Working for Peanuts

I found some large bird feed in my shed that I had forgotten about. So I put a little out on the walls to watch what would happen. Well, the Blue Jays were the first to attack. And they took the peanuts first. All of them. Then the chipmunks, squirrels and ever present Grackles finished things up.

Chesapeake Sunset

And finally the sunset, again and again, again. These are all from the Matapeake Clubhouse beach including the clubhouse. The Chesapeake Bay makes for an awesome canvas for an awesome sunset. All for your holiday weekend enjoyment.

New Vistors

I know that this time of year brings some new visitors (odd ducks) to Dykemans Spring so last weekend I went looking and found these guys. The first (pictures 1-3) I think, are mergansers. But I am not real confident of that diagnosis. The second is a Spotted Sandpiper. I've had that one confirmed. The biggest difference with these and the mallards and Canada geese it that the are a lot more skittish.  Mergansers. What do you think?

Bay Bridge from Queen Anne's County

These are some pictures I got from Matapeake Clubhouse Beach, about 2 miles south of the bridge. I probably should have gone north of the to get the sunset through the bridge. The pano shows most of the 4.3 mile span.

Ducky Day Care

This is from last weekend at the north pond at Dykeman's Spring. There were no other adult ducks on the vicinity. This brave hen is charged with twenty, that's 20, ducklings. I would saw she had her webbed feet full.

Bay Bridge at Sunset

I splurged the four bucks it cost to cross the Bay Bridge to get some sunset pictures last week. I think it was worth it. I will post some more later this week.

Allium

Purple Haze, all around

Don't know if I'm coming up or down,

Am I happy or in misery?

What ever it is that girl put a spell on me.

Purple Haze, Jimi Hendrix, 1967

The Layover

Snow geese chilling out on Assateague Island on their way back north.

New Years Day 2016.

Ute Trading Post

This old curio shop at he entrance to Colorado Springs' Garden of the Gods. Like old signs gone to waste, this place is now the Jade Dynasty Chinese Restaurant. The Ute Trading Post dates back to 1934.

Curly's Place (PG 209)

Curly's Place along Colorado Avenue in Calhan, Colorado is closed now, but I'd bet it was a doosy of a hangout back in it's day. Curly's boarded up back in 2007.

Dykeman's Flotilla

I took a weekend walk around Dykeman's Spring and the young ducks and geese are already mobile. These Canada Geese and goslings swim through the reflection of the Hatch House.

Point Retreat Lighthouse

I thought I was out of lighthouses to post. This is another lighthouse we passed by while whale watching in Auke Bay on the outskirts of Juneau, Alaska. It is located on the northern end of Admiralty Island between Stephens Passage and Chatham Strait. Originally built in 1904 it was replaced by this building in 1924.

The Usual Suspects

1. Mourning Dove

2. American Robin

3&4. House Sparrows

5. Blue Jay

6. Mallard Duck

7. Goldfinch

8. House Finch

9. House Sparrows

10. Black-capped Chickadee

11. Northern Cardinal

Free

I had a dream about you, a dream about me,

And we had free money and a black limousine.

Everything was new, it was clean,

And you reached out for the ring, a diamond ring,

But it wasn't real, it was a dream,

I woke up and I screamed,

I want you

Free money

Free Money, Sammy Hagar (L. Kaye, P. Smith), 1977

Arriba Grain

Arriba Grain elevator, Flagler Cooperative Association, Arriba, Colorado. As seen from Interstate 70 near exit 383. September 2015.

Circumhorizontal Arc

Your word of the day is CIRCUMHORIZONTAL ARC. Remember there will be a quiz later. A "CHA", sometimes erroneously called a Fire Rainbow, is different than a rainbow or Sun Dog. It is caused when the sun is high and above cirrus clouds. The halo is formed by sunlight entering horizontally-oriented, flat hexagon ice crystals through a vertical side face and leaving through the near horizontal bottom plate, yadda, yadda, yadda. I sure I lost you all somewhere there. Anyways, as seen from the backyard.