Another favorite bird

I believe I have only seen these birds in Florida but I KNOW I really like them. I think my fascination is due to their pink legs. These birds are called Black-necked Stilts. This picture is from our trip in January. I can't remember ever seeing this bird out of water...for all I know it may have yellow feet.

Cedar Waxwing

Recently (Easter day to be exact), Todd and I went to Deep Bottom Park in the eastern end of Henrico. Being a Henrico County employee, I thought I knew all the parks (and had visited them) however, I was wrong. Unless you fish or canoe, there isn't much there. That day as I arrived at Todd's house, I had my camera with me. He always wonders should he take his camera. It was an unknown park, would there be anything to see, etc. Since I was taking mine, he decided to take his. He would have been so upset if he hadn't. We discovered a large flock of Cedar Waxwings eating left over berries. These are really beautiful birds and I can't say I had ever noticed them until I started dating Todd. This is the second time we discovered them feasting. These are not great photos but they show that bright yellow tip of their tail and the mask they wear. I had a very poor photo that showed the red on the tips of their wings but it wasn't worth putting on here.

If you look closely, there are three feeding in this shot. You can also see the yellow on their stomach (is that the right bird terminology?)

Note from Cornell: The Cedar Waxwing is vulnerable to alcohol intoxication and death after eating fermented fruit.

A Definite Sign of Spring

As always these flowers make it open for Easter even if it is earlier than it will be for some two hundred years.

"The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now.). The last time, it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).
"The next it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!"

Update

I've been told that people check my blog just so they know what I have been doing lately. I guess it appears that I haven't been doing anything for a couple of months. As most of you know, I started my new job in January. Last week (not the one we just finished), it really kicked my butt. This week, it was a minor tab to the posterior. There is so much to know, and sometimes, I just feel like an idiot. That has been where most of my energy goes. A year of upheaval in your job can just throw you some. I don't know how people go from job to job.
No trips for me since January. I started back to yoga (need to drop that 8lbs I put on). If I loose some or don't gain anymore, I can stay in my current clothes. There has been lots of beer drinking especially last Saturday. (Tell me why you book non-Irish bands for St. Patrick's Day.) I saw Tara and Jim recently (in February or late January I think). We went to Capital Ale House to sample some beer (notice a theme here).
All of you guys probably know too that we are planning a trip this year that will fulfill a lifelong dream. I will actually make it to Alaska...and just before I turn 40!
Today my plans are to do some yard work...its 11:30 and I haven't made it out there yet. Hmm, doesn't look promising. Also, I plan to go to Costen floors to look at flooring for my kitchen and bathroom. It is going to be really hard not to buy for my tastes, and instead buy nuetral in hopes it will appeal to some unknown individual.
That is what I have been doing lately.

South Beach

Back to our trip to Miami at the beginning of the year. While there, I really wanted to go to South Beach. Not for the celebrities, not for the restaurants, maybe the beach if would have been warmer, but I wanted to go for the Art Deco architecture. Yes, I am that big of a nerd. I enjoyed walking around (except when the wind blew which was about once a minute) and just looking at the buildings. Here are some of my favorites.

Sorry Hokie Fans.

The sad things is...I have many more photos. I may be the only one who cares. We didn't make it down there at night but we bet the neon would have been really "neat".

It is a juvenile Double Crested Cormorant

I never really trust my bird identification abilities and I was wrong. I thought this was a Great Cormorant not a Double Crested. However, Todd guided me to the right one.
We walked the Anhinga Trail while we were in the Everglades. These birds, Anhingas, an American Bittern, lots of herons, and some alligators could be seen around this trail. This is were we first met our English friends. Todd was trying to identify a Eastern Phoebe and they came up to us. We quickly saw a Great Egret (if I remember correctly) and a Common Yellowthroat while we were standing with them. I tell you birdwatching makes fast friends.


I zoomed in. My ISO was too high and that is why I have over-exposed areas on him. I forget how to use my camera between each trip and then I have about a two day learning curve. All my pictures from the first day are over exposed.

Is it real?

Todd and I traveled to Miami for the Orange Bowl last week. (Yes, Kansas beat Virginia Tech and I was colder there than when I was sitting in the pouring rain for the loss to Boston College). Anyway, we flew down on Tuesday so that we could do some sightseeing. Wednesday, we went to the Everglades for some bird watching but I found this guy (or girl) the most interesting. Other individuals had spread the word that there was a large american crocodile behind the marina (I believe this was the Flamingo Visitor Center). I never thought I would get this close to one. We arrived to a crowd of people and they were waving us over. As you looked down off the dock, you see this crocodile taking a shower. A young girl informed us that he had been on the opposite shore but had heard the water running when someone turned the spigot on. Supposedly he made a beeline here and then sat for the longest time just letting the water drip onto his face.


Picture from a small floating platform looking back towards the dock.



Taken off to the side from him.

Look straight down from the dock.

In Miami

We arrived late Tuesday. Some observations so far: Never rent from Alamo if you are going through the Ft. Lauderdale airport,Wal-mart is annoying everywhere, birdwatching makes new friends, Floridians think that 70 is cool and that 60 is chilly, and if a review about a hotel says they offer ear plugs then think twice.
Because of birdwatching we met the same couple three times yesterday. They were an older couple of London, England. We also met, very briefly, a couple who were actually younger than us. They looked to be in their twenties. Birdwatching tends to be an "older" thing.
I must admit that yesterday was cold but only because the wind was gusting.
Tonight is the game!

Fall Colors

More pictures from our trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway.


This seemed more graphic to me with all the tree trunks going through the picture.

This tree was very lopsided because of growing on the edge of the road. The side by the road was very short and the other side, down the hill, was twice as large. I was very uphappy with its shape and compensated by going in close.

I tried creating visual interest by putting that branch in the center of the picture. Not sure if I did so.

I tried capturing the red, yellow and green in this picture.

The actual road of the parkway.

It's about time

I haven't posted lately because I haven't had much to say. I have wanted to gripe but decided against that since that isn't what this is about. I can't say I still won't use the blog to gripe in the future though.

Saturday, Todd and I went to Blacksburg for the Va Tech vs. Florida State game. It was a 3:30 p.m. kick off so we stayed in Roanoke last night and took a leisurely drive back to Richmond along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Route 60 today. When you get off the main roads, Virginia is really a beautiful state. Our goal was to find picture worthy fall colors. I can never duplicate on film what I see with my eyes. However, this picture came out how I imagined. I will share some others later and you can decide if they are picture worthy yourself.