Copyright ©2021 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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Wordless Weds. The Morning After
Tag: Photography
Friday’s Feathered Friends-Northern Harrier
Copyright ©2021 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Several weeks ago He-Man was up for exploring so I took him to some of my birding spots that he hasn’t been to yet. While driving into one area I spotted a Northern Harrier on the ground in an irrigation ditch and as soon as we parked I took off to try to get a photo of it. It remained still and let me take a series of images of it. I wondered if it had a meal in that pile of weeds/grass?
Afterwards I caught up with He-Man and while we were picking our way through a field avoiding the muddiest spots he spotted another one sitting in the field. WOOT!
Later on I spied her flying and on the lookout for a meal.
Look at this wing span! She’s ready to pounce! She came up empty and flew out of my range and view onto a new hunting ground no doubt across the pond.
Cool facts:
Male Northern Harriers can have up to 5 mates at once though most only have two. The males provides the food, and the females take care of incubating the eggs and brood the chicks.
Northern Harriers are the most owl like of the hawks, but they are not related to owls. They rely on their hearing and vision to find prey. They have a disk shaped face the looks and functions like an owls with stiff facial feathers that direct sound to their ears.
Juvenile males have pale greenish-yellow eyes, while juvenile females have dark chocolate brown eyes. The eye color of both sexes changes gradually to lemon yellow by adulthood. I didn’t know that!
They eat small mammals and small birds but have been known to take down ducks and rabbits.
The oldest known Northern Harrier on record was a Female at least 15 years, 4 months old when she was captured and released in 2001 by a bird bander in Quebec. She had been banded in New Jersey in 1986.
Cool facts gleaned from allaboutbirds.org
The Harriers were the most exciting sighting at this location soon we were on our way to find a meal ourselves then call it day and head home.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, keep safe and warm!
Fuji X-T3| Fuji 100-400mm| PS CC 22.2
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Whatever Weds. Horseshoes
Copyright ©2020 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
When ever I spy horseshoes the song I found a Horseshoe pops into my head.
I first learned the song when I was in 5th grade.
I don’t know who wrote it but its earliest known date is 1927. Have you heard it before? It goes like this-
“I found a horseshoe, I found a horseshoe, I picked it and nailed it to the door. And it was rusty and full of nail holes. Good luck twill bring to you for evermore.”
Fun fact: I have an old rusty full of nail holes horseshoe hanging over my front door. I’ve had one hanging over my door since the early 80’s. But I’m not superstitious or anything like that. Okay, I am a bit.🤪
I hope these bring us all some good luck.
Happy Wednesday Everyone!
Nikon D810| Nikkor 200-500mm| PS CC 22.0.1
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Whatever Weds. More Fall Color
Copyright ©2020 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
I’ve been out a few times since my last post photographing fall color. The trees are peaking in some areas and slowly turning in others, but this year is gorgeous compared to last year.
Here’s a look at Slide Mountain from a hill above the Carson River. The Cottonwoods lining the river are lovely in their autumn colors.
A little further up the road I stopped and got out of my car to look behind me. I had to walk back a ways to get this shot, but I think it was worth it.
The river is very low right now.
I signed myself up for still life Season’s course that started on Monday. I’ve been playing with tablescapes since. If I get a composition I love I’ll share. 😀
I hope you’re all having a good week and staying healthy, and busy.
Nikon D810| Nikkor 24-120mm| PS CC 21.2.1
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Wordless Weds. 12-Spotted Skimmer
Copyright ©2020 Deborah M. Zajac ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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Friday’s Feathered Friends- Woodpeckers
Copyright ©2020 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
This week for Lisa’s Bird Weekly Challenge is Woodpeckers, Sapsuckers, and/or Flickers
I’ve been saving that White-headed Woodpecker I told you about back in May. This Woodpecker is a “lifer” for me or was back in April when I quickly saw it but didn’t get a good image of one until May. This is the Male. You can tell by the red patch on the back of its head. I’m right on the edge of their “year-round” range so with any luck I’ll see one again.
He-Man and I went down to Baby Girls on Wednesday and spent the night and yesterday when we came home we brought #1 Grandson home with us. It’s so nice having him here for a visit. The boys across the street were so excited to see him and him them. They ask about him all the time and once in a while if the timing is right they talk via FaceTime. They spent the whole evening outside playing and riding their scooters enjoying the perfect summer evening weather.
This week-end we’ve got plans to see his other set of Grandparents, and his Aunt, Uncle, and cousins who live here. They’re excited to see each other and play together too. We’re having a picnic today. Although I’m not sure how long we’ll last outside. It’s supposed to be 93° today.
I’ll be catching with your blogs soon!
I hope you all have a great week-end and if you’ve got time and interest head on over to Lisa’s Bird Weekly page to see what kinds of woodpeckers, sapsuckers, and flickers others have seen and shared.
Fuji X-T3| Fuji 100-400mm lens| PS CC 21.2
more to come…
Whatever Weds. This and That
©Copyright 2020 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
This and That. What does that mean to me? Things that I photograph that I don’t feel really define who I am as a photographer. Things that catch my eye while I am out photographing things that I love and things that are happening in our time outside of my usual genre that I make an effort to go out and photograph. Can we call those images journalistic images? I do. Yes, I have a journalling file folder even for photography. 🤓 And just stuff I’m doing.
Let’s start here with the USAF’s Air Guard who flew over Carson City and many other towns in NV and CA to honor the First Responders and those countless other people who are working every day to support the citizens of their counties and communities during the Pandemic of the Wuhan Corona Covid-19 Virus. Do you see them just coming over the Carson Range? Three tiny little specs with a whole lot of impact and respect for those braving the virus on the ground every day? HERE THEY COME!!! 
Here’s a closer look at one of the planes… Damn, they were awesome!! Thank you for flying and honoring them all!! 🙏
A view from a boring “Stretch my Legs Hike”. The 4-mile round trip hike is boring…the view…not so much.
Home is down there. That makes me smile and very happy. The rock formations are pretty cool too. Just sayin.
Backyard View and Golf Cart traffic…The fruitless Olive trees are beginning to bloom. April 2020
…I’ve been painting on and off throughout the lockdown.
My Grandson Kneeboarding for the first time from a photo Baby Girl sent us while he was doing it.
I subscribed to the JohnMuirLaws Drawing Birds webinar while my watercolor class was on hold due to the pandemic and I tried sans success to keep up with the homework. However, I did manage to draw and fill in with paint a Duck and Shorebird I drew freehand from my own photographs then added watercolor to them after watching his webinar. I’m rather proud of these paintings. They look like what I intended them to look like! That’s huge! 😀
Okay, that’s 6, six images in this post. Way more than I usually post, and I have loads more of images that fall into the This and That category. I’ll stop, but you can count on more images from this category coming one day in the future. 😀
I hope you’re all doing well, and hanging in there! It will get better!
Nikon Camera and Lenses, Fuji Camera and Lens, Lumix FZ200, and Iphone 7 Plus
more to come…
