I found this nest on the ground this morning. I suppose it was blown from the bamboo in the high winds we've been having. I added a little color with the delicate flowering twig. I hope the bird family have time to rebuild, and I hope you all are nesting comfortably.
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists.
~Hannah Arendt
on our walks, but she wouldn't have been able to go because her arthritis had gotten so bad. But Charlie ran from one spot to the other and just had a blast. Watching her run down the trails at full blast was fun to watch. Zoom here and smell that and zoom there and smell this.
Abby has gone to the Dawg Star and is looking down on us with my other dawgs.
and fitting remembrance of Abby. Empty path full of light.
up
0 users have voted.
—
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists.
~Hannah Arendt
on our walks, but she wouldn't have been able to go because her arthritis had gotten so bad. But Charlie ran from one spot to the other and just had a blast. Watching her run down the trails at full blast was fun to watch. Zoom here and smell that and zoom there and smell this.
Abby has gone to the Dawg Star and is looking down on us with my other dawgs.
Praying Mantis as sculpture! That last photo makes me laugh. It's as if all its segments are disjointed as s/he hangs there thinking, 'what'? Knowing it's just the camera makes it funny.
I will be seeing them soon here as well, only I only ever encounter green ones.
Nice touch adding the green to the birds nest.
I found this Praying Mantis on my screen door the other day. Took a few shots of it on the screen door then added a little bit of green.
Praying Mantis as sculpture! That last photo makes me laugh. It's as if all its segments are disjointed as s/he hangs there thinking, 'what'? Knowing it's just the camera makes it funny.
I will be seeing them soon here as well, only I only ever encounter green ones.
up
0 users have voted.
—
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
@Socialprogressive
Awesome Mantis shots SP! Beautiful! Fantastic work man! What a neat beast they are.
Nice touch adding the green to the birds nest.
I found this Praying Mantis on my screen door the other day. Took a few shots of it on the screen door then added a little bit of green.
up
0 users have voted.
—
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Most likely it belonged to a myna bird. Many years they congregate at times in the bamboo. I’m not surprised at the chaotic look of the nest, considering the bird itself. Mynas are not my favourite birds, they’re much too insistent and irritatingly loud and bossy. I guess I have to credit them with being survivors though, and maybe there’s something I can learn from them.
I would love to hear if any others have had experience with myna birds. dystopian, I'd love to know what your observation and understanding of them might be.
@janis b
Hi Janis, Love yer bird nest pix. I think it is too small for a myna... They usually have bigger messier nests constructed of finer materials. This might be something small-medium sized, like a warbler or something a bit bigger than that. Generally the flock roosting is a non-nesting season behavior with mynas. They are incredibly smart birds. Brilliant. Smarter than half of America's voters.
Most likely it belonged to a myna bird. Many years they congregate at times in the bamboo. I’m not surprised at the chaotic look of the nest, considering the bird itself. Mynas are not my favourite birds, they’re much too insistent and irritatingly loud and bossy. I guess I have to credit them with being survivors though, and maybe there’s something I can learn from them.
I would love to hear if any others have had experience with myna birds. dystopian, I'd love to know what your observation and understanding of them might be.
up
0 users have voted.
—
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
The nest is quite messy looking and about 16" at its widest, not counting the extra long twigs (upper right). The materials are quite fine, if you consider the lead in a pencil fine.
#4 Hi Janis, Love yer bird nest pix. I think it is too small for a myna... They usually have bigger messier nests constructed of finer materials. This might be something small-medium sized, like a warbler or something a bit bigger than that. Generally the flock roosting is a non-nesting season behavior with mynas. They are incredibly smart birds. Brilliant. Smarter than half of America's voters.
I missed the ID on the green item going down the hatch... Black-throated Green Warbler
some Yellow Warbler at a party in the bath
If any of you are ever going to Lost Maples SNA, let me know...
This is a Vine Sphinx (moth) I found expiring on the porch
Thanks all for all the great pix!
up
0 users have voted.
—
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
@Socialprogressive
For photo ops it is hard to beat. Yes if you can make a natural looking one the pix are better than my clay dish shots. Put a branches above and over it against a nice background and shoot the stuff as it comes in when using the branch.
Here are some more detailed thoughts...
Birdbaths are great, they can pull birds down out of the trees you would not otherwise see. Water is as good or better than food for attracting birds. Set one up where you can use the house as a blind, open a window just enough to shoot through. So relative to good light is important for photography. Always have cover near it, accipiters (small bird hawks) will dive on them occasionally so the birds have to have a dense tangle to shoot into to get away. Next to shrubs is best for this. I built a stick pile since I didn't have a shrubbery. Some argue on ground vs not, both are good, the pedastals have to be
strong and big pending what varmits will be using or attempting to use it can't knock it over. You have to keep the water clean. I have to clean mine every day because coons and dillos use it every night. I have to throw the water out rinse, refill, first thing at dawn every day. Mine currently is on the ground but I have pix of armadillo on its back rolling in it, Indigo Snake drinking, besides the birds. Which are bonkers at it.
A bath will be 10 to 100 times as effective when there is a slow one-at-a-time drip plinking into it. Easily done with a hose dripping slow slow over it. One ploop at a time. Varmits will mess this up of course. My bath is on a side of the house with no exterior water. I wanted my wife to have something interesting out the kitchen window
to watch. So I use a milk jug wired up in tree over the bath with a pinhole near (above but not at) lowest apex (and one in handle where wired up so vacuum doesn't stop drip) to keep a drip going. Lasts about 6 hours for a gallon. Tink, tink, tink, is magic. I suspect they can hear it a mile or two away due to lizard hard-wiring. In migration, as right now, you would be blown away by what comes in.
Many famous birding photo places are drips. At High Island Texas there are bleachers to watch that drip in migration. Some use a solar powered pump that turns on for an hour a day to create the water sound, refreshen water, etc. A soaker hose on a timer for an hour the same time so they learn, in a bush and tree will also work. Hummers love them. Go big and make it a dragonfly pond/birdbath feature. A famous birding couple had a setup like
this on Pt. Loma in the 1960's, they were birdbanders. They banded a couple first CA state records that came into their features. One was a Purple Gallinule (!), a most amazing American waterbird. They were the first biggest famous yard list in American birding,
the Craigs. I think they hit 300 - in their yard - in no time.
#6
I should put a bird bath in my yard and see what kind of birds come visit. Maybe I'll get some Warblers.
up
0 users have voted.
—
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
And what nice opportunities they provide for you and your wife, and us in return. Thank you!
#6.1 For photo ops it is hard to beat. Yes if you can make a natural looking one the pix are better than my clay dish shots. Put a branches above and over it against a nice background and shoot the stuff as it comes in when using the branch.
Here are some more detailed thoughts...
Birdbaths are great, they can pull birds down out of the trees you would not otherwise see. Water is as good or better than food for attracting birds. Set one up where you can use the house as a blind, open a window just enough to shoot through. So relative to good light is important for photography. Always have cover near it, accipiters (small bird hawks) will dive on them occasionally so the birds have to have a dense tangle to shoot into to get away. Next to shrubs is best for this. I built a stick pile since I didn't have a shrubbery. Some argue on ground vs not, both are good, the pedastals have to be
strong and big pending what varmits will be using or attempting to use it can't knock it over. You have to keep the water clean. I have to clean mine every day because coons and dillos use it every night. I have to throw the water out rinse, refill, first thing at dawn every day. Mine currently is on the ground but I have pix of armadillo on its back rolling in it, Indigo Snake drinking, besides the birds. Which are bonkers at it.
A bath will be 10 to 100 times as effective when there is a slow one-at-a-time drip plinking into it. Easily done with a hose dripping slow slow over it. One ploop at a time. Varmits will mess this up of course. My bath is on a side of the house with no exterior water. I wanted my wife to have something interesting out the kitchen window
to watch. So I use a milk jug wired up in tree over the bath with a pinhole near (above but not at) lowest apex (and one in handle where wired up so vacuum doesn't stop drip) to keep a drip going. Lasts about 6 hours for a gallon. Tink, tink, tink, is magic. I suspect they can hear it a mile or two away due to lizard hard-wiring. In migration, as right now, you would be blown away by what comes in.
Many famous birding photo places are drips. At High Island Texas there are bleachers to watch that drip in migration. Some use a solar powered pump that turns on for an hour a day to create the water sound, refreshen water, etc. A soaker hose on a timer for an hour the same time so they learn, in a bush and tree will also work. Hummers love them. Go big and make it a dragonfly pond/birdbath feature. A famous birding couple had a setup like
this on Pt. Loma in the 1960's, they were birdbanders. They banded a couple first CA state records that came into their features. One was a Purple Gallinule (!), a most amazing American waterbird. They were the first biggest famous yard list in American birding,
the Craigs. I think they hit 300 - in their yard - in no time.
Here are a couple I just took... eastern Bluebirds
Three Clay-colored Sparrow this morning, immature facing right, other two are adults
#6
I should put a bird bath in my yard and see what kind of birds come visit. Maybe I'll get some Warblers.
up
0 users have voted.
—
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
This might be what it is. A fire salvia? It's on the edge of my brain...
.
.
up
0 users have voted.
—
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists.
~Hannah Arendt
My first hit when I saw the photo was Amaranth, but because I don't know the plant, never having grown it (although I considered it) I didn't feel confident in identifying. The flower head in the photo is out of focus, so it's hard to identify detail, like if the flowerhead is composed of many singular stems.
I have always identified with your sig line. It was my original one at DKos.
I'm hiking to the bottom again next week to celebrate 100 years of being a National Park.
Photo of bright angel creek near phantom ranch at the bottom of the grand canyon.
Comments
Evening, Janis
Nice photo of the birds nest.
Two from our recent hike
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists.
~Hannah Arendt
Beautiful light, snoopy
and fitting remembrance of Abby. Empty path full of light.
It has been strange not having her with us
on our walks, but she wouldn't have been able to go because her arthritis had gotten so bad. But Charlie ran from one spot to the other and just had a blast. Watching her run down the trails at full blast was fun to watch. Zoom here and smell that and zoom there and smell this.
Abby has gone to the Dawg Star and is looking down on us with my other dawgs.
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists.
~Hannah Arendt
; )))))
Gotta run for dinner
but here's 'By the Banks of the Minnehaha' from a couple of weeks ago.
Cheers all!
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Leafy and watery paths tonight
Thanks Bollox, enjoy dinner.
Thanks for Friday Photos tonight, Janis
Nice touch adding the green to the birds nest.
I found this Praying Mantis on my screen door the other day. Took a few shots of it on the screen door then added a little bit of green.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
Wow, Social,
Praying Mantis as sculpture! That last photo makes me laugh. It's as if all its segments are disjointed as s/he hangs there thinking, 'what'? Knowing it's just the camera makes it funny.
I will be seeing them soon here as well, only I only ever encounter green ones.
I've lived in
the San Diego area for 42 years. This is the first Mantis I've seen. Hope I don't have to wait another 42 years to see another one.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
I actually think
that the green growth I added is a fresh version of the same manuka twig used in the nest.
great pics SP!
Awesome Mantis shots SP! Beautiful! Fantastic work man! What a neat beast they are.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Thank you, dystopian.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
I’ve been looking online to identify the bird’s nest.
Most likely it belonged to a myna bird. Many years they congregate at times in the bamboo. I’m not surprised at the chaotic look of the nest, considering the bird itself. Mynas are not my favourite birds, they’re much too insistent and irritatingly loud and bossy. I guess I have to credit them with being survivors though, and maybe there’s something I can learn from them.
I would love to hear if any others have had experience with myna birds. dystopian, I'd love to know what your observation and understanding of them might be.
Mynas
Hi Janis, Love yer bird nest pix. I think it is too small for a myna... They usually have bigger messier nests constructed of finer materials. This might be something small-medium sized, like a warbler or something a bit bigger than that. Generally the flock roosting is a non-nesting season behavior with mynas. They are incredibly smart birds. Brilliant. Smarter than half of America's voters.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
dystopian
The nest is quite messy looking and about 16" at its widest, not counting the extra long twigs (upper right). The materials are quite fine, if you consider the lead in a pencil fine.
Here's me staring at the sea
A little like Casper David Friedrich.... maybe?
Thanks for hosting Janis.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Or maybe, translated into b+w,
like Sugimoto, a life-long favourite photographer.
The Danish "Skagen Group"
of artists painted the light and the sea, amongst other things. Makes you want to go and live in Denmark.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Anywhere the light
draws you in, is a place worth living.
my weekly thanks
Gotta fly but here's a couple things...
I missed the ID on the green item going down the hatch... Black-throated Green Warbler
some Yellow Warbler at a party in the bath
If any of you are ever going to Lost Maples SNA, let me know...
This is a Vine Sphinx (moth) I found expiring on the porch
Thanks all for all the great pix!
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Nice Warblers.
I should put a bird bath in my yard and see what kind of birds come visit. Maybe I'll get some Warblers.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
Birdbath, YES!
For photo ops it is hard to beat. Yes if you can make a natural looking one the pix are better than my clay dish shots. Put a branches above and over it against a nice background and shoot the stuff as it comes in when using the branch.
Here are some more detailed thoughts...
Birdbaths are great, they can pull birds down out of the trees you would not otherwise see. Water is as good or better than food for attracting birds. Set one up where you can use the house as a blind, open a window just enough to shoot through. So relative to good light is important for photography. Always have cover near it, accipiters (small bird hawks) will dive on them occasionally so the birds have to have a dense tangle to shoot into to get away. Next to shrubs is best for this. I built a stick pile since I didn't have a shrubbery. Some argue on ground vs not, both are good, the pedastals have to be
strong and big pending what varmits will be using or attempting to use it can't knock it over. You have to keep the water clean. I have to clean mine every day because coons and dillos use it every night. I have to throw the water out rinse, refill, first thing at dawn every day. Mine currently is on the ground but I have pix of armadillo on its back rolling in it, Indigo Snake drinking, besides the birds. Which are bonkers at it.
A bath will be 10 to 100 times as effective when there is a slow one-at-a-time drip plinking into it. Easily done with a hose dripping slow slow over it. One ploop at a time. Varmits will mess this up of course. My bath is on a side of the house with no exterior water. I wanted my wife to have something interesting out the kitchen window
to watch. So I use a milk jug wired up in tree over the bath with a pinhole near (above but not at) lowest apex (and one in handle where wired up so vacuum doesn't stop drip) to keep a drip going. Lasts about 6 hours for a gallon. Tink, tink, tink, is magic. I suspect they can hear it a mile or two away due to lizard hard-wiring. In migration, as right now, you would be blown away by what comes in.
Many famous birding photo places are drips. At High Island Texas there are bleachers to watch that drip in migration. Some use a solar powered pump that turns on for an hour a day to create the water sound, refreshen water, etc. A soaker hose on a timer for an hour the same time so they learn, in a bush and tree will also work. Hummers love them. Go big and make it a dragonfly pond/birdbath feature. A famous birding couple had a setup like
this on Pt. Loma in the 1960's, they were birdbanders. They banded a couple first CA state records that came into their features. One was a Purple Gallinule (!), a most amazing American waterbird. They were the first biggest famous yard list in American birding,
the Craigs. I think they hit 300 - in their yard - in no time.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
What interesting knowledge of bird-bathing, dystopian.
And what nice opportunities they provide for you and your wife, and us in return. Thank you!
@Socialprogressive
Here are a couple I just took... eastern Bluebirds
Three Clay-colored Sparrow this morning, immature facing right, other two are adults
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Nice shots of the Bluebirds
and Sparrows. Thanks for all the info.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
Eastern Bluebirds, beautiful beings!
[video:https://youtu.be/lyMS4qJ8NXU]
flower - forget what kind
.
.
Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.
It looks a little like your sig picture!
I don't know what it is either, but someone will. Thank you.
Salvia?
This might be what it is. A fire salvia? It's on the edge of my brain...
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists.
~Hannah Arendt
Probably not
Looks like this has tighter, smaller petals.
Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.
It might be a type of Celosia. There are quite a few variations
such as Cockscomb Celosia
A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Allegedly Greek, but more possibly fairly modern quote.
Consider helping by donating using the button in the upper left hand corner. Thank you.
You may be right Dawn
My first hit when I saw the photo was Amaranth, but because I don't know the plant, never having grown it (although I considered it) I didn't feel confident in identifying. The flower head in the photo is out of focus, so it's hard to identify detail, like if the flowerhead is composed of many singular stems.
I have always identified with your sig line. It was my original one at DKos.
I think you're right
We have some cock's comb in the garden too.
thanks a 10^6!
Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.
New member of our Family - Miss Kitty Diesel
(pronounced dee-ZELL) Rescue kitty from local shelter. Been settling in for a couple of weeks.
Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.
Hi, GLS! Miss KD is a beautiful girl--
--glad you adopted her.
She's a very lucky girl!
Mollie
I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~~Gilda Radner, Comedienne
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
~~Cicero
The obstacle is the path.
~~Zen Proverb
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Local Tree
.
.
.
Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.
another late entry Grand Canyon N P
I'm hiking to the bottom again next week to celebrate 100 years of being a National Park.
Photo of bright angel creek near phantom ranch at the bottom of the grand canyon.
Thanks and
rec'd!!
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Thank you for hosting last night's Photography OT, Janis!
Hope to be able to catch up with you Guys (in real time) this coming week.
And, 'thanks' to all our talented photographers for sharing their excellent work.
Hey, hope you're 'settled in,' if you've already returned home. And, that Mom is still doing well.
Have a nice weekend!
Mollie
I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~~Gilda Radner, Comedienne
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
~~Cicero
The obstacle is the path.
~~Zen Proverb
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Hi Mollie
I'm settling in at home and feeling its comfort. Thank you for your care of all living things.
All the best to you and yours.