1/02/2012

These are a Few of My Favourite Things

I would love to soar above the earth, free to follow the breezes. Untethered. Accountable only to myself, or my baser instincts. But Free. As a bird.
I don't know why I feel this way, only that I do. And that one of my greatest life pleasures is being outdoors, watching birds.
This hobby passion has taken me all over North America and parts of the Caribbean, and now is the primary reason we travel. To see new birds. Yes to see new places and meet new people and have new experiences, too. But, those of you who share this addiction know. It gets in your blood.
I have over 25 bird guides/books, 50+ bird sculptures and miscellaneous pieces of bird art, four pairs of binoculars, 10 feeders, an account at the local feed store (!)...well, you can see that it is a pretty major part of my life.
Over the past few years, since starting this blog, I carry a camera with me (as well as binoculars) and I now have several hundreds or thousands of photos. Which I have decided to start culling and organizing a little...starting today.
So here are my favourite bird shots of 2011...no particular commentary, just that each and every photo is a memory of a small, feathered thrill that left me smiling.
Funny. As I age, I can't remember what I had for breakfast, or what we did on the weekend -but I can remember  taking every single one of these photos!





















2011 was a wonderful year, birding mainly along the routes and rivers of the Ottawa Valley, and along the eastern seaboard, from Connecticut to Long Island, Delmarva, Cape May, South Carolina and all parts in between
enjoying many flights of pure fancy!

11 comments:

Manson said...

You are so RIGHT ON! The feelings and memories of bird sightings are so easily recalled.

Susan Ellis said...

Have to say Manson, that you're one of the people who got me hooked on birding! Thank you!!

faye said...

great photos... sadly this winter there are very few migratory birds here in North Central Florida...
I miss the little critters.!

Unknown said...

Looks like you had a wildlife filled year, love that Barred Owl.

Lo said...

So glad you found me and enabled me to find you. I am a bird nut but of a different kind.......can't travel so I try to attract as many as I can to my garden. Have the fattest hummingbirds in the word.

tess stieben said...

I am enjoying your blog and images. I can relate to how birding tends to sneak up on one and take over. I used to paint people portraits and now I spend hours looking, viewing and photographing birds. Last year we replaced our feeder with a larger one and this year we have two out. We have been out spotting Snowy Owls south of Edmonton this winter. I posted some images on my blog. Birds are a joy to behold. Hugs!

Murr Brewster said...

Oh man--I still don't have a good pileated (just a flash in the woods), and they've lived everywhere I have. I have woodpecker envy. Now I'm going to make a point of finding some bird tomorrow that you might not have. This does not speak well of me.

Happy new year, Susan!

Anonymous said...

Great photos. You must have patience.

Dave said...

I know what you are saying. I'm an addict, too. Nice pics.

Kelly said...

...LOVE that Barred Owl! I had to laugh...I can't remember what I had for breakfast, but I can remember exactly where I was and what I was thinking when I look at my bird photos! Funny...

Unknown said...

Cool collection of bird pictures, I particularly like the images of the owl and the woodpecker peeping from behind the tree...Thomas