“As long as you’re dancing you can break the rules. Sometimes breaking the rules is just extending the rules. Sometimes there are no rules.” - Mary Oliver, “Three Things to Remember”
Hello friends! We’ve reached the hot portion of our yearly program. My curiosity is currently at odds with my desire to stay out of the heat. It’s all about finding a balance and breaking whatever rules I’ve set for myself, sometimes rules I wasn’t even conscious of. Luckily there is still beauty to be found!
Here are my choices for today, and a little soundtrack of my brown thrasher friend singing to go with them:
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Sunrise, June 21, 2024
My brown thrasher friend was very busy.
I kept thinking maybe she had a nest nearby but I was literally at an intersection and I couldn’t see anywhere that seemed remotely possible.
She sure was interested in me though. Maybe I looked like someone who might bring bird food?
Regardless, I never get such close-ups of this bird, they are usually singing at the very top of the tree, so I took advantage and then moved on.
Sunrise June 13, 2024
The wildflowers sure are lovely.
So many yellow flowers and I don’t know all the names. AI says this is Coreopsis Grandiflora, otherwise called large-flowered tickseed.
I had no idea this is what St. John’s Wort looked like!
I’m not sure what was going on here. The eastern kingbird flew in and landed above the tree swallow nursery. The little swallows did what they do - they were begging. They will beg from anyone!
Then the kingbird flew straight at them! Even had his little red “crown” on display which I usually see when he is chasing a predator.
Remember how I said my early summer sentences often start with, “eastern kingbird chasing a _______”? It never included baby swallow before!
Fortunately, even baby swallows are fast. As far as I could tell, no one was injured. I can’t figure out why the eastern kingbird would have done this, but maybe it had a nest nearby?
Meanwhile, the baby swallows kept practicing their swooping skills and I kept practicing my trying to take photos of swallow skills. Two in one shot!
Papa tree swallow reminding me what those babies will grow up to look like.
Molting season. It’s a rough time to be a male mallard. I think they have this season to keep them humble.
Mr. killdeer was fairly quiet flying in, which is unusual for a killdeer!
I don’t know where the spotted sandpipers hide out these days, but I only see them fly by occasionally. I miss their springtime antics!
I do like watching the bees in the wildflowers.
Every once in a while I catch a photo that visually displays the speed of these tree swallows.
Stay cool friends, or enjoy the cool if you are somewhere that is not hot!
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That Kingbird, what a mean-spirited bully bird to stoop and lunge at the innocent little baby swallows! It would serve him right to have red-tail hawk stoop and lunge at him, so he learn that his is not very nice behavior!
That Kingbird, what a mean-spirited bully bird to stoop and lunge at the innocent little baby swallows! It would serve him right to have red-tail hawk stoop and lunge at him, so he learn that his is not very nice behavior!
Just love the spotted sandpiper's pose. Love its attitude. Beautiful photos as always.