This jet contrail looked like a highway through the sky, anyway that is what comes to mind for me. :) I loved the clouds and also the way the light dominated the left side of the scene in contrast to the darker sky on the right. And the blue sky looked so nice, but a wet winter and spring made things here a pretty green.

A friend told me about the Marsh Wrens at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area, so I have been watching for them ever since. They love to hide in the cattail plants found in the wetlands, which are called bulrushes in England. "Cattail is a tall, reedlike marsh plant with strap like leaves and a dark brown, velvety cylindrical head of numerous tiny flowers. Also called reed mace, bulrush." (Bing) Of course, this makes them very difficult to photograph even when you catch sight of them. The tall leaves of the reeds make a perfect hiding place for this little bird. Interestingly, as stated in the information below, they tend to stay down in the reeds. That's why I had such a time getting a shot of one.

"The Marsh Wren is a small, plump, round-bodied wren with a short tail that it often holds up almost vertically above its back. It has a thin bill and short wings."

"Marsh Wrens cling to stems of wetland vegetation, often with each foot on a different stalk shimmying up and down and belting out series of gurgling, buzzy trills. They tend to stay down in the reeds, but males sometimes pop up to sing on taller stems especially early in the breeding season. Displaying males also fly weakly above the marsh, fluttering downwards and dropping straight back into the reeds. Adults often return to the same breeding territories year after year. Males arrive on the breeding grounds first and begin building several dome-shaped nests. When a female arrives, he cocks his tail and sings. He then escorts her around to his nests, bowing and holding up his tail. Once the female selects the nest they both aggressively defend the territory, but males don't stick with just one female; they frequently mate with others. Males and females also destroy the eggs and nestlings of other Marsh Wrens and nesting birds, perhaps in a fight over resources."

Source: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Marsh_Wren/lifehistory

I liked the beads of water highlighted by backlight on these teasels, creating a necklace for them. I think that spiders are very creative, sometimes producing results beyond our abilities. :) Where did they get their wisdom?

These little lambs were so cute, I couldn't resist shooting a picture of them, despite the objections of their mother. Oh shoot, I don't have a model release! Is it ok to post this photograph? Maybe if I offer her a print, she will relent!

Seeing a Marsh Wren in its marsh habitat can be difficult. It's cover provides almost complete protection. The Marsh Wren spends much of its time under the cover of reeds. At the same time, they are active songsters, and sometimes sing at all hours of the day and night. This is the best shot I have got yet, a good way to start the month of May.

Perhaps you saw my earlier post of a Marsh Wren on April 22. That was my first capture of one, a very difficult bird to photograph! It was acceptable for a first shot, but I love this one singing its heart out. This photo is a huge crop of the original, the wren being a good distance away.

I can just picture this beautiful Redwing Blackbird belting out the lead in some concert. I am sure he has a wonderful singing voice. I know because I heard it! I was able to get pretty close to the performer, no doubt because he was swept away by his role. I think I could call his performance 'the concert on the bridge', where he sang so beautifully while on a footbridge in Orchard Point Park.