Wait. Its Autumn?

I know autumn has arrived, but It still feels like summer in the Pacific Northwest.  We’re enjoying sunny days close to 70º, calm with no wind or rain.  I will not like saying good-bye to my daily hikes in the Columbia River Gorge where I live and work as these lovely days finally come to an end.

The photos in this post are from my daily bird sightings in the forest behind my garden and along the Columbia River.  Many birds have migrated south but many remain here through the winter.  Above, a Pileated woodpecker flies overhead.

On the wings of change…eagles have returned to the Columbia River while osprey have left.

Herons are more easily found along many of our rivers right now.  I don’t know if this heron was dancing for joy because he caught a fish…or looking for a mate.

I’ve enjoyed the challenge of photographing a pair of Red-breasted sap suckers all summer in addition to several woodpeckers….

…like this Lewis’s Woodpecker – an exciting first sighting for me.

Another first sighting this summer for me was a Townsend’s Solitaire that I saw in September.

I managed to catch up to this flicker before he flew off – the top photo shows him flying away.

I think the western bluebirds may be gone now, but for awhile they were plentiful.

I’ve fallen behind in my garden blog but I’ll catch up – when dreary weather forces me back indoors.

Thanks for stopping by!

Birds, Butterflies, September Flowers

Chickadee on my glass birdbath, looks like I’d better fill it.

Skipper Butterfly on Verbena bonariensis.  I love the detail my new camera captures.

Pink Gaura is a favorite in my garden.

Red Breasted Nuthatch in my weeping cherry tree.

Eastern Tailed Blue Butterfly drinking from an aster.  I’m learning about butterfly species!

Pink Hydrangea – it’s my only hydrangea blooming at the moment.

Rufous Sided Towhee perched on a sprinkler head as I stalked him.

Bumblebee imbibing in a sunflower.

I love this single rose – surprising since I usually go for the big fluffy varieties.

Looks like it’s time for a Liquid Fence application.  Before my pears are completely harvested by deer.

Checkerspot butterfly(?) drinking from a lavender aster.

My blue Veronica blooms earlier, then comes a paler pink and finally this beautiful ‘red’.

Steller’s Jay kicking fir cones.

Painted Lady Butterfly on Verbena bonariensis looks like a lollypop!

And a sunny Sunflower just makes me happy.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

September: A New Month, A New Camera

Rudbeckia.

What  joy!  My new camera is a Nikon D5100.  I have a HUGE learning curve ahead of me.

Cosmos.

I love my Nikon CoolPix P80, but sometimes wished for something that would really capture what I was seeing.  Back in the days of 35 mm film I had a great Nikon AF camera with zoom and macro lenses, but it was heavy and I like the weight and freedom of my point & shoot P80.  Knowing the difference between the two, it is at times frustrating when I miss a shot because my camera won’t engage as quickly or see as clearly or get as close as I’d want to be.

Hollyhock.

September is my birthday month and I pooled all my resources (family) to go in together for one gift.  For my birthday AND Christmas.  The one gift I’ve been wanting but denying myself for over a year.  And could I please have it early?

Clerodendrum.

Although I think I got some pretty good shots with a point and shoot, I cannot wait to see what I get with my new camera.  I can see the difference just with these first ‘fooling around’ photos.  The clarity.  The immediacy of the shutter release.  The fact that I did very little editing – mostly just cropping.

Steller’s Jay at Feeder, shot through the kitchen window.

If you don’t see me for awhile you’ll know why!  Or I might have to post even more photos than before!  A new adventure begins!!

Thanks for stopping by!