Wings and Feathers

                                         I simply had to add these 'wings'...... !

And now for the feathers.....

I've been on a quest for the past few weeks, for a Ring-Necked Pheasant.  Today was my lucky day!  Unfortunately, however, I was unable to photograph it.  I pulled off the road at a prime location for spotting one, but when I opened my car door, I didn't realize there was one just a few feet away!  I startled it into flight before I could grab my camera.  It was a joyful sight though!  I tracked where it flew, allowing room for it to then scurry on foot, and drove to the opposite end of the field to hopefully come at it from that direction.  No luck!  But what I did find, were all sorts of feathers left behind by hawks (a black vulture and Red-Tailed Hawk are pictured above) and other animals of prey.

I'd be remiss if I didn't share the lovely places I took all these photographs!  The fields were vibrant in their fall hues and under a bright blue sky.  You can see why I enjoyed spending time in them today!

The Bear Whisperer

I begin this post with respect and appreciation to everyone who has some concern with my safety while photographing black bears.  I understand where you're coming from, and I don't take my safety for granted even one little bit.  I anoint myself  "The Bear Whisperer"  in this instance instead of using the disclaimer "Don't try this at home" because after 25 years of studying them, I am keenly aware of my connection with bears and the shared trust and comfort level sensed on both ends.


Late Sunday afternoon I looked out our kitchen window and saw a black lump in the woods.  Unsure if the lump was really just a dark stump or indeed a bear like I suspected, I stepped outside to investigate. 

The Black Lump



As I walked closer to the bear, I watched it pawing at the dirt and leaves, as in the photo above, before settling itself down in this spot to rest.  It seemed an unusual spot to lie down (wouldn't a cave be cozier?) right out in the open like that, and I wondered if it was hurt (possibly shot??) or sick, but it showed no signs of distress or discomfort.  It didn't even seem to mind my presence.

As a sign from Above (which I'm always guided by) assuring me that it was okay for me to be there (exactly where I was supposed to be) a Red-Tailed Hawk (my power animal ~ there's a spiritual story there) flew through the trees right in front of me. 

My Guidepost

Since the bear seemed to be there for some time, I turned back to the house to change my shoes from the clogs I was wearing for my workboots for easier manuvering up the steep incline, and I called my husband to check out the scene as well.  He grabbed his binoculars (and I wished I had that zoom ratio on my own lens!) and we walked up the hill to where the bear still lay.


                                                                          Bedded down.

Realizing light was beginning to fade and opting for crisper shots, I decided to return to the house for my tripod and I set it up right there on the steep hill.  Probably wondering what the heck this thing was, the bear stood up and watched me as I quickly made my adjustments to compensate for the incline......


                                                                        A watchful eye.

....and then settled back down, now facing me.


I took the following shot purposefully, fully aware of the branch that happened to fall exactly across his eyes; precisely across his line of vision.

Eyewear



I wanted to observe how it would react.  Bears are known for their keen sense of smell and hearing and that their vision is not sharp.  Granted they may not have 20/20 vision, however I have noticed that bears do see with remarkable pinpoint accuracy.  Guided by just it's senses of smell and hearing alone would not do that.  But anyway, as I suspected, the bear first lowered it's head slightly below the branch...

                                                                              Below.



Then it raised it's head above the branch, for a better, more comfortable look.

                                                                              Above.

                                                           And it listened to what I had to say.

I took a few more shots, then decided to let resting bears lie!  I know how I feel when all I want to do is rest!  I'm a BEAR!

                                                                            A parting shot.



I peeked out the kitchen window every so often, and the black lump remained there until darkness fell and I could no longer see it.  Knowing this bear chose that particular spot to rest, overseeing our house and property, I almost felt it as another manifestation of spiritual guidance and I felt a calm sense of security.  

I wondered if it would still be there at daybreak. 

It was not.

Dry Run

             

I recently experienced, for the first time in my life, walking on a pond! 
No, it wasn't frozen, and no, I wasn't doing the Jesus thing. 
It was a pond alright, but one that was completely dry of it's water.
Walking on this surface was unlike anything I have ever walked on!




                            At first, closer to the bank, I came across a tiny white shell from a snail. 
                                 The more I looked, I discovered there were hundreds of these
                                           fragile, eggshell-like shells all along the shoreline! 
                                              I picked up a pocketful of the little treasures.

Going in 'deeper', the ground was so soft and spongey below my feet, that I sank a few inches with each step.  It felt like you were walking on a cloud, even though the landscape reminded me more of the surface of the moon. 

There were moist spots closer to the shore; there was green vegetation growing amidst the dry seaweed bed.

                                      But mostly it was an expanse of an arid, barren, sloped space.

                                Seaweed clung to low branches, like spanish moss hanging on trees.

          I wondered if there was a possibility of sinking more than 'a few inches' in some random spot!
     But there were many hoofprints--deer tracks in the snow-er, dried pond bed, that I assumed it was safe.
                      These prints formed a heart!  (I always seem to come upon hearts in nature.) 
         It makes me smile, considering the person usually beside me is someone I share my heart with! 
                                                        And now I share it with you, too!

         The above photo really shows the depth of the 'sinkage factor' as well as the seaweed surface.




                                          I spotted this blind.  (Guess it didn't work!  Ha!)

                                Several little birdhouses were scattereed about the shoreline.

                                                           
                                    ...but these two different woodpeckers were perched elsewhere.

                              We found a trail through the woods bringing us back to terra firma. 

                            I enjoyed the experience of viewing the world from that vantage point 
                              when the only other ways which allow that perspective is from either
                                             paddling on the water when it's actually full
                                                        or standing on frozen ground
                               so to be able to have my feet planted in the middle of that space
                                     was a highlight of that 14th day of November 2010.


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Another Shade of Blue

                                                 I watched a pair of Blue Jays this afternoon. 
                           I had fun witnessing the antics of this bird, hammering a nut open to eat. 
                                                           He kept his eyes on me, too.

Shades of Blue

                                                                    The moon, reflected.

While out in the field, I watched this bluebird catching a grasshopper.

                                                                        Sky Blue Sky

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