More 2009 Favorites III

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White ibis
Taken February 2009
San Bernard NWR


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Laughing gull
Taken February 2009
Port Lavaca, Texas

More 2009 Favorites II

A couple more favorites

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Long-billed curlew
Taken February 2009
Aransas Pass, Texas


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Willet
Taken February 2009
Surfside Beach, Texas

Some Favorites from 2009

Thought I would, for the next few days, post a few of my favorites from last year.

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American white pelican
Taken February 2009
Fulton, TX


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Brown Pelican
Taken February 2009
Port Aransas, TX

Happy New Year!

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Sunrise on the way to Quivira NWR
Taken in November 2009

May 2010 and the new decade bring you and yours
Excellent health
Adequate wealth
Nothing but National Geographic quality photos
Birds and critters that pose like professional models

Happy Thanksgiving

Try to remember to take a moment amidst the hubub of family and friends, and cooking, and all the rest of the "stuff", to give thanks for all your blessings.

Have a Wonderful Memorial Day Weekend

Unlearned Lesson

Memorial Day
Of every year
The little valiant
Flags appear
On every fallen
Soldier's grave--
Symbol of what
Each died to save.
And we who see
And still have breath--
Are we no wiser
For their death?

Dorothy Brown Thompson

That's My World-Twin Lakes Wildlife Management Area

When I got Miz Winnie(photo in sidebar) from Basset and Beagle Rescue of the Heartland in November last year she did not like to get in the car. She was okay once she was in the car, but getting her in was problematic. Since I don't abide dogs that don't like to go in the car, I immediately set out to change that. There is a McDonald's about a half mile from the house, so every morning I went through drive through for my breakfast. It was a quick in and out of the car and it soon accomplished it's purpose. She now thinks she has the dog given right to go with me every time I go.

This morning I went for breakfast and when we got home she didn't want to get out of the car, so I left the car door open and came in the house and she soon joined me. When I went back out to close the car door, she was back in the car. So I decided that her idea on how to spend the day was better than mine (vacuuming, etc.), so off we went. Decided to go to Twin Lakes.

I saw a fair number of birds including this first of year Grasshopper sparrow. (Photo cropped)



There were a fair number of butterflies around some flowering bushes. Saw my first of year Monarchs, Silver-spotted Skippers and much to my delight I saw a White-Lined Sphinx Hummingbird Moth. They are difficult to photograph because their wings go at about the same speed as a hummingbird. This one stayed well out of range of my macro lens, but I snapped a couple anyway and one turned out fairly well(photo cropped)



Another photo (this one was taken at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area in August last year)


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All in all, it's obvious that Miz Winnie had the best idea for how to spend the day, however, I suspect that I'm going to need to do some reverse training regarding "going for a ride in the car"!

Take a tour around the world via your computer by visiting That's My World!

Today's Flowers

I was headed to Maxwell Arboretum hoping to find some Columbine blooming. As I passed the Nebraska Game and Parks Building I saw a lovely garden of blooming Columbine.







See other flowers from around the world

Today's Flowers

The lilacs are blooming


So are the crabapples


And so is the geranium tuberosum


All photos taken at Maxwell Arboretum

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Camera Critters-Northern Bobwhite

Out at Branched Oak Lake this week I saw this pretty lady. Her gentleman friend was with her when I came upon them, but I had the lens cover on the lens and by the time I rectified that little problem he was gone. I don't believe I had ever noticed how stubby the tail of a bobwhite was before.





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