La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
THIS BLOG POST IS FOR the birds. On recent walks I’ve seen some birds I don’t often see. They’re not rare; they just don’t hang around the trees and the beach in our neighborhood. Cormorants are a common sight just off the jetty near the port, but last week I saw one fishing on the river. I managed to get one photo. Every other time I snapped, he would dive.
Another bird I always see but can never get a picture of is the white wagtail. It’s easy to spot because it never stops wagging its tail. It also never stops moving, flitting from one spot to the next. Just as I turned from the cormorant, however, a wag tail settled (as much as a wag tail can settle) nearby and I actually snapped a couple of in-focus shots. Back near the port, gulls hungrily swarmed a returning fishing boat.
Today, there were pigeons loitering on pigeon statues in the Plaza de la Constitución. But the sweetest sighting was Monday, close to home, when a “little brown job” flitted into my line of sight. It actually stayed for a few minutes and I managed to zoom in. I think it’s a garden warbler, although I never heard it warble.
I spoke with The Kid Brother last night. He didn’t receive any mail this past week (and that is somehow my fault and not the Postal Service, which has been an especial disaster in New York). His paycheck was late (postal service). Again, my fault; because I’m not there to give him cash. It was “cold!” Only 30°F. Sort of my fault, because he said he needed to move someplace warm “like where you live.” And the last straw? It snowed! Not much but, “I’m not goin’ back out today! I hate snow!” I didn’t tell him about the birds. He loves birds.
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ESTA ENTRADA ES PARA LOS pájaros. En caminatas recientes, he visto algunos pájaros que no veo a menudo. No son raros. Simplemente no merodean por los árboles y la playa en nuestro vecindario. Los cormoranes son una vista común junto al embarcadero cerca del puerto, pero la semana pasada vi uno pescando en el río. Me las arreglé para sacar una foto. Cada otra vez que rompía, se zambullía en busca de un pez.
Otro pájaro que siempre veo pero del que nunca puedo obtener una imagen es la lavandera blanca. Es fácil de detectar porque nunca deja de mover la cola. Además, nunca deja de moverse, revoloteando de un lugar a otro. Sin embargo, justo cuando me volví del cormorán, una lavandera blanca se asentó (tanto como una lavandera blanca puede asentarse) cerca y de hecho tomé un par de tomas enfocadas. De vuelta cerca del puerto, las gaviotas pululaban hambrientas en un barco de pesca que regresaba.
Hoy había palomas merodeando en estatuas de palomas en la Plaza de la Constitución. Pero el avistamiento más dulce fue el lunes, cerca de casa, cuando un “pequeño trabajo marrón” apareció en mi línea de visión. De hecho, se quedó unos minutos. Creo que era una curruca de jardín.
Hablé con El Hermanito anoche. No recibió ningún correo la semana pasada y de alguna manera es culpa mía y no del Servicio Postal que ha sido un desastre especial en Nueva York. Su cheque de pago se retrasó (servicio postal). De nuevo, culpa mía; porque no estoy allí para darle efectivo. “¡Hacía frío!” Solo -1°C/30°F. Más o menos culpa mía, porque dijo que necesitaba mudarse a un lugar cálido “como donde vives”. ¿Y la última gota? ¡Nevó! No mucho, pero, “¡No voy a volver a salir hoy! ¡Odio la nieve!” No le hablé de los pájaros. Ama a los pájaros.
Cormorán en el Rio Fuengirola.
Pájaro lavandera.
Creo que es una curruca de jardín.
Moose, no preocupado por nada; y tal vez soñando con currucas.
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moose could be dreaming of cat treats. nice birdie pix.
anne marie:
I wish Moose would DREAM of cat treats instead of waking us up a half hour after we’ve gone to bed because he’s THINKING of cat treats.
Your birdie pics are beautiful….thank you for the lifting of my spirit today!!!
Anon:
Thank YOU for saying so!
Well, my (phone) photos aren’t great, but I included a one of a cardinal on my deck in KB’s birthday card. A Red shouldered hawk was in the backyard yesterday sitting on my fence yesterday but not sure my photos are any good. Henry Hawk (regular visitor) is almost always turned the other way, but that sucker can practically rotate his head around like an owl. Your bird photos are terrific.
Mary:
KB will LOVE receiving a cardinal photo. We used to feed them (along with many others) in Connecticut and one of his favorite tasks when he visited was filling ALL the bird feeders. For the distance photos, I have to use my Canon. Even my iPhone camera, which is very good, doesn’t hold up to zoom.
Moose, in his nest, – no birds allowed! Great bird shots. The warbler is very sweet.
Wilma:
Yep, no eating in bed. Thanks!
Birds are fascinating creatures and so different from one another. Presently I am hooked on our neighbourhood crow family which has about six members.
That white wagtail is so pretty….looks like a sandpiper but maybe bigger.
And yes, Moose can dream about them.
Jim:
The wagtail is much smaller than a sandpiper. A petite, skittish thing. I would love to know what Moose dreams. He regularly talks in his sleep.
Moose is dreaming of birds and your Wagtail and Warbler are wonderful.
cheers !
Parsnip:
I just mentioned to Jim, Moose regularly talks in his sleep. I’d love to know what he’s dreaming.
Nice photos.
Frank:
Thanks!
I’m glad to know that Chuck likes birds. It will give me something to look for when I pick out his next card. Didn’t you say his birthday is next week? If so I’m going to try to get a card out to him by the weekend.
Jennifer:
Chuck used to love to go birdwatching with us and he heard and saw things we would have missed. His birthday is 5 February. Hoping mail service improves! Thanks.
I want to be as comfy as Moose. Poor Chuck.
Love,
Janie
Janie:
Yeah, poor Chuck. We all have those days. Oh, how I would love to be able to get comfortable like the cats!
Lovely, especially the garden warbler. Are you taking these with your phone? I’m always amazed at the quality of phone photos these days.
Walt the Fourth:
The bird photos were done with my Canon. The cormorant and the wagtail were too active and too far away. My phone can’t zoom and grab that kind of moment in less than perfect light. The warbler was perhaps 10 feet away, maybe more. It was kind and stayed still for a while. But that was a lot of zoom. My camera (iPhone) does exceptionally well in perfect light with no zoom.
Great bird pictures, the warbler shots are wonderful (they can move a lot.). I am finding birds are sometimes calm with changing weather. I still have not gotten a decent image of a BlueJay, I see them, but they are fast.
David:
Thanks! I was really pleased to be able to get good shots of the warbler, which moved twice before settling on that branch. So many flighty birds. I wish more would cooperate.
It’s a cat’s life.eh?
I sent the Kid Brother a card, but with the USPS the way it is, I don’t know when it’ll arrive. Perhaps one of your birds could fly it over???
Bob:
Definitely a cat’s life, although with all the complaining they do (demanding), you’d never know it. Thanks so much for sending Chuck a card. I wish the postal service would cooperate. I’d send that merganser but I don’t think it would like the northeast this time of year.
Awwww, MOOSE! So adorable! Nice bird pics, too. That wagtail is pretty.
Steve,
Wagtails were new to me when we moved here. Really cute. And, yeah, Moose!
I liked the cat
Urspo:
So, do I.