Take A Moment

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Sometimes its good to take a deep breath, stop, and just look at the horizon. Life is very complex. Right now, it seems to be an even more difficult time. We have this virus and so many opinions. It is just good to stop and let the head clear sometimes. I think this Robin has it right. Just stop and take a moment for youself.

~ Rick


Rick’s latest technology muse:

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©2019 ©2020 Rick Cartwright

A Fishing King

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Teresa was the first to see this Kingfisher over the Great Miami River. I would have missed this photo.

The weather is cooling back off to more normal temperatures. We are not hiking as much but we are still getting out. I miss summer.

~ Rick


Rick’s latest technology muse:

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

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©2019 ©2020 Rick Cartwright

Give Me Some Fruit

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We ran across several Cedar Waxwings while hiking this week. They have a thing for fruit (See the Wikipedia entry below).

The cedar waxwing eats berries and sugary fruit year-round, including "dogwood, serviceberry, cedar, juniper, hawthorn, and winterberry",[6] with insects becoming an important part of the diet in the breeding season. Its fondness for the small cones of the eastern redcedar (a kind of juniper) gave this bird its common name. They eat berries whole. They sometimes fly over water to catch insects. The cedar waxwing is sometimes responsible for significant damage to commercial fruit farms and thus can be considered a pest, especially because it feeds in large groups.

When the end of a twig holds a supply of berries that only one bird at a time can reach, members of a flock may line up along the twig and pass berries beak to beak down the line so that each bird gets a chance to eat.

Sometimes, cedar waxwings will eat fruit that is overripe and has begun to ferment, intoxicating the bird.

~ Rick


Rick’s latest technology muse:

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

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©2019 ©2020 Rick Cartwright

One Large Woodpecker

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The Pileated Woodpecker is a large bird. I can always spot them just from the size when they are flying. I love the red crown.

A few facts from wikipedia about this very cool woodpecker:

Pileated woodpeckers mainly eat insects, especially carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae. They also eat fruits, nuts, and berries, including poison ivy berries. Pileated woodpeckers often chip out large and roughly rectangular holes in trees while searching out insects, especially ant colonies. They also lap up ants by reaching with their long tongues into crevices. They are self-assured on the vertical surfaces of large trees, but can seem awkward while feeding on small branches and vines. They may also forage on or near the ground, especially around fallen, dead trees, which can contain a variety of insect life. They may forage around the sides of human homes or even cars, and can occasionally be attracted to suet-type feeders. Although they are less likely feeder visitors than smaller woodpeckers, pileateds may regularly be attracted to them in areas experiencing harsh winter conditions.\

Usually, pileated woodpeckers excavate their large nests in the cavities of dead trees. Woodpeckers make such large holes in dead trees that the holes can cause a small tree to break in half. The roost of a pileated woodpecker usually has multiple entrance holes. In April, the hole made by the male attracts a female for mating and raising their young. Once the brood is raised, the birds abandon the hole and do not use it the next year. When abandoned, these holes—made similarly by all woodpeckers—provide good homes in future years for many forest songbirds and a wide variety of other animals. Owls and tree-nesting ducks may largely rely on holes made by pileateds in which to lay their nests. Even mammals such as raccoons may use them. Other woodpeckers and smaller birds such as wrens may be attracted to pileated holes to feed on the insects found in them. Ecologically, the entire woodpecker family is important to the well being of many other bird species. The pileated woodpecker also nests in boxes about 4.6 m (15 ft) off the ground.

Enjoy the weather for a couple of more days:).

On another note: I have a rose gold 40mm, Series 4 Apple Watch for sale. $200. It is in good condition and comes with the band, charging brick, and charging cable.

~ Rick


Rick’s latest technology muse:

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. Contact Rick for more information.

©2019 ©2020 Rick Cartwright

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Caption This Photo

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Two different Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and I saw more while hiking this week. The first shot is so funny. LOL!

How about suggesting a caption for the first photo? I’ll use it to post the first photo to instagram. So funny.

~ Rick


Rick’s latest technology muse:

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. Contact Rick for more information.

©2019 ©2020 Rick Cartwright