Watch the Birdy!

Today was pretty chilly, and I actually needed my shooter's mittens while out on today's photo safari. [Note: For anyone who doesn't know what shooter's mittens are, they're fingerless gloves with a mitten flap over the fingers so you can keep your hands warm but quickly free your fingers when work needs to be done. They're ideal for photographers in cold weather, but were originally made for hunters in cold weather (hence the name).] I ended up in the Dykeman Springs nature complex again, and right off noticed that the cold weather had the birds active. There were lots of Cardinals, Blue Jays, various kinds of Sparrows, Carolina Wrens, etc. I also saw a Red-tailed Hawk being harassed by Crows and heard a Sharp-shinned Hawk back in the woods. The three shots below were of the ones who sat still enough for me two get a decent shot: two Carolina Wrens singing at me; a White-throated Sparrow who kept circling around me from tree to tree; and a juvenile female Downy Woodpecker who went about her business in that Sycamore tree and didn't seem to mind my presence at all. Enjoy!

© 2012 by A. Roy Hilbinger

Thanksgiving Time

It's late Autumn; most of the trees are bare, and the color is fading on the leaves still hanging on. There are still pops of color here and there, but gray and brown are dominant.

I took a walk on the Dykeman Walking Trail today on the way to the grocery store. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and this will be my annual post for it as I'll be hanging out with family tomorrow. The pictures and the two videos included pretty much sum up my feelings for the holiday - nostalgia, warmth, comfort, and beauty. Have yourselves a happy, safe, and warm Thanksgiving!

Photos © 2012 by A. Roy Hilbinger

Weathered

I took another walk along the back streets and alleys of Shippensburg today and found some nice weathered buildings, a collection of a (mostly) abandoned mill and old barns, garages, and sheds. Here are three of them; click here to see the full web album.

© 2012 by A. Roy Hilbinger

Monday Morning Walkabout

Fall is progressing past the bright colors of peak leaf season. Hurricane Sandy's sweep by us blew a lot of leaves off the trees, but really the amount of bare branches isn't much more than the normal state at this time of year. Autumn is progressing toward Winter, and the closer it gets, the barer and browner it gets. I went walking through town this morning and brought you examples of the fading. I walked through the Dykeman Springs Wetlands, but naturally I couldn't resist a colorful shot of the creek at King Street. The full web album is here. Meanwhile, here are three of the best shots. Enjoy!

© 2012 by A. Roy Hilbinger