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Serenaded By a Robin

The Duck Lover

Are you a Duck lover? Had any Duck encounters? I'd love to hear about it! Post here...

 

I know of few people who don't like to see a mother duck and her brood. There's something sweet about the protective mother chaperoning her chicks through a field, in a stream, even in a city. I had the opportunity to watch this little family happily swimming about.

 

I created this watercolor painting of a Duck in flight. 

The Crow: Ole Sneaky Beak

Today's Photograph of the Day...Ode to the Crow. Why the Crow? BeCAWs... Crows are the only Birds that I know of who actually know how to make Tools and use tools. They know how to solve complex problems. They have a broad vocabulary. And they are oh so sneaky... 

I was in a car once waiting for someone when I saw a murder (an appropriate name!) of crows in a tree watching something. After a while, I saw a squirrel on the ground, looking about furtively... but never UP, the direction he should have been looking. After a while, feeling safe, it dug a hole and hid a little morsel of food in it, carefully burying it before running off with visions of savory treats in its head. Not a chance!

For here comes old Black-Eyed Pete as sneaky as one gets, with his posse of black-hearts (and feathers) keeping lookout for him. He lands a few yards away, looking around to see if that buffoon's going to come back. Nope, coast is clear! He saunters nonchalantly over to the squirrel's treasure and unceremoniously flings dirt all over the landscape as he retrieves lunch, then flies off with it towards his cohorts to a fiendishly fresh feast. 

You could hear them cawing delightedly, mocking that poor squirrel. Imagine his surprise later. "You know, I could SWEAR I buried it right here!"

As a well-fed sparkling black eye looks on.

Bird Shots by cardartfromtheheart

Now I'm not talking about that pellet ammo that drops a bird from the sky, of course.  I hunt birds with my camera. 
While I am limited in my mobility, the birds I seek are not.  They are wild and free.  I do however have something they desire: a food supply.  I can't tell you how many times a handsome feathered friend has landed on (my) various bird houses and bird feeders.  Often, I have captured his likeness on film, but... Gosh, I really don't like the looks of that bird feeder for a professional photo.
So yesterday, I went shopping for a new birdfeeder/birdhouse pole (and cedar feeders.)  I plan to sink it in the ground just outside my office window--right beside my computer (and desk) so I will be sure to capture a lot more shots. 
That's part one of the plan.  Part two is where I will hopefully find the greatest satisfaction.  I plan to cut Fir boughs and weave them for a blind of sorts.  Not to blind me from the animal in this case, but rather blind the cedar feeders from my camera lens.  This should allow me to capture some outstanding close-up shots of my winter birds 'in the wild.' 

If you decide to try this yourself, please leave a comment and let us know what you did and how well it all worked out, okay?  Thanks!

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Bird Lovers

Just Launched my NEW Art site which Showcases my Bird Art! YIPPEE!

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