I’m watching birds early in the morning while sitting outside writing my morning pages. Then I pick up my camera while sitting at a table inside. I’ve seen three separate families of quail. They are small families with the largest having four babies, then another with two and the final family has mom, dad and one baby.
House finch on a young saguaro.
A Harris Hawk stopped by and the little birds flew away.
Mrs. arrived for a snack. A House Finch tried to intimidate her, but she stood her ground.
I hope you enjoyed my photos that I took over the weekend. Happy Father’s Day to everyone and have a great week!
I’m going to share some bird and flower photos I took this week — after my story about a name — our last name to be precise.
We had trouble with a guy living in Southern California with the same last name. He also has an of initial of E — which is my first initial. To top that off, he shares an initial with my husband.
It was years ago when a collection agency called. I also got letters. Somehow they got us mixed up with this other guy with the same name and common initials who wasn’t paying his credit card bills. In the mail, I got a list of overdue bills from a collection agency — in the thousands of dollars — that they tried to collect from us!
This guy is 30 years younger than us. How could they mix us up? Well, I don’t think they cared. Our phone rang every day. The emails and letters kept coming with threatening messages. I kept calling back, sending letters, explaining it wasn’t us. It took about a year of headaches and stress to unwind this unfortunate mixed-up identity.
I googled the collection agency. Other people had experienced the same mix up and relentless calls and letters.
Forward seven or eight years to Monday this week, and I got an email from an attorney threatening to sue us for a $48,000 plus debt from a builder supply store. It was sent to me and one other email address — which belongs to the other guy!
Rather than go through a year of hassle, my husband forwarded the email to our attorney, who is telling them they are barking up the wrong tree.
Now for my favorite photos of the week:
A bird knocked this blossom off the top of a saguaro. I put it in a glass of water on my desk. I’m enjoying the beauty and taking photos of it.
Blooms at the tippy top of the saguaro. I found the blossom on the ground beneath it.
A House Finch captured eating Barrel Cactus blossoms in the morning light.
A Great Tailed Grackle makes his first appearance in our backyard.
Gila Woodpecker on a Beavertail Cactus yard ornament.
Red in the morning light climbing down a watering line from a planter. Wouldn’t it be easier to fly?
Mrs. in the BirdBuddy AI feeder with a real live bird buddy.
Have you ever had identity theft or mistaken identity? If so, what happened?
Red has been hanging out in the backyard. He’s often with the Mrs. Every time I try to get a photo of the two of them, they fly off. Once they were sitting together on a rock and I watched Red feed her birdseed!
I woke up yesterday with a sore neck, shoulders, back and hands. I attribute it to photography. I spent hours over several days working on my final project. Then, yesterday I went golfing with a friend. We haven’t been out for 18 months. We figured the lapse in time, because we drove to a public course with a driving range and were told the range is for members only. We asked when that happened and they said “17 months ago.”
Waking up today, my arms are hurting along with the other parts. No longer am I achy. I feel achy breaky.
I’ve completed my redo of my photography final, but the instructor threw in another twist. He added a research report due on Sunday. I’m supposed to find a photograph or photographer whose work has been taken out of context from the original intent. I’ve googled various phrases to try and find something.
I found an iconic photo of The Beatles with Muhammad Ali. The context is that it was during The Beatles first trip to the US after the Ed Sullivan show in 1964. Ali was known as Cassius Clay and he had an upcoming fight with Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston. Clay was 22 years old and not the famous person he would become. The Beatles wanted a photo with Liston but he refused. The Beatles publicist arranged the photo with Clay. Today, it’s a photo of some of the most famous people in the world. But back then, it was not.
I wrote it up, but I don’t think it’s really hitting the right note. Not so much out of context. So, back to research. If you have any ideas — I’ll be forever grateful!
Here are two photos with settings my photography instructor suggested. FYI, these aren’t part of my redo of my final project, just photos:
A Gila Woodpecker landing on the fence.
A House Finch on a cacti lawn ornament.
Any ideas for my research report?
What difference do you see with the new settings my instructor suggested, including the photo of Red above?
What a start to the New Year! New Orleans. Las Vegas. Queens. All on day one.
I’ve heard that our country is most vulnerable during a transition of power. I’m not sure if that’s why all this happened or not, but I’m hoping and praying for quieter and peaceful days ahead.
The last couple days, I’ve taken photos of birds and plants in my backyard. What a good time to share my bird buddies, and to reflect and enjoy nature.
Hawk number one was joined by a friend.
I’ve had visits from a bright red Northern Cardinal daily. I haven’t seen his wife lately. I hope she’s okay.
Mourning Doves roosting on the fence catching the morning sun.
There are always a handful of House Finches flitting around.
It’s not very often a quail flies up into the bird feeder. They prefer the ground.
I also enjoy my two pink flamingos with their little red friend.
The early birds I’m talking about aren’t these gorgeous creatures in my backyard. I’m talking about me and my hubby.
We’ve become the couple we used to laugh at. You know, the ones who have dinner at 4:30 or 5 p.m. to save money. Now, when we go out, we go early to take advantage of early bird prices that end at 6 p.m. Only these days, it’s no longer called “early bird specials” but “happy hour.”
A neighborhood couple invited us to dinner for restaurant week that features three-course meals at reduced prices. We declined because their reservation was too late for us! It was at the wee hour at night of 6:30 p.m. To be fair, my husband works in the financial world and he’s on east coast time. His work day begins three hours earlier than most people out west.
This is the state bird of Arizona, the cactus wren.
It’s gotten hotter the past couple weeks. I began setting my alarm so that I’m up before sunrise. We’ve changed our walking schedule to avoid the heat. We are heading out the door before 6 a.m. — which also makes us early birds.
One of our neighbors told us her method for walking. (Who knew you needed a method?) She turns right out of her driveway and continues to walk on the right side of the road. By doing that, she said she hits every road and cul-de-sac in the neighborhood — and ends back at her front door. My husband and I have been random walkers, going whichever way our whims take us. But this week, we tried it and not only does it add a little distance to our walk, we’re seeing streets we were previously missing.
I wrote about successful people who are early birds HERE.
What are your thoughts about early bird specials and getting up early?
After waiting patiently from January until now for a new solar panel for my Bird Buddy AI bird feeder with a camera, I made the executive decision to take it out of storage, charge it up and use it without the solar panel roof.
I emailed the company and they said I should receive it this month. Until then, I’m enjoying Bird Buddy and have to charge the camera every four or five days.
I’ve written about Bird Buddy before. You can read those posts HERE and HERE if you missed them.
My son works for a crowdfunding company that helped raise money and marketed Bird Buddy. I think it was one of their more successful campaigns.
In one of my prior stories I wrote about my trouble setting up Bird Buddy. There was an awkward small space to plug in the charger or solar panel. I found it frustrating and I had to get my husband to help me. However, when I set up my 91-year-old dad’s Bird Buddy, he cleverly showed me you can plug in the camera before you put it inside the feeder! Duh!
This is a House Finch who can eat a lot of sunflower seeds!
Bird Buddy takes “postcards” (these two photos are examples.) There was an update to the software and now there are videos, too. It works with an app on your smartphone, identifies birds, gives details and you can play their songs and calls.
Here’s a video of a House Sparrow and Cardinal competing for the bird feeder:
Bird fight!
What birds do you have in your neck of the woods? Which are your favorites?
