Happy Easter!

I just had to pop in and wish you all a very Happy Easter! This time with a little bit of carved art. :)

 

Every now and then, the back yard bunnies give me a perfect pose - and I couldn't resist carving this one. 

I hope you and your loved ones have a joyful celebration - finding eggs, feasting and spotting the occasional Easter bunny on its way home from a long night of spreading springtime delights. Not to mention chocolate... 

Late Moonset

A few days ago, I went out early to see if I could catch the full moon setting over the bay. Unfortunately, even though it looked like it might find an opening in the clouds, the moon stayed misted over and always partially hidden. I didn't think I had gotten any good shots, but when I finally downloaded the pictures from the camera last night, there were a few that I sort of liked.

 
Since the clouds completely blocked the moon at the viewing spot nearest my house, I walked up to the boat launch, hoping the sky might clear a little for me. Sure enough, the moon peeked out from between two cloud banks with a soft, misty glow.

A couple of swans swam into the frame and I thought they added a nice counterpoint to the reflected moon.

As I said, the moon never came out from behind the clouds completely, but the effect was soft and peaceful. So, I thought these pictures might be worth posting, even though it's a few days after the actual event.
 

Blackbird Singing in the Light of Day

Nope, no broken wings or any need for flying lessons. Just a lot of enthusiastic singing and displaying.

 
This handsome red-winged blackbird would get himself wound up for the big concert.

Then, he'd flash his brilliant epaulets and make himself as big as he could while singing his territorial aria.

After completing his grand operatic performance, he'd shrink back down to normal size and prepare to do it all over again.
 

Somehow, I don't think this striking fellow will have any difficulty finding a sweetheart. He's pretty impressive!

Buffel - oed.

These bufflehead ducks were diving and popping up far enough away to make it almost impossible to get even a halfway decent picture.

I made dozens of attempts. Just about the time I got the camera focused, they would disappear beneath the surface and pop back into view in a completely different spot. Lather, rinse, repeat... It was quite frustrating, but I did finally catch one shot with both the female and the male above water and nearly in focus!

This gull, however, allowed me time to zoom in and get a much better focus on its relaxed floating. No dipping and diving, just calm paddling. 

It was a nice walk I haven't taken very many times since Baloo crossed the rainbow bridge - he would have loved the action out on the lake.

Redheads

A little group of redhead ducks was paddling around up by the boat launch. 

 
Their bright feathers were glowing in the sunset light.

These ducks don't usually come this far up the bay, preferring to stay closer to the base of the peninsula, so this was a particular treat.

I love seeing the different kinds of ducks coming back to the area again, after spending the winter elsewhere.

As a result, you are being subjected to all the season's duck discoveries.

I hope you enjoy seeing them, too. :)

 

 

Let Sleepy Swans Float

While out on an afternoon walk, I went by the boat launch and spent a some time admiring a pair of swans lazily floating along in the sunshine.

They didn't seem at all bothered by me and went about their preening and primping.

It was a very peaceful little scene.

So peaceful, in fact, that one of the swans decided to take a nap. The other one looked like it was getting ready to join in the snoozing.

But, a couple of fishermen came to the launch to put their boat into the water and the swans woke up and swam off.

All the preening and primping obviously paid off, though, because they both looked quite beautiful as they went gliding off into deeper waters. 

Duck Dining

This merganser was backlit, but I sort of liked the effect.  The silhouette of the bird against the rippled blue of the water was a pleasing combination.

We moved along together for a bit, me snapping pictures while she looked for snacks.

She paddled along smoothly, creating just a little wake to shadow the water's surface, along with her reflection. It was interesting to see the changes in the color and shading of the water, depending on the angle of the sun and the amount of cloud cover at any given moment.

The final picture captures droplets of water falling from her bill after she raised her head again. Her bill is also slightly open, so she may have found something tasty for her dinner.

A Song in My Heart

A few song sparrows are back in town. I always love to see them arrive. They're another indicator that springtime is on the way (in spite of evidence to the contrary).

 

They sing a beautiful song that always makes me smile. It's long and complicated and it sounds like they tie it into a knot at the end.

We had snow again over the weekend, so the early arrivals really appreciated the scratch and sunflower seeds I put out for the ground feeders.

Don't you just love that earnest little face? The markings on these diminutive darlings are so distinctive and dramatic, making them easy to identify. 

Crabapple Capers

 I always love it when the cedar waxwings migrate back into the area. They are absolutely beautiful birds.

I love this guy with the wide open mouth, gulping an apple whole.

The flock descends on my crabapple tree and feasts on the apples the cardinals and finches haven't eaten yet. Last year's apple crop was amazing, so there's still plenty to eat.
 

As you've seen from earlier posts, cardinals and finches nibble through the winter, but these hungry travelers take full advantage of the high energy treats.

I love watching the cedar waxwings. Their plumage is so smooth it almost looks like they don't even have feathers.

They also seem to glow when the sun hits them.

Look at the color transitions - tan to gray on the backs and wings and the tan to yellow on their breasts. It almost looks airbrushed, doesn't it? It's just amazingly smooth.

The masks and crests are distinctive, too. They look like the lone rangers of the bird world.

They'll only be here for a few days gorging on apples, mountain ash berries and any other fruit they can find as they rest and refuel for the next flight of their journey. Then, I'll have to try and be satisfied to catch an occasional glimpse of the few that remain to nest in the area through the summer.

 

Unexpected Meeting

While walking along one of my favorite forest trails, I met a couple of other hikers who had a very unusual traveling companion. At first, I thought it was a very short, stout dog of some kind because, well, I doubted the evidence of my own eyes.

I had never met a pet pig out hiking through the woods. She was off leash and doing a fabulous job of sticking with her people and coming when called.

Her name is Scarlet and she is a two year old rescue pig who obviously had a fabulously soft landing after her rough start.

She let me take a few pictures as I spoke with her people and she entertained herself by snuffling around and rooting along the side of the trail. 

I got a kick out of meeting her, and I thought you might, too.

A Pair o' Ducks

I can't help it. Puns are fun, even if they are considered the lowest form of humor. Sadly, I can't entertain you with a true paradox, just a pair o' ducks.

 
This goldeneye duck couple was far enough from shore that the pictures are a little grainy, but I enjoyed watching them and thought it would be fun to post a few  of the better pictures (from the dozens I took).

They were swimming along in the last light of the setting sun, as you can see from the slightly pinkish cast to the ripples in the water.

They had turned around and started swimming in the other direction when they suddenly decided to take off, just as I was snapping another picture. The splash of the water made me think of skipping stones, though the duck takes to the air at the end of the skips, rather than sinking to the bottom as the stones always do. I just caught wing and tail as he left the frame.