Walter Gets His Wings

When we checked on Walter and Willa tonight, all we could see was Willa. She was high in the tree, looking all around, hopping from limb to limb, climbing the trunk of the tree. She wore herself out, and Walter was nowhere to be seen. Willa laid down on the broken branch we first spotted her on, exhausted from her efforts. Then Walter flew in from another tree, all proud of himself. He was hopping and flying around, looking for Nora. They were ready for dinner.

Willa: “Hey, Paparazzo, do you see Walter anywhere?”

Walter flew in from another tree.

Willa: “Mama! I need dinner!”

As we were walking back, the badger made a mad dash from one hole to another hole. We stopped, and it came back out and listened to us for a bit. We were so close to it that I had to take a few steps back to get enough distance to focus on the badger.

Sunset

Tail In A Box

Spunk has been watching Vintage SNL Shorts with Justin Timberlake on YouTube and got the idea to put his tail in a box.

Our guard hummingbird is vigilant.

Søren: “I handled the drive into town better than you did, stupid, impatient, cranky paparazzo!”

Søren went to the vet today. He had an irritated and swollen eye last Wednesday, but after I got the appointment and paid the deposit for the appointment, his eye was normal by Friday and is still normal today. The vet could see where he had scratched it. She gave us some ointment to put on his eyelid. That will be fun.

Since he is neurotic and doesn’t like change, we thought the drive into town would stress him out. Turns out I was more stressed out with all the stupid, slow drivers than Søren was with the car ride. He was saying, “Hello!”, making noises, and then laughing at me getting after the other drivers. My original plan was to take him to work with me when I normally go early and then take him to the vet. Since we had decided it was best for both of us to take him to the vet, I didn’t mention my idea of taking him to work with me until we were in the car and I was yelling at traffic. Laurie asked Søren if he would like to go to work with me, and he said, “No!” He was much more entertained by my getting mad at other drivers.

Søren was proud of himself after we got back from the vet. He did good.

Nora was in her favorite spot tonight before taking off to find food for Walter and Willa. We did not see or hear Osric tonight.

Willa on a branch far away, peeking over a twig at us.

Walter on a branch about six feet below where Willa was perched.

Walter

Willa flapping and hopping her way down to Walter.

Willa eagerly looking for Nora to bring her dinner. Walter just looking.

Willa

Sunset

¡Hasta la Vista! Babies!

Walter’s tail among the tatones in a different tree from yesterday.

We couldn’t find Walter and Willa in their cottonwood tree this afternoon. And for good reason. They were not in it. They had both flown to the tree to the west of their tree. It will be very hard to see them at dusk from now on.

Nora napping way up high in the cottonwood west of the tree she nested in.

Willa sacked out after making the flight to the new tree.

Western Tanager

Swallow, House Finch, Robin

Mother’s Day Flowers

Silver napping

Marina’s Incognito Pear tree has become rather sculptural.

Sunset

Solar Storm

Dawn

Flower storm

Sunset

Hint of the solar storm at 8:30 PM

When I walked out at One after 9:09, the lower part of the sky looked clear to my naked eye. But through the camera, I could see the solar storm.

The sky was purple, looking north.

The sky, looking west.

Sasha and Silver were impressed

Devilish Similarities

Dawn

I am getting so frustrated with WordPress’s constant idiotic changes I am ready to stop blogging. The issues the developers introduce are not worth the frustration of trying to comment, reply to comments, and put posts together. I just don’t need the added frustration right now.

Like the rest of our house, where there is little difference between outside and inside, so it goes with the temperature.

Yes! That is a badger about 15 feet from me listening to what I have to say.

When it first saw us, it hunkered down, but then as I talked to it lifted its head up to listen.

I got close to the minimum focus distance of 11 feet for the Bazooka lens on this shot. The badger looks like, “Yeah! Yeah! Ahuh! You’re so full of crap, paparazzo!”

Sunset

Sandias and Rio Grade at dusk

Sliver moon in the clouds.

Flowers, Skies & Owls

Nora Owl in on of her favorite spots. She was not hooting a grocery list to Osric tonight.

Meanwhile, Osric was hanging out on his gate when he got the urge to upchuck a pellet.

Walter was chilling and giving me Maddogs on a lower branch.

Willa was hanging out near the end of a branch about 10 feet above Walter.

Sunset

Splish Splash, Birdie Taking A Bath…

…along about a Saturday night!

I caught Jack Sparrow taking a bath in the irrigation ditch.

Dip. Flap and flutter. ¡Hasta las vista! Paparazzo!”

A Lesser Goldfinch was banging a seed on the branch to get it open and then holding it in its beak before it flew off. Click on photos to enlarge.

Western Bluebird and a Flycatcher

Blue Heron. Blue day. Bird shots going my way!

Willa and Walter trying to get a little shuteye this morning.

The many faces of Willa

Sunset

A Few Blooms

Iris are blooming

Honeysuckle. The out layer.

Osric on the gate listening as Nora hoots him a grocery list.

Willa and Walter were in the nest tonight. Willa ignored me for a long time.

“Oh! Hey there, Paparazzo! And there’s la Paparazza! Is that mama I hear?”

Sunset

Reflecting The Light Fantastic

Sunset

Light reflections on the wall

Willa had a grumpy look because Walter was out of the nest tonight. I could not get a photo of him out of the nest because of branches and leaves blocking my focus. I walked down the bank through the leaves to see if I could get a clear shot of Walter out of the nest. I couldn’t, but all the noise I made scared him, and he belly-flopped back into the nest. The second and third photos show Walter peeking around the edge of the nest. Nora Owl was hooting a grocery list for Osric, but we did not hear any response from Osric. He was still out shopping.

Mostly Birds

The Rio Grande is flowing high and fast.

This House Finch was really red in the harsh morning sun.

Two House Finches and a Gold Finch

Walter gave me Round eyes this morning.

Willa was sleepy

Nora was sleeping this morning, as well. Osric was nowhere to be seen.

Turkey Vulture

Willa was still sleeping in the evening. Walter ducked down in the nest.

Osric was on a gate waiting for Nore to give him a shopping list.

Not only are the Alpacas shaved, wet, and cold, but the flies are also bothering them.

Side view of Osric on the gate

Our guard hummingbird followed us down to see the owls.

Sunset