Think Green

It's March! and here in Michigan, I can start seeing green again. I am tired of the gray-brown trees, the blanket gray skies, the white - now dirty - snow, and the deep black pot holes in the road. Yesterday, I saw my first patch of dull green grass (GREEN!), St Patrick's day fun and green clothes comes mid-month, but, the first leaves on the trees are still more than 2 months away in Michigan. So, soon I will be on the road again, south to Texas, to escape the last cold windy efforts of old man winter and to see the first spring green things in Texas. That way I get to experience spring twice, first in April in Texas and then at home in Michigan in May.

The first color I want to see is green: green leaves, green grass, green plants, green birds. Green birds you ask? Yes, and red, yellow, blue, purple, all the colors of the rainbow too. What green birds? Most hummingbirds have green plumage but it is surprising how many ducks have some brilliant green feathers. When I see these ducks, I always try to capture the light shining so that those green feathers are highlighted.

Think Spring! Think Green!

The references and gear I used for this blog are:
Camera: Canon EOS 10D
Lens: Canon EF100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM
Steiner 10x42 Predator Binoculars
The SIBLEY Guide to Birds

From My Perch

A new blog from another birder and this one a retired gramma.

I have a thousand thoughts running through my head and I should only say a few today. (Buy a notebook for the others.)

That is what I hope anyway, to share some birding thoughts for many days from my perch, pulpit, soapbox, car, truck, easy chair, knees in the sand, whatever.

I go birding at every vacation spot, or rather, I research the spot (not trips to family which is more precious) so that it becomes a birding trip. My husband and I like to bird in places with few people (many birds) so our most favorite places are national wildlife refuges (NWRs). There I try to take photos of every bird!


I can never resist grabbing the camera whenever I see some ducklings.


(Neither can my husband since he took 4 of these pictures.)


All pictures are of Mallards Anas platyrhynchos families seen in my front yard.


Funny, how the Mallard drake is missing in all these photos! I have seen the father (I think) following behind the family.


The largest family is with 13 ducklings of which about 6 grew to full size. I rate a mama Mallard's mothering skill on how many ducklings survive. I have seen a mama lose all of them. (She couldn't keep them in line.)


From My Perch is my blog to share some words and photos about my fascination with birds.