A week ago today I took three people to Kensington to feed the birds. They had never done that before but they’d heard about it and wanted to have the experience.
Hey, toss that peanut over here!
They had to drive almost 2 hours but they thought it was worth it. I do too. Though we arrived early in the morning, when the birds are most likely to be hungry, we weren’t inundated with begging feathered ones. But we had our fair share.
It rained all night and I’m not looking my best, but I sure am hungry!
Mostly it was the woodpeckers, in different varieties that were interested in us. Though an occasional red-winged blackbird stopped by.
I’m really interested in that peanut you have, could you toss it here?
And the bluejays were always nearby.
I’m faster than any darn woodpecker, just watch me!
In fact this visit turned into a ‘toss a peanut’ experience. The red-bellied and the red-headed woodpeckers and of course the bluejays are all very talented at plucking a tossed peanut out of the sky.
We spent much of our walk through the woods tossing peanuts into the air where they were eagerly snatched by a winged one.
Got it!
And of course we walked out onto the boardwalk to check on the blue heron rookery.
Ms. Red-winged was startled as we walked by.
The heron babies are now teenagers, testing their wings and making a great deal of noise whenever an adult ventures by. Just in case there might be breakfast arriving.
I can flap my wings faster than you. Oh will you two just settle down? I’m trying to nap here.
All in all, though we weren’t swarmed by birds I think everybody had a great time and I hope they come back for another adventure!
Last week a storm on the sun was predicted to send some major northern lights our way. A storm big enough to be seen even down here in southeast Michigan. But since there’s so much light down here, what with cities and towns all over, a friend and I decided we’d drive the three hours up to the tip of Michigan’s thumb and try our luck.
A misty evening looking out over Lake Huron.
When we arrived there was a kind of mist hanging over the lake. It was several hours until sunset, but we didn’t mind hanging out on the beach and waiting.
Waiting.
Or photograph the swans hanging out just up the beach.
Relaxing in the evening light.
But finally the sun began to set and we became hopeful.
Bye bye sun, sleep tight.
Maybe the night would be the night we’d dreamed of. We were ready.
As the sky darkened we could see two planets, Venus and Jupiter. They were the perfect “stars” to practice our camera focus as we waited for the light show to start.
The first ‘stars’ to appear.
We waited. We noticed clouds in a bank along the horizon and some in the sky. But aurora would look spectacular among the clouds. So we waited some more and practiced focusing on more stars.
Thousands of stars, and there would be more to see if it were truly dark.
As time passed the bank of clouds rolled across the lake toward us and we had to change our focus and practice on the stars directly above us where the sky was still clear.
Before the clouds covered it all up.
But by midnight the sky was completely clouded over and the light storm hadn’t yet hit earth. We decided to pack it up and head home. No amazing aurora. No milky way.
A pretty little beach at a roadside park.
Were we disappointed? Or course. But we had hours on the beach, little waves rolling up on the sand, and stars overhead. Sometimes you don’t get what you want, but you always get what you need when you head out into the night to photograph the sky.
Sunday afternoon I drove about an hour to attend another community’s band concert. They were celebrating the 250th anniversary of our country too, and I was curious what they would play.
I’ve never been to one of their concerts, but many years ago our community band and theirs planned a joint concert in their town. We anticipated having another joint concert the next year at our high school.
I can’t remember if it was a blizzard or an electrical outage, it very well could have been both, but the school was closed the day of our performance and we never did find another date to make that concert up. I’ve always felt sad about that, both bands had prepared music that we didn’t get to play.
Sunday’s program began with a subset of the band, doing jazz numbers, complete with a singer, and there was also a drum and fife band that marched in and played several pieces. The drum and fife players were aged 12-18. It felt good to see young people involved with something so historical. There is hope for our country!
The Community Band was wonderful. It is larger than our band, there were 75 people listed in the program, including twelve clarinets! They completely fill the stage and their sound fills the hall. They were awesome and I’m so glad I went.
Music in the spring and summer is so hopeful. I feel better just attending, even though I didn’t know a single soul in the audience or on the stage. I can say with certainty that everyone was smiling as they left Sunday’s concert. I plan to go to another concert this one located closer to home and outside, this week. You’ll probably hear about that one too. 🙂
You can’t beat community music. Look around, find some local music. I encourage you to take some time and attend something in your town. You’ll be supporting your neighbors and you, too, will walk away with a smile.
Wow! An entire day where the whole country celebrates ME!
Personally I always knew I was special but mom tried to keep the lid on it so to speak, so I didn’t get a big head. But she can’t hide my greatness anymore…why, there’s a day just for ME!
Oh. Wait. They’re talking about real pennies? The kind you find in parking lots? The kind they don’t even make anymore?
What the heck people!
I say we start a letter writing campaign to get me nominated to be the official LUCKY PENNY.
Geeze.
Talk later,
Your Lucky Penny (officially named Simply Unstoppable Pretty Penny, but I know I’m lucky too)
Historically the orioles (bright orange migrating birds) come back to my feeder from their winters in South America about (and almost always ON) May 5th.
I would like to announce my arrival, lady!
This year people were reporting them returning to their yards in lower Michigan at the end of April. So I put my oriole feeder out then. And then I waited. Every day I thought “this will be the day.”
Have you filled my royal feeder with my royal jelly?
And suddenly it was. My first sighting was May 1st and I was very excited. He was extra hungry and between him and the house finches I started going through a lot of jelly. Of course I didn’t mind at all.
Wrong feeder
Today I figured out there are actually two males. And possibly two females now. Though today I saw a picture online by a bird photographer who does a lot of educating with her images. She said her photograph was probably a young male, perhaps last years youngster. She said they look like females but have more black on them, like a male.
Ahhhh…this is more like it.
So now I’m considering that the two ‘females’ I’ve had might just be last year baby boys. That would make sense, as the males always arrive first.
A female? Or a young male?I think young male.
Either way the four of them have been at the feeder all day, every day since at least the 5th. AND I also get hummingbirds the next day (the 6th) of May, and a rose breasted gross beak!
Ahem….what have you planned for MY dinner?
The hummers and the gross beak arrived a day late, but I was just as happy to see them.
I hope she has safflower seed for me. That’s my favorite.
I don’t have an image of the male hummingbird yet, he’s very skittish. But the gross beak has always been something of a photo hog. He’s not skittish at all, as long as you move slowly. And your dog doesn’t bark.
But hey, grape jelly might be better!
The same day that the gross beak and the hummer arrived I saw a catbird, also a migrating bird that isn’t here in the winter.
Hey! Don’t be so grumpy. It’s OK to share a little of your royal jelly.
And across the street in the pond was an egret. Though my pictures of that bird are just bad. I always have trouble with the bright white of egrets. I know I’ll have more opportunities so I’ll wait until I get a better image before I share.
Catbird, not an oriole.
BUT, I have to say that the 5th and 6th were very big bird days in and around my yard!
Red bellied woodpecker also likes grape jelly.
All the photos here were taken through a window, working through reflections and grime. But I didn’t care, I was just thrilled to see them all.
Penny here! Boy I thought I’d never get back online and all of my fans would wonder forever what happened to me! Cause you know a little bit about the adventures my folks have been on, but I’m sure you were worried about me too. Right? Right???
You WERE worried, right?
Well at first mom and dad figured since I’m a big girl I could stay at home alone and mom would get home often enough to walk me and more importantly feed me. But once they were fully immersed in their adventure they realized they needed help, so one of our nice neighbors, Mr. Mike, came to the house and took me for walks.
He did that all weekend. I was cool with that cause I like Mr. Mike, and because sometimes he brought his dog Oliver along. Oliver and I are in love. (Don’t tell Oliver, but I have lots of boyfriends that I’m in love with.)
Then on Monday mom took me to go see my dog mom, Vivian, and her bestie Olivia, and my niece Sara and my mama S!
I can’t wait to see everybody!
I just love visiting there, Sarah and I play nonstop. Mom says I instigate a lot of the play and that I’m a little stinker but mama S. says I’m a perfect little girl who fits right in.
I don’t think my mom is fooled.
That’s my dog mom, Vivian, on the left and my niece Sarah on the right!
I was happy to be there, but then I turned around and my mom was gone! I couldn’t find her anywhere! And even though I love to visit I still want my mom. I’d wait by the door every evening hoping mom would come get me.
I was there all week and over another weekend and half way through the next week! Heck, when Mom finally decided she’d come get me I’d almost forgotten about her.
At the dog park I told those big dogs off. Cause they were on the other side of the fence.
Still, I was glad to be going home and so was a little confused when we stopped at a dog park and mom let me run and run and run. She said she wanted me to get all the antsy out of my system cause I was going on another adventure.
I like to contemplate life while I’m exploring.
And I ended up at my kennel! What the heck mom! I hadn’t even seen daddy yet! But it’s a nice kennel and I don’t mind being there. I followed the girl to the back without even looking at mom.
I do that cause I know it hurts her feelings.
Whatever, mother.
I should have been a bit more compassionate because mom says she felt terrible. But daddy was coming home from the hospital and he needed some time to get stronger before I was jumping all over him, so I had to stay at the kennel for four nights!
And finally, FINALLY, today mom came and got me and I was soooo excited that I barked and barked at her in the car and you know what she did?
I’m back at my park. Wonder what mom has up her sleeve this time?!
She stopped at the dog park and let me run and run and run until I wore myself out and then she took me home to see daddy who was very happy that everybody was finally at home.
I love to run, especially to mom who always has a treat!
And now we’re all going to get some sleep. I promised mom not to wake them up too early tomorrow morning. I hope I can keep that promise.
No, not my flight, though when I was young I did think I’d like to fly a plane, and when I was even younger I used to dream that I could fly like a bird.
This is the scene from the window and what I had to shoot around.
No, this morning I put some peanuts in the flat feeder, and that quickly brought in my merry band of noisy bluejays. I swear they sit up in the trees and wait for me to fill the feeders. They always arrive immediately and with great fanfare.
Trying to focus on the bird among the branches.
And while I was standing at the window, watching them come and go in the morning light, I realized I could try to capture their flight. They were much too busy hogging the peanuts to notice me.
He has 3 peanuts in his beak and more in his throat. But he’s not really in focus.
You need a very short shutter speed to stop those wings in mid-flight, at least 1/2000 per second. If there is sunlight that’s easier to accomplish.
Coming and going.
I took 84 images before the sun was hidden by the clouds of the latest incoming storm front. Out of that barely a handful are passable. But I learned a lot and some day I will try again.
My favorite image.
I’m sharing them with you now, because bluejays, no matter the fact they are obnoxious, are truly beautiful.
Change Is Hard 