Hummingbirds in flight are difficult photos for me.
You can see his tongue here,
and here.
The world has been so depressing for such a long time now,
that I am sharing some of what keeps me going.
And risk boring you with too many photos.
I am going to post a series of hummingbirds, macros are next.
Hummingbirds help me realize how hopeful the world still is.
I hope they help you too. Cheers to you from The Holler Hummers~
I’ve respected mockingbirds since I was a kid when I watched one pick up a snake that was threatening it’s nest and repeatedly dash it on the pavement from high in the sky.
My childhood friend rescued a baby mockingbird and it became her pet. It flew freely about the house and held it’s own with her family’s five cats.
They are feisty and assertive birds and they are talented musicians.
They don’t just mimic the sounds they hear, they also compose, morphing the timber,
and tune, to make their songs more melodic.
Mockingbirds are night singers in the spring and summertime at The Holler.
Juvenile and adult males without mates sing at night to attract females.
I love falling to sleep at night listening to their vocal repertoires.
Cheers to you from The Holler musicians~
Spots the intruder!
He fixes his golden eye,
on me and never lets me,
out of his sight,
until I leave.
He has a nest to protect!
Cheers to you from Mr. Good Daddy Duck~
The classic osprey glare.
This distant osprey has a fish clutched in his talons.
He lands with his prize,
and spots me.
He immediately mantles to cover his prey from the potential thief.
You can see the nictitating membrane, or third inner eyelid, starting to cover his eye for protection as he subdues the thrashing fish. (Click to enlarge).
Up on the safety of the high wires,
he can ignore me more comfortably.
Cheers to you from the well fed osprey~
Just learning,
how to be,
bullies.
The females,
and pups,
take a relaxed approach,
to the budding testosterone,
conserving their energy,
for the often futile battles ahead.
Cheers to you from Piedras Blancas Elephant Seals in Big Sur California~
