Spring Sneak Peek.

This isn't the time of year yet that I can post brilliantly colored flowers and blooming trees. It's that in-between time of seasons, like early winter where the leaves are gone but it hasn't snowed yet. But this time, we get to have summer to look forward to!
The last week in New England has been "driving with the top down" weather...not that I have a convertible, but, I would if I did. So I do the next best thing and open my sunroof.

Even with temps in the high 60's, the flowers are still not blooming this early in the season...just peeks of little daffodil leaves here and there, no yellow yet. So we're left with the simple beauty of sunlight and nature..and feet in the sand at the beach...

Aaaand the birds are out. I'm hearing the babies are already being hatched, too. There is a nest of sparrows right next to where I park my car but I can't get a photo without really disturbing the babies.

Robins...always easy to spot, cheerfully chirping, and seem to like posing for photos, too.

At dawn the sunlight hits the budding branches just perfectly. My house is four floors high so this is my view every morning. Well, presuming I wake up at dawn.

House sparrow, above, on the right. These are the birds that are nesting near my house and next to my car. They are very cute but their loud chirping does remind me that I am NOT a morning person.

Hope you are all enjoying the rising temps in the U.S.... and I do have some friends who are now enjoying the colors of Autumn, so it's always great to see those photos filling my reader and facebook, too.  :)
Mary

Fun with Birds and my new lens!

I've been toting around my new 300mm lens on weekends for those "what kind of bird is that?" sightings and occasional public bird feeder fun. Before I got this I was struggling to make out blurry blobs taken with my 105mm- so not enjoyable. I'm still learning, but it's incredibly hard to photograph birds! Anyway here are some of my shots from the last two weeks, species and location.

Tufted Titmouse, Mystic, CT

Red-tailed Hawk, Mystic, CT

Downy Woodpecker, birdfeeder at the Nature Center, Mystic, CT

Mourning Dove (sleepy!), Mystic, CT

Male Northern Cardinal, Trustom Pond, Charlestown, RI

Female Northern Cardinal, Trustom Pond, Charlestown, RI

Squirrel, stealing all the bird seed, feeders at the Trustom Pond welcome center, Charlestown, RI

Northern Mockingbird (thanks, Kristy!), South Kingstown, RI

White-throated sparrow, Trustom Pond, Charlestown, RI

American Starlings, at the Equinox Diner, Mystic, CT (yummy burgers there, BTW)

Mourning Dove, Mystic, CT

Nuthatch doing a tap dance, Mystic, CT

Black-capped Chickadee, Watchaug Pond, Charlestown, RI

Great Horned Owl, rescue inside the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Mystic, CT

Downy Woodpecker (I think!), Nature Center, Mystic, CT

I also got to see my first ....Mole, crawling out of the ground near Trustom Pond. It was like a little gray mouse, but I couldn't see its face, he came out for some fallen birdseed and then disappeared... Not sure what kind of mole this is....  Here is the little guy...