I thought that the unusual pose and the beautiful light on this Great Blue Heron made it stand out nicely. So I shot a picture of it! That's what I do! :) Actually, I shot this photo in Delta Ponds before the first of the year. But since I am recovering from surgery, I had to draw on what I did before.

We see lots of osprey nests on manmade structures around here, and don't see them in trees as much. Well, I have often seen them perched in a tree, feeding on a fish they caught. But this osprey appears to be perched in a tree, just to enjoy the scenery or, more likely, scouting for fishing opportunities. I was pleased to get a shot of it. That's a dangerous looking beak!

A "Cool Fact" from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Osprey/lifehistory

"The Osprey readily builds its nest on manmade structures, such as telephone poles, channel markers, duck blinds, and nest platforms designed especially for it. Such platforms have become an important tool in reestablishing Ospreys in areas where they had disappeared. In some areas nests are placed almost exclusively on artificial structures."

I saw this colorful little bicycle in a yard while on a walk and couldn't resist a picture. This would attract the eye of any kid, even an old one! :)

Peabody is getting more and more plumage as winter goes by. He will be in his glory by spring. The beautiful 'eyes' are filling in on his tail feathers. He continues to follow the chickens as if he belongs with them. It may be odd behavior but it keeps him here, to Carol's delight. Peabody certainly adds to the entertainment around here. :)

This osprey sat in a tree momentarily before all of a sudden taking flight! It was a tough image to capture! I figured it must have spotted something that looked like food. If so, they are like the eagle, having tremendous capabilities when it comes to vision.

I couldn't find any information as to how the osprey's vision compares with that of an eagle. If you are aware of any information on this, I would love to know. They are fascinating birds!

This female Common Merganser didn't wait around to take its leave! They are quite shy of people, around here anyway, and keep their distance from humans. I spotted several of them together as they swam along, seeming to be unconcerned about safety. But they are ever on the alert and are gone at a moment's notice. I loved how the wings looked as it began liftoff.

Against the brightly lit lake the rocks were dark and the heron silhouetted, a pleasing image to my sight.

It was a pretty dark and rainy day today, but I hoped that if I went to the lake perhaps I could get enough of a small break of sunlight to perk the scene up. Fortunately, it happened and I was able to get a few images during that brief moment. I liked this scene with its light and color.

This is a bench on our daughter's front porch. I think of it as a graphic reminder that, no matter what our circumstances, we have reason to be thankful.

This beautiful little Grebe was busy cleaning itself at Delta Ponds, so I was able to get some photos of it undisturbed by my presence. While watching it closely, I noticed that it was not leaving, even when others came up and began watching. Turns out it has lost most of one wing, as the photo shows. Poor thing, it can't fly away! I hope it survives out there.

Some interesting facts about the Pied-billed Grebe, (from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pied-billed_Grebe/lifehistory)

"Part bird, part submarine, the Pied-billed Grebe is common across much of North America. These small brown birds have unusually thick bills that turn silver and black in summer. These expert divers inhabit sluggish rivers, freshwater marshes, lakes, and estuaries. They use their chunky bills to kill and eat large crustaceans along with a great variety of fish, amphibians, insects, and other invertebrates. Rarely seen in flight and often hidden amid vegetation, Pied-billed Grebes announce their presence with loud, far-reaching calls."

This scene at Fern Ridge Lake impressed me with its lines, colors and light. I think it is a wonderful view of the lake on a cloudy day, when a bit of light broke through to add some color to an otherwise gray and blue day.

I think Angie's horse, Goldie, is so beautiful. She is a sweetheart too!

While Miko is an independent little guy who loves to be outside, Molly prefers the indoors and even the lap of anyone who is sitting down. She is a loving little Poodle, who was rescued from a California puppy mill. While Miko dances and begs for treats and to get his way, Molly makes her wishes known by barking. I sometimes wish she had a muffler installed. :)

I found a nesting tree for Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets today. This is the first time I have seen egrets nest here, but I may have missed some too. For the most part, they always seemed to spend only part of the year locally. It is good to see nests.

I had to make a run to the drug store for Carol. Shortly after leaving home, I saw this hawk alongside the road. It shows that it always pays to have a camera along. When you come upon a bird like this, it is best to stay in the car and shoot pictures from there, if you can. They don't seem to be spooked much by a car slowly rolling to a stop nearby.

My guess is that it is a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk. It has the same coloring and a yellow spot on its beak, looking a lot like the picture of one in my bird book. What do you think? Here are some photos - http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-shouldered_Hawk/id They do look like my bird.

I took a short drive today to see what was going on a Kirk Park, where I have seen herons and egrets flocking to the trees. There weren't many birds there but the pond itself was beautiful.

This is a Great Egret about to land in the trees at Kirk Park

Sometimes clouds can add a nice touch to a landscape scene. Here the late sun and breaks in the dark clouds make for a wonderful contrast in tones and colors. I thought it made Kirk Pond come alive.

All week long they have been forecasting snow for the Willamette Valley floor. I took a wait and see stance. After I thawed the car out, I decided to take a short drive to see what we got. I thought this scene shows what we got, not at home but just a few miles away. Tomorrow they are predicting icy roads and I have an appointment with my heart doctor. Fortunately, the appointment is in the afternoon, after the ice has melted, hopefully.

I passed by this pastoral scene, bathed in late afternoon sunshine, and thought about dinner time. It was time to head home to my own pasture.

This interesting mural is on the front of Kelley's Hardware store in Veneta. I thought the artwork is outstanding and the scene humorous.

Carol and I now live near Veneta, about 10 miles west of Eugene. As of 2010, Veneta's population was about 4500. It has an interesting history. According to Wikipedia

- "Veneta is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,561. Veneta was established in 1912 by Edmund Eugene Hunter, who named the settlement after his five-year-old daughter. Veneta post office was established in 1914. Veneta Hunter Vincent, the city's namesake, died in 2000 at age 91. She had attended the city's 70th anniversary party in 1982."

When I took a drive to see the countryside out here where we live after a brief snowfall, I came across this scene and loved it. Being a native of the Northwest, I love the mountains and valleys of Western Oregon. And the rain doesn't bother me, it brings out the beautiful green vegetation.

Recently I posted a photo of a railroad bridge near Noti, Oregon. This bridge is on the line that ran between Eugene and Coos Bay, on the coast. I noted that the father of a buddy of mine was assigned to that route back in steam days. I thought he was an engineer then, but that came later on. He was fireman at this time. Anyway, my friend used to ride with him at times when he was a youngster of about 12 or 13. His father is the one at the controls in this photo. The photo was probably taken in 1953, on the last passenger run out of Coos Bay.

Here are some really interesting thoughts my buddy shared with me:

"What info. I have is what Mom wrote on the back of the picture. She just put the year, so I don’t know the month. The Owl was what was called a milk train as it had a combination of freight cars and passenger cars. It would stop on the run from Eugene to Coos Bay at places along the way and pick up 5 or 10 gal. cans of milk and or cream which is where the name milk train came from. It left Eugene at around 2 AM and I would be riding in a passenger car. Some place at probably Noti, it would stop and the conductor would come to where I was sitting and tell me I was wanted up on the engine. So I got to ride in the cab from there on to Coos Bay. So that is how I learned to fire that particular engine because the same one was almost always used on the run. Of course S.P. was not aware of me being up there as it was against the rules for anyone not an employee to ride the engine, but since this was way out in nowhere the crew , which consisted of the engineer, fireman and conductor didn’t worry about it."

"After S.P. abandoned the line, and I don’t remember the year, there were no more trains run on the line. Some company in Coos Bay was started and was going to run trains again but there are about 3 or4 tunnels between there and Eugene and they all needed work, so the last I knew there were still no trains running. Have you seen any since you have been out and around there?"

Trains are running again between Eugene and Coos Bay on this same line. The line is now called CBR (Coos Bay Rail Link). I am not sure how often it runs, though it can't be more than once a day, and I don't think it runs that often. Interesting to see that it was revived after being abandoned for so long. Here is a shot of the engines used today:

I remember this round barn, not far from Triangle Lake. It has deteriorated over the years, and now an effort is being made to restore the old barn, which was part of a dairy farm in past years. It was the only round barn in Oregon that was used on a dairy. I hadn't seen the barn in a while and was disappointed to see how bad it now looks. There is even a 'gofundme' website devoted to restoring the barn. See this link: http://restoreroundbarn.com/

I like this older home that sits alongside HWY. 36 near Triangle Lake, between Junction City in the Willamette Valley and Florence, on the Oregon Coast. There is something about the older homes that appeals. And I like the blue paint job!

This little valley with a thin blanket of snow looked beautiful to me. But since it was mostly white and black tones, I decided to play with it in software. This is the result. I am sure it could be a lot better but I find it a good presentation of what many of us picture when we think of what winter weather is all about. Scene not far from Triangle Lake.

I paid a visit to the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area this morning and was greeted by heavy fog. But it began lifting before long. Small birds were active, especially Red-wing Blackbirds. It is interesting how different in coloration the female is from the male. Yet, I see that it also has red on the shoulder. I hadn't noticed that before today.

Trying BBAF and Manual Mode

I am using a method for autofocus and exposure suggested by Steve Perry ( http://backcountrygallery.com/), which uses Back button AF (instead of half pressing the shutter button). The shutter button is still set to activate exposure lock. In addition to Back Button AF, Perry also suggests trying Manual Shooting Mode with Auto ISO, letting ISO float rather than shutter speed (when Aperture Priority is used) or aperture (when Shutter Priority is used). I really like this method, going back to manual settings as I did when starting out in photography (because that was the only option in those days). The difference today is Auto ISO. Allowing the ISO to vary according to what is needed by whatever combination of aperture and shutter speed is chosen works very well. When I was learning photography, ISO was a set figure, depending on the film being used. (Check out Steve Perry's video that explains the use of BBAF - http://backcountrygallery.com/af-on-and-back-button-autofocus/)

The use of Back Button Autofocus allows one to lock autofocus by pressing and releasing the AF-ON button. If one holds the button in while shooting, and the camera is set for Follow Focus, the camera will lock onto the subject and continue to track it if it should move. I was impressed by how well this technique works. My success rate of capturing birds in flight is much improved! I am glad that I decided to give BBAF and Manual Mode a try!

Note: Some who like Liveview will recommend use of the touch screen to choose focus. This certainly works well for landscape or travel photography. My D850 also has this feature. But it is not practical for wildlife photography where shooting in bursts is often needed to capture action, like birds in flight. For that, Continuous Mode with Back Button Autofocus is ideal!

Since tomorrow (oops, Tuesday!) is the first day of spring, it was fitting that the Redwing Blackbirds are here in numbers and are filling the wildlife area with song in anticipation! They have a beautiful melodious voice! Actually, it was great to be out in the wildlife area and see and hear the males and females calling to each other. It's good to see the signs of spring!

I have passed by this old piano sitting in a field a number of times, and always have to smile. The thought that comes to mind is, 'the field of music.' I think it fits. So if you ever wanted to enter the field of music, just head to Fir Butte Road.

I drove past a field, actually both sides of the road where black sheep were on one side and white on the other, enjoying the cute little lambs. This eager little one was hungry and mama calmly munched grass. The pair delighted me and I got this shot.

A friend told me where I could see Tundra Swans, which had dropped by local fields. I took a drive out to see them and, sure enough, there was a field full of them! The photo shows only a portion of them, which was very large. I hadn't been aware that these swans stop over here on their migration route. I am not sure about the identity of the smaller black birds among them.

Note what 'ducks.org' ( http://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowl-id/tundra-swan) has to say about the Tundra Swan - "Tundra swans winter mainly along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America, from southern British Columbia to California and from New Jersey to South Carolina."

Describing the Tundra Swan, the same source says, " Average length: 51.5 inches, Average weight: 13.9 lbs." So it is a pretty large bird.

Tundra Swan Description

"The plumage of adult tundra swans is completely white, though their heads and necks are often stained a rusty color from ferrous minerals encountered in marsh soils during feeding. The bill is black and often has a yellow spot at the base. The legs and feet are black and the iris is dark brown. Both sexes are identical in appearance, but males typically are larger. The tundra swan is smaller than the trumpeter swan, but it is difficult to separate them in the field. The tundra swan's call is high-pitched and reminiscent of snow geese, while the trumpeter swan's call is more vociferous and has been likened to the sound of a French horn."

While walking in Fern Ridge Wildlife Area, I noticed a Navy aircraft flying in circles from Eugene Airport. It passed overhead several times. Being a curious sort, I wondered what it was doing but was left to wonder. Whatever it was, I felt I got a pretty good shot with a lens not recommended for the camera. :)

This is a breeding adult pelican. A yellow plate forms on the upper bill of breeding adults. I have seen a few pelicans at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area recently. They must be passing through. I have also seen them here in the fall, perhaps going the other direction in their migration routes.

Some "Cool Facts" from: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_White_Pelican/overview

- Contrary to cartoon portrayals and common misconceptions, pelicans never carry food in their bill pouches. They use them to scoop up food but swallow their catch before flying off.

- They forage almost exclusively by day on their wintering grounds, but during breeding season, they commonly forage at night. Even though it’s hard to see, nighttime foraging tends to result in larger fish being caught than during the daytime.

- The oldest known American White Pelican at least 23 years, 6 months old and was banded in North Dakota in 1983.

I don't know whether Peabody is getting frustrated with the lack of attention from the chickens or not, but he sure keeps trying. I had to laugh the other day when my son-in-law said, "Poor Peabody, I guess we need to get a peahen to keep him company." We do find him entertaining, and the cries, calls and other noises he makes can be quite loud.

I love it when I can find a sunlit scene against a background of a dark sky. I liked this late afternoon view.

I checked my Birds of North America book to find this bird and thought it might be a Blackpoll Warbler, the colors are very similar. But I don't think we get them here. Any thoughts? Wait! I know now!

Thanks to my Audubon friend, Jim, and always helpful Laura I know the bird is a Blackcapped Chickadee. I should have known! The little Chickadee was seen at Delta Ponds.

It always seems that eagles glare at whatever they are looking at. They have that fierce look. I think it is their 'eyebrow' that contributes to their look. It sure gives them a look of intense attention. For myself, I wouldn't want to be the subject of 'that look'! :) This Bald Eagle was some ways off in the top of a tree, and the image was cropped a good bit. Also, the shot was made handheld with zoom fully extended. It would have been sharper if a tripod had been used. Still, I am quite pleased with the result.

This scene I hadn't yet posted was one of several nice shots I got on a recent snow day. This was one of my favorites.

A gray day, a fine build up of clouds and a little light on the water made this scene appealing to me. Since there was little color on such a day such as this, I thought that the photo looked better in B&W.

I think this female red-wing blackbird is so lovely to look at. She is a beauty! Reminds me of a song, 'Lovely to look at', that was #1 on the Hit Parade in 1935. No, I wasn't there! It was before my time, really it was! I wasn't born till the next year. :) But I guess I am a child of that generation because I love the music from back then, just like I love the birds.

When I was a youngster, our family often went to the movies on Saturday, when we made a trip to town. My father loved music and was even in the town band in his younger days in Clyde, Alberta, Canada. Because of that, we saw most of the musicals that came out, and there were a lot of them back then. As a result, I have a real love for music too, and I learned a lot of the old-time favorite. So sometimes when I shoot a picture one of those songs might come to mind, which I hope you don't mind. :) Anyway, here is the link to the 1935 recording of "Lovely To Look At." - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99kzNLpXExw

Yes, spring is showing up in Western Oregon. I see some rhododendrons and azaleas blossoming out, and this old apple tree on our daughter and son-in-law's place now has some blossoms spreading out on its branches. It is a pretty time of year, even though it has been raining a whole lot so far in 2018. Once again I used the old 'incompatible' Vivitar 70-210mm f/2.8 for the shot.

This reminded me of the song by the Andrews Sisters, "I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time", recorded in 1941 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=c4gyB-IWU00

This Red-tailed Hawk has been in the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area most of the winter, and so far this spring. Or, also likely, there could be several of them in the area. I have also seen it or others on the road where we live. Anyway, I can never get enough of these beautiful creatures!

Once again, a lens 'not compatible' with the D850 was used, a Nikkor 500mm f/8 Reflex-NIKKOR-C mirror lens. One characteristic of mirror lenses is a lack of contrast in the image. So I had to work to get more contrast in the image. But for an older, all manual lens, I thought the lens did well, in spite of having to set exposure and focus manually. And my tired old eyes didn't do bad either. I was going to sell the lens, but to have a 500mm reach is such a short, light lens was a treat, and it was a lot of fun to use. I think of it as a keeper now, even though it doesn't have the sharpness of our recent Nikon lenses.

It certainly wasn't clear what was going on with this male and female pair of Tree Swallows, but it sure looks like both are trying to talk at the same time. :) Who knows, maybe a romance is blooming. I don't know swallow talk, so I can't be of any help deciphering what was said. Looks serious to me!

Well, I saw the Chevy pickup I want. :) I saw it at the boat ramp parking lot for Orchard Point County Park. I love it! What a sleek design. I had no idea what model it was when I saw it, but I knew it wasn't a custom job because I remembered that Chevrolet has produced a custom looking pickup. I don't know the year model of this one but Chevrolet produced them from 2003 to 2006. So there must be a few on the road. This is the only one I remember seeing in real life. I also learned that the top comes off, so it is a convertible pickup!

Here is some information about the SSR ( http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/ssr/):

"An anomaly in the automotive world, the Chevrolet SSR (Super Sport Roadster) convertible combined the look of a customized 1950s pickup with the rear-wheel-drive powertrain of a sports car. Based on General Motors' midsize SUV platform, the SSR had a high seating position and a trucklike ride. Yet this muscular Chevy truck was no workhorse. It had just two seats, a narrow pickup bed with a tonneau cover and a meager towing capacity. Other packaging and ergonomic compromises made it less than ideal as primary transportation.

What the Chevrolet SSR did offer was a healthy dose of individuality. It looked like nothing else on the road and was a pure automotive style statement. Between the '40s-style fat fenders, the low hood and its dominant rear proportions (greatly enhanced by the hard bed cover), this Chevy looks as speed-crazed as any muscle car from the '60s or '70s. Its two-piece power-retractable hardtop stowed vertically between the seats and the rear storage bed, thus allowing open-air motoring. For a car enthusiast looking to fill some extra space in his garage with something that combines postwar cruiser image with modern-day hardware and reliability, the SSR could be a fun choice.

However, the SSR was plagued by issues throughout its four-year lifespan, including build quality problems, so-so performance of earlier models due to the smaller V8's struggle with the excessive curb weight, and a breathtaking sticker price. Subsequently, it was discontinued after 2006. Chevy sold only about 25,000 SSRs, which makes used examples a rare find."

Hmm, perhaps I will forego it after all, but I really think it is neat!

The full moon on a clear night is so beautiful. This is the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, taken the night of March 31st. This would be the early hours of Nisan 14th according to the Jewish calendar, the days starting in the evening and running to sundown the next day. This is of interest to Christians because it is the night Jesus instituted the Lord's Evening Meal, and was the night before Jesus was executed.

While on an errand, I came across this cute youngster, along with three or four others, alongside the road a few miles from home. Naturally, I had to stop for some photos. Since I had only my compact bridge camera (B700), it was put to use for an 'acceptable' shot.

Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote "In the spring, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.". Alfred Tennyson Tennyson. 1809-1892. It applies to geese too! I tried to get the timing just right as the geese touched beaks. How sweet! :) The morning fog added to the atmosphere.

What we call Fern Ridge Lake is actually a reservoir created by Fern Ridge Dam. It is now at full capacity and ready for boating, recreation, and enjoying the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area that borders it. There is a yacht club on the western shore and a County Park, Orchard Point, on the north side. It was there that the photograph was made of a boat dock on that side. I liked the view.

(From Wikipedia) - "Fern Ridge Reservoir is a reservoir on the Long Tom River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The reservoir is located approximately 12 miles west of Eugene on Oregon Route 126. The reservoir is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control project encompassing more than 12,000 acres and is a popular site for boating, fishing, and birdwatching."

I shot this photo of Peabody for Carol. He can be a nuisance, as Mike and Angie will testify. During the spring he is calling, sometimes day and night, evidently for a mate. And he wants to fight the reflection he sees in Angie's new car, thinking it is a rival. Angie now keeps the car covered. :) But Carol still loves him and watches for him to put on a display for the chickens, or looking for food. So she takes food out to him. He has become quite an interesting addition to the menagerie, and helps keep life interesting.

I think egrets are so graceful in flight, while on land they can sometimes look awkward. They are marvels of design for flight, like the heron surprisingly lightweight. Most of them weigh less than 3 lbs. They are built for flying and they do it well, better than any manmade creation. Where did the wisdom in their design come from? Everywhere you look there is wisdom far superior to ours. Humans can only copy what is there, and we claim to be wise.

('Cool Fact' from 'All About Birds' - http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Egret/overview): "The Great Egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society, one of the oldest environmental organizations in North America. Audubon was founded to protect birds from being killed for their feathers."

We had a very nice and eventful day on our anniversary day, May 13th. Included was a very nice restaurant meal with our daughter and son-in-law. Then Angie shot some pictures of us at home. This is one of them.

There was enough wind blowing at Fern Ridge Lake to cause the water to be pretty choppy, especially for a small sailboat like this one. I watched as the sailor attempted to lower the sail when close to the dock, but the wind carried the boat farther out in the lake and he was forced to sail back, not a day I would want to be out there in that sailboat.

This old barn is on a side road off of Clear Lake Road west of Eugene. I think it has a lot of character.

My thoughts today go to my dear mother who has been gone for way too long. She was 34 when I was born and was only 68 when she died. Even after many years, she is missed by our family. Two of our girls were only 8 and 5 when she died and one hadn't even been born yet. But she made her way into the hearts of the girls and us. She was like a second mom to Carol. Now I am older than she was when she died, but she lives in our hearts and we long to see her again. This scene reminds me of the rural area where I grew up and calls to mind the many joys of youth. I have always loved ferns and these seemed to add to the composition.

It is hard enough getting a tree swallow to stay still, let alone display its wings. It was fun getting this shot while at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area, a happy reward for my efforts.

Carol and I met the nicest young couple at Fern Ridge Lake today. Rickie and Kaitlyn (sp?) had just come in from paddle boarding on the lake when we approached. The paddle boards were really neat, 9.5 feet long and about 3 feet across. They met in Hawaii and now live in the area. We were interested in what paddle boarding is like, so we got a demonstration which was much appreciated. We had a great time visiting with them, and I got permission to post a photo. If I were younger, I would be out there joining them. Of course, they are both very good at standing while boarding on the lake, but I would be sitting like this. :)

Next door to us is a pretty woods, and beyond that a pasture where cows and horses feed. Sometimes they come into the woods and wander by our place. This beautiful horse, and some cows, came by today. Carol went out to get acquainted and offer an apple. Our little dog, Miko, stand by to protect Carol. :) (I should have used the term, 'neigh..bor'. That was what came to mind. LOL)

This Great Blue Heron was a little difficult to spot in the dark background of the trees in Kirk Park. But the bird and background looked great to me. Of course lots of people know how much I like herons, so they wouldn't be surprised that I would shoot yet another photo of one. :)

Being so close to Fern Ridge Lake and Wildlife Area is a blessing. The wildlife area is on the south side of the lake, closest to where I live, and the dam and Orchard Point Park are on the north side of the lake. This scene is taken from the north side of the lake, at Orchard Point.

When I saw this pair and several other small swift birds flying around bird nests built for them in Fern Ridge Wildlife Area, I assumed they were Tree Swallows. But the color of the male was more purple than blue and their beaks were different. When I checked my bird book and All About Birds online, I learned that they were actually Purple Martins, the first I have seen! It was a thrill! Also, it looks like the male has been banded!

Here is a link about the Purple Martin at 'All About Birds' - http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Purple_Martin/media-browser/68280401

I was quite surprised to see this shore bird at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area. According to the map at www.allaboutbirds.org, Black-necked Stilts don't even appear in Oregon! It is certainly the first one I have seen! Anyway, it is also certainly evident why the bird is called a 'Stilt'.

You can check out the map at All About Birds ( http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-necked_Stilt/lifehistory).

Those tiny bundles of energy, the hummingbirds, are so adorable. I just can't resist shooting pictures of them. And I love to capture them in the wild, as I did here in Delta Ponds. They nest there and so are found year round, such a delight. I understand that there is quite a variety of these birds around the world, but I am familiar with only a couple that I see locally. There are no doubt more here than I have seen. I think they might be among the smallest of birds. I never tire of seeing them.

There are some great places to walk in parks that rest alongside Fern Ridge Lake. One of these is Richardson Point State Park on the northwest corner of the lake. This is good for me, as I need to walk to control diabetes and exercise my heart. Part of the experience in the parks is enjoying beautiful views. And one special bonus is the big sky and lovely clouds one can see out here in the country. Most of the views we had in the city were restricted by buildings and other obstructions.

To see a map of the Fern Ridge Lake area and the location of Richardson State Park, go here = http://www.stateparks.com/richardson_point_state_park_in_oregon.html?

Last week we attended the graduation of our grandson, Zach. I remember the day when Carol and I picked up my father at the nursing home and took him to see his new great-grandson at home not far away. That was the last time I remember my father seeing Zach. Now that same one has graduated. How time flies!

Of course, as they grow up, we grow older, with prospects that I don't like. But life is precious and I value mine. What does the future hold? That question deserves and answer, and the only one I have found that makes sense is what the Bible offers, "Happy are the mild tempered, since they will inherit the earth." My life and love revolves around this wonderful earth, and my desire is to enjoy it restored to what it should be, not a world full of problems that we see today. This is my hope for my grandson and many more, including me! :)

Yes, they have an ugly head (which serves its purpose well), but I still think the vulture can be an impressive bird. Their body and wingspan are attractive, I think. I recall one flying overhead when I started up the steps of an observation platform at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area one time, when suddenly it landed below the deck. Know what I told it? "Hey, I am not ready just yet!" Yes, I did say it out loud. LOL

I found this butterfly sitting on a porch railing when I got home from a photo shoot. About the only butterfly that I can ID for sure is the Swallowtail. So I am not sure of what this one is! Would appreciate feedback. When I look online, the overwhelming number of different butterflies is confusing. Whatever this little thing is, it sure is beautiful!

Thanks to Laura, the butterfly type is narrowed down to the 'Admiral' classification. She says it is likely a 'Lorquin's Admiral'!

Kirk Pond really has a wetlands feel to it. I guess the birds think so too, as one will see egrets, herons, cormorants, sometimes eagles, often ducks and geese, plus several varieties of small birds. It is not a really large park, but a good place for a walk. I think this Great Egret adds a nice touch to the ponds.

I saw this juvenile Bald Eagle pair in Fern Ridge Wildlife Area. I was surprised to learn that they don't attain adult plumage till they reach five years. (See link to All About Birds below.)

"Cool Fact" from 'All About Birds':

"Immature Bald Eagles spend the first four years of their lives in nomadic exploration of vast territories and can fly hundreds of miles per day. Some young birds from Florida have wandered north as far as Michigan, and birds from California have reached Alaska."

"Adult Bald Eagles have white heads and tails with dark brown bodies and wings. Their legs and bills are bright yellow. Immature birds have mostly dark heads and tails; their brown wings and bodies are mottled with white in varying amounts. Young birds attain adult plumage in about five years." - http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/overview

Our daughter has some huge daisies in her yard, at least I think they are daisies. Anyway, I saw a bug (not sure what kind) on a petal in the right light and couldn't resist a photo. Hope you enjoy it!

Our granddaughter and her hubby, Nick, enjoyed their first anniversary on July 2nd. They wanted me to do a photo shoot with them that day, so we went to beautiful Owens Rose Garden where I shot a number of pictures. There were quite a few that we liked and it was difficult to pick one to post, so I picked this fun shot I really enjoyed doing. Here you see a 1 year marriage in front of a 130 year old tree! May their marriage flourish, be well rooted and last like this tree!

Lest you forget about my fondness for the Great Blue Heron I thought I would post this photo shot in one of my favorite haunts, Delta Ponds. The heron is intent on stalking the fish there. It had just caught one when I walked up to the spot. I waited a little while but it didn't get one. I am sure that when I walked away it probably speared a nice one! Oh well, maybe next time.

On a walk along our country road, I saw two deer running across a field. I wasn't able to get a photo. Disappointed, I took a picture of a deer statue in a front yard nearby. Then as I walked a little farther, two young bucks crossed the road ahead of me. I got two shots and both were good. I liked this one of the second deer as it started across the road. Good thing I had my camera along! :)

These fishermen were getting all set for a day of fishing on Fern Ridge Lake when I stopped by to look at the lake. I liked the reflection, making a double image.

I remember when the Plymouth was a pretty popular car. I think this one is a 1939 model, as they were given a more modern look in 1940. Whatever the year, the car looks to be in fine condition, with new wheels and tires. Sure glad to see it still in use, rather than sitting neglected and rusting away. My father had a 1948 Plymouth, a very nice car.

I passed by a wooded area on my photo walk and spotted these colorful flowers in a patch of light. I thought it was a pretty sight.

Carol shot some pictures of me today with Ruger, Angie and Mike's Boxer. I never like any pictures of me but this seemed to be the best one. I would rather take pictures of her any day. I am now 82 years young. :)

Ruger always greets us anytime we come home and expects a treat. The nice welcome is well worth the small treat!

I never could figure out why these plants are called 'cattails'. And I still don't know. They are called 'bulrushes' in England and some other places.

Interesting information about the cattail from http://www.cattails.info/ -

"Cattails are wetland plants with a unique flowering spike, flat blade like leaves that reach heights from 3 to 10 feet. They are one of the most common plants in large marshes and on the edge of ponds. Two species are most common in US: broad leaved cattail (T. latifolia) and narrow leaf cattail (T. angustifolia)."

"Cattails prefer shallow, flooded conditions and easily get established along a pond shoreline or in waters one to 1.5 feet or less in depth. When unimpeded however, the cattail beds will expand and can extend their hefty rhizomes well out into pond surface, actually floating above much deeper waters. Cattails need to have “wet feet” during most of the growing season."

The word, 'exquisite', came to mind as I thought about this picture. Exquisite means "pleasing through beauty, fitness, or perfection", according to one definition by Merriam-Webster. I think that well describes this gorgeous peacock feather, especially the word, 'perfection'. It is perfectly beautiful. I posted a nice shot of one four or five days ago. Now I found some more feathers that Peabody shed, so I decided to shoot a few more and found this one especially pleasing.

I remember a place we bought some years ago that had a bunch morning glory in the backyard. I tried to control it and get rid of it but it just wanted to take over. I came to think that all morning glory was invasive and obnoxious. Then I read how people bought the plants for yard and wondered about it. There seems to be a big variety of types of morning glory. Whatever the answer is the flower is pretty. This one is growing wild in Delta Ponds.

I checked online and learned that there is a wide variety of morning glories and some are considered invasive. But some report that if one knows how to care for it and when to remove the spent vine and seeds it is no more difficult to control than a lot of other flowers. Seems it might be a reasonable assumption, but I have no idea. I probably will never plant it in my yard.

When I drove by Richardson Park by Fern Ridge Lake, I saw lots of boats on the water. I turned around and went back to see what was going on. According to signs leading into the park, it turned out to be a group called Wake Up World giving youngsters a ride around the lake. This photo seems to sum up the busy scene with boats in the foreground loading passengers and others already on the lake giving rides.

It is hard to believe this huge bird, the Great Blue Heron, is so lightweight, at about 5 lbs! This makes it a marvelous aviator, one humans can learn from, and have! There is a field of science devoted to the study of animals, birds and sea life which seeks to learn about their abilities and skills, as well as make up, in order to put what is learned to use in human inventions, etc. Isn't it interesting that humans, who consider themselves so smart, must study lower life forms in order to put the wisdom seen there to good use? Wisdom isn't mindless, it bespeaks intelligence.

I marvel at what I see and learn by my interest in wildlife and the earth around us! Photography is a wonderful medium for capturing some of these wonders.

I have seen this Naval Reconnaissance Plane (Orion P3 sub chaser) over the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area several times, as they seem to do practice flying from the Eugene Airport. The trail of smoke indicates to me that it is under power. Is that correct? The error I made with the photo was forgetting to slow the shutter speed to add movement to the props. I had the camera set for capturing bird photos.

Even though some of the water in the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area is dried up, there are still ponds when one gets closer to the lake. In one of these ponds there were several of what I believe were Greater Yellowlegs. They started taking off just as I spotted them, proving wildlife most of the time sees you sooner than you see them. Anyway, I was able to grab a few shots as they did, and here I was able to get six of them in a frame. I am happy. :)

On a walk on a lane near home I ran across this sign, making clear the intent of the sign. Also a sign of the times. :)

Another beautiful car from the local car show. I believe it is a 1939 Chevrolet, if I remember right. The owner did a fabulous job of restoring it.

I loved this 1935 Ford Coupe! It's a year older than I am but, boy, is it a beauty! It is yellow but sure is no lemon! :) I find it a delight!

This is an extreme crop of an image of paddle boarders in the middle of Fern Ridge Lake. Hopefully, it doesn't look to bad for being only a small part of the original image file. Besides dogs, I have seen parents with their children on the board. I thought it made an interesting picture.

I had never seen a spider web quite like this one! It was quite unique and interesting, and I marveled at the spider's ability to make it. The spider should win an award for marvelous artwork!

It was a warm morning, yet this solitary figure seemed to stay within his own presence and to block the outside world out. But then it was a good day for contemplation.

I am puffed up with pride because I made it home from rehab!

On August 24th, I fell and broke my hip. After hip replacement surgery and a stay in the hospital, I was moved to a rehab center for 13 days. I am now up and around with a walker, though moving slowly. I came home from rehab on Monday, Sept 10th, and what a joy! Being confined for two weeks was not fun, nor were the nights there. The days were fun, with learning every day from the therapists. My first night home I got my first good night of sleep in a while. Progress may be a bit slower at home when it comes to therapy and exercise but that's perfectly ok with me. Therapy at rehab was not so much geared for an 82 year old, but for someone younger, I swear. I will progress better at home in many ways.

I was pleased to capture this low flying cormorant in the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area before I fell. I was using the Back Button AF which I find enables more success than shutter button half press. The cormorant, perhaps this is a Double-crested Cormorant, has a lot more pretty detail to see when viewed up close.

The Black-necked Stilt doesn't seem to appear at Fern Ridge Lake very often. Those I saw recently are the only ones I have ever seen. They are amazing and it is clearly evident why they are called 'stilts' when one sees those amazingly long legs. I find them fascinating!

Every time I go past these old snags out in the wetlands of the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area they catch my eye. They stand there defiantly when by all rights they should have fallen. I want to stop sometime and explore the view so I can get a more striking composition of them. That may be a while as I continue my rehab from the broken left hip.

I always get a kick out of the antics of squirrels! They seem so cheeky! I like this British definition of the word: "impudent or irreverent, typically in an endearing or amusing way, "a cheeky grin."" They seem unusually brave or foolish, whichever it may be. They don't appear to back down easily. I remember them being quite close and protesting loudly that I was invading their territory. :)

This is a photo of Carol taken probably sometime back in 1960. She was in a friend's Jaguar. It was owned by the father of a close buddy of mine. The photo was taken, likely by my old buddy, before Carol and I started dating, which was in September of 1960. She was a doll then and still is! And the Jag was great! What a thrill it would be to own it now!

I enjoy very much capturing birds in flight, and caught this Great White Egret just before it landed in Kirk Pond. They are so graceful in flight, not looking near so elegant on the ground. :) But all birds are so fascinating with their inborn skills for flying. No one has to teach them how to fly, like we humans must learn. And then our flying machines are not near so elegant in design nor so unerringly in flight, even on journeys of thousands of miles. The only conclusion we must come to then is that flying is for the birds, and they must be smarter than we are. If so, where did they get the wisdom? Love and wisdom can't be explained by humans' modern theories.

Fern Ridge Lake (a reservoir behind Fern Ridge Dam) has varied looks depending on where you photograph from, and it is pretty from all directions. But it is from the north side, as in this photo, that shows the large expanse of water better than the other sides. From the south, in the opposite direction, one sees the lake as more distant, beyond the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area. Views from both east and west are for the most part glimpses of the lake whenever one comes to an open spot where one can see the lake. It is often that I get pleasing shots from the north side, so it could be considered my favorite location for photos of the lake itself. And I love it when the sky is filled with billowing clouds like we see here.

Even though the Mallard Drake is a colorful fellow, the female is still attractive in her own way even though not dressed up in such bold colors. Females are marked with a pattern of irregular marks and patches of different shades or colors. I think all birds are beautiful in flight, as is this one.

Sometimes when a person is awake at night boredom takes over, and you never know what they might do. One individual, who shall remain unnamed for obvious reasons, got creative, or so he thought. This is the result. It's a straight shot, not a collage.

This is another late night image! Sometimes I guess it pays to wake up during the night, I see things I might not notice. This old wine carafe is a pretty one, set up in an out of the way spot, where it collected a few webs. I may be strange but I like the effect they add to the picture. :) I won't remove them, I might want to shoot it again.

All birds have long held photographers captivated. And the tiny Hummingbird is such a great subject for photography. I will shoot them any time I see them, always hoping for a unique pose or fantastic colors. This shot may not be the most eye catching (it was shot on a dark cloudy day), or unique (though it is still uniquely hummingbird). I like it so decided it was post worthy. :)

This beautiful Blacktail Deer forked horn just might be razzing the hunters from the sanctuary of our yard. He seemed to know he was safe here. He hung around most of the day, eating apples and watching over a little Spike. It was great fun to have them here.

After a while I looked out our back door only to see it on the other side of our porch only about six feet away! It must have heard the sound of my camera shutter through the door because he looked for a way out of there and finally jumped a low fence we had there to keep the dogs in the back yard. I got a shot of him jumping the fence but the long lens I had on the little V3 only got his body as he jumped, not much of a shot to show for my effort and nothing there to post.

Yes, another Peabody picture! We do miss having him around as a ready photo subject. Now, I do get occasional deer in the yard, and more wild turkeys than we need. But Peabody did add beauty and character to the scene, as he continually tried to impress the chickens and strutted around in his feathered finery. So, when I go out to get exercise as I continue to recover from hip replacement surgery, I have one less fine subject to chase, well move slowly after. He was a character, for sure.

I hadn't seen our friend, the forked horn Blacktail buck, for a couple days or so, and I heard several shots fired in the woods by our house this morning. I admit it, I was afraid our friend might have been shot. But Carol called me to the dining room window and there, in the shadow of the trees on the other side of the fence lay our young buck, no doubt waiting there for a lull in all of the activity. I just couldn't resist sharing a (harmless) shot of him.

I took my second drive today alone, going to Veneta, four miles away, to get meds for Carol. It was nice out so I decided to push myself and drive around the lake, perhaps 25 miles or so. I wanted to try the only stretch of highway, about two miles, that I have to drive in order to get back home. Lots of cars on a two-lane road but it felt no worse doing it than usual. So now I have that out of the way. On the far side of the lake I came upon this scene of pretty fall colors spotlighted by afternoon sun. I thought it was pretty and decided to share it with you. :)

As late as it is in November, I am somewhat surprised that we still have some pretty fall colors, as in this scene at Kirk Pond. Well, I thought it was pretty anyway. :)

Back in July, we were hit by another car and both vehicles were totaled. The vehicle we were in was a nice 1999 Ford Explorer. It is the third Explorer that we have had someone run into. You might think that I would be hesitant to get a fourth one, wouldn't you? Well, in the first accident our vehicle was parked, the second accident actually saved my life because a huge aneurism was found right where it curves out of the heart and was ready to burst. I wouldn't have known about it if the paramedics hadn't checked me over after the accident. And in each accident, you should have seen the other car. Explorers were built on a pickup chassis until recently, so have heavier frames. Anyway, I now have my fourth Explorer, a 2007 Eddie Baeur. It's really nice, bought with the money I got out of insurance on the older one. This is my pride and joy, and a blessing now, because I can drive it with my bad hip while it is more difficult to get in our car. I have driven a half dozen times and have done ok.

It is always enjoyable to see Fern Ridge Lake in the summer, when the water is kept at full capacity. During late fall, the water level is lowered in anticipation of the winter rains. This explains what type Fern Ridge Dam is, a flood control dam. It was built to prevent the annual flooding that we used to have. The lake is sure not as pretty as it is during the summer, as one can see in this photo. In summertime, the water comes up to the green grass in the foreground.

A break in the clouds and rain caused the sunlight to reflect on the water of Fern Ridge Lake. I love the way the light shimmers and adds interest. The light was so bright I had to underexpose a good bit to avoid burning out the water completely. The distant clouds reminded me that they would soon close in and the shimmering lake was become ordinary again.

I was limited to getting my walk in around the place. I had to take a close look to find interesting subjects, but I did find these really cute chicks! I think they are! Don't you agree?

This old pump head looked great to me in nice afternoon directional lighting. The arrow shows me the way home. :)

Carol has some nice peacock themes around the house, including this one on the porch, by the front door.

Thank heavens we got a break from the high wind we got yesterday. But today was still a dark cloudy day. I had to get a new medication from the drug store so I went around Fern Ridge Lake on the way home. I was blessed with some color reflected on the lake by a break in the clouds. The lens used is not considered to be the sharpest lens on the block and that can be discerned in the result, but I still love the results I got. I don't consider always being tack sharp to be essential.

Whenever I go to the drug store to pick up meds, I drive a little farther to the north side of Fern Ridge Lake, just to see what I can see. I was fortunate to see this egret beach party! :) It had to be because when I first got there I saw only one egret, soon another joined it, then a little later another one came along. Then they were joined by a youngster, perhaps a heron, just wanting to see what the occasion was. It seemed to be a boring party, I didn't see much going on. So I spent my time trying to get pictures when they all had their heads up. That was a challenge!

A shot of a Great Egret landing in a tree at Kirk Park. This is a photo I hadn't posted yet. I love trying to get images of birds in flight (BIF).

Our daughter, Angie, has this flower arrangement on her front porch, framed by the window behind it. To me, it looked attractive that way.

Give everything a second look. You just might see something in a whole new way.

Hard to believe that fall has already flown by. But for me, this fall has been a blur. That's because I was preoccupied with other things, like rehap for my new hip joint. Now, the whole year is heading for the door too! The older you get the faster time flies! We leave footprints as time passes. I guess that fall leaves leaves. :)