Friday, January 15, 2010

Friday Hometown Shootout - Birds



Trying to keep from posting too many photographs will be difficult.  Because I really love birds.   When I consider things such as omens or signs, I think of birds.  I may have blogged about this once, but can't remember.  Particularly cardinals.



Karen and I have always liked cardinals but many years ago, at one particularly difficult moment in our relationship, where we were actually having that awful discussion about whether or not to continue as a couple -- we noticed movement and looked over and a male and female cardinal were sitting close together on our window ledge staring in at us.  The discussion was ended right then and we never had to have it again.  So naturally, we have lots of cardinals around our house.   









But moving on from cardinals and happy marriages -- although it would probably be fine if I stopped right here.    But I need to choose pictures?  For once, all of the shots were actually from my hometown, Charleston - many quite near the house....I think the birds around Charleston just assume that if they come near my house they will hear clicking. 


Anhinga, the witchy huntress

Small and fast

Pugnacious


Adorable


Ugly Ugly Ugly


Elegant


Businesslike


Descending


Ethereal

I think I'll end here.  If you have made it this far, it's time for you to fly off to the next member of FSO....



Bye -- from Halloween, 1993

28 comments:

  1. Fabulous post! There are really too many favorites to list, but I will say that if I saw vultures just hanging about my yard, I'd have to go back to bed and wake up all over to ensure I hadn't died in the night!

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  2. Great shots, Mark. My favorite is Descending. So full of energy and perfectly sharp. Wow.

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  3. sorry NanU - Ethereal is the best. I like the story about the birds couple saving your couple. this is religion.
    Now this is the question, 'how can my comment help you grow"? I have not ever - never - nunca! thought about how personality works with the looks nature gave us.... look in the mirror and what do you see (beside wrinkles)... I will see if I can do this and write about it... my comments help ME grow... thank you

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  4. Well, I am sure you know how much I love birds if you have been to either of my blogs recently. These are great photos, but I have to say that the anecdote about cardinals was absolutely the best! They are your totem, I guess. Catching those gulls in flight is also lovely.

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  5. What a touching story of how a cardinal couple 'signalled' you two to stay together. Love the photo you name 'ethereal' - the display of individual feathers is lovely.

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  6. My favorite is 'ethereal' also. I had trouble getting out to photograph any birds in my yard. As soon as I looked my door they all just flew away. But I got something.
    QMM

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  7. Cardinals are such a classy bird, I love them too. Your two shots Descending and Ethereal are truly amazing!

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  8. Beautiful post Mark, and touching.

    We have just put up a bird feeder and so far, beyond chickadees the only birds it has attracted are Cardinals.

    Of course it has attracted the attention of many many squirrels.

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  9. I miss the cardinals that we used to have in Wisconsin; they are so great to see in the dead of winter. Your shots are just wonderful: pugnacious, adorable, and birds in flight, all amazing!

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  10. Love the descending and ethereal shots! They look almost angelic.

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  11. Living in the Pacific Northwest, I never get to see cardinals. They were my favorite bird visitor in Maryland years ago. But now that I know they're guardians of marriages, I love them even more. So happy they made their point with you and Karen.

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  12. Yep, I think of birds as omens too and I'm glad that you saw the two cardinals as a sign to continue with your marriage. What a wonderful story.

    My favorite shot is etereal. It's beautiful.

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  13. Those cardinals are such pretty birds, we don't have them here. I love Descending and Ethereal, both are truly beautiful! Also Pugnacious. I like how you picked one word to go with a photo - perfectly.

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  14. Oh my...what beauituful shots!! Your flying seagulls..divine!!I love the story about the cardinals!! Wonderful touching shootout hon, Sarah

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  15. Descending and Ethereal are magnificent. The rest are pretty damned good, too.

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  16. (I talk to cardinals. If you flatter the males, they will fly closer and listen with their heads cocked.)
    Wonderful post. You never disappoint!

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  17. All of them are wonderful! And you've titled them perfectly!
    Quite a story about "that conversation" and the cardinals. Surely, a sign. :)

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  18. Loved the Cardinal story! All the phots are good, but I think the Descending one is fabulous! thanks for sharing.

    Came over from reading Jen's Sunday Roast to pay you a visit.

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  19. Love the Halloween shot. Actually, all your pictures were fantastic. I especially loved the cardinal story.

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  20. Mark, I am kind of surprised to come over and not see you with one of those hats with seagull poop on your head in the header photo, or at least something runny...oh I am sorry! LOL

    Love your take as always! You are a big blue man in my mind...man could he run, the one thing I did really really like, the though we could have abilities we might not have, but dream of...run Mark run...

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  21. I so love the business-like bird. The Cardinals are nice as are the soaring birds; makes me want to take flight - perhaps to Haiti. Me and you.

    What a team we would make in helping the people and document thier suffering. My heart aches for them.

    When I used to shoot in Third World countries I put down my cameras many times to pitch in helping to build structures, distribute food, and clean bring water to the people.

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  22. Yes, I spelled "their" wrong. Forgive me, oh ye great writer. You too, Barry.

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  23. A great selection - I love the ethereal one! Thanks for taking part.

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  24. Tremendous photography, Mark. I appreciated the story about the Cardinals. They knew best. I'm glad it wasn't a mated pair of Vultures on your window ledge. I wish everyones' posts were as entertaining as yours always are.

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  25. LOL - oh I loved how you summed up each photo in a word - perfectly done! I adore how you end your posts on such a humorous note, it always leaves me giggling! Thank you!

    You truly have talent.

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