Like A Virgin In The Night

Tulip shines in white
Like a virgin in the night
She blooms and she waits

Apple orchard in bloom

Puddle ducks in the ditch

Flying saucer or cloud?

Owlets looking at Laurie and me.

Morning scene after I started the irrigation water and had all the ditches cleaned out.

Happy Tulip got a good soaking from the irrigation water.

Fat and fluffy Dove

Once In A Lifetime

Once in a lifetime
Pulled over for the photo
Owls cute as always

Osric Owl’s outlook

Nora Owl and the youngest owlet.

Nora Owl looking at the sunset. The owlets looking at the pesky paparazzo.

The sunset Nora Owl was looking at.

A Noble Beast

I was out visiting with Osric and Nora Owls (the owlets pretty much ignored me) when I saw two coyotes on the top of the levee and six or more on the lower part of the levee on the other side of the ditches running at top speed. I was trying to catch the action through the trees when this coyote stopped like, “Whoa! Paparazzo on the prowl. I better look my best!” She stopped and gave me her best noble beast look. Then I saw a couple on the top of the levee and yelled over to them and asked if they had seen the coyotes. They said one coyote ran out of the clearwater ditch, and then eight coyotes started chasing it like they were trying to kill it. I thought the coyote that was in the ditch might have caught something, and the others wanted to take it from him. Ms. Noble Beast doesn’t look like she’s been missing many meals.

Osric Owl snoozed behind a tangle and then enjoyed the sunset.

Nora Owl gave me a squint like Clint! “Is that Bazooka going to make me look fat?”

Eye of Owlet

Psst! Don’t look now, but there’s that stupid paparazzo on the ditch bank again.

As I was heading home, I heard my name being called. One of the Alpacas had its head stuck in the fence. I walked back, and sure enough, there was one of the Alpacas with its head through one of the wire squares in the fence, looking very stuck and rather sad. We tried to help the Alpaca get his head back through the fence, and as we pushed back, he pushed forward. He was stubborn. Meanwhile, two coyotes were on the top of the levee watching our goings-on with great interest. After we stretched the wire apart as much as possible, we gave up, stood back on the ditch bank, and watched the Alpaca. After a few minutes of not getting any more attention, it pulled its head back through the wire. I think it was acting stuck to get attention.

While we were talking, Osric flew over into the bosque, and I grabbed this shot of him.

By the time I got back to our property after all the ditch bank drama, it was dark. I got a shot of Venus and The Pleiades with my 70-200mm zoom lens. Venus and The Pleiades are too far apart to get them in the frame with the Bazooka.

Easter Sunday Surprise

Happy Easter! Glenda showed her respect by lying down with the bunny and the lamb.

Osric is a wily old owl. He misled me on where I suspected Nora Owl and the owlets might be. Last night I walked down to see Osric after sundown.

After a good been of negotiation between us, Osric flew over to a tree on the other side of the tree where I thought Nora and the Owlets might be.

Nora came out of a tree closer to the ditch bank, and an owlet popped its little head up. I was so close to them, I couldn’t get Nora into the frame using the Bazooka.

Nora took off before I could change cameras, and the owlet looked up as Mama silently flew away.

Two little owlets stared at me from the nest. Happy Easter Owls!

STOP Color

STOP and look around
Colors here there everywhere
Sky clouds birds mountains

A Western Bluebird with Blue

All blue above and below the Sandias.

Osric Owl braving the wind.

Half a moon

I had a terrible time getting this American Coot in focus

Dawn’s colors from home, on the road, and at the office this morning.

We Have Contact

Osric Owl

Owlku
We have made contact
Major Tim to Osric Owl
Where might Nora be?

Osric Owl preening and stretching while keeping an eye on the tree Nora Owl is in.

Osric Owl and Nora Owl were in a tree about a mile north of us. Two large limbs broke off of their tree ruining their nest in 2021. I saw them with their owlets last year in a bosque between a horse and the llama farm about 1/4 mile north of us. I found Osric owl in a tree above a horse stall on the llama farm tonight. By observing the trees in his line of sight and watching him closely to see where he looked for an answer after he hooted, I think I spotted the broken tree where I think Nora Owl is sitting on her eggs. The tree is in the middle of the horse coral at the llama farm.

I think Nora Owl is nesting in the broken tree in the middle of the coral.

It couldn’t get a shot of the full opening in the broken tree, but this photo shows part of the opening.

I got back home to a fiery sunset.