Fall is on its way..

It's coming to the end of bird migration here in Oklahoma...well at least for the birds that nested here this summer goes. I haven't seen a Ruby-throat Hummingbird in nearly a week and it makes me sad. Some of my prettiest hummer flowers are in full bloom for only me to enjoy.Now we will start to see birds that will winter in our area.

Leaves are beginning to turn and show signs of fall color.Hues of gold and orange cover the ground which once were splashes of green. For the next month or so my yard will be raining leaves. Birds I could easily see before are now hidden in leaves of their same color.

This time of year birds molt their bright colors and begin to show signs of winter plumage.These new fall colors for them will be their best protection from predators during the cold winter months. The musical sound of the birds I once heard in my yard are gone for now. I have always birded by ear so I can't help but feel a loss for what was music to my ears during the summer months. I'm always listening, the moment I step outside..listening for that single peep among the falling leaves.This time of year I probably listen even harder.My yard is so quiet it's almost eerie. I can't help but wonder if I'm being watched by something peering through the falling leaves.

The last of the Mississippi Kites

Well this is a bird that will be truly missed in my yard.This was the last Mississippi kite that hung out on the dead branches in my front yard. I love their oriental eyes...almost like black liner around the eye.

It wasn't uncommon to see as many as ten of these birds in the same tree. They wouldn't spook. They'd just peer down at me with an owlish look watching my every move. Of course most of the Kites were mature which have a look of their own.I'll look forward to seeing them next spring.

Red-shouldered Hawk

Every Sunday I always look forward to my Mom coming over. We have a nice breakfast and Mom and Keith enjoy drinking their Bloody Marys while I casually watch the backyard birds and tidy the kitchen. All of a sudden a Red-shouldered Hawk swooped down to a pile of leaves by my bottom pond and snagged a small snake. By the time Keith and Mom could turn around he was history. I get so excited when I see nature at its finest.

Anyway,I'm sure the snake was on his way to my bottom pond when he was snatched up by the Hawk. It was a good thing the Hawk came by when he did cause Keith was heading outside to replace the pump after he finished visiting with my Mom.I'm not sure how eager Keith would have been about working on the pond if he'd found the snake in it:)

Birding at Hefner Lake

While birding at Hefner Lake Saturday with Pat Velte, we spent at least twenty minutes trying to get a good photo of a Wood Duck. Of course he did his darndest to keep us from getting a good shot with the help from tall grass. After twenty minutes the little guy eluded us and we diligently searched another ten to no prevail.

What I found comical about the whole ordeal was if we hadn't lost sight of him, we both probably could have been content photographing him until either our camera battery ran down,we ran out of space on our memory cards or we ran out of sunlight:) Anyway,it was nice seeing a new duck in the company of the usual Mallards:)

Uncooperative Subjects

Well I don't know what is more frustrating, trying to get a photo of an allusive bird or a photo of one of my high strung grandkids:) Of course none of the above give a flip weather I get their photo or not, they are busy doing their own thing while me and my camera go unnoticed. For reasons I'll never understand, I seem to have more tolerance photographing an unwilling wild bird than I ever would with any of my nine grandkids:)Now I truly wish I was more devoted to getting my grandkids photos...they are growing older and changing right before my eyes.. But the only time they seem to sit still is when they are buckled in/down so they can't move...Well, maybe once I master photographing birds in flight I'll do better with kids in motion photos:)