Category: photography
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On Capturing Moments
Northern Cardinal (male) Learning to let go should be learned before learning to get. Life should be touched, not strangled. You’ve got to relax, let it happen at times, and at others move forward with it. Ray Bradbury I generally prefer the term, “birdwatching” to “birding” when it comes to describing my bird-observing activities (and…
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Zen Backyard
Carolina Wren It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera…they are made with the eye, heart, and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson I have begun to think, even though I am fairly new to photography, that photographs might be the most effective medium for me to communicate how I see the world. Indeed, I…
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Birds of Early Spring: From the Lake
Great Blue Heron There is a park close to home that I probably don’t visit as often as I should. It has a series of hiking and mountain-biking trails, along with a lake that many people use for fishing, kayaking, and even a bit of birding. As I’ve recently promised myself to start spending more…
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Part of the Silence
Mourning Dove In order to see birds, it is necessary to become a part of the silence. Robert Lynd I was recently told that my birdwatching hobby is “quaint”. Whether this particular comment was intended to be complimentary or not (I think not), I chose to take it that way. I have, it seems, reached…
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Birds of Winter: Hawks and Jays
I’m not sure how many more “birds of winter” photos I’ll be able to share before transitioning to “birds of spring.” Temperatures here have begun reaching into the mid-60s and 70s (18-23 degrees C) on most days, and the daffodils are in full bloom. The birds have also become much more vocal as they establish…
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Birds of Winter: Cardinal Edition
I don’t think I’ve ever shared the story of how I got into birding. Although, it isn’t much of a story, really. About this time last year, between the end of February and beginning of March, I awoke one morning and decided to have coffee outside for a change. The first signs of spring were…
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Birds of Winter: From the Feeder
Northern Cardinal (Female) I initially had a different selection of images and a different theme in mind for this “Birds of Winter” post. But, when I sat down to write earlier this morning, sipping my coffee and looking out the window at the bird feeders, it dawned on me that it might be fun to…
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Birds of Winter, Part II
Red-shouldered Hawk I’ve really been enjoying photographing the birds this winter–and enjoying the mix of birds that are visiting my feeders and hanging out in the woods nearby. Of the photos in this post that I consider noteworthy, or that are among my favorites, the majority are woodpeckers. (I have an affinity for woodpeckers.) This…
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Mourning Doves in Love
I hadn’t planned on posting today. But as I was outside this morning messing with my new camera, I came across an incredible sight: two mourning doves loving each other. The pair were perched in a tree at the far end of the yard and spent several minutes bonding: preening one another, cuddling, biting, and…
The Used Life 