Swede1952

Good morning. 🐿️🐿️🐿️

6 August 2025

Yesterday, I finally took the time to mount my new bird feeder atop the post in the middle of the yard. I shored up the post with some short cedar pieces I picked up from Lowe’s ages ago. Funny thing—they’ve been sitting in the backyard shed for years, just waiting for me to get around to it. Kind of like the computer behind me, close enough to touch, with a new fan ready to be installed. I procrastinate sometimes.

Truth is, I take my leisure time more seriously than I used to. My philosophy? If you own a recliner, you’d better use it—otherwise, it’s just going to waste. That’s an important truth, straight from the Drama Llama.

“You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood. What mood is that? Last-minute panic.” — Bill Watterson

#morning #squirrel #EasternGraySquirrel #procrastination #BirdfFeeder #photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #leisure

Prehistoric

This is a magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens), likely a first-year juvenile, identifiable by its white head and breast. I just realized—I’m not sure I’ve ever seen an adult. I’ll have to go back through my photos and take a closer look.

By order of the Galactic Empire, your presence is commanded at my photo gallery:

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com/

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #MagnificentFrigatebird

Gentle Forager

This image captures an American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) foraging in the tranquil waters of the bayou at Sabine National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana.

Discover nature's fleeting moments through my lens—visit my photo gallery to see more.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com/

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #shsorebird #AmericanAvocet

Good morning, friends. 🌸💮🌻

5 August 2025

There aren’t a lot of restaurant choices where I live, but we do have a few. Whenever a new spot opens in town, it causes a bit of a stir—the biggest hoopla was when a Chili’s popped up near Walmart. That one gave the whole town a “we’ve arrived” kind of feeling. 😂

Yesterday, my wife and I grabbed lunch at a local Chinese buffet after a medical appointment. The best thing about buffets? No waiting. You walk in, grab a plate, eat, and head out—after paying the bill, of course. No waiting to order, no flagging down a server for the check. It’s all automatic, and the bill usually shows up just as you’re about ready to leave.

At this particular buffet, we always get fortune cookies. Mine always says the same thing, and I read it aloud at the table every time: “Your wife is a very lucky woman.” It never gets old.

“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” — James Beard

#morning #restaurant #flowers #floral #food #photo #photography

Peaceful Moment

Sometimes the light falls just right. This female ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) appears to pause—if only for a heartbeat—to bask in the sun’s warmth. Of course, it’s likely less a pause than a fleeting moment; these tiny marvels are rarely still for long. While I often photograph hummingbirds near my feeders, I especially treasure chances like this—when I can capture them in more natural surroundings. I took this particular shot some time ago. In addition to sipping nectar, ruby-throated hummingbirds also hunt small insects, adding a dash of protein to their delicate diets.

Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com/

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #RubyThroatedHummingbird

White Ghost of the Tide

This image captures a snowy egret (Egretta thula) I observed hunting in a tidal pool along the beach in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Explore a curated collection of heron and egret images in my photo gallery. Take a look!

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com/

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography#SnoyEgret #egret #heron

Whispers in White

This is a white gardenia flower (Gardenia jasminoides). I believe most gardenias are white, though there may be exceptions. Its petals are layered in a way that’s reminiscent of a rose—soft, spiraling, and full of quiet elegance. The background is dark, lending contrast to the bloom, but a few deep green leaves peek through, adding a subtle touch of life.

If you love flowers—or just enjoy discovering their beauty and names like I do—come explore my gallery of blooms captured in moments of wonder and curiosity.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com/

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #plants #flowers

Nature’s Drama Unfolds

In this image, a blue jay bursts into the frame, appearing poised to attack a smaller house finch. But the moment is less violent than it seems—the jay’s true aim is the perch atop a shepherd’s hook, where a bird feeder hangs just out of view below. The house finch, fully aware of her surroundings, is already in the process of yielding the perch, her posture calm and deliberate as she prepares to step aside.

Discover nature's fleeting moments through my lens—visit my photo gallery to see more.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com/

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #HouseFinch #BlueJay

Good morning, 🕊️🕊️🕊️

3 August 2025

Yesterday morning, while I was out filling the bird feeders, I happened to glance up toward the south and saw a lone pigeon flying as fast as it could in that direction. It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed something like this while tending the feeders. Several minutes later, a hoard of pigeons descended on the backyard. In my imagination, that lone pigeon had spotted the food and rushed off to alert the others—probably heading to Walmart, their usual hangout, which lies in the same direction. I like to think it gathered reinforcements and led them back. I don’t fill the feeders every day, partly to discourage the pigeons and squirrels, foolishly hoping they’ll forget about them.

“You have to accept the fact that sometimes you are the pigeon, and sometimes you are the statue.” —Claude Chabrol

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography#pigeons #RockPigeons #doves #RockDoves

Scarlet Star Cluster

These reddish flowers, known as Flame of the Woods (Ixora coccinea), are also called Scarlet Jungle Flame and Jungle Geranium. The photo captures a vibrant cluster of small, pinkish-red blossoms, each with four almond-shaped petals. Surrounding the flowers are elongated green leaves, tapering to a sharp point and adding contrast to the vivid blooms.

If you love flowers—or just enjoy discovering their beauty and names like I do—come explore my gallery of blooms captured in moments of wonder and curiosity.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com/

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #flowers

Blue Jay on Weathered Roof

Here’s a picture of a blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) perched on my old bird feeder. And when I say old, I mean it’s probably pushing twenty years—definitely time to move on. I’ve already ordered a replacement, but ambition is a limited resource around here. First I’ll need to remove the old feeder from the post, then install the new one. Honestly, the post itself could use some attention too. I get a little burst of motivation whenever I spot something that needs fixing, but it tends to come in short, unpredictable spurts.

If you're enchanted by images of blue jays and other captivating corvids, dive into my photo gallery for a visual treat! Take a peek:

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com/

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #corvids #BlueJay

Masked Acrobat

A few years ago, I captured this image of a Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis), suspended in a quiet moment of grace.

If you enjoy wildlife and nature photography, check out my photo gallery here:

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com/

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #CarolinaChickadee