Geese and Ripples
Geese
A sunny winter day with big clouds can offer interesting lighting; in this case a huge cloud traveled over the geese and me, while all around the sky was bright and the hills were lit by winter sun. All the light in this image is comes in at an angle and reflects onto the geese and water, cool winter light enhancing all the shades of blue as the geese calmly paddle along on Chartiers Creek in Carnegie.
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For a print of any photo, visit “purchasing” for availability and terms. For photos of lots of black cats and other cats—and even some birds as I first published this post there—visit The Creative Cat.
Geese and Ripples
Geese
A sunny winter day with big clouds can offer interesting lighting; in this case a huge cloud traveled over the geese and me, while all around the sky was bright and the hills were lit by winter sun. All the light in this image is comes in at an angle and reflects onto the geese and water, cool winter light enhancing all the shades of blue as the geese calmly paddle along on Chartiers Creek in Carnegie.
Colorful
Colorful in Winter
Colors, colors, colors in the dark days of winter. Everything reflects on the rippling water, especially the bright blue sky from one angle and the brightly-lit hillside of auburn tree trunks and oak leaves. Love the orange foot on the duck, who’s giving one web foot a break.
I spent a good bit of time watching the ducks and geese on Chartiers Creek, feeling lucky that I have such a place to go and spend some quiet, meditative and creative time.
Camouflage, 2011
Camouflage
I only noticed her because about five of my cats were very quietly clustered near the front door, keeping very still, which is very unusual for them. I saw nothing until I walked outside, and I realize she must have been grazing around under the birch and froze when I came out. Her stillness made for a good shot in that shadow, though if I didn’t have an eye for details she would have been perfectly camouflaged.
Find the Killdeer in This Picture, 2010
Find the Killdeer in the Picture
There are six killdeer in this photo, cleverly camouflaged in their natural living and nesting habitat of rocks and pebbles in moving water.
I had focused on one of the birds, and saw a few others, but it wasn’t until I downloaded the images and opened them on my monitor that I saw all the others. Clever camouflage!
I took the photo along Chartiers Creek in Carnegie.
A story about killdeer actually inspired me to set up this daily photo blog, and they are the subject of my very first post on this blog: https://bernadettestoday.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/a-fathers-day-drama/. All birds are the centers of their own universes, but the killdeer’s self-absorption is comical—the parent birds do the “broken wing” routine with suspected predators, and it’s not at all convincing, especially when they are nesting in the gravel of the train tracks that run right through town. But I will admit, they are darned difficult to spot if they’re not moving.
Owl Eyes, 2010
Martha the Great Horned Owl
This is Martha, a Great Horned Owl rescued by the Wildlife Center at the Animal Rescue League Shelter and Wildlife Center of Western Pennsylvania. She’d apparently had one of her wings hit by a car as she was scavenging road kill, and the wing had begun to heal by the time she was rescued. A bird’s bones can’t be rebroken and set, so they just had to let it heal on its own, though the bone was twisted. She can’t fly so she can’t be released, but she’s a fairly willing demonstration owl for the Wildlife Center.
Geese and Ripples
Geese
A sunny winter day with big clouds can offer interesting lighting; in this case a huge cloud traveled over the geese and me, while all around the sky was bright and the hills were lit by winter sun. All the light in this image is comes in at an angle and reflects onto the geese and water, cool winter light enhancing all the shades of blue as the geese calmly paddle along on Chartiers Creek in Carnegie.
Rosy
Rosy
The cardinal and the maple tree buds glow with the red of coming spring color.
The birds all assemble in the tree branches when I appear on the deck in the morning, so they are easy shots with my camera. They begin squawking at me when they realize I’m not filling the feeders right away, but until they get too upset and start hopping around I can capture a few special images.
A Cardinal Brightens Up the Morning
American Cardinal
One of many flashy cardinals who color my world on winter mornings. I’m sure he’s indicating that I haven’t been on the ball with filling the feeders and bird baths.
Colorful (2010)
Colorful in Winter
Colors, colors, colors in the dark days of winter. Everything reflects on the rippling water, especially the bright blue sky from one angle and the brightly-lit hillside of auburn tree trunks and oak leaves. Love the orange foot on the duck, who’s giving one web foot a break.
I spent a good bit of time watching the ducks and geese on Chartiers Creek, feeling lucky that I have such a place to go and spend some quiet, meditative and creative time.
Camouflage
Camouflage
I only noticed her because about five of my cats were very quietly clustered near the front door, keeping very still, which is very unusual for them. I saw nothing until I walked outside, and I realize she must have been grazing around under the birch and froze when I came out. Her stillness made for a good shot in that shadow.
Chocolate Bunny
Chocolate Bunny
Not to be too precious, but the little wild rabbits, when they sat still and alert, have always looked like chocolate bunnies to me. This is a baby, not even half the size of an adult and still has a white spot between its eyes, but quick on the draw. Oops, human! Run! All I saw was a white cotton ball disappearing under the honeysuckle.
Colorful
Colorful in Winter
Colors, colors, colors in the dark days of winter. Everything reflects on the rippling water, especially the bright blue sky from one angle and the brightly-lit hillside of auburn tree trunks and oak leaves. Love the orange foot on the duck, who’s giving one web foot a break.
I spent a good bit of time watching the ducks and geese on Chartiers Creek, feeling lucky that I have such a place to go and spend some quiet, meditative and creative time.
Everybody in the Pool!
Everybody in the Pool!
But aren’t their little fannies cold? The air temperature is about 20 degrees, there’s ice on the water, and the ducks are acting as if it’s the middle of summer in the spa. You ought to hear the racket they make, just like a crowd of people all talking at one time. I guess this is about the only time body fat is a good thing. Love the orange feet.
These mallard ducks are spending the afternoon on lovely Chartiers Creek as it flows through Carnegie, right under Main Street. The ducks live in little nests in protected spots on the banks of the creek and with their coloring are so well-camouflaged against the foliage in any season that it’s a big surprise when a duck seems to pop out of the hillside and into the water. In the summer they are followed by a long string of ducklings who also emerge from some Narnia portal.
They are having a very sociable time, though we would be freezing.
I can’t figure out why, but my photo looks a little blurry on my blog, but it doesn’t in my dashboard right before I post. Hmmm.
Find the Killdeer in This Picture
Find the Killdeer in the Picture
There are six killdeer in this photo, cleverly camouflaged in their natural living and nesting habitat of rocks and pebbles in moving water.
I had focused on one of the birds, and saw a few others, but it wasn’t until I downloaded the images and opened them on my monitor that I saw all the others. Clever camouflage!
I took the photo along Chartiers Creek in Carnegie.
A story about killdeer actually inspired me to set up this daily photo blog, and they are the subject of my very first post on this blog: https://bernadettestoday.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/a-fathers-day-drama/. All birds are the centers of their own universes, but the killdeer’s self-absorption is comical—the parent birds do the “broken wing” routine with suspected predators, and it’s not at all convincing, especially when they are nesting in the gravel of the train tracks that run right through town. But I will admit, they are darned difficult to spot if they’re not moving.
Owl Eyes
Martha the Great Horned Owl
This is Martha, a Great Horned Owl rescued by the Wildlife Center at the Animal Rescue League. She’d apparently had one of her wings hit by a car as she was scavenging road kill, and the wing had begun to heal by the time she was rescued. A bird’s bones can’t be rebroken and set, so they just had to let it heal on its own, though the bone was twisted. She can’t fly so she can’t be released, but she’s a fairly willing demonstration owl for the Wildlife Center.
Today 