Helicopter flying among the crows.
The snow that was forecast for today ended up only cloud cover with a lot of cold wind.
Sandias after sunset.
Daddy Owl after dark.
Category: Birds
Yesterday’s Birds
Moon in Tangle Heart Tree at sunset
We have cloud cover tonight with snow predicted by early morning. Therefore, I’m posting the birds I photographed yesterday.
Flicker at the tiptop of Susan’s Tree at dawn.
Actually, there were two flickers at the tiptop of Susan’s Tree at dawn.
The other flicker.
Owls’ Backs
The Canadian Geese complained that I have not been giving them enough attention.
The Pter in a tangle.
Downy Woodpecker
Grazing
Cooper’s Hawk in the top of a cottonwood between the clearwater ditch and the irrigation ditch.
Crane Dance
Sunset on the Sandias with cranes in the foreground from Southbend.
Just after sunrise one of the cranes made quite a show of dancing for another crane. There are 21 photos in the sequence with three intermissions. At the end of the post, I included an animated GIF that shows the crane dance in motion.
Quarter moon at sunset.
Daddy Owl slept through the show.
No Help From Spunk
“This paw ain’t made for plumbing.”
The instant hot water heater I have connected in the hot water line under the sink quit working. The quickest way to remedy the problem was to change it out with the instant water heater I had in the darkroom. I tried to enlist Spunk’s help, but he isn’t into helping with plumbing projects. He supervised from the hammock.
“Hey Paparazzo put your camera down and get back to work on changing out that hot water heater.”
Flying duck intermission.
“Hmmm, Paparazzo! You are not giving me much entertainment here. You’re like really BORING!”
“Watch your language, Paparazzo! I asked for entertainment not colorful expletives about the ‘Blankity blank’ water heater. Plus there are innocent little kitten ears out and about.”
Landings
“How do you like my impersonation of a Crane?” Oh, Spunk! I think you look more like Chupacabra. “What do you know stupid Paparazzo?”
“We think Spunk looks a lot like a Crane.” Who asked you Daddy and Mama Owls?
Sandhill Cranes landing at sunset. Another colorful sunset. The sliver moon was just above the trees after sunset.
Afterglow
“It looks like the wind is blowing in a nice afterglow tonight.” Wise words Daddy Owl.
Crows on the crow highway.
Ducks basking in the afterglow.
Cranes, ducks, and geese enjoying the glow.
More crows heading south.
Sandias catching the afterglow long after sundown.
Clouds from the bosque view.
Moon Eyes Venus
Mama Owl. January 11, 2021
Sandhill Crane. January 11, 2021.
Frosty Morning
Frosted backlit leaves.
We had a light dusting of snow combined with frost this morning. The sky cleared in the early morning hours and the temperature dropped to 20ºF (-6.66ºC).
Cranes and geese in a frosty mist.
Frosted links.
Marina’s Incognito Pear tree all cold and frosty.
Snow and frost on the black bamboo.
My New Ax
Surprise! I’ll bet you thought my new Ax was going to be a new guitar? As you can see below it’s a real Ax for chopping down trees. Laurie asked me why I got a chopping ax instead of a splitting ax? It’s pretty simple: like a Lumberjack, I chop down trees.
My new ax is made by Husqvarna, and it’s a solid, heavy-duty ax.
Mama Owl and Daddy Owl are still hanging in the tree across the irrigation ditch from where they have nested for the past four years.
Like a Lumberjack, I felled two elm trees in a matter of minutes with my new ax.
Crane looking for a morsel before going to bed.
Remember Monty Python’s The Lumberjack Song?
Kittens, Cranes, Kitties, Crows
Gwendolyn gargoyling
Glenda and Gwendolyn have full run of the house, catio, and deck now. Teagan had cast them as flying monkeys in a kitty fantasy, and she was right. The kittens are like a couple of flying monkeys. They have become very difficult to photograph because they won’t hold still if they are out of the dark kitten caves they have made for themselves in the laundry room. The big kitties have finally accepted the kittens and everyone is getting along reasonably well. The big kitties have become much more playful under the influence of the kittens. Of course, the big cats are also teaching the kittens many of their bad habits.
Cranes coming in for landing with crows in the background.
Marble
Gwendolyn
We’re just dropping in the see what condition all the conditions are in.
Spunk in the fuzzy hammock I replaced the last burlap hammock with.
The murder of Crows continues.
“You didn’t include me in the title?” Nope! You’re the intermission.
Cranes cavorting
Glenda in the dark.
Cranes at sunset
Gwendolyn: “What cream?”
Glenda
Gwendolyn: “La Llorona? What were you saying about La Llorona drowning kittens?” Children. She drowns children.
Glenda: “Kittens are children too!”
Off Center & Not Even 