Home

Thursday, December 1, 2022

Crops & Clips: Flashback to December, 2019

As I do each month, I enjoy looking back over my archived photos, taken three years previously, to remember how things were then as contrasted with events this year at our new home in Connecticut. As usual, I searched for images which reflected favorite memes: critters of all kinds (especially birds and butterflies), skies and clouds, reflections, flowers and scenes which speak for themselves. 

We spent the entire month at home in south Florida and I processed over 400 images, mostly from our early morning walks in the Wounded Wetlands adjacent to our home. Pardon my nostalgia, but now that winter approaches in Connecticut, I find many things I miss. 

The highlight of the month occurred on the first day, when I obtained nice photos of a Marsh Wren. Although they were fairly common near our old Illinois home, I had encountered them here only 2 or 3 times over the years and never gotten a decent shot.:



That same day, a Blue-headed Vireo allowed a few exposures:


A back-lighted Pileated Woodpecker pulled up into a stall just before landing on a power pole:

The abandoned rookery provided a resting place for a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron:

My flash deployed unexpectedly and produced an otherworldly portrait of an immature Yellow-crowned Heron:

I startled a trailside Bobcat. It appears small and frail in comparison with the bulky and long-haired Bobcats we have here in Connecticut:

A Blue Jay was harvesting the ripening fruits of a Royal Palm:

A male American Kestrel  had arrived to spend the winter:

This active Yellow-throated Warbler paused for a sideways pose:

A tiny Barred Yellow butterfly sipped nectar from a globular blossom of the invasive Largeflower Mexican Clover (Richardia grandiflora). By the way, this weed has very small flowers, is not a clover and was introduced from Brazil, not Mexico:



An even smaller Dainty Sulphur feasted nearby:

An Osprey, its meal interrupted by our presence, coursed overhead:

A Magnolia Warbler peered out from the foliage:


Befittingly, this Magnolia Warbler was in its namesake tree:



A topsy-turvy Black-and-White Warbler descended the trunk of a Cabbage Palm:

A pair of Egyptian Geese shepherded their brood:


I miss the warmth of winter morning sunlight. Its back to the sun, an Anhinga soaked up the radiant heat:

I miss those pre-dawn walks, listening for owls, nighthawks and whippoorwills (or in the summer, Chuck-Wills-Widows) .  On December 11, MaryLou, with flashlight in hand, trudged ahead of me into the wetlands in very early twilight. The stars were still visible in this iPhone photo:

Now, with an open view only to the north and west, I miss seeing the sun rise. At dawn, sunlight radiated behind coastal storm clouds:

Later, the morning sky reflected on our back yard lake:

A contrail accented the western sky over the wet prairie opposite the sunrise on December 26:

I miss nearby Chapel Trail Nature Preserve, where I interpreted wetland walks. Here, on December 23, a Northern Parula warbler is surrounded by the persistent leaves of a Red (Swamp) Maple:

A sad endnote: That day I also obtained one of my favorite images of the Longhorn cow with a magnificent coat. It was accompanied by a Cattle Egret, more interested in the insects stirred up underfoot. This pasture, adjacent to the Preserve, has since been replaced by a parking lot:


= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =

Linking to:



Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World
________________________________________________

Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
________________________________________________

24 comments:

  1. Those Egyptian geese are so unusual. I love the black and white warbler, it looks almost fuzzy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Its been quite long time since I did birding. Your post inspiring me to resume the birding. Fantastic captures

    ReplyDelete
  3. Magnificent nature photos, they are all picture perfect! Mine's here ~ Ms. Donyarific

    ReplyDelete
  4. What the hell is that? That was of course my first thought when I saw the thumbnail of the heron ;-)
    I like your photos very much. The wren is drawn much prettier than the one we usually see here.
    Pastures being replaced by parking lots ... very sad indeed.
    Herzliche Grüße - Elke (Der Naturdonnerstag)



    ReplyDelete
  5. Another parking lot!!! I want to scream about all the nice terrain being paved over.

    I love the anhinga. I saw them for the first time at Audobon Park in New Orleans. They are so ancient looking.

    Great capture of a bobcat. I've seen quite a few coyotes and a few fox but never a bobcat in the wild.

    All the skies you got, including the spectacular one with the reflection and contrail.

    And your bird shots are superb. Whe I walk through the woods I see all sorts of birds but they flit away before I can photograph them. I don't have the patience to just sit, be quiet, and wait.

    Enjoy your weekend!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have never seen a longhorn cow with a coat like that and it is a SHAME they have made that pasture into a parking lot for more car guzzlers. Love the lighting in the Anhinga shot Kenneth and the goslings are so cute. Have a wonderful week ahead

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, Ken! What a wonderful look back, your photos are all awesome. Again I can not pick a favorite, they are all just beautiful. Great bird sightings, love the Bobcat and the Longhorn. Beautiful butterfly in the Mexican Clover. Gorgeous sky images. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I always love seeing your Florida photos and learn so much with your IDs. I saw a big bushy Fox Squirrel yesterday on my hike. Wish you had been along to get a good photo of it! Take care or yourself and have a good weekend. Diane

    ReplyDelete
  9. Such a shame that we continue to pave paradise. I like the iPhone shot of MaryLou, flashlight in hand!

    ReplyDelete
  10. That’s a beautiful selection of photos.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That flash on the crownedheron is beyond superb!! And the pileated with its landing gear down is also outstanding!!

    Have a great week ahead and your linking up is appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ken, you really lived in a Paradise in Florida. Although I have every confidence that you will continue to make the most of photo opps at your new home in Connecticut. Thank you for sharing the memories.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Outstanding photos! The one with the clouds is amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  14. The coat on the longhorn is amazing! I've never seen one like that.
    Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2022/12/on-display-at-durham-art-council.html

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your photos are truly stunning! It’s so wonderful to see these birds up close. And the sky shots are beautiful. I hope you find many objects of interest to photograph in your new home.

    Michelle
    https://mybijoulifeonline.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I appreciate you sharing the Florida images soooo much.

    ReplyDelete
  17. ...Kenneth, you have a fabulous collection, it was a pleasure to view them. The sky shot from December 26 is heavenly.

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a fab set of captures beautifully taken thanks for sharing :-)

    Have a flashbacktastic week 👍

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a great set of photos and the shot of the Osprey is very special. That sky is quite amazing. Thanks for sharing, Cheers Diane

    ReplyDelete
  20. That photo with the heron's eyes is amazing. WHat a fantastic shot! I can see why it made you happy. Thanks for joining in #OneSmallThing

    ReplyDelete
  21. I am huge admirer of your Bird Photography, the spooky capture of Heron is mindboggling. I have never seen those variety of Geese . The capture from I phone is resembling a scene from Marvel movie. Thanks for sharing with Garden affair.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting Rosyfinch Ramblings! I will enjoy a visit to your page just as soon as possible. Some anonymous comments and some containing active links may not be accepted.