red hot blue skies

They are everywhere, flying by my window, during our Tully walks, driving in the car, just everywhere. They are very busy...

And so am I. My images have overwhelmed my huge 1T hard drive leaving it filled and non functioning. My mind has had to focus on alternatives and technical decisions. I really prefer the creative side of me, I'm much better at that. I guess 40,000 images has reached the mother load.

I will be away from the internet for the next 5 days so hopefully when I return you will see lots of beautiful images. Till then...

on the move

I didn't stay long at the beach today...

waiting

It's great to be back in Florida, if only for a short time. I'm going to miss these royal terns. We have all been looking for the least terns to arrive to mate and nest on the beach grasses. But no they aren't here.  Don't they know I look for them everyday? My binoculars hanging around my neck and my camera charged and ready, don't they know that so many volunteers are on the ready to protect their habitat? Don't they know that we want them here, we want to keep our distance and love them from afar.

 If they knew they would come....

a choice

A tulip is a tulip is a tulip.

Only the petals fold over in such different ways and the form and shape melt into each other. Thank heavens for color in our lives when so much has turned to dark....

There's a spring in my step

Normally I like to walk in the woods without a thought in the world, but not now in Long Island where the ground has become a living field of yellow beneath my feet.

balancing act

This willet rests on one leg while overlooking the ocean.

Serene, calm and meditating... 

flying 101

What is she thinking you say? 

I'm working on birds in flight, as you may remember I'm really bad at it. So while I was at the beach I went through a 16GB memory card practicing shooting flying shorebirds. The above image represents one of many attempts. If I didn't miss them altogether they were totally out of focus. But I didn't give up, this was too much fun.

Life usually tempts you with just enough success to continue the lesson...

a scratch

And to think he flies like an angel...

change

Form and pattern everywhere, on the beach, in the water, on bird's wings. 

But I had never noticed the retreating water the way I did yesterday. Every moment was different. The crashing drew my attention but the retreat kept it.

a small flock

I'm feeling the tug of the ocean, I think because soon enough I will be back in New York without it. Sometimes it takes the anticipation of loss to strengthen the bond. 

I continue to struggle taking images of birds in flight. I turn into a snaggle of laughter and clumsiness. But I love the challenge and I love it when one of them works. This one did for me.

flockless

I went to the beach hoping to see flocks of feeding birds in the low tidal pools and water's edge. Instead I found an empty beach, except for an occasional human walking along the shore. I sat in the wet sand and considered leaving. Sometimes I can become impatient.

 But then this ruddy turnstone showed up. He was alone. 

 And then this sanderling fished his way past me. He was alone.

And there to my right was the lone juvenile ring billed gull. They will eat anything and no one pays much attention to them actually. But I thought she was beautiful with all of her pinkness in her legs and beak.

So as it turned out we were all alone on the beach. No flocks for us, just each other....

A young one

Is it the music I'm listening to? Is it the quiet mood I'm in? Or is it simply that this image has magical qualities. There is something so out of focus and airy and touching about this young cattle egret trying out his new featherly wings, hopeful and proud of himself. I want to go walk barefoot on the beach and join the birds....

solitude

Low tide, a hungry willet, and my camera. What joy.....