“You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the dessert repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.” - Mary Oliver, “Wild Geese”
Hello friends! I’m so happy to have had a few days off, I needed it. I caught up on the photos and then went out and took some more, but the big backlog has been greatly reduced. I still have lots of videos to work through, but all in good time. So much goodness to share!
Meanwhile, here are some moments of beauty for today:
Absolutely delighted that we’ve arrived into baby bird season! I’m guessing this red-tailed hawk had only been out of the nest and on his own a few days. He let me get ridiculously close - I had to back up to take this. Many more photos of this guy to come! He makes a nice welcoming committee - if you’re not a smaller bird!
The swallows were not as excited and gave the young red-tail their own kind of welcome - dive bombing his head. Poor baby!
Look at those gorgeous tail feathers! I knew this was a fledgling by his behavior, but his striped tail feathers and light colored eyes also give him away.
A much smaller baby bird - a baby horned lark. I was really glad to find this guy because they’ve developed most of the land around the neighborhood and this is the last patch left. Probably the last year I will see horned larks here.
This baby robin showed up in my tree, probably from the nest under my deck.
This baby bluebird was very focused on something.
The bald eagle pair still have their hands full with three youngsters in the nest. Mama came back and did a little tidying up.
And the youngsters promptly started jumping up and down and destroying her work. As youngsters will do.
Then dad arrived and he and mom had a conversation, probably about who’s turn it was go to hunting.
The barn swallows are still fortifying nests and now sitting on those nests.
Purple martins are tending their nests, still taking back leaves so I’m guessing the youngsters haven’t hatched yet. One of my favorite things I didn’t know before I started photographing birds was how amazing black feathers are when they catch the light of the rising sun just right and turn to gold.
I honestly can’t believe this was in focus! Thanks Mr. meadowlark!
Now that the bugs are out in force, I have to be careful where I walk!
The poppy mallow was first to flower in my newly planted garden. Hopefully it can establish itself before the rabbits eat too much.
It’s a good thing the little poppy mallow eaters are cute.
Listening to orioles sing is one of my favorite parts of spring.
Watching the moon nestle itself down against a cloud, like sinking into a nice soft bed.
Wishing you all a lovely weekend.
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May days of rest find you more often. I sense the good it has done for you. A little trick I sometimes use to protect something special in the garden, is to sprinkle it with some of my old spices or pepper. Gives me a good excuse to buy fresh cinnamon and the like. 😄
Love Mary Oliver… great quote ❤️😍👍🙏 beautiful photos.. glad you enjoyed your time off and got some rest❤️😍🥰👍
May days of rest find you more often. I sense the good it has done for you. A little trick I sometimes use to protect something special in the garden, is to sprinkle it with some of my old spices or pepper. Gives me a good excuse to buy fresh cinnamon and the like. 😄