Oh Baby Baby Its A Wild World

* Today is a "nature" post.  If you hate the outdoors, come back tomorrow!  (Or go smoke a pack of cigarettes, have a few martinis, and watch a movie - whatever!) *

I was recently talking with a woman in our neighborhood and she commented my backyard is "amazing, it's like a bird sanctuary and wildlife refuge mixed into one."

Indeed it is ....

Our yard backs up to a national forest.  A few large critters are stopped by our fence, but a lot of the others don't really understand where the national forest leaves off and our backyard begins.

Many times I'm too busy running here and there to observe them for long.  Lately, I've been trying to take small breaks to just sit quietly with my camera and watch, shoot (in the photography sense), and enjoy them.

If you've been reading here for long, you already know a lot of hummingbirds hang out in my backyard.  They live here year round, unlike areas with cooler climates.  In fact, we have more hummingbirds than we know what to do with. 

I love everything about the above photo.  I don't know what it is, exactly, that makes me love it so much - but I do.

Leapin' lizards!

This lizard jumped the distance down from our fairly high patio step.  I love how his shadow, as he flies through the air, is visible on the patio below him.  Briefcase wants a copy of the Leapin' Lizard photo for his office.  

Why?  

I guess it's a guy thing ...??

I think this is a Chipping Sparrow.

I might be wrong - and if I am, you're welcome to tell me what type of bird it is in my comments section.  Whatever it is, we have a lot of them.  In fact, we have so many birds of varying species in our yard this year, it's sort of ridiculous.  I won't bore you with all of them, but I'm going to keep trying to get decent photos of the hawks and owls.

Remember Phoebe?  She's (surprise!) a Black Phoebe and has a nest with four eggs in our pool grotto.  The eggs still haven't hatched.  (I check every day when I swim.)  I took this photo of her early one morning with my iPhone.  

Phoebe is almost a member of the family at this point.  One of my readers suggested I get a Phoebe-cam so you could watch her eggs hatch.  If anyone wants to donate one, let me know!

And last, for today anyway, is the wildest animal of all.

Are you ready?

Brace yourself ....

(Taken with my Canon S95)

Yes, dogs DO smile.

I have a companion with me every single time I'm in the pool.  

I don't think he could be any happier.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Comments

[Catch the Kids]

The lizard is classic! Hope he had a soft landing!

[unmitigated me]

Nice bokeh on the sparrow shot! Does Mocha swim too?

[Suzanne Young]

Beautiful photographs! If I lived in SoCal, I too would be begging you for a photography lesson or 3. And your backyard is amazing. We moved to Texas about 9 months ago and the birds (and even the squirrels) don't seem to like the free grub we've provided in the bird feeder. They provide such wonderful entertainment. Keep the wildlife photos coming!

[Pam]

I love the pictures! The lizard one is amazing. I can see why Briefcase wants one for his office. So cool! And the picture of Phoebe with your iphone?? OMG, you are an amazing photographer!

Thanks for sharing!
Pam

[Missy]

I love the hummingbird photo too. The muted colors of the branches and the birds compliment each other so well. And I love the action shot of the lizard as well. Good job!

[Di]

Birds are pretty, but dogs are DA BOMB! He is smiling at you Mama!

Di

[Jan]

I love everything about that first photo, too. In fact, I love everything about all of them. :)

[missmolly]

It was really hard to decide which photo I liked best. Each was better than the last (or so I thought), until I came to the last one of your beautiful Golden Retriever. It made me chuckle. Loved them all.

[Joanne]

Your photos are always good, but I am handing an award to every single aspect of the hummingbird taken on YOUR PHONE! Did you ply with the colors? or was some magic going on in your yard that morning??