The 11th is the new moon, but this is the last moonrise of the first moon of 2021 that I will see.
5% waning crescent moon 6:15 am February 9, 2021.
Pensive owl
Tag: birds
Penultimate Moon Morning
The second to the last moon before the new moon.
18% waning crescent moon 6:25 am February 8, 2021.
X marks the spot
View from South Bend at 5:20 pm tonight.
Owls with their ear tufts blowing in the wind this afternoon.
Suffering Succotash, Birds!
“Suffering succotash! Do I see birds?”
18% waning crescent moon February 7, 2021
Top of The Tangle heart pTerodactyl Tommee Towhee morning To ya
“What’s that title? Alliteration on steroids?”
“Hey! Paparazzo! Incoming!”
“There’s the Tangle Heart Tree.”
“Here goes. Geronimo!”
Tree got in the way.
Nice landing. “Thanks!”
pTerodactyl on the Tangle Heart Tree.
Is that a branch or are you happy to see me?
“It’s a branch, Paparazzo. Get your mind out of the drainage ditch!”
“Oops! Don’t mind me. Just flying by.”
Tommee Towhee was hopping from branch to branch having Russian olives for breakfast.
A quarter moon with Swiss crater-style cheese, please. 25.4% waning crescent February 6, 2021.
Of Cloudscapes and Cats
The clouds over the Sandias this morning made beautiful cloudscapes, some with rainbow colors made by the rising sun reflecting off ice crystals in the thin clouds. Other clouds cast shadows as the sun rose above them.
Sasha
Silver
Loki
Spunk
Gwendolyn
Intermission
Marble
Ice crystals reflecting colors in the clouds.
Glenda
Moon in the western sky before sunrise.
Moon behind Mama Owl before sunrise
Mama Owl at sundown
Daddy Owl watching the birds flit around below him at sunset.
Mama Owl hopped over to another branch so I could get a shot of her from the levee after sunset.
First Full Moon of 2021
The clouds were still hanging low behind the Sandias when the first full moon of 2021 rose cost to 6:00 pm tonight. Between the brightness of the full moon and the clouds, my lenses had trouble finding a sharp edge to get a sharp focus. I miss the old days when I could dial a lens to infinity and the moon would be in focus. I didn’t have to deal with finding edges in bright objects to focus on.
Mama Owl sunny side up
Uncropped photo taken from the irrigation ditch bank right under the owls just before sunset.
Cropped photo of Owls taken after sunset from the levee near the Tangle Heart tree.
Lavender Mist
We got about an inch of snow last night. The sun came out and melted most of the snow even though the high temp was only around 35ºF. The clouds broke up for a very short time this evening, allowing me to get a shot of the moon through the lavender mist†.
†Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist) is a masterpiece by Jackson Pollock: https://www.nga.gov/collection/highlights/pollock-number-1-1950-lavender-mist.html
Thinking About Snowing
A dusting of snow on the Sandias
Following in someone’s footsteps
Snow on trees. Towers in the clouds.
Southwestern sky
Not so lonely dove
Snow is forecast
Owls were well hidden tonight
The moon is starting to get full of itself
Alpaca la Mañana Tuya
Dawn this morning
The morning started off mostly cloudy, and clouds blew around overhead all day long producing some interesting skies. In the late afternoon, we had dramatic pre-storm light. It’s overcast and raining this evening, so no moonshot tonight.
“¡Hola! Buenos Días. Me llamo Cara de Calavera (Skull Face).”
Blanca: “¿Qúe pasa? Cara de Calavera.” Cara de Calavera: “Hay un paparazzo en el dique.”
Blanca: “Oye paparazzo, ¿qué pasa?” Me: “¡Disparándote con mi Bazooka!”
Wild morning sky
Susan Hunter identified this bird as a Song Sparrow. It was foraging on the river’s edge.
Pre-storm dramatic light on the cottonwoods.
Robin
Another Robin
And yet another Robin.
How many robins can you find in this tree?
Pre-storming
The many faces of Tommee Towhee.
The Lonesome Dove
Mama Owl and Daddy Owl trying to get some rest after a night of really hooting it up.
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.
Off Center & Not Even 