March, the latest

So this weekend......there was this GREATER WHITE FRONTED GOOSE on Gibson Island. That was nice. Here is the now-famous speckle-bellied goose standing alongside a relative, the CANADA GOOSE.Her she (I think it's a she anyway) having a swim. So relaxing.Oh, then there was this 'other' bird that I REALLY can't talk about right now. It looks a bit like this though...And this...Ok, and this...I was bored last night (after the DecMan went to sleep), so I did these...Don't you just love the BLUE JAY'S attitudes? That moderately-sized blue bird told that more orange-than-red tailed raptor to take off.Progressively artsy, right? I'm think this one for my next album cover. Or, maybe for my next CD cover? No, wait, my next digital download cover? Whatever... I need to write a song first.Lastly, it wouldn't be a blog these days without a PEREGRINE update. They're both doing well, copulating still and she is getting larger. I say she looks beautiful... glowing almost. I hope he tells her the same. Here she is now...I can relate to him. I have a little PEFA here at home is glowing as well.He has been very busy bringing her meal after meal, in preparation for the kids... chicks they call 'em. When last I saw him, he brought her a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD for dinner. She took it, probably just to have a nibble. He took it back and put it someplace special. I think it was for some sort of romantic evening meal. Mmm, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, served with a side of STARLING perhaps? How invasive and delightful!

Here he is now, our local tiercel, working his feathers to look all dapper for dinner.Now, my photography skills have atrophied a bit lately. I've not had the time to get out there and practice. But here is one photo that isn't too awful. In fact, I think it's quite FOXy.Have a great week!

-Dan

A Visit To The WHITE DUCK (Josh & Anne's Sailboat)

I decided not to start on my taxes today. The weatherman, if you'll believe this, was wrong! It was not very windy, mostly sunny with only a smattering of clouds overhead. So after working in the garden and cleaning the house, I decided to venture out for a quick lunchtime hike.

My bass friend Josh, lead bassist and rocker for the band BEN'S BONES (did you get your tickets yet?), was busy sprucing up his boat, the WHITE DUCK. I decided to pay him a visit and bird the area near his dock. What an amazing two hours this afternoon.A photogenic HERMIT THRUSH was nice. I was delighted to show Josh and his wife Anne an adult BALD EAGLE flying low and straight towards us up their creek. A pair of KINGFISHERS and GREAT BLUE HERONS were two added treats to our afternoon. The chatter and fishing exercises of the KINGFISHERS are always entertaining. But the stars of today's show had to have been a eye-to-eye look at a GREAT HORNED OWL and a flying PEREGRINE FALCON. Ah-May-Zing!

Anne, Josh, their yellow lab Fran and I were walking and I noticed a large bird-sized shadow in the top of the pine tree right above us. I put my bins on the shadow and low and behold, looking down at me was a GREAT HORNED OWL. Crazy.I took this photo, but the RED EYE from the camera flash was a bit awful. I used iPhoto's red-eye reduction, but the results are not all that fantastic. Ahhh, but the event certainly was...On the way back to the car, I caught a glimpse of a falcon's powerful flight and pointed wings. I fired off a couple of shots and really enjoyed seeing this particular PEREGRINE in full flight.I did have one question about this CANADA GOOSE in the center of the photo. Is that anything special, or is this bird just lacking some WHITE on his neck?This part of the blog sucks: I feel it's my duty to mention that I found a deer tick on me this afternoon. It's the middle of winter, but it's still tick season. Be careful those of you who venture into the woods.

I hope your Sunday was even better. I'm grateful to have such a loving wife who lets me run off for a couple of hours to hike and bird. I'm even luckier to have a wonderful son who is nothing but joy. And I swear, after dinner I am going to get after those taxes!
Good Living,

Dan