Looking back over this long winter, now that spring is here, I thought I would pick a few pictures that would represent the early weeks of this transition.
The waxwings were taken during an early spring snowstorm that my heavy-duty snow thrower barely budged.
As plentiful as cardinals are here near the 45 parallel they seem to be a tough bird to catch in an interesting pose. It would be a blast to finally get a good picture of one in flight. They hang tough all winter.
I was leaving for work one morning in Detroit when the moon was just setting. There were blackbirds perched on the power wires making a racket. Spring was in the air and the sight caught my eye.
The wires I imagine as a crazy music staff with the whole note moon and quarter note crow resting on the space above the top line suggesting a long G tone which is the original key of the Beatles song "Blackbird."
Such are the thoughts of a free associative mind!
There in the clutter you'll see the strange visitor we spotted yesterday in the alley across from the firehouse. One very bright firefighter remembered it was a Guinea-fowl before the Iphone jockey's could google the information up. Hooray for her. But what of the mystery? Has this African insect and seed eating bird also found the vacant lots of Detroit a perfect homesteading choice? If so, remember you heard it here first!
Now it's time for World Bird Wednesday!
This is the home of World Bird Wednesday. A place for bird photographers from around the world to gather and share their photographs and experiences as they pursue Natures most diverse and beautiful treasurers, the birds.
World Bird Wednesday will be open for posting at 12 noon Tuesday EST North America through midnight on Wednesday.
You are invited to link your blog with other bird photographers in a weekly celebration of these most diverse and intriguing of Earth's residents, the BIRDS.
#1. Simply copy the above picture onto your W.B.W. blog entry. It contains a link for your readers to share in WBW. Or you can copy this link on to your blog page to share W.B.W. http://pineriverreview.blogspot.com/
#2. Come to The Pine River Review on Tuesday Noon EST North America through Wednesday midnight and submit your blog entry with Linky.
#3. Check back in during the course of the next day and explore these excellent photoblogs!
You don't have to be a Bird Watcher or expert photographer to join in--just enjoy sharing what you bring back from your explorations and adventures into nature.The idea of a meme is that you will visit each others blogs and perhaps leave a comment to encourage your compadres!
The thumbnails below are links to our contributors blogs where you can view their beautiful posts.
Come on it's your turn!
Love your photos- I wish we had cardinals here! My post this week isn't anything out of the ordinary, just my common visitors.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots, Springman! I always love to see waxwings, they are such characters! And that puffed up Cardinal is great!
ReplyDeleteYour header picture is superb!
ReplyDeleteAnd the Waxwing :)
Fabulous photos, Springman. I love the moon as a high-wire artist! The crow seems to be quite non-chalant about it. The male pheasant is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteSpringman, great shots! Isn't it amazing what one will see in the detritus of the city!
ReplyDeleteGet back to where you once belonged....:-)
ReplyDeleteFunny how these phrases hang about in one's head for decades and it only takes one word to stir back into life.
That cardinal is delightful.
jojo
Hi, this is my first contribution to WBW. Looks so fun so I just had to join :-)
ReplyDeleteLove your photos!
Gorgeous birds, gorgeous shots and what a fantastic spotting! I love Guinea Fowls, especially the Vulturine species.
ReplyDeleteloved the beatles reference...especially since i can't read music...
ReplyDeletepoor little guinea fowl!
Your header is absolutely stunning, the colors are magnificent. I am not a bird photogrpaher but Texwisgirl sent me here because i posted a few bird shots on my Fourpaws blog.
ReplyDeleteA few more birds on the wire and you would have the full chorus line ...lol.
ReplyDeleteI'm always amazed to see where certain 'exotic' species turn up for a free handout.
Moon on a Wire--Totally love it!!
ReplyDeleteGreat bird shots---the waxwing such a beauty and I know what you mean about the cardinal...get the ordinary in an extrodinary pose and its all brand new!! I saw some Guinea Fowl myself last week (my granny used to have them in her barnyard so I did know what they were) I hope they too have found refuge in the city--Imagine if Detriot could become a GreenBelt for Birds--what a turn around...Ya know the one and only Ring Necked Pheasant I saw out in the wilds was in BROOKLYN, NY so I think its a collective idea--but I have to ponder how they communicated that to each other or is it just a natural progression?
Love the Beatles...George was my fav!!
I JUST made a bogpost yesterday (didnt realize it was so close to Wednesday and Im traveling tomorrow) so Im gonna put a rush on a WBW post right now--
Stunning photographs. I am always jealous of people who can take a perfectly clear picture.
ReplyDeleteI like the way your free-associating mind works! And I'm glad you take pictures to document it. I'm not usually a fan of wires in pix -- but here it is just perfect (even before your perfect explanation). That cardinal is cute all puffed up to keep warm. And the waxwings are huge favorites. I'll await updates on the guinea fowl.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff as usual Springman. I wonder how long that guinea fowl will last up there in Detroit.
ReplyDeleteSeams that all your birds are posing for you and give you the opportunity use a stative while they are sitting still.
ReplyDeleteKnow this is not true. This is really great. By now, I know this is very well done!
Very creative! I love the music staff!
ReplyDeleteHello Springman, great birds! The Waxwings are one of my favorite birds. I also love your header and the guinea fowl is a cool sighting. Thanks for hosting WBW.
ReplyDeleteWow the cedar picture is just awesome! What a capture, and this red cardinal is just beautiful too.... Excellent job!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! Love the first one! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great group of pictures! I'd love to see Waxwings again (I saw them once). I really love the bird and the moon - reminds me of the song "Blackbird" (another Beatles reference) - one song I can play fairly well on the piano. Detroit is returning to the wilderness!
ReplyDeleteLove the waxwings in the snow.
ReplyDeleteWhoosh! Just a quick thought before I get back to this weeks phenomenal postings. Foremost, thank you very much for all the kind comments. As everyone knows it's these little blurbs of recognition and shared community that provides the energy for the creative endevours such as we find collected here on Wednesdays. That something like WBW works is a wonderful tribute to the creative spirit that links all of us who participate.
ReplyDeleteI am filled with the wonder of it today!;-)WBW
Springman, You must be a very patient man to take such excellent photos. The full moon on the power line with a crow gave me chills!
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if the African bird escaped from a zoo near where you are? I saw many in Kenya on my recent trip there. I've blogged about my Kenyan trip and all the wild animals (and a few birds like the one you have above) in case you're interested.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots all Dave! Gorgeous Waxwings, beautiful male Cardinal and the Blackbird and moon with the wires is awesome!
ReplyDeleteGuinea Fowl are amazing birds. They hatch huge clutches (sometimes 20 young or more) and can survive almost anywhere. I wouldn't be surprised if they took over Detroit! We used to have them for grasshopper control. They are very speedy birds, especially the chicks.
The cardinals beautiful and I love your music score! Are guineafowl native to your country? We have them here all over Africa. Have a great birding day! Greetings from Jo, East Africa
ReplyDeleteHello Springman, so nice to be here! As you surely understand I am most fascinated to see the birds as artistic object, I think they are beautiful and I really wish to take a part in showing the birds on my photos. I love the cardinal (what colours!) but the blackbird, power wires and the moon is touching my heart most of all.
ReplyDeleteStunning Waxwings. Great images of your beautiful birds.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful series... I've never seen Waxwings in our area and have yet to get a decent image of one... and yours has TWO beautiful birds in it! And the Cardinal with feathers fluffed is marvelous as is the Blackbird on a wire with the full moon. I too, as others before me have noted, enjoyed the musical reference. You definitely have an imaginative mind and a great way with words to share your imagination with us!
ReplyDeleteLove the way your mind thinks with the G note.
ReplyDeleteWhat a stroke of luck capturing the last bird! Great shots as always.It`s almost like you can read the cardinal`s mind....boy it`s cold out here...phyllis
Waxwings are a real treat - but not in sunny Australia!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment about my "words" (as well as the pictues) - if you have the time (or the interest) you can find more of my words on my other blog at : http://payingreadyattention.blogspot.com/
A number of people have told me that they like the post called "Beachcombing"
Cheers - Stewart M
Great capture! I love all of them!
ReplyDeleteThere are packets of seeds called birdhouse gourds.I`d mail you the seeds if I had your address.Gourds take a long growing season though.Here in Pa I put the seeds out as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteI carve a little hole where they can go in with a little knife I use for carving pumpkins,if it`s not the right size the birds will peck to make it bigger.Always put a couple of tiny pinpoint holes in the bottom for drainage in case you get downpours your little babies don`t get wet.phyllis
A nice pictorial introduction to the seasonal transition..... it is sometimes lost in the excitment of the change, especially from the cold winter months, some wonderful images you picked to depict it Spingman.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous Waxwings photo! (Well, all of the photos are beautiful!)
ReplyDeleteI am a new follower and look forward to participating in the WBW this Wednesday.
Marissa @
Life On Our Side Of The Mountain
They hatch large clutches which enable it to survive nearly anywhere. I wouldn't be amazed if they took more than Detroit!
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