Waiting

The warblers are arriving and I'm still waiting for the broken lens B&H sent me to be exchanged for a functioning one.  I am not a fan of their exchange policy.  Seems obvious to me now that it would have been better to just send it back and order the lens from someone else.  They seem to feel no pressure to hurry it up.  A three day wait (after they get the one I sent back) before they replace defective merchandise.  ARGH.  I called today to state my point of view, essentially that I paid for the lens and have gotten nothing but aggravation and lost shooting days.  Alas, the representative was not moved.  Keeping my fingers crossed that it actually goes out tomorrow.  But I am customer unsatisfied.  In the mean time I've been doing what I can with the short lens. 

Brown-headed Cowbirds

It's always fun to photograph rare or unusual birds like the warblers that come through only twice a year.  But this year I'm really turning my attention to the more common birds, particularly blackbirds.  These are my latest efforts to get photos of the Brown-headed Cowbirds display.  I imagine there are some cowbird paintings in my future.

My Favorite Tree

Snake and Bird

The snakes have been out in force for a week or so.  I can hear them slithering away from the trail as I walk by.  And see them everywhere. 

April 13

My mother recently read through my blog books and complained that "a person might not think you even have parents."  At the same time she objects strenuously to being photographed.  She finally agreed to allow ONE photograph (without flash since she has a brain tumor and the flash gives her a headache-another good reason for my camera that takes good photos at ISO 3200!)  So I took "one" photo in which I pushed down on the release button and whirled off about 30 shots.  Haha.  They are pretty awesome, a whole range of expressions, including one pretty awesome glare before she started laughing.  Unfortunately I also started laughing so some of them are blurry.  Anyway, I do have a mother and yesterday was her 66th birthday.

Missing Things

I took the top photo as a test shot and didn't notice the Mourning Dove until I got home.  I took the second photo with my new lens which sadly stopped working shortly after that and is on it's way back to B&H.  This whole camera situation has been a trial.  I swear the new lens stopped work 5 seconds after I told someone that I was "all set."  Hmph.

Feeder Update

I had a few new birds on my feeders recently.  The Harry Woodpecker (still waiting to get a photo not through the glass) and the Chipping Sparrow (totally adorable little bird.)  And not nearly as exciting but still fun to watch, the Catbird struggles to hang on.  The nuthatches (white and red breasted) will be leaving soon.  And one little guy, the Brown Creeper, hasn't been around since I moved the feeder off the tree.  I might need to do something about that. 

In Flight

Field Views

Of course everyone loves getting a nice clear shot of a bird (or whatever they are shooting.)  But the photos I really love are the ones like the first one.  Photos that block, obscure, frustrate.  Photos that allow the viewer to feel the sense of expectation, of searching, that I so enjoy when I'm out taking these pictures. 

Out for a Walk

I went out for a walk at Heinz on Friday to test out the new camera in my favorite location.  Bad news is that my 300mm lens is still stuttering and reving and, I guess, failing.  But the good news is that I love the new camera.  I'm still working out all the settings and options.  I have two "user" settings in additional to all the other goodies.  I haven't even tried to take a video yet.  So much to learn and try!

Emergent

I love these little plants.  There's something vulnerable or maybe animate about them.   I was asked a great question last night.  I'm keeping it for future gatherings.  "What is inspiring you these days?"  So much better than asking people what they are making which forces one to launch into a difficult and unsatisfying description of what ones work looks like.  The asker (wow.  In search of a more appropriate "word" I discovered "asker" is actually a word.  Could dictionary.com be lying to me??) teaches 5th grade and reported that she is inspired by the idea that every child deserves to have fun learning.  Perhaps we all deserve to enjoy the things we do.  April certainly is a good time to start enjoying yourself.

A Touch of Spring

New Start

After half a day of impossible anticipation my new camera arrived at 11:57am weighing 7.3lbs.  Well okay that's the weight of the box with it's extras but don't be surprised if I send out announcements for my new gender neutral baby.  The UPS guy faked me out around 9am when he stealthily dropped off my new bank card without hanging around to explain where my camera was and if it was really coming.  I nearly passed out.  Having been without a bank card for several days you'd think I would have been happy to have it.  But I just tossed it aside.  Despondent.  Seriously.  When he came back around noon the UPS guy explained that the card had to be delivered by 10am and the camera was too hard to get to at that time.  I forgave him.  But only because I was too distracted by my new box to care.  So at long last these are a few new photos (test photos if you will) from my new camera.  The spectacular thing about them is that they were taken with ISO 3200.  A setting my D80 didn't even have. 

Last Shots

These are the final shots from my Nikon D80 from the Toledo Zoo.  Sadly it died before we visited the 10 year old "baby" Louie (elephant) who put on quite a show, rolling a tire and standing up on his tippy toes to get hay.  Those moments you'll have to see with your mind's eye.  But as we speak I am waiting, eagerly and impatiently, for the delivery of the Nikon D7000 I ordered.  I've already been fooled by a trash truck and a Fed Ex van.  Oh, anticipation, it's killing me.

Lines

Pittsburgh

BCB (before camera broke) we were in Pittsburgh.  We explored the entire Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History.  Totally awesome but I didn't bring my camera inside. 

The Scanner

Finding ways to make images without a camera today.  Pansies might just be my favorite flower.