AstroGypsies

I heard them before I saw them from inside the house. The Ospreys were back! Their distinctive kikikikiking is unmistakable! I ran outside with the camera as a pair circled the house. They had a Herring Gull and Turkey vulture all worked up as well following them about. Just joy! I had no idea they could rubber neck and talk at the same time!

They circled around and around, going up and then coming back down, and eventually flew right by at eye height over the water…glorious!

They meandered off after awhile as I stood and watched the show. Maybe Spring is here! Will have to take a paddle down the lake to check on the nest to see if it is being rebuilt or occupied! There are so many beautiful birds returning. On my way down to the barn just before the Narrows Lock I spied a gentleman with a camera and a telephoto pointed up at a tree. I HAD to stop and ask what was he looking at! Always curious! He told me “Listen!” and there it was a very noticeable song, and high up in the pine, a Pine warbler. First for me! Thanks Ted for letting me know! He does a lot of ebird lists from the locks he said! What a beautiful bird! Now I have been keeping my ears open for new songs! We do get Yellow Warblers coming through here in the Fall so maybe the migration is starting early and I need to frequent Warbler stops! Ha! I’m not much of a birder but I do love to see new ones!

Today, I think I’m finally feeling about 90% of where I should be, I will attempt to avoid the flu/viruses at all costs in the future! We have been living in a small bubble and had forgotten what getting sick was like for the last four years. I wanted to go to the Lanark Lodge (Retirement residence) yesterday for their “appreciation” day for volunteers. The Lanark County Camera Club members had donated many photos and I’d helped clean a few to donate to them but I was coughing so badly I would have been received like Typhoid Mary so gave it a miss, damn, I missed out on real pies! More rest! As the Turkey vultures pass over I keep telling them “I’m not dead yet!”

It’s amazing how a few hours of sun can change your daily outlook! You should have seen the Mewberries faces this morning…wet, and cold?! Outrageous! Start that fire! Now!

They are there own little rays of sunshine on gloomy days! Forecast for tomorrow is looking better! I really want to get down to the barn and photograph the donkeys in the field of daffodils! Fingers crossed for sun and some more energy this weekend! I’ve poked my head up to look at the sunrises, we did have one beauty last week, I HAD to get up, coughing or not! Now to program a coffee maker to the sunrises!

I was awake enough to check my camera settings this time! Last trip down the day of the eclipse resulted in only one photo in focus, it was a beauty but I’d forgotten to move the stabilizer and the autofocus buttons to the on position…some days!

Sometimes the colour fades so quickly you really have to move! Groot was NOT impressed “WAIT Müther! You did NOT feed me yet!” that’s the life of a sunrise chasing photographers cat I told him as I trotted off! I am sure he was planning my demise the entire time I was down there! Quickly forgotten once the magical crunchies appeared before his hungry eyes! All was forgiven;)

I think we are mostly caught up, whew…I will save the horny gray/black squirrels for another day…they, are, LOUD! Just a teaser, no sound recorded but I did have to get up and go inside after awhile! I’ll leave you with one of the resident Painted Turtles that lives in the swamp by the mailboxes. We are sharing the same speed mode right now, slow, but steady;) Like a herd of turtles. Saludos amigos, hasta pronto!