Observations

I've always enjoyed the birds. My grandmother was one of those who could ID a bird by their song.

We'd be picking berries and she'd cock her head and say "Bluebird" and nonchalantly continue to pick.

I'd look around to spot what she'd heard and sometimes she'd point the bird out to me.

Grandma had a pet Robin. Nope, I am not kidding. She had found a robin fledgling and raised it successfully. The Robin would perch on her shoulder and hang out with her any time she was outside. Eventually the Robin flew off and we wondered if it would return in the Spring.

She called the Robin Hubert.

And Hubert did return the next year. 

I thought my Grandmother Pearl was the most amazing person on earth. She knew so much Stuff. Now I am beginning to understand how she got to know stuff. 
She observed. She also kept detailed notes every day on the weather, what birds she saw and anything else that Nature provided. She was a Naturalist, a Master One at that.

Over the past year or so, I've found myself becoming an Observer myself. I've had more time on my hands due to the Pandemic and being a Caregiver. 

Last night found me outside late observing the Catbird. I think this is the first year that they have come to our yard or it is the first year that I've taken time to notice.

Her color is not something that makes you go Wow, but she is so interesting. She/he find grubs and arthropods in the yard. So I would say they are pretty helpful birds and good to have around. I enjoy 'her' calls and watching her. 
Last night she followed me around the yard as I was checking on my shade garden.

I am pretty sure that she wasn't actually following me, but looking for her fledglings to feed. And, it could have been a He as they both share the duties of caring for their young.

I've grown quite fond of the Catbird. I didn't know it was related to the Mockingbird and Thrasher families until I did some digging. My dad's favorite bird to listen to while he was living in Virginia was the Mockingbird. Try as I could, I never got a decent photo of one for him. We did enjoy standing on the Commons Trail and listening to their songs though.

I do enjoy Orioles and after the Dog Attack [previous post] Charlie and I spotted a nest along the road. I had to drive by there this morning to go get milk, so I parked and watched for the Oriole. 
I stayed in the car and shot out the window so as not to disturb them too much.

Most of the shots were the common bird shot. 

I was pleased to snatch a shot of the Oriole scolding me!

I'm still going to blame Aurora for directing my observation powers in a new direction this year.

The used lens is not super easy in dim light. 

However, I did get the not quite full moon before the clouds obscured it. Handheld shot...so okay...

happy dance!

I think I'll take it out tonight for the rise of the Strawberry Moon?

I could not get this doe for the life of me...

On my way back to the house I stopped to take a look at the milkweed on the corner of two roads...

So. I can get a fair close up of insects with the lens, I can get a nice shot of the moon, but running deer at dawn? Nope.

Oh crap. IF you are still reading this I have one last observation to give up.

The bird that leaves BIG holes in trees. Here it is in action.

Pileated Woodpecker. 

Birds and the Bees, flowers and ...

The humming birds don't mind me sitting near their feeder in the morning while having coffee. In fact the bold one doesn't mind me standing next to the feeder. He just zooms in and gives me a look as if to ask if I'll keep filling the feeder.

The bluebirds come around each morning and evening but never very close. So this is the zoom at 300mm. It is soft and not tack sharp, but I don't mind as the distance was about 100+ feet from where I was.

I was delighted. I took a photo of the resident Catbird, but she isn't very pretty and she was just in the yard.
The Orioles were easy last year, they hung out on the humming bird feeder. This year I think the Catbird has chased them into the trees a bit further out. I can see them flipping about in the Buckthorn woods and in the far off apple trees, but they have tended to stay in the upper canopy and hard to 'shoot'. Hmmm.

My next quandry was 'how' to make the bird shot interesting? Well, that certainly is a challenge as birds don't pose. But I'll keep working at it.
We saw a red bird a couple of days ago that was not a Scarlet Tanager, nor was it a Cardinal. We think it was a Summer Tanager. But could it be? They are not usually in this area. 
I've seen the bird a few times since and the song is similar to the Summer Tanager. However, to be sure I really want this bird to stop and show itself!

Tuesday afternoon Charlie and I decided to see how the forest and creek looked. If the mules were better browsers, they would have tons of food.

The creek was dry in two places. Just mud and rocks. I haven't seen that way since 1996. The upper pastures were brown and crunchy yet the mules seemed very disinterested in hay. Obviously they are finding something to eat.

We walked along the rocks and I heard some noises in the tall grass. I spotted what I thought was a dragon fly. This took about 6 tries before I got this. Creeping up on these damsel or dragon flies are not easy! Thank goodness for the better reach of the lens combined with the EM 1!

212mm focal length

The find of the day was The Blessing Moth, also known as Haploa Clymene. Also called the Spiritual Moth, Jesus Moth, and other names. Seriously. I have never seen one before. This was pretty cool.

215mm

I did spot some white but just passed it off as bird crap. But I turned around for a closer look. And there it was. I was thankful for the long reach again. Yes, it did take more than one try, but I think I got it. Some sort of legend says it brings you good luck.

I didn't know it at the time but I did say to Charlie that we really needed some rain.

And no wandering in the summer is complete without bees and flies.

I have no idea what is happening here on one of my white Petunias.

And it wasn't the clearest shot, but I was not going any nearer!

300mm [softer focus at this length]

Wasp and fly? Huh. It shall remain a mystery.

Now I wonder if the Blessing Moth was able to bring the rain we so badly needed? We had two inches overnight. It came down a bit too hard, but we will take it.