Two Notes on a Branch

This wasn’t the image I intended to work on this morning—I moved it to my working folder by mistake. But once it was there, I decided to follow its lead. The photo captures a house finch couple (Haemorhous mexicanus) perched quietly on a branch, as if pausing to gather their thoughts together.

The photographs I share here don’t appear as vivid as they do in my Pixel’s gallery. To make them load more easily, I reduce their size and slightly lower their quality. Take a look:

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #birdphotography #finches #HouseFinches

Good morning. 🍄🚀👨‍🚀

20 June 2025

Do you remember when Marine Lieutenant Colonel John Glenn orbited the Earth aboard Friendship 7? That historic flight took place on February 20, 1962—I hadn’t even turned ten yet. At the time, I was a Cub Scout and a proud member of Pack 33 at Yokosuka Navy Base in Japan. I recently looked it up and was amazed to find that Pack 33 is still going strong. Sometime between 1962 and 1964, Glenn visited the base and spoke at a scout gathering; I believe it may have been the ceremony marking my advancement to the Boy Scouts. Years later, in a remarkable full-circle moment, Senator John Glenn returned to space aboard the space shuttle Discovery on October 29, 1998—at the age of 77.

"As I hurtled through space, one thought kept crossing my mind—every part of this rocket was supplied by the lowest bidder.” - John Glenn

#morning #mushroom #JohnGlenn #CubScouts #Pack33 #Yokosuka

Good morning, friends. 💮🪭☕

18 June 2025

Each summer morning, I’m faced with a monumental decision the moment I step into my office: do I leave the overhead fan on or turn it off? On one hand, I love the breeze drifting down while I work. On the other, I bring in a fresh cup of coffee, and the fan accelerates its journey from piping hot to disappointingly lukewarm. I prefer my coffee hot. I know—such weighty dilemmas really shouldn’t be tackled before the first sip. It’s a classic chicken-and-egg situation. But when I walk through that door, it’s crunch time. I almost always end up turning the fan off. And once I do, I let out a deep breath—“whew”—as if the pressure of that daily choice has finally lifted. The stresses of retirement are no joke.

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” — Theodore Roosevelt

#morning #flower #decision

White-Eyed Watcher

I took these photos a few years ago in Georgia, but only just got around to really looking at them. The bird in the image appears to be a white-eyed vireo (Vireo griseus)—at least, that’s my best guess. I’m fairly sure I was shooting with a Canon 90D paired with a SIGMA 150–600mm lens back then.

Funny enough, just yesterday I received a Canon R5 and the RF 200–800mm lens, though I haven’t properly put them to work yet. This morning, while walking with Charlie, I brought along my old Canon 6D instead. That R5 setup is just too long—and a bit too unwieldy—for a dog walk.

If you enjoy wildlife and nature photography, check out my photo gallery here:

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #whiteeyedvireo

Soft-Spoken Beauty

This female House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) appears lost in quiet reflection, as if caught mid-thought beneath the hush of the trees.

Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #finches #HouseFinch

Good morning. ⏰🫘☕

19 June 2025

Today is a day off—not just from appointments, but from anything particularly planned. My wife likes to say I have every day off, which, technically, isn’t wrong. Still, there are always those little obligations—doctor’s appointments, errands, the usual suspects—that chip away at your time. And then there are the self-imposed routines: walks, weight training, things I choose to do but still schedule like they're mandatory. Even those eat into the quiet. Time I could be spending doing absolutely nothing—or just sitting in the backyard watching birds.

This particular day off happens to line up with Juneteenth, the national holiday that marks June 19, 1865—the day Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, and announced that slavery had ended.

Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory, or an acceptance of the way things are. Instead, it's a celebration of progress.” — Barack Obama

#morning #beach #birds #Juneteenth #dayoff

Tail Up, Eyes Sharp

This Carolina wren (scientific name) made a relatively rare appearance this morning. I touched don't on a small tree in front of me just long enough for me to snap this photo. This also happens to be the first post of a photo taken with my new Canon R5.

Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #CarolinaWren

Charlie’s Quiet Watch

Here’s Charlie this morning—patiently waiting by my chair while I watch and photograph birds.

#dogs

Velvet & Bone

This photograph captures the vibrant red bracts of the Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), dramatically accented by slender white branches rising vertically from beneath, adding a stark and graceful contrast.

My photo gallery features over 1300 carefully selected images. While most are chosen for their visual appeal, a few stand out as novelty shots. Feel free to explore my gallery at:

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #poinsetta #foliage

Velvet & Bone

This photograph captures the vibrant red bracts of the Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), dramatically accented by slender white branches rising vertically from beneath, adding a stark and graceful contrast.

My photo gallery features over 1300 carefully selected images. While most are chosen for their visual appeal, a few stand out as novelty shots. Feel free to explore my gallery at:

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #poinsetta #foliage

Charlie’s Quiet Watch

Here’s Charlie this morning—patiently waiting by my chair while I watch and photograph birds.

#dogs

Tail Up, Eyes Sharp

This Carolina wren (scientific name) made a relatively rare appearance this morning. I touched don't on a small tree in front of me just long enough for me to snap this photo. This also happens to be the first post of a photo taken with my new Canon R5.

Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #CarolinaWren

Good morning. ⏰🫘☕

19 June 2025

Today is a day off—not just from appointments, but from anything particularly planned. My wife likes to say I have every day off, which, technically, isn’t wrong. Still, there are always those little obligations—doctor’s appointments, errands, the usual suspects—that chip away at your time. And then there are the self-imposed routines: walks, weight training, things I choose to do but still schedule like they're mandatory. Even those eat into the quiet. Time I could be spending doing absolutely nothing—or just sitting in the backyard watching birds.

This particular day off happens to line up with Juneteenth, the national holiday that marks June 19, 1865—the day Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, and announced that slavery had ended.

Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory, or an acceptance of the way things are. Instead, it's a celebration of progress.” — Barack Obama

#morning #beach #birds #Juneteenth #dayoff

Soft-Spoken Beauty

This female House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) appears lost in quiet reflection, as if caught mid-thought beneath the hush of the trees.

Step into a world where even the smallest moments—like the glint in a bird's eye—tell their own story.

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #finches #HouseFinch

@Swede1952
Hi Swede! This bird is a new visitor to where I am on the front range in CO.
He’s pretty quiet so I don’t get to use my bird song app to identify him. Any chance you might know just by the looks of him!