Like most days, I drove out to my parents to visit the "boys"(two collies of theirs). Anymore I just take my camera with, as too many times I see something I wish I had my camera for. Sometimes it's something in the sky(say a halo around the sun or something) or just something to do with the many animals around there.
While sitting at the computer I hear a "whack". I knew right away what it would be. It was loud enough I didn't figure the bird lived through it. One other time a bird broke its own neck trying to go through the window. It of course did not make it. So, I get up and go over to see the bad news. Sure enough, there was a small bird laying there. I guess it is a Dark-eyed Junco(thanks to a site visitor for that info). Every once in a while it would try to flop over but it wouldn't make it. Meanwhile Siss(one of their cats) was looking at it through the glass and meowing at it, but meowing nicely, which is not normal for her. Normally she is sitting there chattering at them all. I watched for a bit as it flopped over, never once lifting its head up. I thought for sure I'd have to put it out of its misery. Not wanting to do that quite yet I decided to pick it up. It couldn't stand nor pick its head up. It had its head on my fingers as it just leaned over forward. Its eyes would sort of open, but they didn't look very controlled.
I decide to try and give it some water, so I filled up a bowl. I leaned him over forward so his beak was in the water, but he didn't care. Then as I walked away he swallowed whatever was left in his mouth. It was a good sign. In the next few minutes he was starting to stand up a bit. Then after a few more he began to move his wings around a bit. He was now getting better and better quickly. I began to wonder if he'd try to take flight inside the house.
Half the reason I brought him in was it was freaking cold out. I think for them to stay warm they have to eat and crap on and on. (by the way, yes that is crap on my hand in the first picture) But anyway, I take him back out and set him in the bird feeder. He just stood there, not ready to fly yet. Then all the sudden he flies off, comes back around, and almost hits the fence, ending back on the porch. I went back inside and soon after he flew away. Now he can fly around and be free, until the neighboor kids take him out with their bb guns. Glass doors and kids looking for entertainment, it must suck to be a bird.
What seems very odd about this whole encounter, is this time last year, I had an encounter with the same kind of bird. I hope this isn't some sign 2007 will be like 2006.
So it is freaking cold out, and a snow storm just went through. What does this often equal? Sun Dogs, or other optical phenomena. I waited until sunset...errrrr...I walked up the hill way too soon and had to keep warm till the sun got lower. From the house it looked close. From the hill top it looked like I had another 30 minutes. It is right around 10 whopping degrees out with a stiff north wind(wind chill was -10 when I got back to the house). I'm wearing jeans, Nikes, hooded sweatshirt, light jacket, and no gloves. There is a big road grader up there so I stand next to it, out of the wind, and on the sunny side. I remembered my compact flash card was pretty full. I face this wheel well and go to change it out, noting it would suck to drop it in the water. Sure enough! It still works. I'm surprised there was water in there even with the sun on the wheel.
Cold is putting it lightly. I thought for sure my Nikes would be the end of my feet while going out and doing this. Amazingly they were the last things to get really cold(they are half netting, you can blow on them and feel it on your feet).
Were there any sundogs? Of course not. It's best to keep things honest though, if you think they are possible. What there was though was this beam below the sun(sundogs are rainbow like beams off to the side of the sun). Maybe its real name is sundog too, I have no idea. I was glad it was at least there. Knowing it was freaking cold I made sure to have the lens on that I'd need. Ooooops, but there were no sundogs! So instead of a wide angle working well I needed a damn telephoto for this single beam. Well that was too bad as I wasn't walking back to the house, into the wind, then back up the hill.
That there is a lifeflight chopper I think. I'm guessing there must have been some accident on highway 133 over there. It is landing at this time. Too bad I didn't have a telephoto lens on! This is a crop from a 40mm shot.
This too is cropped from 40mm. I had some small hope for sundogs still, since it wasn't very low yet, but would I last? I sure didn't think I'd make it.
I ran over here away from my windbreak, never noticing that chopper was now lifting off(just below and right of the sun). My right hand became incredibly cold after getting a few shots. Too bad no telephoto still! Grrrrr. I believe this one is not cropped and is 40mm on my 17-40L. I ran over here because the sun being blocked by those clouds would help the shadow areas(longer exposure with the sun more blocked). I thought it might be the right moment to frame it with those trees and get some foreground.
I was pretty pissed at the no telephoto at this point, while waiting for it to line up like this, above the sun and the beam(that beam below it is fairly faint, but it is there). It seems kind of interesting, someone might be fighting for their life in that chopper, with such a pretty scene right behind them.
Seeings how it came from the south, landed and took off that quickly, then flew back south....I'm left to believe it must be lifeflight...but maybe it's not.
The shoes. I don't get it. My feet get cold so easily and I'm well on my way to being the coldest I have ever been in my life...yet my feet remain fine. I however was almost shivering uncontrollably. I noted it and tried not to shiver but it was hard lol. I tried running to the south and it seemed to help...until I began running back, right into the wind. After that I opted to run in place...duh! My thought was if I went back down now I'd miss the vertical beam as it set.
Well I'm not sure it was worth staying out that much longer. I left after this shot and reached a threshold of "most cold ever" for certain before getting back to the house. I had to go into the wind on the way back and my face simply felt like it was about to fall off.