• Avian

    Life Worth Living

    June 9, 2022
    Eastern Kingbird

    “It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.”

    David Attenborough

    I am a believer that my time in the natural world makes life worth living! There are those times when I find myself in a dark place. Lots of triggers to take me there. Thankfully I have found, and now regularly take, trips to a natural area or just a walk around the neighborhood listening to birds sing that will lift me out of those dark places. When I move my focus on nature, changes always happen within my soul.

    This Eastern Kingbird, at least that’s what I think it is, is not all that common in this area as we are at the edge of their migration patterns. We have many more of the Western Kingbirds. They are similar in shape but very different colors.

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  • Avian,  quotes

    Another Small Gift

    June 6, 2022
    A Barn Swallow I photographed a week ago.

    What a gift it is to see the beauty in the small things of nature as well as the larger gifts such as a sunrise or sunset or a sky full of clouds. On a walk a couple days ago at Watson Lake I ran into friend I have not seen in a 2-3 years. It was good to spend a few minutes catching up. Another small gift.

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  • Avian,  quotes

    Spiritual Practice

    May 28, 2022
    Red-winged Blackbird (female)

    The foundation of all spiritual practice is love.
    That you practice this well is my only request.

    the Dalai Lama

    My hope is to practice love, as a spiritual practice, and that it’s not just something I preach. Have a great Memorial Weekend!

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  • Avian

    Western Kingbird

    May 24, 2022
    Western Kingbird

    Took an evening drive to Weld County for some bird photos at a marshy area along County Road 13 and County road 78. Had an enjoyable evening watching, listening and photographing plenty of birds. This is a Western Kingbird. They belong to the flycatcher family so you can understand why they hang out in the insect laden marshes. They are actually a very lovely gray-headed bird with a yellow belly and a whitish chest and throat. The tail is black with white outer tail feathers. An easy bird for me to spot. I normally see them on fence wires or single branches such as this. They make this cute little repeated “kit, kit” sound.

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  • Avian,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  sunrises

    Happy Sunday Morning

    May 15, 2022

    Good morning from Pineridge Natural Area. Clear skies and sunshine to start the day. Meadowlarks were sharing songs of joy with all the world. In fact birds were singing all around me. Over time I will come know them but for now I’ll just enjoy their music. This image shows how the rains from last week sure gave the meadow a touch of green.

    When I leave the natural area I need to turn north on Overland trail and drive by an open field that is a Frisbee golf course. About a half mile after I’d turned I noticed this eagle sitting in the open field. I stopped and watched for several minutes with binoculars. The bird seemed rather nervous so I kept my distance. I finally decided to see if it would stay long enough for me to get my camera out and put on the longer zoom lens. I was able to take about 20 images then put my camera gear away because I did not want to disturb the bird anymore than I already had. I then watched them for another couple minutes with binoculars before it lifted off. I was shocked to see in its talons a large fish. Now, that would have been the shot but alas… This is about a 100% crop so it’s not all that sharp.

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  • Avian,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes

    One with all being

    May 15, 2022

    We must become so alone, so utterly alone, that we withdraw into our innermost self. It is a way of bitter suffering. But then our solitude is overcome, we are no longer alone, for we find that our innermost self is the spirit, that it is God, the indivisible. And suddenly we find ourselves in the midst of the world, yet undisturbed by its multiplicity, for our innermost soul we know ourselves to be one with all being.

    Hermann Hesse
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