This month's potpourri gathered from the archives features the themes of critters, fences, skies, macros and reflections. This presented a particular challenge. It is a retrospective view of photos taken three years ago, in November, 2012. As you will learn in a moment, events took an unexpected turn.
At that time I did not seek to portray each of these memes, so it is to some extent a game of chance. Let's see how far I needed to go into the month to find at least one of each. If I can get them all I will have won the game eleven months in a row since starting in January, 2015. This month's flashback once again produced the required set of images, but not until November 26th
Unusually, we started out the month in NE Illinois, partly to celebrate a large Halloween party honoring our son-in-law. Nearly 200 guests attended and enjoyed a Cuban-style pig roast. In lieu of gifts the event benefited a volunteer agency that assists foster children and their court-appointed attorneys.
Agramonte, one of two Tibetan Mastiffs in our daughter's household, welcomed the cold weather:
We discovered that the landscape surrounding our second home had been drastically changed in our absence. The cornfields that had been fallow for over 10 years and which produced a surprisingly rich habitat for prairie species were being "reclaimed." Within months we would be surrounded by new town-homes and lose our view of the horizon. These are not "good fences" except in the sense that they prevent construction debris from blowing about:
Migrating Sandhill Cranes, which usually stopped here, instead flew overhead against a gray sky:
We encountered birds that would not venture into south Florida, such as this Long-eared Owl...
...Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Juncos...
...Red Crossbills...
...American Tree Sparrows...
...and Lapland Longspurs:
One of the more impressive "critters" was this Red-tailed Hawk, displayed as a MACRO:
Bundled up against the cold, we birded with our local Kane County Audubon Society group, at nearby Nelson Lake/Dick Young Forest Preserve:
Winter weather on the Great Plains can be extreme, producing dramatic sunsets..
...and rainbows over the cornfields:
We had extended our stay to be with our daughter and two granddaughters while her husband was away on a hunting trip in North Carolina. Unfortunately, a deer stand collapsed under him and he broke both of his legs. Roly had to be transported back home for specialized treatment. We therefore remained through much of the month to help them out. Here he is after successful surgery, "walking" in his neighborhood with his daughters and other family members who flew in from Florida and Connecticut:
During our stay in Illinois I failed to capture a single reflection, and my only "fence' was a poor substitute for the real thing. Luckily, our return to Florida, on November 24, produced immediate results. Here is our home, not only including its reflection and that of a backyard egret, but also showing our neighbor's fence!
Finally I had a spate of more credible MACRO photos on November 25, unknowingly saving me from "future failure," including a Honeybee...
...and a Zebra heliconian:
For the first time over the eight years that we lived there, flocks of White Pelicans and Roseate Spoonbills appeared on the local wetlands! A spoonbill cast a lovely reflection on November 26:
They mixed with the pelicans:
The pelicans fed cooperatively, lining up to herd a school of fish to the lake's margin:
I captured this video of their feeding behavior, American White Pelicans Feeding Cooperatively (turn the sound down to avoid hearing my New Jersey accent!) If the video fails to load in the space below, try THIS LINK:
https://youtu.be/t7XslbDgSPU
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Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,
Linking to GOOD FENCES by Tex (Theresa).
Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy
Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James
Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni
Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart
Linking to I Heart Macro by Laura
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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
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My weekly potpourri gathered from the archives features... Looking back, as I did last month, when I reviewed my photos from a single month in the past to see how far I had to get into the month to find all five of the memes featured in this page. I will try for two for each theme, and since Critters occupy such large share of my portfolio, I removed a limit on my faves in this category, as spring is in the air! This post features February, 2012. I reached my goal by the 16th of the month. So much to look forward to this month!
CRITTERS:
First look at baby Bald Eagle, February 2, 2012
Cattle Egret, February 5, 2012
Sandhill Crane. February 5, 2012
White Peacock, February 16, 2012:
The eaglet is growing up rapidly (February 17, 2012):
Eastern (Yellow-eyed) Towhee arrives, February 29, 2012, my "half birthday" which comes around only every 4 years (can I get any longevity credit for that? This is only the second time in my whole life that I will be 50% on my way to 80 years old-- the first was when I was 40):
The Yellow-crowned Night-Herons are feeling amorous, February 29, 2012 (can't wait to see them nesting next month!):
Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,
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FENCE:
Mary Lou on Chapel Trail boardwalk, February 2, 2012
Linking to GOOD FENCES by Tex (Theresa).
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SKYWATCH:
Tree Swallows, February 13, 2012 (yes. I kept my mouth closed!)
Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy
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REFLECTION:
Double-crested Cormorant, February 13, 2012
Motled Duck, February 15, 2012
Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James
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Also:
Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni
Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart
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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
________________________________________________
My weekly potpourri gathered from the archives features... a little game. I decided to pick a month at random and see how far I had to get into the month to find all five of the memes featured in this page. If possible, I would try for two, and since Critters occupy such large share of my portfolio, I placed a limit of five of my faves, to be divided equally (2 1/2 apiece) between Misty and Eileen. I picked the month of January, 2012 for no good reason except maybe it reminds me of what I need to look for next month. I had to go all the way to the 18th before I found a couple of sky shots.
CRITTERS:
Great Blue Heron, January 1, 2012
White-eyed Vireo, January 12, 2012
Green Heron, January 13, 2013
Bald Eagle, January 15, 2013
Painted bunting, January 18, 2012
Linking to Misty's CAMERA CRITTERS,
Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,
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FENCE:
Sandhill Crane, January 8, 2012
Cooper's Hawk, January 24, 2012
Linking to GOOD FENCES by Tex (Theresa).
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SKYWATCH: A cloudy morning
January 16, 2012
Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy
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REFLECTION: Little Blue Heron
January 1, 2012
Double-crested Cormorant, January 18, 2012
Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James
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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display
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During our last two weeks in Illinois we endured a heat spell. Daily temperatures exceeded those in Florida, and the humidity was almost as high.
There were warnings about high ozone levels and a haze permeated the atmosphere. Most days the sky was fairly bright but generally lightly overcast, whether from the smog or clouds. This produced low light conditions requiring me to use a flash, but most of my latest Illinois photos turned out soft or harsh and grainy and were assigned to the recycle bin. Happily, there were some exceptions.
A huge flock of Brown-headed Cowbirds (and a few European Starlings) settled down on the roof of this old barn at the sod farm where we saw the American Golden-Plovers.
The water tank has seen better days.
A cold front rolled in just before we left and the skies turned blue, so all was not lost. Some parting shots from Illinois included an immature male Common Yellowthroat.
Migratory Tennessee Warblers had moved south in good numbers.
Palm Warblers came in on the front. The eastern form, they are much brighter than the western race we have in Florida all winter.
American Redstarts moved erratically through the branches, and the poor light made it impossible to stop their action.
Swainson's Thrushes hid in the dark lower canopy, but I could not throw away this poor shot because I loved the bird's pose.
Sandhill Cranes, restless to start their southward journey, flew overhead.
This immature male Rose-breasted Grosbeak was either lingering locally or transiting from the north.
Back home in Florida there was rain every morning for six days. It was too risky to walk the mile or two into our local wetland preserve. One morning we drove out to Chapel Trail Nature Preserve in the neighboring City of Pembroke Pines.
We were able to walk the boardwalk for almost an hour before the clouds rolled in and we made a hasty retreat to our auto before the skies opened up again.
This is usually a good place to find long-legged waders, but the exceptionally high water levels have dispersed the schools of fish, causing the herons and egrets to hunt far and wide.
Indeed, we saw only a single Tricolored Heron, some distance away.
A lone Great Egret roosted in a tree on a small island in the middle of the greatly expanded lake.
There was evidence of migration, as small flocks of Eastern Kingbirds had gathered in the treetops.
This is an immature kingbird, as evidenced by its yellow gape and gray on its upper chest.
The biggest treat before the rains came was a male Prairie Warbler right next to the boardwalk. The light was just perfect!
Then, on the morning of the Harvest Moon the forecast improved. Some of the stars were still shining as we walked out on the nearby wetlands, a quarter of an hour before sunrise. We watched the huge moon sink into the Everglades. There must be some magic in Florida's early morning light, at least when the sun is rising in a cloudless sky.
Brown Thrashers had moved in, probably beginning migration,...
... as had Red-eyed Vireos.
The local birds were done with their post-breeding molt, and that scraggly look was gone. This Blue Jay was in splendid fresh plumage.
Loggerhead Shrikes were still on their territories. And, oh, what wonderful light!
While we were absent, the Common Ground-Doves finished raising their families.
The butterflies were there, waiting for us, the Zebra heliconians...
...this male Julia heliconian...
... the White Peacocks...
...and of course the Morning Glories.
