Monday, June 30, 2014

Bird & Butterfly Stand-off

The heat and humidity has worn down my desire to be out in nature and take photographs. And if it's not hotter than a 600 degree sauna, the hard rains arriving almost daily make me wish I had a little boat to paddle around the neighborhood. So you may see a decrease in posting from me for the rest of the summer. Sorry about that. I will still be visiting you, but won't be posting as much until I can once again enjoy the great outdoors.
A titmouse image from January 7, 2014.
I added the butterfly from JoesSistah's collection on Flickr.
Please visit our wonderful host, Anni!

Also linking to
Our World Tuesday.

and

Wild Bird Wednesday!

Thank you to Hilary of The Smitten Image for bestowing a Post of the Week award on this post!

65 comments:

Carole M. said...

yes it's no fun sweltering through summer; and it's no fun freezing through winter either. This bird photo is adorable Gail with a little added editing touch = creative!

Optimistic Existentialist said...

It's been hot and humid here in KY as well, but I know it's nowhere near as hot and humid here as it is down in your neck of the woods. I'm already looking forward to autumn :)

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh try to keep cool Gail it is raining here a lot too. No hay yet. Love the little titmouse so very tiny and cute. Take care drink lots. Hug B

Andy said...

I look forward to your return.

Roan said...

It's actually cooled down a bit here. Feeling for you with the heat. This is absolutely the cutest bird ever!

Breathtaking said...

Oh my, what a very sweet little bird. Lovely image!:) Sorry it's so hot where you are.:(

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Oh what a sweet little guy- how cute! I love his gorgeous pompadour!

Anvilcloud said...

Nice compositing. I was thinking that the butterfly might have a short lifespan.

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

nice shot (you cheat) :)

I'll miss your posts...but BOYYYY do I understand. Went for a bike ride yesterday...on the last stretch before I got home...the thermometer read 110. Argh

Irma said...

Hi Gail,
Beautiful picture of this tit, the butterfly is in thats very nice.
Here it is not so hot, but a lot of rain.
The weather could be better end of this week.

Shug said...

Exactly my thoughts..... It's hot here in Florida. Looks like this little birdie is not sure about his company!!! You captured such beauty in the colors of both!!!

Slamdunk said...

I don't blame you. You may have to take up low-light photography in the evenings or purchase night-vision goggles.

Tammy@Simple Southern Happiness said...

I think that butterfly was treading on thin ice sitting that close to the bird. BUT then I see you added it… amazing shot of one of my favorite bird.
Know the feeling well, if one is outside for any length of time, we start to feel drained. I have a new lens and it’s just way to hot and humid to test it outside and I need too to make sure it a good lens. Inside its great in low light and that is what I wanted it for as well. OH well, FALL can’t come soon enough.

Keep cool.

hootnonny said...

Too cute! Stay cool and dry!!!

EG CameraGirl said...

It does look like a standoff! :)

TexWisGirl said...

oh, you stinker, placing that butterfly there. :) so cute, though!

when it's too hot for birding/wildlife, i drive in a/c and stop to roll down the window now and then for fence photos. :)

Waldameise Andrea said...

Was für eine wunderschöne, geniale Aufnahme. Ein Schnappschuss, wie man ihn selten sieht. Einfach klasse!!!


Liebe Grüße
von der Waldameise

Anonymous said...

Sorry to see you go on vacation. I loo forward to your posts. However, the titmouse is a winner!

Camila Rafaela Felippi said...

I don't find the words to describe how nature is perfect. Sometimes I want to go to the scrub to take these wonderful photos!

Unknown said...

So cute! We had a beautiful day on Saturday, but now it feels more like fall again.

Hootin Anni said...

I LOVE this Gail!! So sweet...and yet so daring of each other.

And, no your blog loads quickly. No problems

Thanks for visiting and linking up at the Bird D'Pot also for this week. Always appreciated.

Melissa said...

Sweet little bird "imagining" his butterfly friend :) Stay cool inside!!!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Agreed Gail that when the weather gets hot and sticky as it also does here on the VA eastern shore, but less than Louisiana, I too want to stay cool and not be bothered with photo taking. Of course, most of my equipment (2 cameras)is way scaled down from years ago when I carried around SLRs, DSLRs and assorted lenses. Enjoy the summer and visiting is always welcome!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Forgot to add that the ohoto and added image worked great together!

Unknown said...

Photos are very great.Your blog is amazing.

renae said...

morning Gail. I'm feeling pretty well considering. No nasty tastes to food or water this round. Yay. I am weak tho. So sitting at the 'puter is fine. I'm back on the original med I was on on #1 and #2 so that is a big help. Makes me drowzy so I just nap. Only two more to gooooooooooo! July 18th and Aug 8th. Then dear radiation. It will be daily for only 15 minutes M-F for six weeks. And still have to go to Huntsman every 21 day for the HER2 killer Herceptin (via IV) until April. All that cuz two weirdly shaped walnuts were growing and passing their time of day in my left boobage. CANCER SUCKS!

Pantherka said...

Very nice picture.
Greetings.

Wally Jones said...

Nice image! Love those two.

Too hot to go birding???

Inconceivable...... :)

Elizabeth Edwards said...

someone said the "h" word. ha. ha!! i really dislike humidity. not a good thing here in VA. it is very warm this week. suppose to be the worst yet. ( :

lots of thunderstorms i bet.

Stephanie said...

My dear Gail, I absolutely LOVE this photo! The bird is precious and the butterfly you added looks like it was there to begin with.

I can understand about not being able to take photos right now - stay cool, my friend. Hugs to you!

Debbie said...

a really beautiful capture gail, you can see all the detail in every little feather and every wrinkle in his feet!!

i wonder if you would enjoy posting about everyday things. cooking, crafts, flowers, gardening....little projects around the house!! i do that and my entries are well received. i do think some peeps enjoy that. i know i do!!!!

(GBS) NewsFromTheHill said...

Ahhh yes, I remember Louisiana heat!!
I found your blog via Dorothy's link at Frog and Penguin. I'm a former Louisianian (Baton Rouge and Zachary) who moved to Virginia two years ago.
I'll have fun checking in at your blog to see what's blooming and flying!

Grace

Kathy said...

Aren't you clever!

Anonymous said...

Such a delightful image!

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

The butterfly is a really fun touch!

Brian King said...

That's awesome! Perfect shot for it! I feel your pain about the heat and humidity. I'm not tropical person. At all. I'm sure it's worse there.

orchid0324 said...

Oh My; what an early morning smile you gave me. Gail. How lovely and incredible to grab that moment♡♡♡ Haha, 'Stand-off'!!!
It sure is getting hot here as well; one of my friend didn't like AC, to get into her car is like in the sauna (^^;)


Sending you lots of love and hugs from Japan to my dear American friend, xoxo Miyako*

PS> Thank you so much for the name, I didn't even come up with the image for 'thistle'. Of course never knew the English name p;)

Suzan said...

Great "capturing the moment!!" Looks like they're having an interesting conversation or meeting of the minds!!
"I want to eat you!! but dare I??"
Awesome Gail!!

A Colorful World said...

Absolutely adorable photo! I love tufted titmice, and the butterfly is sweet too. Re4ally nice shot!

eileeninmd said...

After this past winter, I can not complain about hot weather.. we had way too much cold and snow.. Love the cute titmouse and the butterfly.. Enjoy your week and stay cool!

21 Wits said...

So cute! What did the bird say to the butterfly, or was it the other way around!!!

Barbara said...

That is adorable! You did an amazing job.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Cute picture. We have had several days of rain and that sure cuts into the photography time. RE:your comment on my post.My son was a professional wedding and portrait photographer for many years.Now he is in other work and can just enjoy his photography.

Carola Bartz said...

The titmouse belongs to my favorite birds. I just love to watch them. Your addition of the butterfly is wonderful!
Your weather sounds lousy... I hate the humidity. I probably wouldn't venture much outside either.

Anonymous said...

What a great shot - I like the addition of the butterfly.

Photo Cache said...

great shot.

you-wee because said...

Congrats for this outstanding and unique composition, Gail! This combination you really don't see at every turn... ;-)
Uwe.

Adam Jones said...

Brilliant!! Love that picture and the butterfly especially.

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

hi Gail. this is a fabulous shot. sorry to heard about heat+++ but when. I had that kind of heat in Australis when. I was there, my answer was to get out there by first light about 6,30 and finish by 9.00 am!

Unknown said...

Nice composite. You did a great job with the butterfly.

Andrea @ From The Sol said...

Like you we have had rain every day. I have spent my whole summer cutting my grass. Thank God, I have a small yard. Yes, it is hard to get out and enjoy nature when it is this hot and even the animals and birds seem to be laying low. I wished away winter (not very successfully) and now I am wishing away my summer ... Really? What's up with this? Cute post, Gail ... very clever adding the butterfly. You made me smile.

Andrea @ From the Sol

Hilary said...

Oh my.. that's a wonderful shot. Two beauties. Though I suspect that only one remained.

renae said...

hehehehehe, I'm wearing the polish from you on my post with my soft blue hat. check it. ♥

DeniseinVA said...

That's a sweet photo of the Titmouse looking at the butterfly. The humidity hit me like a lead brick when I got off the plane yesterday :)

FAB said...

Hi Gail. Now that is a cute bit of creative editing.

I'm sure I couldn't cope with your heat and humidity .. I much prefer the colder seasons. Try to stay cool.

Karen said...

Such a cute bird, he's precious! I know the feeling Gail, it's been near 100 here all week, and so humid. I rarely go out.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

So sweet! Love how you can add things that way ... I'm lucky to get s picture posted at all.

Don't blame you for wanting to stay inside ... I know that the June humidity can be a killer (we stayed in Florida until July that one year an then traveled up the East Coast, which was only marginally cooler). Take care --

Mary Howell Cromer said...

First off STAY COOL! Second, Oh My Goodness how adorable is this capture!!!

Beate said...

Wow, another awesome, beautiful, perfect shot! It's like the butterfly and bird posed for you when you asked them to :) :) It doesn't matter how often you post, we'll always be here whenever you get to post. Luckily we do not have that kind of humidity or heat in Germany....but our summers can also be very grey, cold and rainy. It's nice right now, I hope it stays like that for a while.

Starla said...

I cannot express just how much I LOVE this photo!! I could just write several little stories in my head about it!

Indrani said...

This is so cute. It actually leaves me speechless with awe!
Very well taken!

Unknown said...

Conversely, it's freezing here in Australia and I haven't been going out much. This is a wonderful photo. That bird is super cute.

LC said...

The tidy little titmouse visitors are among my favorites at our feeder. Endearing portrait.

Helma said...

What a gorgeous photo of the crested tit Gail!
Pretty sharp and you may have hearts just counting!
Have butterfly put there or was that really there?
Pity that so much rain is with you now.
In the Netherlands it is summer, but the sun unfortunately nothing to see.

TexWisGirl said...

you got another potw!!! :D