I am making headway on getting my comments up to date. Given a few more days I should be on top of it again so thanks everyone for your patience. I have had a few new visitors to my blog who I will also get to visit and send thanks to soon.
I have been trying to get a shot of a Cardinal ever since coming here six years ago. I have numerous which were far away or slightly out of focus and today finally I got some reasonably presentable ones that I am happy with. Still want to get closer because these were shot at the 400mm end of my lens which has a habit of not being too good on sharpness at the long end so I have to back it off a bit and I still had to crop quite a bit of the surrounding space off around the bird to fill the frame in PS. I have been feeding the birds for a while in the front garden and this is a bare patch that I use to put seed down. I have had a few cardinals who have been visiting but they are very elusive and easily scared off. Today I went out and sat on the ramp outside the house that my husband uses to get into the house with his wheelchair. After about 15 minutes the cardinal appeared and I managed to snap these before he flew away. He has a sunflower seed in his beak in the one. I will be trying again though because I always see him there now, I just have to get a bit closer without scaring them off.
We had a coolish but sunny day today and the horses spent it out in the field. Sonny is groaning a bit today when she puts her head down to graze, she is soooo uncomfortable, she just has to be soooo close, I can't stand it. Will check on her later tonight before going to sleep. I took Wiggle and Dosie out one at a time and gave them about half an hour each to eat the nice green grass in our front garden. They were very happy. Wiggle is finally getting a bit of her personality back and is obviously feeling a lot better, I am starting to see that spark of mischief again in her. Just wish it would warm up so that I can take both of them and bathe them.
Tomorrow I am taking Larry to the hospital at about midday ready for his surgery on Thursday. It is going to be a long two days. The trip one way normally takes an hour so I hope that I will be able to get my posts in for both days.
I hope everyone is well and you are all finally enjoying spring.
((((((Hugs))))))) to everyone that needs them.
Lori
9 comments:
Well worth a six-year wait, in my book: these are gorgeous. I especially enjoyed the backstory of how you've been building to this point. That's what separates a great photographer from someone who simply takes pictures. You're involved in your subjects, and that always seems to play out in the results.
Thanks so much for your comments on my site. I know how busy things can get, so please don't worry about falling behind: I'm similarly comment-indebted, but I've accepted that blogging doesn't always have to float to the top of the priority list. Life matters...the blog will still be there when I get back.
Please know that I'm praying for your husband - and for you - and I hope everything goes well on Thursday. My father's going in for cardiac monitoring on Thursday, so hopefully that sense of distant kinship will bring you a small sense of comfort.
In the interim, don't mind if I come back a few times to let the beyond-vivid color burn some new patterns in my retinas. I love these.
Beautiful! But don't you feel just a little guilty feeding the birds with all those cats around. ;-)
Hope all goes well for your husband's hospital visit.
What incredible birds - nothing so vivid-coloured in England!! You did so well with these shots!
I hope Sonny produces her baby soon; she must be fed up with being pregnant.
Will keep both you and Larry very much in my thoughts for the trip and the surgery
{{{{HUGS}}} Jx
Cats? Oh my. I hope that it works out for the birds. I like your photographs a lot. I have several hundred cardinal photos and had a few online but am always interested in what others do. I also used cracked or sunflower chips already removed from the hulls so there is no waste and no hull build up on the ground. And, they are eaten by all kinds of wildlife -- not just birds.
I wish you would sometime mention the camera you use as well as the lens. The longest lens I have is a zoom 75-300mm. Your 400 should bring the birds in really close.
I hope the horse delivers before you are away. Or maybe somebody will be there while you are away.
Take care.
I love your photographs.
WOW! These are fantastic Lori and as Carmi has said they are well worth the 6 year wait!! Such strong colour and detail,excellent!
Hope all goes well for you and Larry the next few days, you are both in my thoughts {{{HUGS}}} xxx
Your cardinal shots are beautiful Lori. I hope all goes well with your husband and his surgery. Take care.
LOL at MiKael. Don't worry the cats dont worry the birds, they are too fat and slow Heheh. They are fed twice a day and have plenty of mice to chase in the barn and spend their days lazing in the sunshine on the riding mower or my truck or on top of the barrels of feed where they can keep one eye open for a mouse. I plan on building a platform on top of a post, just need to find the time to dig the hole and put it up!!!
Thanks everyone for your well wishes and I will keep you all posted.
Abe Lincoln, I will start posting camera details, that is a great idea butmost of my photos are shot with one of three lenses Canon 75-300 IS, Tokina 80-400 or 100mm 2.8 Macro and I have a 20D. On your comment on the buzzards, I will put a page up on my website and send you the link when I have done it so you can see some of the shots.
Thanks again
Lori
Wow, I love that second shot! He is definitely posing for you! :) Hope you are well and I will be thinking of you all....
Beautiful bird.I like the composition and colors.Good light.Well done!
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