Wet Hawk in the Rain

Mean Tinsel

This is Mean Tinsel.  He is a neighborhood cat who hates Toto.  He hides outside under our hydrangea bush and waits for us to open the door and then attacks.  He's jealous of Toto because we used to love him before Toto came into our lives and now we can't love him anymore.  Life is just not fair.

Kestrel Take Off (Sorry Can't Get Enough of These Guys)

Juvenile Bald Eagle at Valley Forge!!! (Click to See That Beak)

Flicker on Mullein

Tail Feathers

Groundhog Emerging

Sharing Breakfast

I watched as the female American Kestrel (left) caught a mouse, took her time and at the first course, then allowed the male to snatch the mouse away from her.  After about 15 minutes she flew back to the male and in this photograph you can see she is about to snatch the mouse back again.  Poor mouse....

Kestrels in Love

Not for the Faint of Heart

I went back to look for my kestrel this afternoon and as I was ready to leave I saw this guy fly by me with a starling in his talons.  He flew to the top of a tree and devoured the entire bird, then wiped his beak on the limb, smiled down at me and took off.  Got to love it.  (This is not a kestrel according to one of my flickr friends - but his slightly bigger cousin - the Merlin Falcon.

The Tuft of the Tufted Titmouse

Kestrels in Valley Forge

A few days ago I came across this beautiful little American Kestrel in a tree in Valley Forge.  My friends on Flickr said I should go back to the tree regularly as the spring arrives because most likely this Kestrel will build a nest in the tree.  I went back today but the tree was empty








 I looked far in the distance and thought I saw a kestrel in a tree far off in the field.  When I looked through my 500mm view finder I was thrilled to see two kestrels on a branch of that far off tree.  I slowly walked across the field all along taking pictures hoping they would stay until I got close enough for a good picture.  Finally I got close enough for a close up and you can see if you click on the photo they were quite annoyed.  Soon they flew back across the field to the point where I started.

I walked back the way I came to the original tree and as I walked I saw the two kestrels flying back to the far tree happy to have it to themselves again.  But then I heard another kestrel and looked at the original tree and there was my boy. He was back.  Oh, maybe, just maybe, with all these kestrels, I will be able to witness the building of a nest and maybe a few babies this spring.  Stay tuned.

Row Boat at Dawn a la Seurat

Still taking my photography class where we are to take photographs that look like paintings.  This was taken in The Villages, Florida a few years ago while visiting my sister Nancy.  I thought it would look like a painting by Georges- Pierre Seurat if I added a little pixelation.   What do you think? Click to enlarge and see the Seurat effect.

My New Friend - The Red Bellied Woodpecker

American Kestrel in the Notch of a Tree

I Found the Watering Hole! (Click to See Better)

Yellow Bellied Sapsucker found something to drink on a cold morning today at Valley Forge

Dreaming of Spring, Warm Weather and Baby Geese