Just re-visited a spot at an earlier time of the day….

 

Having problems uploading so added this one later:

 

Several of you have asked about the first bird on day 8. From what I can tell from pictures it looks like an Eastern Kingbird. If you like birds or have children that might needs some extra learning to do 🙂 check out this website: All About Birds

You can do a search a particular bird, and find out interesting facts, including their “typical voice” sound. Make sure you check out the Barred Owl. We have those around here and it sounds downright spooky at night. This is All About Birds’ description of their call: A large owl of extensive woodlands, the Barred Owl is familiar for its distinctive “who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all” hooting.

And the Red-Winged Blackbird call that they have is one “syllable” short of the sound the ones around make. Interesting.

Officially 1/3 of the way through this challenge and I have a special treat for you. Since you loved the frog, here is a squirrel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ha

 

ha

 

ha!!

 

Okay, I’ll let you have some normal color shots. This little buggar lives above/around my office and has even been inside, although not recently. I can hear him in the attic above my desk at times. Otherwise, he’s busy scrambling around collecting pecans and uttering threats to me for not letting him in the office anymore. Seriously, he cut the network cable running up through the ceiling and over to the boss’ computer (yeah, I know, rather redneck operation… we’re wireless now) and then opened a hole up big enough for him to get through. I think I had posted about this several years ago.

I was actually quite suprised to get these since he is usually skittish if he sees any movement inside the office. These were taken through the window by my desk, using my (sorry) telephoto lens (Sigma 100-300).

And a few weeds that bloom in the morning and are closed up by evening. Aren’t they pretty?

We are enjoying the “vegetables of our labor”. The broccoli is all harvested except for this last double head. We left some plants in the ground, hoping they’ll produce a little more. The cabbages are finally getting heads on them. They’ve only been in the ground 3 months. The cauliflower hasn’t produced heads yet either, having been planted the same time as they broccoli and cabbage. Perhaps too much nitrogen in the ground?

This one is for the birds. Since you were so emotionally scarred by the frogs I’ll even post 3 pictures this time.

There is one spot by the lake that has many blackbirds, including red-wing blackbirds. It is one of the only places that I see the red-wings anywhere in the area. There were several dozen birds there last evening and it was therapeutic to hear them calling “Barbara WEAver” to each other. At least that what we always thought they were saying. Unfortunately they wouldn’t let me get close enough to get a decent shot.

A nice spot near a picnic area of the lake: