta.

I love The Ducks Of Autumn

 

"In November, some birds move away and some birds stay. The air is filled with goodbyes and well wishes. The birds that are leaving look serious. No silly chirping now."

Cynthia Rylant

These birds, the Northern Shoveler, have amazing color to them, but you can really only see it on sunny mornings! A deep green color on their heads, and a beautiful orange rust on the back. I could watch them swim all day!

Thank You, President Biden!

 

Desmond Road

Galt, California

March 2024

 

 

“The sure way of sustainable management of the ecosystem

 is to make human kind environmental stewards.” 

~Lailah Gifty Akita 

 

 

The beauty of Desmond road will become even more beautiful because of the money being put into the Cosumnes River Preserve and it's ecosystem, by Joe Biden and his administration. Maybe next year there will be more birds. Maybe a fish will not end up on the endangered species list. It is critical to save this precious part of the wetlands, as it is so important for the birds who return year after year on the Pacific Flyway. Among them, my beloved Greater White-fronted Geese, and the Sandhill crane. Last year I witnessed so much damage that had been done by the storms of early 2023 and an especially dry summer, so I have so much hope for life along the river. Even the Mexican Free-tailed bat has an interest! They have been eating on the mosquitoes and living under that nifty bridge for years, and soon they will be back and ready to feed. Sometimes the ecosystem makes me sad, it is what it is, but knowing life is working as it should helps me sleep better at night. This is the only wetlands we have, on the only planet we have! Thank you, President Biden, for working for America, and for the small souls that save us!

“May it fill your heart with joy to extend your family to include every insect, native plant or animal and fluffy bird

 that finds sanctuary there with you.” 

~Mary Reynolds

 

 

Greater White-fronted Geese

American Avocet

Black-necked Stilt

Meanwhile...

 

“Have you ever noticed that neither cats nor dogs ever laugh? I used to think I was doing something wrong, that maybe I needed to start telling better jokes. But no, all I needed to do was get a different audience. That's when I discovered ducks.”
 

~Jarod Kintz,

  Duck Quotes For The Ages. Specifically ages 18-81.

 

February is not over, so don't think I have chickend out when it comes to meeting that goal, I haven't given up! I have been tired. I have been busy. I have been under the weather. But I will get to it, even if it is just before midnight on February 29th. Meanwhile, enjoy this photo of a female Hooded Merganser. I saw them floating in the pond at Pixie Woods. I love these little ducks, and they are only around for a brief time during the winter migration, so any time I get to enjoy photographing them is a day well spent!

 

By the way, it has been my experience that not only do ducks laugh, but they have a wild sense of humor! I won't go into it, but I know for a fact that they sometimes point and giggle! And I wouldn't have it any other way!

 

A Woman Who Stares At Ducks

 

“I once taught a duck how to swim.

 I'm such a good coach that in no time at all it learned how to fly.” 

~Jarod Kintz

  Eggs, they’re not just for breakfast

 

As uninspired as I have been feeling lately, I found a lot of happiness in photographing this gorgeous Bufflehead duck, at the Clifton Court Forebay. There was still a shocking lack of birds, but I still managed to photograph two new birds. The Shrike and the Song sparrow. That brings the total for January to 80! Not too shabby. The Shrike photo is blurry, so hopefully I will get a chance to redo that at some time later this year. I have seen one at the forebay on other occasions, so I am pretty sure it will happen. It's something to look forward to. Sigh. This lack of inspiration will pass, I just need to get there. 

 

By the way, this also happened yesterday...

 

The Oscar Nominations were announced.

 

Biggest snub... Margot Robbie. But Ryan Gosling was surely nominated. In case you didn't know, he played Ken. Don't get me wrong, I like Ryan Gosling very much, but holy HELL! I won't give anything away, but that whole dynamic sure drives home the whole point of the movie! If you haven't seen, Barbie, go watch it. You will enjoy it, I promise! See the full list of nominees here. All I have to say is, FUCK THE OSCARS!

 

 

 

And also, this happened...

 

Sigh...

 

 

Elegance... The Northern Pintail Duck

 

   "When I am out, and it's autumn,

 my thank you’s to the universe seem infinite.” 

~Darnell Lamont Walker

 

All birds have something very special about them. For the Northern Pintail its pure elegance. God is truly and artist!

 

96 Tears Or Wood Ducks And Hooded Mergansers

 

"You don't need a vacation. You just need to dig a pond on your land and buy some ducks, and then you can enjoy moments of escapism without ever leaving your property."

 

~Jarod Kintz 

 Music is Fluid, and My Saxophone Overflows When My Ducks Slosh In The Sounds I Make In Elevators

 

Isn't that a great title for a book? I have never read any of Jarod Kintz's books, but the title of that one alone makes me want to buy a dozen, or so, lock the doors, grab a cat and a blanket, and get to reading! 

 Anyway, I spotted a Hooded Merganser down in the channel the other day, but the photos I got were less than my standards. Most birds don't care if you peer at then, or take their photo, while others make an absolute point of posing for you. The Hooded Merganser is not one of them, but I did the best I could, and they can be identified, so I suppose I was successful. I had 90 for the month of January, and I just picked up another six more, that makes 96 for the year so far! Not too shabby. Now about the ducks you see above... those are Wood ducks. My absolute favorite of all the ducks. They are gorgeous, like they were painted by an impressionist painter. I suppose God is the ultimate impressionist painter, so if you look at it that way... they were!

 

 

Green-winged Teal

 

"Birds were created to record everything. They were not designed just to be beautiful jewels in the sky, but to serve as the eyes of heaven."

 

~Suzy Kassem

Rise Up and Salute The Sun: The Writings Of Suzy Kassem

 

Click To Enlarge
 

I was delighted to see a fairly large paddling of ducks at the Cosumnes River, the other day, and not just any duck, it was the small, yet mighty, Green-winged Teal. I had seen some in the waters off Desmond road, but at the Cosumnes River visitor's Center, I was able to walk right up to the waters edge. The Teal were being quite accommodating, in fact they were perfect little models! I wish all birds were that easy to photograph. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet and the Bullock's Oriole are probably the most difficult for me to photograph, both are even more difficult than the Cedar Waxwings, which have given me more than one headache while trying to get a photo. With the waxwings, it's the difficulty of getting a photo of the bird with it's wing and tail tips featured. It is universally believed that waxwings hide those special markings on purpose.LOL. They don't, of course, but it does seem at times that birds have a plot to make the photographer work as hard as possible to archive a photo good enough to enter the Audubon photo contest. I am not sure if I have ever gotten a photo good enough to win, but I might try to enter the contest next year anyway, just for the experience of it. Shrug. We'll see. Right now, I am just focused on Christmas, and New Year's, although, birds are always a welcome distraction.

 

 

 Tomorrow... the Cedar Waxwings

~Me

 

Desmond Road In Farm County And Autumn Leaf Of The Day #23

 

"His eyes reflected the open grey of the autumnal sky."

~Juliet Marillier

Daughter Of The Frost

 

The farm country added some new ducks to it's various ponds this week. Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Ring-necked ducks, Green-winged Teal, and mallards all showed up in the pond on Desmond road. It's a happy feeling to see the birds enjoying autumn as much as I do. Soon, I hope, the Snow geese will arrive, and after that, who knows? All I know is I enjoy the annual migration of birds, and I can't help but marvel at their ability to survive and thrive. I didn't sit and count how many different species of bird flew past me today, because I was too busy enjoying the sounds of farm country and the world of Desmond road, in Galt, California.

 

 

~Me

Welcome Autumn And Leaf Of The Day #1

 

 "But when fall comes, kicking summer out on it's treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his favorite pipe and lights it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since he last saw you."

 

~Stephen King

 Salem's Lot

 

"But when fall comes, kicking summer out on it's treacherous ass... ."

Has there ever been a better description of how it feels to finally be rid of brutal summer days? It's finally here, weather that isn't 114 degrees! Yep, we broke records again this year, but the leaves that are still alive are off to a beautiful start. Life. Is. Good. Mostly.

~Me

 

 

Autumn And My Friend The Duck

"Rest your eyes well before September

 because with all it's colors autumn is coming to visit them!"

~Mehmet Murat ildan

Another look, at the time we spent in Victory Park last Sunday. The fountain to the left side of the museum, made an already stunning landscape, all the more charming, and the beautiful ducks that were alternating between swimming and sunning themselves, brought it all together, to make for the best autumn afternoons I have had all season! I wish I had that day back right now because, to be truthful, I could live in that day for the rest of my life, at least that's how I feel right now, but who wouldn't want to live in a warm day in autumn, filled with every color imaginable, a slight coolness to the air and delightful wildlife to share it with? 

My new duck friend looks pretty happy!

#12 Leaf Of The Day

December 12th 2017

Berkeley, California

Mood: Happy
~Me :)

You Get The Dwog, I will Get The Kwoffee, And We We'll Watch The Ducks

"I am a duck. I'm cool and calm on the surface, but underneath it all is a nonstop struggle to succeed. My feet are like orange spatulas."

~Jarod Kintz, How To Construct A Coffin With Six Karate Chops.

Ducks. I like ducks. I had several as pets when I was a little girl. Last year, I was a rubber duck for Halloween. I am not sure what costume I will be wearing this year, but I am leaning toward a sexy wolf costume. I am also considering going as Teresa Giudice. I get a big black 80's style wig, a tight fitting leopard dress, which I already own by the way, and a ball and chain, and I am good to go! LOL. But that would be tacky of me I think. She is in a lot of trouble, and kicking someone when they are down isn't very nice! It would be an interesting, timely costume, but more than anything

 it would be unkind. 

 Besides it would probably piss off Victoria Gotti,

 and who wants to do that?

Hmmm...

Quack!

Thoughts?

Mood: Undecided

~Me :)

Round Robin Challenge: Funny Stuff

"If loving someone is putting them in a straightjacket and kicking them down a flight of stairs, then yes, I loved a few people."

~Jarod Kintz, It Occurred To Me

RRC: Funny Stuff

It's been 2 weeks since the last Round Robin Challenge, so you know what that means... time for a whole new challenge! And this time around Karen wants to see some "Funny Stuff!" I have been super busy this last couple weeks, and didn't get out to get the photos for this challenge I wanted to, so I had to delve deep into the archives to find the funny stuff. I hope you get a kick out of these humorous photos!

Funny Stuff Gallery

One Of My Favorite Funny People... Paula Poundstone!

Alameda County Fair, Pleasanton, Ca 1997

I Titled This Photo... "If Only." LOL

San Francisco, California. Summer 2006

"To Serve Man" By Billboard Liberation Front

San Francisco, California. May 30th, 2005
McDonalds 50th Anniversary Tribute

A Strange Name For A Restaurant.
 
Hayward, California. Spring 2002

"Guilty"

Dylan Andrew Gordon... What Did You Do?
Berkeley, California. January, 2009

"Opposites"

Oakland Zoo
Oakland, California
October, 2009

And Finally...

Happy Birthday Elvis "His Favorite Hat."

Berkeley, California
April 27th, 2007

My little Elvis was such a funny little guy! I know it sounds strange, but he really did have a sense of humor. He was an extraordinary cat! I saw him do some astounding things while he was on earth. Karen has heard all the stories, and she probably thinks there might be some slight exaggerations here and there, if I were her I would also, but no, I really didn't exaggerate things. He was very, very special, that once in a lifetime kitty! Don't get me wrong, I love my current cats, Hendrix, Dylan and now baby Joey, but it really did take the three of them, to just come close to equal Elvis in personality. But each of my boys, in their own special way, will never be equaled. Just like Elvis could never be.

Okay, that's my post for the current challenge!

Be sure to stop by the official Round Robin blog to find the links to the posts of other participating Round Robin photographers! And you can also play along if you like! Just click the link at the top of the page to be redirected!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)