Blue Heron of many faces

I have taken many photos of Great Blue Heron. They have many different looks. My favorite is the look in the first photo. You see this when they are perched in a tree, but I guess I caught him having a moment:).

Normally, I don’t get too many photos before they take off. This one was very patient and just watched us. Teresa was still taking photos as we were heading to the car, and he didn’t move. The 2nd photo is one that she took as we were to the car, from a very different angle, and in different lighting.

~ Rick

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©2018 Rick Cartwright

Sunrise on the bird

This is a woodpecker, but I am sharing it because of the unique lighting. The sunrise was beautiful, and I was at just the right angle to capture this photo.

Below you will find the video from yesterday. Keep the feedback coming!

~ Rick

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Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!

Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.

©2018 Rick Cartwright

Hi, Woody !

The woodpecker (Woody 😬) at top of the tree is a Pileated Woodpecker. I added a second photo of him below. The smaller bird is a young Red-bellied Woodpecker.

I was surprised to see them together, but it made for an interesting photo. Woody took off shortly after I took this photo. I took this photo on a tree that is on the banks of the Miami River, between Troy and Piqua. It is such a beautiful, large woodpecker.

Read the entire post today to learn more about the orgins of Woody Woodpecker⬇️.

The weather has really turned hot and humid. I shot the following video early, but it was already very hot. Stay cool, and safe.

Now, the rest of the story: Woody Woodpecker was not a Pileated Woodpecker. Here is the story:

According to Walter Lantz's press agent, the idea for Woody came during the producer's honeymoon with his wife, Gracie, in Lake Sherwood, California. A noisy acorn woodpecker[5] outside their cabin kept the couple awake at night, and when a heavy rain started, they learned that the bird had bored holes in their cabin's roof. As both Walter and Gracie told Dallas attorney Rod Phelps during a visit, Walter wanted to shoot the bird, but Gracie suggested that her husband make a cartoon about the bird, and thus Woody was born.[6] Woody shares many characteristics in common with the pileated woodpecker in terms of both physical appearance as well as his characteristic laugh, which resembles the call of the pileated woodpecker. These similarities are apparently the result of the artistic license of the creators, and have caused much confusion within the birding community amongst those who have attempted to classify Woody's species. (source: wikipedia.org)

~ Rick

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Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!

Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.

©2018 Rick Cartwright

Fishing king or Kingfisher?

This Belted Kingfisher was anxious to have his photo taken. There was more than one of them on this morning, but this one seemed to be very interested in a portrait photo. He favored his left side.

~ Rick

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Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!

Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.

©2018 Rick Cartwright

A waxwing meetup

I saw these Cedar Waxwings at Stillwater Prairie Reserve. ​I didn’t count, but there was so many of them. These are couple of the better photos. They are a beautiful bird, and have amazing flying skills.

I’m starting to see early signs of fall. The crops are starting to turn to yellow, and while hiking, I saw leaves falling all around me. Wildlife is also displaying early signs of preparing for the season change. It will not be long until the migration begins. That, my friends, is sad .. but there will be spring again, and new photos to take.

Late Friday, we watched our grandchildren in Troy. I had a window of time, and took a walk at the John A. Wannemacher Nature Reserve. Some of the footage form that hike is in today’s video. Comments and feedback welcome!

~ Rick

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Check out our vlog, which includes more pictures and video on YouTube at tales.photos. Remember to subscribe!

Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.

©2018 Rick Cartwright