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Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Birds, Blossoms and a Surprise...



Today was a birds and blossoms day.

It was raining all day, so I reminded myself that I had to grab some photos of the apple tree blossoms before the rain and wind blew them away until next spring.

So my goal for the day was to go and get some birds, especially if they were sitting in the apple trees.

Here are the birds I captured today:




I love the doves!:



The Blue Jay looks regal in the tree, doesn't he?:


Look at this little Chipping Sparrow sitting in the rain:




Does anyone know what bird this is?:




He didn't seem to mind the pouring rain!:



And then we went into town. Since my last awful blunder (when I missed all those wonderful pictures because the battery pack was missing from my camera), I was dang sure to check it before we left for town today!
Camera?...................check
Battery pack?..........check
Battery pack CHARGED?......check
I guess it's a good thing.
Because................................................................................................




He was practically in the same exact spot!!!!!





Oh Yeah! He TOTALLY was looking at me, asking: "Did you remember the batteries this time, stupid?...............



I assured him I had them, and then he asked, "How about my other side profile? Did you get it?




Even though there are a few raindrops on my lens when I took his picture, I was thrilled to get these shots. They aren't crystal clear due to the hard rain at the time (and drops on my lens) but I thanked him profusely for showing up again.
And I whispered to him that I expected another "date" on the next sunny day................................
Oh, and I told him to go and tell the Moose I would like another date, too. I hope he followed through........................

P.S. One of my readers is having problems leaving comments to my blog posts, and she is getting an abort message. If any of you are having the same problems, please email me at:
jhaara@sbcglobal.net. Thanks so much!

41 comments:

Cindy said...

Yay!! The comments worked for me, I hope it works for your other reader that was having problems!!

Still loving the eagles!

grannyann said...

I LOVED the eagle pictures and the comments went perfect with each, especially the one "Did you remember the batteries this time, stupid?...............LOLOLOL

The Retired One said...

Cindy: Thanks for letting me know the comments came through! I am so glad I could get those eagle pictures, I have been fretting about not having my functioning camera last time (ever since it happened!). Now....if I can get those moose....

Grannyann: It was so cool that he was looking at me taking his picture and didn't fly away immediately! I am hoping he will visit the same spot soon on a clear day and let me get even closer shots.

Anonymous said...

It looks like the eagle has bands on his legs; does he??? Am I seeing things that aren't there???

Not sure what the unknown bird is.

The blossoms and birds are VERY GOOD!! I can even see the lichen on the branches!

AND AFTER MUCH ADO, I AM ABLE TO POST THIS...AT LEAST TO THIS POINT. I'M GOING FOR THE SUBMIT BUTTON NOW....

J.J. in L.A. said...

That poor eagle looks a little worse for wear (wet) but he's beautiful!

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

Great pictures! I love the eagle picture and your caption about remembering the batteries :)

The Retired One said...

Cathy: I thought they were bands too!
Hopefully I will get to see him a 3rd time on a clearer day and get even closer to tell. So glad your comment made it through...maybe switching to pop-up did the trick!

JJ: Yes he is wet...but I liked how it matted his feathers around his neck. And don't you just love his piercing blue eyes???

Carol said...

Never waist the time of an Eagle. They have no time for stupid people. They are so proud. You don't want to be on their list.

The Retired One said...

Gardener: Thanks. It just seemed to look like what he said. ha

Carol: No, I don't want to be on his "list", that is for sure. I want to get a closer picture of him, so I hope if I see him again, he doesn't come swooping down on me...did you see those claws? Yow-sa!!!

Fran Hill said...

That eagle is saying, 'Yeah, yeah. What you don't know is that you're going to be featured on my birdy blog tonight when I get home and turn on my PC. I'll have the last laugh, you see.' Fantastic pictures of him. I don't think I've seen many of eagles just standing there - so menacing!

Shelley said...

Hooray for the eagle shot! Love how soaked and perturbed he looks! I noticed he's banded too - such a beauty!!!!

Far Side of Fifty said...

Great Eagle shots..he looks cranky! All your bird photos are great..I can not even a guess what that one bird is.. maybe an immature ? the babies sometimes look so different:)

Joanie said...

Amazing photos! Thanks for sharing them!

The Retired One said...

Fran: Yes, I probably have been the schlump he wrote about...a woman who had her first chance to get a photo of him, but didn't have the battery pack in her camera...and then had to come back in pouring rain to try and get one. ha

Shellmo: Yes. I loved how his feathers were all matted with rain!

Far Side: He was trying to look regal but it came out as regal-cranky.ha

Joanie: Thanks...I was SO happy to finally catch that eagle! Bring on the moose!

Rick (Ratty) said...

Great pictures of the birds. That bald eagle is spectacular. I hope to get to see an eagle one day. I haven't been so lucky with birds or anything else lately. I think my camera is mad at me.

A New England Life said...

See, I told you you wouldn't forget your camera again and I was right! ; )

Good for you on the eagle shot! So cool! Wish I could see one just sitting there gazing around like it owns the world.

LOVED the first Blue Jay shot too! LOVE IT!

***To anyone who is getting an abort message, did you recently download IE8? I did and the same thing happened, amongst other problems, so I finally deleted it. Hope that helps!

Btw, I like the pop up SO much better!!!

Sharon

Unknown said...

It's always the "Why don't you take a picture, I'll be right here longer." Funny post. Glad you remembered all the parts to your camera to catch this handsome devil. Interesting to see the tags on his legs, claws, feet whatever. I hope you get some shots of that moose too!

Anonymous said...

I love to see the photos on your blog. It is becoming one of my favorites. Like the flowers, but my favorites are the birds. Thanks for capturing them ~only~ with your camera.

Anna Lefler said...

OMG, these are fantastic!

Love that eagle especially...

I love that our national symbol is so judgmental - that's how I know I belong here.

XO

A.

dreamwalker said...

That is one handsome eagle. It has this don't mess with me look!

Bernie said...

Joan, wherever it is you live, it is a beautiful place. So many different birds, moose (soon to come I'm sure) all of pictures show nature at it's finest. It is a pleasure to come here......
Have a great Wednesday..:-) Hugs

Anonymous said...

Wonderful entry, yes we must live the moments and let the hours take care of themselves. If we allow such times to get away from us they may never be relived. Beautiful photographs.

Loree said...

That eagle looks grand. I am surprised you were able to get so many shots of him.

Lynn Kellan said...

Wow! I love how puffy the birds get when it's raining. And your eagle is magnificent!!

The Retired One said...

Ratty: Kiss up with that camera...take it out to a candlelit dinner, bring it some roses...it will forgive you and then you can get back to some fantastic photos again.

New England: Thanks! Yes, the person who was having problems is using IE8..so maybe that is the problem. But I like this pop up better anyway, so if it helps her, that is great!

DVM's Wife: Yes, I was SOOOOO happy to see the Eagle again! But of course NOW I am all about...well, I need to catch him again, in the sun and maybe while he is flying....SIGH...a photographer is never satisfied, right? ha

Anonymous: Thanks so much! I am always curious when someone lists themselves as "anonymous! as to who they are!!! But I am happy you are joining the blog and stopping by so often...love it!

Anna: I LOVE your Groucho Marx picture above...too funny! One Xmas, my brother took a picture of his entire family (all 7 of them!) for his Xmas cards with those on.:-D

Dreamwalker: Yes it does...I would have liked to go closer to him to get even better shots, but he had "the look" and I was afraid he would swoop at me with those gynormous claws!

Bernie: Thanks! I bet you have some gorgeous scenery in Canada too where you are...When I was little, we lived in Armstrong, which is in Ontario.

A.J.: Thanks! I agree. Taking pictures has given me a more acute awareness of the beautiful details in even everyday things.

Loree: I was just so lucky. (Twice now!) I am hoping for a third on a sunny, clear day too. I know, I know..I am pushing it...

Lynn: Thanks! I was thrilled to finally capture him on film!

Unknown said...

How awesome that he let you take his photo!! So regal!

rainfield61 said...

Your apple tree is so beautiful right now. Can't wait to see the apples.

The Retired One said...

Gaston: I know! I was very lucky!

Rainfield: It is! I love the blossoms...but I will keep track of the little apples as they grow and post some more pictures for you as they progress...

A Brit in Tennessee said...

You take incredible photos of birds, flowers, your home.....everything!
What a photogenic eye you have....
I just absolutely love your log home, one of these days, I hope we'll retire in one, or an old farmhouse...I'll keep dreaming :)

The Retired One said...

Brit: Thanks so much for the lovely compliment...I am fairly new at photography, and just took a class,so I hope to get even better! We love our log home and just built it 4 1/2 years ago. You will have your home some day...you just wait and see!

Dee-Zigns Handcrafted Jewelry said...

I agree, you have an incredible eye for taking photos, and thank you for taking the time to take them, and share them! I don't think I've ever seen an eagle up close, I feel I can reach out and touch him :).

The Retired One said...

Dee-Zigns: You are SO kind! I aim to get more eagles, so keep checking the blog photos..I LOVE them. And I want to get MOOSE too, since I screwed up the last time! :-D

Alice said...

Just visiting nice pics u have here. Drop by my blog for some babble if you like...I'm on the other side of your world...

The Retired One said...

Bloggingmum: You are new to my blog!
Welcome aboard! If you haven't already, make sure you sign up as a "follower" on my blog! I will certainly stop by yours over the next few days!
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, I am so glad you enjoy it!

Ed said...

Hi. I just found your blog and we have some similar interests. I love the UP, but haven't been there in many years. I love those pictures of the eagles. I'm adding a link to your blog on my site. Thanks for the great entertainment.

The Retired One said...

Ed: thanks so much!! Did you add yourself on as a Follower? Would love it if you did! Thanks for the link on your blog, I will try and add yours on to my reading list too. You have been to the U.P.? Were you stationed at K.I. Sawyer???

DJan said...

I think the little unidentified bird is a pine siskin; he looks a lot like the hordes that visit my feeder. They love niger thistle. Great shots, again, thank you for bringing your hobby to life.

The Retired One said...

DJan: I don't know...maybe it was, but in person, it looked bigger. It is so hard when they are far away and on a tree, because I can't get a good look at their colors, beaks and tails to positively identify then...and then the females look so different than the males sometimes! I know in early spring, we had over 50 at one time at our thistle too...several times a day! Dang, it was expensive!
Thanks so much for the wonderful compliments on my photos...you can be proud to make my addiction worse. ha

bemused26 said...

Fantastic! I would collapse with excitement if I was that close to an eagle...! We do get them flying over our garden in France, our holiday place in the woods, but obviously not your sort of eagle. Those are more booted and other types. They are really cool photos, you look so close!

The Retired One said...

Bemused: I practically DID collapse with excitement when I saw the Eagle!
If you read the post before that, I saw it the day before and didn't have my battery pack in my camera and was SO disappointed. (AND to top it off, the SAME DAY I saw two moose and didn't have the battery pack either!) UGH! Anyway, I was SO LUCKY that the next day, when I went back to where the eagle was, he was there AGAIN!!! So I got him on film!

Maria said...

Two things I want to say about this entry..one..Yes you are so lucky to have that apple orchard...the birds and the backdrops in your photos are striking and wonderful and two, LOL..I was always forgetting something like the battery or an extra Memory card....but now I'm like you..I have my checklist!!!! I also, love your humor with the eagle. Maria

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REMINDER: All photographs on this blog are COPYRIGHTED.
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I retired in June 2008 and started my blog in November 2008. I worked at several jobs as a Registered Nurse prior to retirement. I LOVE being retired! Blogging has offered me a whole new venue to start writing again and to share new hobbies such as gardening, birdwatching and sharing my nature photography. If you like my blog, PLEASE click on "follow this blog". Having a lot of followers reading my blog gives me incentive to continue to do photography and to continue to write. I also LOVE comments, so I encourage you to leave me a comment after you read my posts. Thanks everyone, for taking the time to read me!!

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