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Monday, February 10, 2014

I Spy

Hubby caught me in the act with his phone, shooting
photos of the birds up in our tree here at Muse Cottage.


Since childhood I have been obsessed with taking photos. I think it runs in the family.. my Grandpa on my Dad's side, and his brother, Harold, both took photos professionally as young men, then it was with a "Brownie" , and I started out with a 112 which shot black and white film ... I swear that is what it was called.. mainly cause that is the film it took.. YES, film!  I would take photos of anything ... but nature was always my favorite, that and my dog Molly or my cat Smokey. When in jr. high, I even took a photography class and learned to make my own box camera ( do not ask me how to do that now!) and to load and unload a camera without looking while it was in a box with two arm holes in it. I learned to develop and even re-size photos in a dark room.... none of which I have retained in my fibro fog head.... but I swear I did know how, once. 

As the years passed and I became a Mom, I took photos of my children and life events and the world around them as they grew up. When I became a blogger, life came into view for me through the lens of a camera, and I apparently set quite the example for my oldest daughter who now is an avid photographer and even has a fancy camera, as I call it, while I still just use my point and shoot... though I do dream of having one like hers for the times when we go on our "daycations" or when I specifically go out "hunting" birds to photograph and they are too far away for my tiny camera...  but day to day, a camera that fits in my pocket does me quite good enough.

I truly enjoy walking around our neighborhood and searching for all the different birds that reside near our home, I have to go away from Muse Cottage to do so, as it would seem past my Humming Birds, that are at my feeder on and off all day long, and my reliable Jays that come for peanuts there only seems to be a couple Sparrows, a Finch or two, perhaps a Dove and an occasional Wood Pecker that frequent my yard. No matter how much food, fresh water I put out, nor the big tree that sits on our corner, I can not get the variety or number of birds that seem to call home just a block away from us and the surrounding parks close by. It is quite frustrating, but it does motivate me to go for walks and play a game of "I Spy" . 

As much as I love bird watching, I rarely know or remember the names of the birds I am taking photos of. So I thought I would share the recent photos I took while out on my daily walks and see if you can identify the ones I can't  for me if you, the reader is so willing. So with that, I leave you to do just that! Play your own game of ...

I Spy....


Well obviously this is a Turkey. I was always seeing them in our previous
town that we lived in, but imagine my surprise when I saw one
near Muse Cottage, the little house on the busy corner!

Correct me if I am wrong... A Mocking Bird?

Yellow breasted, with gray and white body and such a sweet song, just what is this
little guy called? 

Not sure if this is the same bird as above, it was in a
neighboring yard

Raven or Crow  I do not Know... but he is a
bit creepy .. not that it is his fault!

A gent friend once told me what these wonderful birds are....
but all I can recall is "Golden Beak...." was it grackles, crackles??
I love their bold black and white with a touch of blue and that beak!

Here is a better shot... he seemed to want to pose for me,
this dapper gent. 

Of course these are ducks... but what varieties?? Is one a Mallard?
Then if so, what is the other? If not, then ????

I know this to be a Dove, odd seeing one without a mate,
it seems to be staring off in the distance looking for one.

This wee one was busy collecting food on a tree branch
above my head as I was eating lunch in the park one day.
I just love his polka dots!

When we lived in Texas, we had a pair of
"Wood" Ducks that swam in our pool and rested
in the trees above our yard... but this Duck
looks quite a bit different.. any ideas? 


I can not wait to hear what you have to say....
Till next time .... 

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