Posts for: bluezzzzz
Sep 29, 2023 21:23:16 #
joecichjr wrote:
Gawky but beautiful on the ground; totally aerodynamic in the air - and captured fabulously ⭐⭐🍺⭐⭐
Thanks, Joe.
Marshall
Jun 4, 2023 15:28:52 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Save us? They're going to travel a million light years to do us a favor? In most of the movies I've seen, they will come to destroy us. 
How many times have Europeans come to a new land and helped the natives?
How many times have Europeans come to a new land and helped the natives?
A long series (30 episodes) is excellent in exploring this issue. Chinese with English subtitles, based on the novels of China's best sci-fi writer, Liu Cixin. I couldn't make it through the novel with all the Chinese names, but the movie is excellent. Don't want to give too much away, but Nano Wires play a big part at the end!
https://www.viki.com/tv/39255c-three-body?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7PCjBhDwARIsANo7Cgk5L1dI8to_ZnCHBk29XpTKSz64_B8T-oFGpdMOlccYYGqFqOfInyEaAmGGEALw_wcB
Rumor has it the Netflix will adapt it sometime in 2023. Good chance that they'll ruin it, too. lol!
Marshall
Jun 4, 2023 14:35:38 #
UTMike wrote:
Another beauty, Marshall!
Thanks, Mike. And not just a pretty face...down out of the trees and back to work!
GRHE02Jun2023_239 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrMarshall
Jun 4, 2023 13:49:52 #
joecichjr wrote:
I would turn right around if I saw this guy looking at me like that 😨😨😨😨😨
Yes, Joe, they can be very intense!
Here is another one, taken about 5 minutes earlier. Possibly not the same bird, since it was hard for me to tell who was where with all the activity going on.
Plus, I don't think one can tell the sex of a green heron from a distance. Might be a slight size difference among adults, but not enough for me to make the call.
GRHE_02Jun2023_099 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrMarshall
Jun 3, 2023 10:11:14 #
Frenzied activity going on amongst many green herons at the pond today.
Much flying around, chasing, and posturing as they establish this years' relationships and territory. Didn't see any nests but that can't be far off.
This one appeared to be a force to be reckoned with!
GRHE_02Jun2023 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
Marshall
Much flying around, chasing, and posturing as they establish this years' relationships and territory. Didn't see any nests but that can't be far off.
This one appeared to be a force to be reckoned with!
GRHE_02Jun2023 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrMarshall
May 31, 2023 23:30:46 #
A fledgling European Starling eagerly demands an incoming meal!
FledglingStarling_31May2023 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
I saw this fledgling by itself a few minutes before this photo, and didn't recognize what is was. Finally put it together when I saw the adult and another couple of fledglings higher up in the same tree.
Marshall
FledglingStarling_31May2023 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrI saw this fledgling by itself a few minutes before this photo, and didn't recognize what is was. Finally put it together when I saw the adult and another couple of fledglings higher up in the same tree.
Marshall
May 31, 2023 13:53:10 #
Thanks all, for your positive comments!
Early on in my UHH adventures a considerate poster took the time to answer my questions and walk me through the process of using a link from a Flickr photo to add it to a UHH post, and I've used that method ever since.
I was having a temporary problem with Topaz Sharpen and for a couple of days those two flycatcher photos were up
unsharpened both on Flickr and UHH.
That bothered me and I wanted to fix it in an easy way if possible. I knew that Flickr has a feature where you can replace a photo, so I uploaded Topaz sharpened versions to Flickr as replacements. The link remained the same so the UHH post was updated to the sharpened versions, too!
Marshall
Early on in my UHH adventures a considerate poster took the time to answer my questions and walk me through the process of using a link from a Flickr photo to add it to a UHH post, and I've used that method ever since.
I was having a temporary problem with Topaz Sharpen and for a couple of days those two flycatcher photos were up
unsharpened both on Flickr and UHH.
That bothered me and I wanted to fix it in an easy way if possible. I knew that Flickr has a feature where you can replace a photo, so I uploaded Topaz sharpened versions to Flickr as replacements. The link remained the same so the UHH post was updated to the sharpened versions, too!
Marshall
May 29, 2023 21:05:57 #
This Great Crested Flycatcher was having a butterfly breakfast in our side yard this morning.
GreatCrestedFlycatcher_29May2023 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
That creamy yellow belly is something special. Here's one that shows that better:
GCFC_29May2023 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
Marshall
GreatCrestedFlycatcher_29May2023 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrThat creamy yellow belly is something special. Here's one that shows that better:
GCFC_29May2023 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrMarshall
May 24, 2023 15:34:34 #
gtilford wrote:
Well, a couple people commented on how you could manipulate a photo in Lightroom which I do not subscribe to, but I do own Affinity Photo so after a quick internet lesson thanks to You Tube this is the one eagle photo upgraded. Thanks for the input the eagle looks a lot better now that I lightened up the shadows
That is an outstanding eagle photo!
Although unsolicited, I couldn't help myself, and wanted to see how it would present cropped in. You've got a good one there!
Marshall
May 17, 2023 13:33:11 #
FreddB wrote:
The horse didn’t actually dive; when the platform dropped, he didn’t have much of a choice.
Check out this video:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1730656800326709
No platform dropped.
Marshall
May 14, 2023 14:32:14 #
Went to Great Crossing Dam in Stamping Ground, KY, where I've had luck seeing a Great Blue Heron.
No luck with that, but there were some Common Grackles jumping from rock to rock below the dam hunting in the muck.
Grackle_12May2023_165 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
An overcast day, but I was happy with how the subtle colors came out on this ones wings and head.
Marshall
No luck with that, but there were some Common Grackles jumping from rock to rock below the dam hunting in the muck.
Grackle_12May2023_165 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrAn overcast day, but I was happy with how the subtle colors came out on this ones wings and head.
Marshall
May 14, 2023 00:56:52 #
Green Herons showed up here in Central KY a few weeks ago and are flying around the several ponds in our area and selecting a nest site.
GreenHeron_12May2023_006 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
Haven't seen any actual nest building yet, but it won't be long.
Marshall
GreenHeron_12May2023_006 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrHaven't seen any actual nest building yet, but it won't be long.
Marshall
May 2, 2023 00:57:22 #
JeffinMass wrote:
I love the bottom image. Just photographed GBHs at a rookery with approx 28 nests. It must have been as awesome experience for you as it was for me.
Thanks all for your interest and positive comments!
JeffinMass, I envy your experience of the rookery! Shakertown in Harrodsburg, KY, used to have an arrangement with a small private excursion riverboat that would dock at Shaker Landing for a yearly trip through the Kentucky River Palisades to a Great Blue Heron rookery. Unfortunately, Shakertown hasn't renewed the contract for the last several years and I really miss that trip...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78687170@N00/albums/72157629983694765
Marshall
May 1, 2023 16:25:09 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
Full name is American White Pelican. The bump is displayed only during courting season. Apparently, the ladies love it 
Apparently the ladies have one, too! From Cornell Lab of Ornithology: "A highly fibrous, epidermal plate arises vertically and dorsomedially about one third distance from tip of upper mandible, plate (somewhat erroneously termed a "horn") highly variable in size with base being 40-80 mm and height ranging from barely detectible to more than 60 mm, with that of males in pairs seemingly larger (FLK). Function of plate not clearly defined, but it is probably involved in courtship or agonistic behavior during pairing and territory establishment; plate shed during Presupplemental molt."
For a yearly membership, Cornell provides a LOT of info, some of which I'm able to understand. lol!
Marshall
Apr 29, 2023 17:52:10 #
I've been photographing herons at our local park pond for many years, but on Friday a strange thing happened.
Took my usual kit of a Canon 5dMk4 and a white 100-400mm zoom lens with 1.4 TC. Dress is Kroger casual, L.L. Bean plaid shirt and a blue ball cap. I carry around a small blue and white lunch cooler that has a flat top I can sit on.
This pond has a small floating dock on one side with a 2x12 lumber bench along the long edge. I sat on my cooler on this bench to get a bit of height over the handrail, and as I sat there a Great Blue Heron flew in and landed on the opposite bank, probably 250 feet away.
GBHE_28Apr2023_067 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
I noticed it was more active than usual and never settled down and that I was an area of interest. It flew the length of the pond several times, landed in different places, and one time walked on the bank behind me as I sat there.
GBHE_28Apr2023_044 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
GBHE_28Apr2023_124 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
This is breeding season for herons here in KY now, and I'm guessing that this one was either looking for a partner or looking to chase a rival off, and mistook me for a big bird all hunched up on that cooler with my long white lens pointed in its direction. LOL!
GBHE_28Apr2023_052 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
In the past I've had a hard time getting head-on shots of a GBHE, usually flying away butt shots or at best a side profile. No problem on Friday, as it flew directly at me several times.
Those first four are un-cropped but since I clipped off both wings in this frame I decided to go ahead and crop in closer...
GBHE_28Apr2023_058 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr
I'm guessing this was a young one since it had no plume yet; and is looking to make this pond its territory. There was one here for years that people got to calling the "Old Man." Just hope they weren't referring to me!
Marshall
Took my usual kit of a Canon 5dMk4 and a white 100-400mm zoom lens with 1.4 TC. Dress is Kroger casual, L.L. Bean plaid shirt and a blue ball cap. I carry around a small blue and white lunch cooler that has a flat top I can sit on.
This pond has a small floating dock on one side with a 2x12 lumber bench along the long edge. I sat on my cooler on this bench to get a bit of height over the handrail, and as I sat there a Great Blue Heron flew in and landed on the opposite bank, probably 250 feet away.
GBHE_28Apr2023_067 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrI noticed it was more active than usual and never settled down and that I was an area of interest. It flew the length of the pond several times, landed in different places, and one time walked on the bank behind me as I sat there.
GBHE_28Apr2023_044 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrGBHE_28Apr2023_124 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrThis is breeding season for herons here in KY now, and I'm guessing that this one was either looking for a partner or looking to chase a rival off, and mistook me for a big bird all hunched up on that cooler with my long white lens pointed in its direction. LOL!
GBHE_28Apr2023_052 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrIn the past I've had a hard time getting head-on shots of a GBHE, usually flying away butt shots or at best a side profile. No problem on Friday, as it flew directly at me several times.
Those first four are un-cropped but since I clipped off both wings in this frame I decided to go ahead and crop in closer...
GBHE_28Apr2023_058 by Marshall Smith, on FlickrI'm guessing this was a young one since it had no plume yet; and is looking to make this pond its territory. There was one here for years that people got to calling the "Old Man." Just hope they weren't referring to me!
Marshall