Serene Scenery Sunday

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie, here with Serene Scenery Sunday.  I have some photos for you that Mom took yesterday out at Tuttle Creek State Park - and one on the way home - that will hopefully make you feel all kinds of wonderful inside.  It was a hot, hot, hot, humid day.  Mom and our friend Beth saw all kinds of cool birdies, and were delighted to see a couple Green Herons (not common!) and Kingfishers.  Unfortunately, those would be "the ones that got away".  Mom mumbled something about them not playing nice and other non-serene things ... so we'd better get right to what DID hold still for her.  Ready?

First up, a dragonfly:

Widow Skimmer

You know right away the birds are giving Mom a hard time if she's shooting dragonflies.  Just saying.  Moving right along ...

Here's a birdie who held still for a few seconds!

Eastern Kingbird

And shooting through the leaves ...

Female Baltimore Oriole

Here's a tiny Nuthatch, having a bad feathers day:

White Breasted Nuthatch

High in the branches of a dead tree, Mom spotted this guy:

Immature Redheaded Woodpecker

She only knew he was a baby Redheaded Woodpecker because before she could fire off another shot, he took off and joined his family:

Adult Redheaded Woodpecker on top of the utility pole, one juvenile climbing up the pole, and our friend off on the right

Here's another juvenile bird - this one is a bluebird:

Immature Eastern Bluebird

Aren't all of his speckles pretty?  Maybe that's why he wouldn't turn around and face the camera.  He was showing off his pretty markings.  I'll have to remember that excuse ...

The only semi-cooperative heron was this one Great Blue, up in a tree:

Great Blue Heron at Willow Lake

Here's another shot of him:

"It was my day to hold still for you; how did I do?"

He at least held still, but he was mighty far away, according to Mom.

On the way out of the park, Mom stopped to shoot some sunflowers:

Hairy Sunflowers

Mom said she had a great time seeing Beth and walking around the park with her, but the birds (especially the Kingfishers and Green Herons) frustrated her.  Perhaps that's part of why she really appreciated seeing this guy on the way home:

Immature Red Tailed Hawk

He held still and everything!  What a nice birdie!

As for me and Maggie - did we mention it was a hot, hot, hot, humid day?  This is what we did while Mom was out at Tuttle Creek:

"Have fun, Mom.  Don't forget your water.  We'll be here in the air-conditioned house if you need anything."
"I'll keep Maggie out of trouble. Don't forget to douse yourself in bug spray.  Tell Beth hello for me."

It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

If you'd like to see any more photos from yesterday's shoot, please click here to visit the set on Flickr.

Have a wonderfully serene Sunday!

Cammie