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| Leftover fall foliage, Bluebonnet Swamp, 1/25/13 |
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| Dried grass, Bluebonnet Swamp, 1/23/13 |
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| Unknown blooms, Tickfaw State Park, 1/26/13 |
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| Glistening pine needles, Tickfaw State Park, 1/26/13 |
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Calliope Hummingbird, Bluebonnet Swamp, 2/2/13
I've been waiting to get a clearer shot, but I've not seen him since and may not again. Sigh. |
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| View of eagles' nest from atop the levee. Notice the red barge floating behind the trees. 2/2/13 |
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| Northern Cardinal, Bluebonnet Swamp, 2/5/13 |
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| Wildflowers among the cypress, Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge, 1/27/13 |
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| Wildflowers, Bluebonnet Swamp, 2/1/13 |
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| American Goldfinch, Bluebonnet Swamp, 1/25/13 |
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| Purple Finch (immature or female), Bluebonnet Swamp, 1/25/13 |
On another note (but still somewhat in the fauna category), I'd like to wish my little Sparky a happy birthday. Ten years ago today he was presented as a lost stray at the emergency vet clinic while I was working there. We immediately locked eyes, then souls, and have been connected ever since. He's about 11 or 12 now and the effects of old age are starting to slow him down. Spark Plug, I love you. You're my sweet little monkey and always will be.
Please visit Madge and her wonderful meme. Thanks for hosting!
52 comments:
Happy birthday, Spark Plug. I like how you are putting the dates on your sub titles. Part II is super, Gail.
Happy birthday Sparky. You have grown lovelier with age!
The photos are just awesome! It's impossible to pick a favorite.
But, I am partial to swamp photo!
Happy Saturday Gail and Sparky!
Happy Birthday Sparky! Beautiful photos Gail, cardinals have always been one of my favourite birds...sweet of nature and a spark of colour in our drab winters.
Aww, sweet Sparky. Happy birthday! Great photos, Gail, as usual. Thanks for sharing them.
Happy Birthday, Sparky! Gail, these are all awesome photos! Wishing you a happy weekend!
Yeah!! I'm not the last to comment!
Happy Birthday Sparky! He's a cutie!Sounds like both of you have been blessed! and love the cypress trees in the swamp!! Your hummingbirds must not migrate? Or they must leave here and go to where you are!!
Have a great weekend!
Happy Birthday, Sparky Plug ~ You are adorable!
Gorgeous photography of wildlife and beautiful place ~ Have a raging Snow Blizzard going on here in MA ~ Wild and Wooly ~
Carol of: (A Creative Harbor) ^_^
That cardinal picture is AMAZING!!
The small purple flowers are oxalis. You will also sometimes see them in pink or yellow.
The glistening pine needles, for whatever reason, really captured my eye. The cardinal shot is wonderful...one of the best I've ever seen. And Sparky is adorable...and one lucky dog to have been brought to your clinic and then to your heart and home.
A VERY Happy Birthday to you, Sparky!!!
Gail, he is just adorable! You are very fortunate to have each other.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPARK PLUG! I could fall in love with you too. I love Disco like that.
I LOVE YOUR Photos - the hummingbird actually drinking out of that straw like thing. Feeder I guess. And the eagle.
I wish I could see them for real - but this is the next best thing.
sandie
first, happy birthday to your little sweet sparky. :)
second, love the light and bokeh in several of your flora shots. just gorgeous. i think you're ahead of us in springtime. :)
Gorgeous pictures. Each of your shots is so clear and bright. I love that.
I can't believe how much colour you have surrounding you - leaves, birds, branches - so pretty!
I'm celebrating a birthday with such a cutie pie. Sparky is darling.
Your photos, they're all so magical. I love the glistening pine and the swamp photo with the bald cypress. Exceptional.
So happy I can tag along on your photo adventures.
Great pictures of the feathered babies, the swamp, and your little Sparky.
Happy Birthday Sparky.
So happy I can tag along on your photo adventures.
Great pictures of the feathered babies, the swamp, and your little Sparky.
Happy Birthday Sparky.
What a blessing for Sparky to end up at your vet and in your heart! These pics are awesome. Two favs: the yellow wildflowers among the cypress and that red cardinal!
Have a great birthday celebration w/Sparky.
Ok, Gail, I don't think I've ever seen the eye of a Cardinal so clearly in a pic before... that's amazing... he's one handsome fella! =)
I wish we had Eagles here... if they are here, they stay hid.
Such a sweet lil hummingbird.
Beautiful shots, of course, you should hang the unknown blossoms on the wall, that's beautiful =)
Awww.. happy birthday, wee Sparky. What a cutie! May he have many more birthdays to share with you.
The unknown blooms look to me like they're red maple buds about to grow into leaves. If you look closely at your first photo, of leftover autumn leaves, you can see the new buds beginning to shoot beneath the leaves.
Lovely shots .. one and all.
Happy Birthday to Sparky.. he's too cute! We have a rescue dog too, and she is a delight! This whole series of shots is marvelous... love the bokeh and the brilliance in the pine needle image and the Cardinal is a red feathered gift... Thank you for sharing on Weekly Top Shot #69!
Happy Birthday 10th Sparky. You were both bless to find each other.
Wow, your photos blow my mind with their beauty, well done Gail.
Great post! Lovely photos!
Happy Birthday from me too!
Marvelous!!
~Linda
So different to see Fall foliage this time of the year, but it sure is purty! And...clever shot with the red barge in the back ground...love it!
I'm supposing that there is no threat of getting eaten by a gator this time of the year? If so, it sure looked like you were too close to that swamp!!
Hugs...I love all the photos!
shug
Wow, Gail! I especially love the "unknown blooms," maybe because they say "spring!" to me. But I'm so impressed with the bird images....you capture them in fantastic poses, the kind of pose one sees on greeting cards and calendars. ;-)
Happy Birthday, and a beautiful day.
Happy Birthday to your little cutie pie. And once again your photos blow me away. They look amazing my friend.
Hugs~
Happy Birthday to Sparky! He sure is a little cutie. It sounds like God meant him for you.
Beautiful photos, as always! Hope you're having a good weekend :)
Your dog is just adorable! And, as always, your shots are fabulous.
I like the grass shot - very nice.
Cheers
Stewart M - Melbourne
Another wonderful collection Gail. The wildflowers amongst the cypress make for an unusual yet picturesque scene.
Happy Birthday to your sweet little Sparky!
I love the sight of that eagle's nest, Gail!
You live in the most wonderful area of the country to capture such beauty. Just stunning, each of them. And Happy Birthday to your sweet Sparky He still looks like a puppy!!
I so enjoy looking at all your photos. They just bring me a moment of joy and peace in my day!
Gorgeous!!! I love them all! The remaining red leaves, and the cardinal are my favorites!
Thank you for the lovely tour of your special places (and the visit to your special SparkPlug!).
Fantastic shots- all warm and colorful...made my day. Happy Birthday to Spark Plug.
What a nice series of photographs! I love your swamp!
Sparky is a cutie! The thing that struck me in your photos...the SUN! It's been ages since I've seen sun like that...sigh.
awwwwww Sparky, you made me forget what it was I was gonna say. I think it was something about how amazing swamps are.
Lots of lovely photos Gail. Happy birthday to Sparkie too - Dave
Happy birthday to your little Sparky and may the lord bless you with his company for many more years.
You do have a talent, you captured that cardnial eye, tact sharp! Lovely pictures and you honor GOD with your camera showing all the beauty he created for our eyes.
Sparky has a wonderful sweet face
beautiful photos!!
More stunning images and a big HB to the little Spark Plug!
I simply love coming to your site and ooohing and ahhing over all of the images you capture. That cardinal is an exceptional shot! Love the vibrant colors! Big hugs, xoxo
Happy birthday to your precious little Spark Plug! Love all of your images, but that cardinal looks like he's posing for you!!
It's so beautiful, Gail. The swamp is so alive in February.
Beautiful, Gail! I love the photo of the eagle's nest! The trees with the clouds in the background are fantastic!
Sparky!!!!!! Happy Birthday to you!
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