Category Archives: photography

It’s All About the Quail

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A young female Gambel’s Quail walking past the cactus statue.

We have two types of birds that visit every day. Quail and doves. I enjoy quail more than doves, because with their top knots they look like clowns and have tons of personality.

I caught this sharp photo of a male quail alone on the bird block.

This female quail strikes a pose on a backyard bench.

Papa quail is looking a bit round. I can tell the difference between the adults and juveniles who are entering adulthood by their size. The ones who hatched in the Spring look skinny in comparison to this guy (see the first photo for a young one.)

A female quail caught mid step on a bench (above) and a male below.

Wickham Works Cards Update:

It’s been a couple days since my website went live for my photographic greeting cards. I mailed out my first order to a fellow blogger. Thank you!

I went out to dinner with women I used to volunteer with to raise money for a residential facility to rehab sex-trafficked victims. Our group is defunct, but we still get together socially. One of those ladies looked at my cards and asked for custom stationery featuring her name and flowers.

Yes, I can take custom orders, too! I hadn’t thought about that before.

If you get a chance, visit my website: https://www.wickhamworkscards.com/

One of my cards with the star named Red.

Happy weekend! What are your plans?

Creating a Website

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I did it! My website featuring my photography greeting cards is live! Two friends of mine who were graphic designers I worked with during my PR days in Palm Springs, pre kids, suggested I turn my nature photography into greeting cards. We live within a few miles of each other all these years later. They’ve been very supportive and full of ideas for me.

I jumped in and applied for a business license. I signed up to create a website. I ordered a few test cards of Red. I fiddled with different weights of card stock and finishes. I liked the look of glossy cards, but as a left-handed person, my writing smeared. I tried to order a card that I could write on and have my penmanship legible. Lots of little tweaks and more ordering cards.

Then I tinkered with the website itself. Lots of revising, editing and more editing. Deciding what photos I wanted to create cards with. I used Squarespace for the first time and the learning curve was doable but not foolproof.

When I finally published my website this week, I placed a test order. It didn’t work. I spent several hours with their AI chat bot. I followed all the directions, but nothing happened. Then AI said they’d send me to a real person! Woohoo! It took them less then two minutes to figure out my issue and now I’m in business.

The next step is to go in person to local gift stores with a few packets of card to see if they’ll accept my cards for sale. Yes, that makes me more than a little nervous…

When my son was in middle school and high school, he created and managed our swim team’s website. Back then, when he’d make a change he’d have to upload the whole site which would take six to eight hours. Now I can make a change to and it’s done instantly.

You’re more than welcome to check out my website HERE.

https://www.wickhamworkscards.com

Busy Bee

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I spotted this blossom bursting from the side of a cactus. It was so unusual and when I took my macro lens to take photos of it, a bumblebee was buzzing around.

Here’s another shot of the bee and you can see the cactus in the background. I used AI to identify the type of cactus. It said “Peruvian Apple Cactus.” Whether this is correct or not, I’m not sure. Do any of my blogger friends know for sure? It did say the blossom would last one night. It was blooming in the daytime, but wilted by the next day.

Our pergola created interesting shadows in the background on a stucco wall.

Here are a couple other photos I took while I had the macro lens engaged:

One final fun photo:

I hope you enjoyed my photos today and have a great week!

What are your plans this week?

Birds and More Birds

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This is a juvenile Harris’s Hawk who stopped by last week. The spotted chest and leggings are why I know it’s a juvie. Adults are solid brown in those places.

On the smaller side of birds are these two House Sparrows.

A Mourning Dove enjoyed the bird bath too and got fluffed up.

A quail couple feasted on the birdseed block.

A Roadrunner took over a bench in the backyard.

Another look at the Harris’s Hawk.

Which birds are your favorites out of this batch of photos?

Bird of the Week — Cowbird

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This is a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird in our backyard. I first noticed him hanging out with our male Northern Cardinal, which I found odd. Then I learned that Cowbirds are famous for laying their eggs in the nests of other bird species instead of building their own. This is known as a brood parasite. Cowbirds do not raise their own chicks, but the unsuspecting birds who incubate the Cowbird’s eggs raise them instead.

Brown-headed Cowbird — Molothrus ater

SIZE:

  • Male
    • Length: 7.5-8.7 in (19-22 cm)
    • Weight: 1.5-1.8 oz (42-50 g)
    • Wingspan: 14.2 in (36 cm)
  • Female
    • Length: 6.3-7.9 in (16-20 cm)
    • Weight: 1.3-1.6 oz (38-45 g)
    • Wingspan: 12.6-15.0 in (32-38 cm)

LOCATION:

FOOD:

Cowbirds eat seeds from weeds and grasses and some grains. They live near cattle and bison and feed on Insects such as grasshoppers and beetles, that the large mammals stir into into motion.

This is our male Northern Cardinal named “Red” who is feeding the juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird.

Eventually, the juvenile Cowbirds leave their adoptive families and find other Cowbirds. Scientists are studying this phenomenon to figure out how they recognize their own species. Some think it’s through their sounds that they recognize other Cowbirds.

SOUNDS:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Cowbird/sounds

Bird of the Week — Western Gull

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Western Gull – Larus occidentalis

Gulls are a common sight at the beach. I discovered our California beaches have a species called Western Gull. They are scavengers. Picnics or snacks will be raided by these plucky birds if you’re not on guard.

They can be found at ocean beaches and marinas, especially near fish cleaning stations or harbor restaurants. Western Gulls’ average lifespan is 15 years. They often mate for life and their offspring mature at four years. Their clutch each breeding season is one to three eggs. The male and female share incubating duties and feeding their chicks.

SIZE:

Length: 22.1-26.0 in (56-66 cm)
Weight: 28.2-44.1 oz (800-1250 g)
Wingspan: 47.2-56.7 in (120-144 cm)

This fellow survived losing a leg.

APPEARANCE:

Mature adults have a white body, dark gray or black backs and upper wings. They have a red spot on their beak which means they are of breeding age. The spot gets brighter during breeding season. Also, chicks peck the red spot to be fed and the adult regurgitates food for them.

These gulls were hanging out at surf camp for kids. They probably learned that snacks might be left or dropped.

FOOD:

The gull has been known to eats birds, eggs, nestlings, fish, invertebrates and decomposing carcasses. If food is not readily available at the sea, they may visit dumps and eat trash. They catch their food while flying, swimming or walking along the shore.

LOCATION:

Map from All About Birds

NESTING:

Both male and female will scrape out a nest near a windbreak like a rock or driftwood. Or they may nest in rocky shores where their nest will be hidden from predators. Their nests are about 12 inches across with the inside bowl six inches across. The Western Gulls line their nest with grasses, seaweed, weeds and feathers.

SOUNDS:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Gull/sounds

Home After Holiday!

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We’ve returned to our home sweet home. It feels wonderful to be back in my own home. One of the surprises was Red was waiting for me singing for my return. This vacation he didn’t hide and avoid me for weeks on end. I’m sure that had something to do with my neighbor making sure the birdseed was out every day. But Red did not look like himself. I’ll post photos later this week.

My trip highlights besides beach walks with my husband enjoying the ocean breeze would be spending time with our friends we don’t see often enough. Plus having my son and daughter-in-law with us for part of our vacation.

Here are some photos I took with my Nikon and 105mm lens on the beach. I was worried about getting sand in the camera or on the lens, but finally decided I could do it!

A man sitting and reading on the beach. I figured out to make photos black and white.

I found a piece of sea glass which is rare at this beach.

In the evenings, the misty fog comes ashore.

A sunbather enjoying a beautiful day at the beach.

Sunlight reflections on sand and water.

A Long-billed Curlew foraging in the sea.

View of where we walk looking south.

Almost sunset and time to go home.

Beach vacation has ended until next summer. It reminded me of a Madonna song “Holiday.”

Are you ready for fall? Or do you miss summertime?

What are your goals for fall?