Friday, May 10, 2024

[Don]

Nasty weather last night and this morning. We got almost 3.5 inches of rain but seems the worst has passed. Tomorrow promises to be nice so planning a motorcycle ride. Having been on it since before our trip.

[Dave]

Perfect composition - the COI is in an ideal spot. Sharp, good colors, good values. Your photo nails all the aspects.

A poppy taken several weeks ago near my mailbox...

   

[Rich]

Awesome Don, Dave said it all! Good composition and presentation!

Dave, a great shot of your state flower! Good composition! The thin yellow line on the mat adds to the presentation.

Here is one from a few years ago in Gulf Shore Alabama.

[Dreamin]

What a great composition, Don. Great sky, too!  And it looks like the sweet hour of light. WOW!
Dave, I like this composition and the colors!!  Nice!!
Rich, makes me want to go wade in the ocean!!  Love the wave spray!

Saw these a few days ago....they are everywhere right now.  People either love them or hate them. Depends on how much they poop in your yard I guess!!

   

[Dave]

Thanks Rich.

That's an excellent capture: the birds are in focus, the composition is top-notch, and your values are spot-on.

Thank you Natalie.

What a fine family portrait photo of the Canada Geese! Exposure, composition, colors, and more get top marks.

Some potentially good news for me - last week I noticed a hummingbird carrying material for nest building to a large plant near my from my front door. I couldn't locate the nest for a while but this morning spotted it under the eave and just one stride outside the door (even closer than the one a few years ago).

When going outside we'll have to be make sure we take care to not startle the mama hummer. The nest isn't well-concealed, so I think any eventual eggs may not be safe from predators - I give that no more than a 50% chance. But I'm elated that I may have another chance of documenting the nest building, egg laying, hatching, and chick development.

The nest is in a location that makes closeup photography more difficult than last time, but I'm hopeful.

As before, I am amazed at the nest: the interior is smaller than a golf ball (which makes it very cramped when the chicks have grown to nearly adult size), the nest is strengthened with strands of vegetation, animal fur, and usually spider web strands. The mother hummers also seem to have an artistic bent because they adorn the outside of the nest with light and brightly colored bits of whatever they can find.

   

As it mentioned, getting photos of the inside of the nest will be difficult because it's pretty high and I'll be challenged to obtain a vantage point from above.

Wish me luck.

[Rich]

Thanks Dave and Natalie.
Natalie, that is quite a family Goose, Gander and Goslings! We had a pair last week on the Condo Property but they left, thanks goodness. Love the bird, hate the mess they leave.

Dave, that is an amazing nest they built. So small! Good luck with the photo record project.

[Don]

Nice colors in the flower Dave - and good composition.

Gulls at Gulf Shores - nice. I haven't been down there in years. We used to go camping there.

Natalie, I think probably more people dislike the Canada Geese then like them. Nice photo with the little ones though.

Congrats on the hummingbird nest Dave. Hopefully you will see some wee ones soon.

Thanks all for the comments on the photo. I took this with my Lumix ZS200 point and shoot. Actually, I took all my travel photos with that camera. I had the Z6 but only got it out once for a sunset shot, which didn't turn out (already too dark). And full disclosure, the sky is a replacement sky I put in using Luminar. Most of the days in Scotland and Ireland were overcast, with a few days of rain. This photo was taken in Edinburgh and actually the sky that day was one of the few days of bright blue and cloudless. Since I consider the photos I took on the trip basically travel snapshots, I didn't mind augmenting the sky to add some interest. Of course for any serious nature photo I would not dream of doing that.

[Dreamin]

" I didn't mind augmenting the sky to add some interest." Don, I don't mind, either. Made it a beautiful shot!!

Dave, I am green with envy!! Keep us updated!

[Man From Ironbark]

" I didn't mind augmenting the sky to add some interest."  Don, I don't mind, either. Made it a beautiful shot!!

Dave, I am green with envy!! Keep us updated!

All the above and more.
 Don't talk to me about people and their attitudes to the birds or animals that may visit..
or I mean, don't get me started..
As for green with envy, I don't have hummingbirds at all so I deserve more envy than just green.
I was away from home Friday, having the final check on the status of the second operation. I have now had the S for spectacles removed from my drivers license.
#1 magnification will show my eyes heaps more than #3.5 mag did before. Can still use them but I have to move really close to the work.
So I can probably service a watch with just the #3.5 mag. I'll have to test that theory.

[Michael]

That is great news!!!