Missing My Blind

I miss using my chair blind. Even though it hasn't been a bad summer as far as heat and humidity goes, the idea of sitting in an enclosed structure right now is not appealing at all. When fall comes I'm going to be sittin' pretty in my blind.

These shots were from May 8th. For a large bird the Blue Jay sure is a scaredy cat. This one knew something wasn't quite right. Every click of the camera made him turn his head this way and that. Finally, he had enough of my shenanigans and flew off.

Although quite common in these parts, I find the Blue Jay a very beautiful bird and never tire of taking their portraits. Due to their skittish nature they are not easy to photograph, making them somewhat of a challenge. The thrill of the chase is part of the reason I love bird photography so much.

Please visit links of other
birds around the world!
Mucho thanks to gracious
host, Anni.

Blind Images

Below are photos taken from inside my chair blind. I am loving that thing, but it is getting a little warm for it now. The link to Amazon has a different price every time I click on it; I purchased it for $75, but as I'm scheduling this post (5/9) it is $69.99. Last week it was $90. Since Amazon is being "playful" with the price, if you want one and don't like the price, wait a day or two.

For such a large bird, the blue jays around here are awfully skittish.
After about 10 clicks he was outta there.

Listening to the click of my camera.

This female house finch was eating my weeds. Thank you!

The female and male are never far from one another. It's so sweet.

The ravenous starling (one of many) who gorges on the suet before my poor woodpeckers hardly have a chance.

The infamous chair blind! Sorry about all the weeds in the garden; I haven't had the energy
to get to this particular bed yet. How do you like my dead branches attached to the feeding station? It's not pretty,
but it gets the job done. Extra seating for birds waiting their turn at the feeder.

Today I advance to the ripe old age of 53!! I refuse to let my age dictate any area of my life. My mom used to say things like, "She is too old to be wearing her hair that long" or "Women over 35 should not wear sleeveless tops" or "That woman is trying to act way too young for her age." Ummm...I am breaking every one of her rules, lol. The plan today is to kayak at my favorite lake in a TANK TOP, my hair up in a clip because I'm letting it grow out. I'm sure she's looking down shaking her head at me. My mom was such a graceful, refined woman, and although we have a strong physical resemblance, our personalities couldn't be any different. If she were alive, she would be praying the rosary the whole time I kayaked in an effort to prevent an alligator attack or drowning. Poor mama.

Since I'm scheduling this post ahead of time, I hope the weather holds up for us. It's not looking too good at the moment. So if you see me making blog visits it means the rain kept me from kayaking and birding. If it does rain, we will go on Saturday instead since I agreed to work for my former boss on Thursday and Friday.

SX50 Test Run

Happy Monday morning to you all!

I've been playing with the Canon Powershot SX50 quite a bit, and though it's been a frustrating experience, I think I've finally figured out through trial and error, and tutorials on the internet*, how to obtain fairly sharp images. However, it's been raining and/or cloudy since I got the camera, so I haven't had adequate light to know if I can get the same sharpness I am seeing from others who own this camera.

On my DSLR (Bertha) I shoot in aperture priority, sometimes at 1600 ISO to get a fast shutter. Since the sensor in Bertha is full frame, there is no noise at this ISO level. No-can-do on the SX50. The main trick with this camera is to have a shutter speed of 500 or more, an ISO below 400 (preferably), and let the camera choose the aperture. Also, I have better luck using the back screen for finding my subject, rather than looking through the viewfinder. The viewfinder pretty much sucks on this camera, imo. Put her on a tripod and use the back screen with the other settings, some bright light, and it's a great little camera.

No cropping on any of these, just resized, noise removed, and sharpened slightly for the blog. I think this is going to be a good option for kayaking and for times when I do not want to lug all the heavy gear.

The Autumn Carnation azaleas I planted are going crazy! There are hundreds of blooms on three small bushes.

Downy woodpecker. Not sharp, but I was amazed at how much closer the zoom allows than my 400mm.

Izzy. Double D has made her rotten.

Sparky. My first rescue from the emergency pet clinic. He's 12 now and on three medications for
congestive heart failure and thyroid disease.

*I found this link very helpful on how to achieve sharp photos with the Canon SX50. I hope this helps someone else out there who owns this camera, or is thinking of buying it.

Linking with Saturday's Critters. Please check out other submissions on Eileen's fun new meme!

Here's lookin' at you, kid

Sometimes the animals have no idea I'm shooting them, but every now and then I get a stare-down. Some of these are repeats and I apologize for that. I desperately need to get out with my camera, but the weather is being really bratty.

Sharing with Saturday's Critters. Thanks, Eileen!

More Randomosity

Another Delete Party where I rediscover shots I had forgotten about. My life is just so exciting right now!! Woot! Warning: this post has pantyhose in it and I also profess to want a pair. And I hate—nay—DETEST, pantyhose. One of my more eclectic posts, to say the least.

Mockingbird with bug, 3/31/13

A snake wrapped around a tree at Bluebonnet Swamp, 4/7/13

This mama bird attempted to feed the baby bird several times; each time she took her beak out with the seed still there.

Finally, the baby had enough and flew off. He was all, "Oh, forGET you!"
The mom was like, "What'd I do?? Come back here Junior!"
April, 2013

A box turtle, perhaps?
Bluebonnet Swamp, April 2

Huey P. Long monument facing the Capitol, April
Huey P. Long (former Governor and U.S. Senator) is buried underneath.

Relief on west side - Long meeting with architects, laborers and craftsmen constructing
the Louisiana State Capitol.

Indigo bunting at Bluebonnet Swamp in April

Fleur de lis stockings in a store window in the French Quarter.  I want a pair! Wait, what?!

This looks like some type of ornamental ginger or lily. Anyone?

Love

1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails... And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Our Little Pigs

Spring is playing hide and seek with us this week. You'd think by now in the Deep South that we would have beautiful weather, but no. I had to turn the heater on in the house and my hands at this moment are stiff and cold. I really shouldn't complain too much; we are enjoying colorful blooms, and the oppressive heat and humidity will be suffocating us soon enough. Here are some birds that have been eating like hungry pigs in our yard this week. Maybe the cold weather is causing them to eat more because I seriously cannot keep the feeders filled. Within a couple of hours they're empty.

Blue Jay - the backyard bully

We have two hummers now - a Ruby Throat and this one. It might be Anna's or a Black-chinned.
I love how his eyes are closed and his tongue is sticking out.

Happy to report we have high numbers of American Goldfinch - at least a dozen or more.
I purchased this feeder to attract Baltimore Orioles. There are three cups that you fill with jelly.
I gave up on the jelly and filled the cups with seed. The Goldfinches have taken it over and that's okay with me.

House Finch
(the white-ish color in the background that looks like a cross is the fence for the baseball field)

European Starling

Downy Woodpecker

Carolina Wren.

I see a return trip to Lake Martin in my immediate future. According to a birding list I subscribe to, there are at least 200 Roseate Spoonbills nesting right now. I'm sure Double D will fall all over himself with excitement when I deliver the news to him as soon as he arrives on Saturday from his 500 mile business trip. :/ If he declines to take me this weekend, I can always go visit the owlets. Y'all have a good one. See ya next week!