Today I saw:

[NEWisc]

A few of the harbingers of spring in my area have appeared in the last couple of days. The sandhill cranes are back and the chipmunks are out filling their cheeks with sunflower seeds. And I've seen a few of the very first willow blooms.

[Sage]

Around Avon NY we found a Great Blue Heron colony!

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by Sage

He loves it! It's. a bigger audience for him! ! I hate it, get panic attacks!

I see.

I'm glad Jeff and tend to shop together when we have time....but I can't say I love it!

I do, however, love being able to walk out the back door to grab something from the garden instead of running to the store.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by Sage

Around Avon NY we found a Great Blue Heron colony!

I didn't know they lived in colonies! Wow! Now that would be a sight to behold...any pictures?

[dapjwy]

I *just* saw a bald eagle flying by! There I was at the computer reading what's new on Wildlife Gardeners, when I glanced out the window to my left, one room away; that is when I saw it. Being such a large bird it was no mistaking it even across about two acres. The tell-tale white on its head and tail let me immediately recognize what I was seeing. I jumped from the chair and ran to the kitchen window to get a better view--I'm sure the cats started at my sudden movement.

At the window, I got a better view, and instead of running back for the camera, I just enjoyed the sight. That is the longest and closest I've ever seen one. Had I got the camera, I'd likely have missed it all. Sorry no pics to share, but I feel I'm a better man for having seen it.

[Viceroy]

It is awesome that everything is beginning to wake up. I hope everyone is ready. I spent a little time away here recently. Here is my best Hummingbird photo to date, I believe it is a Green throated carib.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by Viceroy

Here is my best Hummingbird photo to date, I believe it is a Green throated carib.

W-Wow! That is beautiful. We only get ruby-throated hummingbirds here--not that I'm complaining. (They are my favorites--because that is what I grew up with.)

Surely you plan to enter that into the Photo of the Month contest, right?

[Bulucanagria]

Originally Posted by dapjwy

At the window, I got a better view, and instead of running back for the camera, I just enjoyed the sight. That is the longest and closest I've ever seen one. Had I got the camera, I'd likely have missed it all. Sorry no pics to share, but I feel I'm a better man for having seen it.

As much as I enjoy taking pictures of wildlife (you may have noticed), sometimes I like to leave the camera behind. I find that I get so wrapped up in documenting an encounter, that I don't really revel in it. Now later, when I see the resulting pictures, I quite often revel in it that much more by being able to focus on details that wouldn't be evident in real-time interaction. Occasionally though, I don't want to focus on the details. I want to drink in the whole experience, the gestalt of the forest or desert or shore. On those occasions I sometimes regret not having a camera to catch a special scene, but then the experience captures me again and I forget everything but the wonderful world I'm part of.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by Bulucanagria

As much as I enjoy taking pictures of wildlife... I find that I get so wrapped up in documenting an encounter, that I don't really revel in it...

Well stated. I'm sure it is always a trade off, but I'm glad I made the conscious decision to stay at the window and enjoy the entire flight across my field of vision...actually over/through our yard I think (memory is a fuzzy thing). I know that it would've made a great video--assuming I got back in time, powered up, and focused...or I could've missed the entire thing. ~smile~. I guess I did make he right decision.

[turttle]

We saw a bald headed eagle and a northern harrier over the marsh yesterday, no camera but binocs present. Beautiful! I didn't know they had bald headed eagles out here on the OBX.

My favorite sight so far, a blue-grey gnatcatcher.