Birds – Page 14 – Wandering Dawgs

Lens- Artists Challenge #129: Favorite Images of 2020

January 3, 2021Posted in Birds, Butterflies, PhotographyTagged favorite images, Lens-Artists, Photo Challenge, year in photos, year in review39 Comments

Here’s a look back at 2020 with a few of my favorite photos from the year.

Before Covid-19 shut down world, the first two and a half months of 2020 were pretty normal for me. Henry and I explored the beach close to home, enjoyed a fun getaway to nearby Savannah to attend a Willie Nelson concert and be tourists for two days, I puttered in the garden and planted Camellias, and I had fun going on outings with friends.

After the shutdown began in mid March my photography options were limited to things and places close to home. The weather was perfect for working in the garden, watching the birds and butterflies, and walking in the neighborhood or at the beach.

In July we ventured away from home to celebrate our 50th anniversary. Our original plan was to go on our first ever cruise. When all the cruises were cancelled, our plan B was to spend a few nights at the Jekyll Island Club. It turned out to be a perfect place for us to celebrate.

Birds and butterflies continued to keep me entertained during the hot, dry August. We were safe as tropical storm Isaias passed us by.

Fall arrived with cooler weather, clear blue skies, a walk in the park and more birds.

Our holidays were quiet with no family visiting from out of town and no neighborhood parties. Phone calls and Facetime kept us in touch with all of our loved ones. The Christmas lights in our neighborhood made me smile and there were some beautiful days for being outside.

Many thanks to Tina, Patti, Amy, Ann-Christine and the guest hosts for these wonderful Lens-Artists challenges. Thank you for giving me an incentive to keep taking photos and keep this blog going.

Wishing everyone a Happy and Safe 2021!

Many thanks to Tina for this weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge # 129 – Favorite Images of 2020

Bird Weekly Challenge #27: Birds with Red Feathers

December 15, 2020Posted in Birds, Nature, PhotographyTagged birdweekly, Photo Challenge, red feathers19 Comments

Here are a few red feathered birds from my archives.

Thank you Lisa. for this Bird Weekly Challenge #27: Birds with Red Feathers

Turkeys, Thanksgiving, and Giving Thanks

November 24, 2020Posted in Birds, Nature, PhotographyTagged birds hunted or consumed by humans, birdweekly, Lens-Artists, Now and Then, Photo Challenge, wild turkey41 Comments

This Thursday we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States. Turkey is traditionally the main course served for the Thanksgiving meal so this week, turkey is on my mind.

During our RV travels we encountered a few wild turkeys.

Wild turkey in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Wild turkeys roaming around a campground in Georgia

THEN

Last year at this time I was frantically getting everything ready to host a family Thanksgiving. Months before the holiday I thought about how it had been a long time since my brothers and I celebrated a holiday together. I also thought about how life is too short to put things off so I called and invited them to our house for Thanksgiving. I’m so glad I did.

Thanksgiving with my brothers was extra special last year. We laughed a lot, reminisced, and sat up talking late into the night. Our son and one of our granddaughters was here part of the time to add to the fun.

NOW

This year will be quite different. We will have a small quiet Thanksgiving at home. I will be preparing a Thanksgiving feast, just on a smaller scale this year. In fact, I just got back from what I hope is my final trip to the grocery store. Let the cooking begin!

GIVING THANKS

I wake up every day thankful for the gift of today. There is so much I have to be thankful for – my health, my family, my friends, the beauty of nature, a visit with my grandchildren. This year I am extremely grateful that my family is healthy, well, and able to work. I’m thankful for everyone in the medical field for their tireless work. I am also thankful for the researchers and developers of a vaccine for the virus and for all of the volunteers who are participating in the testing of the vaccine.

This post was inspired by Lisa’s Bird Weekly Challenge #24: Hunted or consumed by Humans and Amy’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #124: Now and Then

Bird Weekly Challenge #23: Long Legged Birds

November 18, 2020Posted in Birds, Nature, PhotographyTagged Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, birdweekly, Goose Island State Park, Long legged birds, Photo Challenge, Whooping Crane16 Comments

Every year, endangered Whooping Cranes fly south from Canada to spend their winter along the Texas Gulf Coast at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Sometimes some of the cranes can be seen in open fields near Goose Island State Park in Rockport.

Several years ago we spent a few days at Goose Island State Park in hopes of seeing some of these endangered Whooping Cranes. Every day we went out in search of these beautiful birds and every day we saw them. I posted about our experience at Magnificent Endangered Whooping Cranes.

Thank you Lisa. for this Bird Weekly Challenge #23: Long Legged Birds

Bird Weekly Challenge #21: Birds with Black Feathers

November 3, 2020Posted in Birds, Nature, PhotographyTagged birdweekly, black feathers, Hooded Merganser, oystercatcher, Photo Challenge, Puffins, Whooping Crane, Wood Stork Nesting17 Comments

I searched through my archives for birds with black feathers and came up with birds I saw in Alaska, Texas, Colorado, and close to home in Georgia. The photo above is a Hooded Merganser at Inks Lake in Texas.