Rosyfinch Ramblings

Thursday, March 9, 2023

Crops & Clips: Flashback to March, 2020

As I do each month, I enjoy looking back over my archived photos, taken three years previously, to remember how things were then in south Florida as contrasting 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), skies and clouds, reflections, flowers and scenes which speak for themselves.

Out early in our neighborhood Wounded Wetlands on March 1, a fly-by Great Blue Heron coursed along the lake shore:

A Tricolored Heron was fishing nearby:

An active Magnolia Warbler flitted amid the branches:

On March 7, an infrequently encountered raptor flew across the path in front of me. It was a Short-tailed Hawk, carrying its prey, which appears to be a blackbird or grackle:

Among the birds were an Orange-crowned Warbler...

...Blue-headed Vireo...

...Northern Cardinal...

...Brown Thrasher:

I encountered a young Bobcat on the gravel road:

It crept up towards an American Kestrel which was eating something on the ground:

The kestrel flew up safely:

Just after sunrise as as the fog was lifting, I walked along one of my favorite spots, the primitive "Bar Ditch Trail:

While facing the other way, with the blinding sun at my back, I saw another Bobcat running right towards me. It probably could not see me until it got quite near:

As it approached, I took about 50 photos and used some to create a slide show which may be viewed here:

Butterflies were numerous, including visits to the Bidens alba flowers by this Gulf Fritillary...

...a male Julia heliconian...

...a Long-tailed Skipper on Lantana...

...a Zebra longwing...

...and a Palamedes Swallowtail:

Sunrise over our back yard:

Another foggy sunrise along the main track:

This week's header: Deer at sunrise March 27, 2020

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52736402428_5c37c41c4a_b.jpg

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Linking to:

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

Garden Affair

All Seasons

Image-in-ing

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World
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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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Thursday, March 2, 2023

Window-watching Week

This past week marked the first time I failed to take a single walk out in the neighborhood or even the back property. Cold, wind and the first "plowable" snowstorm of this winter kept me inside except for necessary medical visits and tests. My wild world has otherwise been viewed through the windows of the "front door" of our Casita suite.

Poor light and the necessity to take photos through double-glazed windows has resulted in a collection of fuzzy images, which is all I have to sort through and share.

On February 23, freezing fog coated the the branches with ice. Black-capped Chickadees repeatedly selected single sunflower seeds and flew up into the bare Aspen to hack them open:

A Male House Finch provided a touch of color:

Two days later it was crisp and cold, but the clouds parted as a small flock of Eastern Bluebirds descended to feast at the suet feeder. The species is essentially insectivorous, but will accept a variety of foods in times of scarcity. A male bluebird tried to possess the energy-rich offering:

A female looked down from the shepherd's hook and waited expectantly:

Her patience exhausted, she displaced the male:

Compulsively, I captured views of a pair which brightened the morning after the snowfall on February 26:

Not to be overlooked, another male House Finch and a Downy Woodpecker:

Tufted Titmouse:

In typical upside-down posture, a White-breasted Nuthatch feasted on the suet:

A White-throated Sparrow gleaned seeds under the feeders:

Views from our back patio on February 26:

I wanted to show the view from my window, but forgot to turn off the interior lights, resulting in a reflected view of my computer station:

Here is the intended view:

After the storm, the snow drifts and psychedelic shadows stimulated my imagination. Am I seeing the upper torso of a human with arms extended, on his back, or on her stomach... or is that a close-up wrist and a hand with fingers cupped upward?

This week's header: Sunset, February 27