outdoor scenery today

[jimk 0]

Big Thompson river

[mikechell 0]

Nice pictures, Jim. Especially like the dew and the rams.

[jimk 0]

Thanks!

[mikechell 0]

Just a little quick background. My Wife has very few "wants". She's quite happy, has done a lot in life and is very "undemanding". But there's two things she's been looking to see for most of her life. One was a bear. We got to see some up close in Alaska a couple of years ago.

The other is a Painted Bunting ... she called it her "unicorn" .

Well, this morning, she finally got to see her "unicorn" ... and I am so happy for her, I am posting her picture of it.

 

[mikechell 0]

Continuing the Painted Bunting pictures ... these are the ones I got today. Combination of camera and photo editing (It was cloudy, morning and my camera seems to be going bad) with a little brightening and contrast. No color enhancement needed. The first two were taken by holding my camera up to a monocular. The last one is just camera.

 

The male in our Camphor tree.

 

 

The female on the feeder.

 

 

The happy couple on the feeder.

 

[ScottK 0]

I've never seen one of those. Cool little bird, beautiful.

[Piker20 0]

Yeah they look like a painted chaffinch. Are they daft enough to fly into the windows? I'm sure that the red feathers would be great hackles.

[mikechell 0]

Thanks, Piker. I knew someone would appreciate the fly tying aspect of these beautiful little birds.

 

ScottK ... that's why my Wife considered then her "unicorn". They are rare and secretive enough that many people, even those who looks for birds, go their entire lives without seeing one.

 

We've been here for ten plus years, and never saw one until now. Then, overnight, we now have a pair in the yard. Fantastic, for us ... nothing short of that.

[Piker20 0]

From the night of the blood moon. Not the best for fishing but good to be outside

 

Taken from the mobile. Should have gone home and back with proper camera.

[mikechell 0]

That second picture ... would've been a collector's item with good resolution. Moon, moonlight below, moon's reflection ... all with clear skies and perfect landscape!!!

You need to return to that location and get that picture with good equipment.

 

Both pictures are interesting, but that second one is captivating.

[Piker20 0]

I know, when I was there I thought, shall I nip home for the camera. Hopefully have some chances over the next 2 months as the moon is frequently close like that.

[FLdk 0]

Beautiful place Colin !

Mike, are those birds in your garden ?
We don´t have anything like that here, unless i go to the zoo or a petstore.

Was out fishing friday, not much luck. Too calm and the water was clear as gin.
Nice weather for coffee though

[Piker20 0]

Yep our spring seems to be slow. Salmon figures on the rivers don't seem to be hopeful. Hopefully as the temp rises it encourages some more fish to run the seal gauntlet and move in from the salt.

[mikechell 0]

FLdk ... Yeah, the pair have taken residence somewhere in or near our yard. Wife watched them at the feeders all day yesterday. That makes four days they've been with us. We're pretty sure they'll nest somewhere close and we'll have them for this breeding season ... hopefully for many more to come.

[FLdk 0]

FLdk ... Yeah, the pair have taken residence somewhere in or near our yard. Wife watched them at the feeders all day yesterday. That makes four days they've been with us. We're pretty sure they'll nest somewhere close and we'll have them for this breeding season ... hopefully for many more to come.

That would be nice ! Looking forward to more pictures of them and the little ones