More from Fontainebleau/Belated Birthday

I love the moss-draped oaks. These photos don't really indicate scale. It would take at least 4 people to join hands around that tree trunk...maybe 5.

There's a white-tailed deer back in there (click for larger view.) Unfortunately I hadn't brought my 300mm zoom that day (for the 1st time in years.) Go figure!


Happy belated birthday to Nick Mason, who turned 67 yesterday.

Sunset at Fontainebleau

Unusual Visitors

Recent birds at our feeders, including some uncommon visitors...

Typically abundant throughout the U.S., red-winged blackbirds are only very occasional visitors to our yard.

Every winter, from time to time our yard is inundated by dozens of wintering American robins. Sometimes there are upwards of 100 of them at a time. Sometimes they hook up with large groups of red-winged blackbirds to forage through our yard. Unfortunately it's hard to get goods shots of them, since I have to shoot through window screens.

Mourning doves, chipping sparrows, a pair of Eastern towhees and a white-throated sparrow (upper right.) Click for the larger view. Despite their vastly different size and appearance, the towhees are members of the sparrow family. Unlike the wintering chipping and white-throated sparrows, however, the towhees are here year-round.

American goldfinches, Northern cardinals, a chipping sparrow and another pretty rare visitor; a wintering pine warbler (near the center of the shot.) Goldfinches are such staunch vegetarians that any brown-headed cowbird eggs that hatch in their nests will certainly die, unable to survive on an all-seed diet.

As always, our yard continues to be a cardinal emporium.

Also as always (unfortunately,) the battle against the rat bastards continues.

BTW, did you know you could get US .44 stamps with my images on them? Check them out!

Photo Ops; Park and Restaurant

It was finally nice enough outside this past weekend to get out with my new camera. Charles and I went to Fontainebleau State Park and then to dinner at Trey Yuen (which is awesome!) The raptors are from the park, the others were at the restaurant.

This bald eagle was surprisingly tolerant. I pointed it out to others on the path & let a couple of kids get a closer look through my camera zoom.

Northern harrier (aka "marsh hawk," appropriately seen from the boardwalk in the marsh.)

At first I was intrigued by the bamboo reflections in the water. When the koi came out, they just added that extra "oomph." I think the b/w treatment works well for this one.

Statue of Kwan Yin and child.

Random Memory

In the Spring of 2006 Charles & I spent a day at the Audubon Zoo. It was a lovely day & we had a really great time. As we headed for the giraffe paddock, which was largely screened from view by a wooden wall, we noticed quite a few women leaving the area with their strollers & kids. Thinking nothing of it, we proceeded around the wall, where a pair of giraffes were getting their freak on front and center. We laughed so hard we nearly peed.

The unrelated photo in this post is of poison ivy on one of the trees in our backyard, taken with my new camera.

Logo & New Painting; Autumn Path

Autumn Path
24x12" acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas
In other news, I recently completed a logo for my blogger/friend, Rick. It can be seen here, on his blog.

Potpourri

I don't have much to post right now, so here are some bad shots of New Year's fireworks & the eclipse last month. I didn't have time to get out my tripod & I'm still figuring the new camera out. Unfortunately it's been cold &/or rainy here since I rec'd it, so I haven't been able to use it much yet.





Jan. 6th is Syd Barrett's birthday. He would have been 64. RIP, Syd!

In art news, I recently finished a logo for a blogger/writer/friend. I'll provide a link once I have it. This weekend I'll be setting up my "Artist of the Month" display at the Covington branch of the St. Tammany Parish Library. Pop over for a gander if you're in the area.