Archive for the ‘Binoculars & Optics’ Category
Sailing
When I think of sailing, I picture water, boats - sail boats, that is. Today however, as the sun gleamed and brighted, there was one of the clearest views I have ever enjoyed of birds sailing over head and over the hill and field abouve my house. There was a hawk, too high to identiful and sea-gulls. They were gliding and sailing about in the graceful way.
It seems quite wierd to me, as I do not live anywhere near the ocean, but we have oodles of sea gulls. I have been noticing more and more of them especially over the wide open parking lots, and today was the first I saw them sailing and drifting over my back yard. Due to the presence of the hawk, there were absolutely no other birds, and for once it just fine. What a beautiful sight.
I am always happy to have my binoculars close at hand at times like theses.
Building Nests In Your Hair
You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair. Chinese Proverb
Chinese proverbs are filled with profound wisdom. This one churned up memories of when the birds of sorrow found their way into my life. Do you let them build nests in your hair? They played havoc with my mood, my productivity, my relationships, my job - every aspect of my life.
Are you letting the birds of sorrow spread dark clouds on your day - your life? Wanna know what my anticdote is? Gratitude. I think of everything I can for which I am grateful. I name them, and thank God for them. Then I play music - happy music. I take the controls and choose my mood.
Try it - it works when you focus on the good and the positive - the good and positive are the outcome!!
Try birdwatching. Grab the binoculars and go for a walk. Listen to there glorious and happy songs of the birds. Choose your mood for the day and make it a happy one.
At Least One A Day
I hope I’m not being too repetitive here. The aggrivation, the awe of it is just worth talking about.
When I look out into my backyard, I expect to see some bird activity somewhere. And, when I look out, and see absolutely none, then I automatically reach for my trusty binoculars, knowing full well what I am going to see at the other end.
The imposing presence of a red tailed hawk is what I find. He’s not doing anything. He is just perched on the fence or the tree top simply being present. It amazes and awes me every time that the finches, snow birds, chickadees and cardinals know he is there and won’t come to play in the yard at the bird feeders. The hawk presents a threat to all of them, and they sense that and stay tucked safely away in their hiding places. Isn’t mother nature just amazing?
Super Snowy
This is a Snowy Owl - he definitely fits right in here. I will have to learn about him and pass it on to you
I love the snow, and that’s a good thing right now. We have gobs of it and more on the way. Yesterday’s storm was the biggest one we have seen since we lived here. We got the driveway cleared so I could go to work yesterday, and today we cleared the sidewalks. It’s the law here that they be cleared within 24 hours of a storm.
Something posessed me before we walked out the door to grab the binoculars. I am always seeing things out in the front of the house and wishing for them. Most of my birdwatching at home is spent in the back of the house, but there is a lot going on in the front that I rarely have the opportunity to see. Well, the effort of carrying the binoculars was not wasted. I got to watch 2 bluebirds sitting high in a tree, and the treat of all treats which gave me hope for the days to come - a robin! According to Paxatawny Phil, the famous Pennsylvania groundhog, we are in for 6 more weeks of winter. Someone forgot to let the robin in on that little tidbit of news!!
First In, Last Out
Getting up early and taking inventory of the different birds who are dining at the bird feeders and suet feeder in my back yard has its advantages. With the huge amount of snow we have on the ground, we are inundated with my happy birds, the dark eyed juncos otherwise known as snow birds. They like every feeder - not picky at all.
The advantage in getting up early is seeing the first in. The cardinals are always here very early. I think they always travel in pairs too, and when you see the female, the male cardinal is always close by. This morning was no exception, only there were 3 pairs just after dawn. They were on and under the platform feeder and the heated bird bath is the best investment I have made in years.
Cardinals do not seem to like the tube feeders. They seem to like something solid under their feet. They love the safflower seed that I scattered on the snow for them. We got about 16 inches of snow and it is so much fun to watch them. From an inventory point of view they should be the last ones here this evening too and I can’t wait. The splash of color on the white is a true picture to behold.
Inspiration
“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.” Lanston Hughes
What an awesome thought. And the best part is we can choose to hold on to them. So next chance you get, grab your binoculars and focus on the birds in flight around you, and follow them into your dreams.
A Sign Of Spring
I didn’t get here last evening. My hubby was quite sick with a bug and family first, always. Now this morning I discovered the reason - there is always a reason when life’s events take me away from this blog.
The binoculars have been out all morning. A sign of spring? I rather doubt it because they are predicting snow a bit later this week. But, this is a glorious, bright sunshiny morning and the birds were having a ball. So why the binoculars? High atop the red Maple tree sat a robin, and right next door in the branches of the bradford pear tree sat 3 beautiful bluebirds.
Some might say that the robin is indeed a sign of spring, but we do see them here quite frequently in the winter. They stay close to the wooded areas, where there is protection and cover, and near water where they can find soil that is not frozen to find their insects and worms. The bluebirds are year-round residents and are regular visitors to my back yard. I never tire of seeing them in the trees, on the fence, under the bird feeders foraging around on the ground and of course at the mealworm feeder.
A Ray Of Bright Sunshine
I had to grab the trusty bird watching binoculars this afternoon to watch more closely as a northern flicker fully engage himself in the seed in the platform feeder. I have gotten quite used to seeing northern flickers combing the ground and at the caged suet feeder, but their presence in the platform feeder is rare for me to see.
Such a large and stately bird - he was a ray of sunshine on a semi-gray winter day.
The Better To See You With
Bet you already know my topic for today. The title just plain gives it away. I wear glasses, mostly because I can’t read without them. So if that isn’t what you thought I was talking about today then you are right. Fooled you, didn’t I?
Actually, I just wanted to emphasize briefly today how my bird watching binoculars enhance my bird watching experiences. If you have never seen the birds going in and out of the caged bird feeder under the magnification of binoculars, then you have been missing out on a real thrill. If you have never seen an eagle or even a hawk in flight through the lenses of binoculars, then you have been missing out on one of the most graceful performaces of all time. So you get the picture, I am sure. The binoculars really round off the overall bird watching experience. I hope you have a pair and I hope they are never far from your reach, so when the time comes, you are armed and ready to see some of the most exciting events that mother nature has to offer.
Stops Them In Their Tracks
There isn’t too much that will keep the birds away at this time of year. Those that chose to stick around through the winter, and those that migrated here from further north are always here. I sometimes think that I am the only one who feeds them for miles and miles there are so many of them. They cling to the caged tube feeder even when the wind turns it sideways. There is hardly a moment in the day when I can look out and see no activity.
So, it was a bit eery this morning when at an hour that things are normally at the height of feeding activity and there is a solid carpet of birds, there was not one in sight. Out came the trusty bird watching binoculars to see what I could find out, and lo and behold I spotted two Red-tailed hawks sitting at the very top of two trees in the yard. I do think the finches, bluebirds, juncos, doves and titmice decided to stay out of site. I was a pretty impressive site, but as soon as the hawks had flown away, the carpet of birds just came right back and resumed their feast.