Goldstream Park Part 2 ~ The Sands Of Time

Time what a precious commodity...like sand in an hour glass it just slips through your fingers so fast that you can't believe that it has slipped by you. I'm finding that now that I'm working two jobs...good intentions end up being put on the shelf for later. I've started a new job at the hospital I now work 8-1600 Monday to Friday, I'm in my second week there and I'm defiantly going through brain melt...it should subside soon though as things are starting to click in my brain with working between two data bases and 8 Excel spread sheets!!! Where I input data from one system into another. Wow!!!! allot to learn...but I've always been up to the challenge...just exhausting that's for sure. So since my new job is 90% Computer work now coming home and sitting in front of another one has not been a motivator for me that's for sure. For my post today I have finished my day at Goldstream for you...with I believe some lovely pictures of song sparrows and some scenic shots I hope you enjoy them.

Thank you Laura from Wildenblue Farm Journal

I would like to take the time today to say A Warm Thank you to Laura http://wildenbluefarmjournal.blogspot.com for this wonderful surprise and lovely award. What I find amazing about blogging is the people you meet and get to know here. I have met some very amazing, talented and wonderful people...people who somehow manage to make me smile, laugh out loud and cry. So with warmth in my heart I gladly pass this award to 6 other blogs who have inspired me and shown me a level of friendship I could never forget.

The rules of this award-

This award is bestowed onto blogs that are exceedingly charming.

These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends.

They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.

Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.

Deliver this award to 6 bloggers who must choose 6 more and include this cleverly writen text into the body of their award.

I will pass this award to six blogs that I find exceedingly Charming.

Carol ~ http://carolmattinglyphotogrphy.blogspot.com

Chrs ~ http://photonature.blogspot.com

Cinner ~ http://memyfourchinsandi.blogspot.com

John ~ http://midmarsh.blogspot.com

Frank ~ http://fabearlybirder.blogspot.com

Shelley ~ http://shelleyslens.blogspot.com

I hope those of you who follow my blog take the time to check out these lovely blogs, they all have touched my heart in one way or another. The world is may be large but in the same breath can be viewed as small and precious. Blessed be to one and all Hugs Crista

P.S a warm hug to you Laura for your lovely and wonderful blog that I come and enjoy frequently :)

My Day Off ~ Bonus It Was Sunny!! ~ Dipper Shots

Wow finally I have managed to get out and get some new shots. I have been going crazy not being able to blog!!! Our weather here has been awful lots of wind and rain not a good combination for picture taking. Plus with my work schedule I have been stretched to the max to say the least. Thankfully today on my one day off this month I was able to get out and putter around. My family went to Goldstream Park for the morning, it's the fall salmon run now so I thought I would see if there were any Bald Eagles around. I did see some but they were too far away for a good shot. But instead I saw this little dipper. For those of you who are not familiar with this little bird I will give you a little blurb for you now. This little bird swims!!! Yes and catches food underwater, they also love the salmon run and swim under the water to catch the salmon eggs. In the first shot you can see the lovely little egg in it's beak. Yes I was in the right place at the right time!!! I couldn't believe my luck. I managed to get some lovely shots of the park and I look foreword to posting them this week. Ahhhh nice to be back...enjoy the pictures

Rainy Days And My Work Schedule

Well it's hard to believe that I haven't posted since last week Tuesday...Time flies doesn't it. Unfortunately our weather here has been the typical Coastal weather as of late. Heavy rain on the days I have time to go out and take some pictures. Beautiful sunshine like today when I have to go to work. Sigh..... This is where I get a little frustrated and I apologize to all of you who follow my blog. I'm hopeful that this Sunday I will have the opportunity before I head in for a 12noon work start to at least get in a walk and see what our high winds and heavy rains have done to change natures environment...but until then my friends I will be checking in on all of you instead and try to catch up with what has been happening in your worlds. Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone!!

Blue Heron Caught In Willow Tree

When I was at Beacon Hill Park the other day I spotted this Blue Heron in a Willow tree having a nap. It didn't take long for the Heron to wake up and I tried my best to get as close as possible to get a decent snap of this wonderful bird. I have in the past tried to get good shots of them, but my light wasn't very good or they were too far away for my camera. I'm happy with the shot I got of this magnificent bird. I went back to work yesterday...man was it hard after being off sick for a week. I got tired fast and easy and it was smokin busy. Life on a Surgical floor...Tonight I will catch up will all of you and see what you've been up too. Till then have a wonderful day everyone!!!

Beautiful Images of Beacon Hill Park In Victoria B.C

Since I have been posting so much on birds, I felt a change was due. Here are some wonderful shots of our Large local down town park. It's name is Beacon Hill and it's quite a large area containing lovely gardens, water features, old bridges, birds and just a feast of things to look at while your wandering around. Enjoy what our city offers and the beauty it holds.

A Fresh Kill ~ Cooper's Hawk

Yesterday I couldn't stay in the house for 5 more minutes!!! I have been couped up in my house since Tuesday last week and I couldn't resist heading outside for a small walk. Was I ever rewarded!!! A Cooper's Hawk had just done a fresh kill. Please don't ask me why I was able to get this close, but I'm thrilled with the result I'm able to post for you today. The pictures unfortunately are in the wrong order...but I don't think it really matters. I left most of the gross shots out...the first shot is as gross as I wanted to get. Not appealing seeing a kill...but the beauty and power with this bird is breath taking and I wanted something this dynamic for my blog. Nature isn't nature without the realization that in order for some animals to live others must die. Sad yes I can't say I wasn't affected by this kill...I'm a very sensitive person so I felt it from beginning to end.

My Yard ~ American Golden Finches And A Fall Image

Lately I've been having an abundance of birds at my feeders...yes fall is here and my suet feeders and seed feeders which weren't used that much this summer are now so busy I'm filling the seed feeders twice a day now. Yesterday we had our real first heavy rain fall, the rain drops were as big a quarters the poor birds were extremely soggy yesterday but still stayed out in the rain to feed as much as possible since no bugs would be found on such a wet day. Visitors to my feeders were: Downy and Hair Woodpeckers, Bushtit's, American Golden Finches, Red Breasted Nuthatches, Chickadee's, Junco's, Sp0tted Towhee's, and Golden Crowned Sparrow. We also had some House Finches, and House Sparrow. Unfortunately it was very dark and too wet for me to hide outside to get all of this activity I'm sure all of you would have loved some great shots of this excitement in my yard. I sipped hot coffee and sat at my window seat enjoying the view. I also finished a book yesterday.....oh yes I still work weekends but I'm home this weekend sick...I have a suspected case of H1N1 and I won't be cleared to go back to work until sometime next week. Anyhoo enough about me...have a wonderful Sunday everyone.

My Thanksgiving Walk ~ The Forest Floor..Beauty in the Smallest of Things

Well today is about the small the beautiful, it's about fungus and what it does with the decaying wood on the forest floor. Living and helping with the decomposing process. Providing nutrients to the soil for the other trees to absorb in the spring. I love the simple things in life...the things overlooked and taken for granted. Our forest are our largest resource and provider of the oxygen that we breath and the homes for our animals. Our forest and all that live there should always be something we stop and look at and not forget about. Something we should always protect.....our future depends on it.

My Thanksgiving Walk ~ Fall Scenic Shots And Macro Images

Today I thought I would post some lovely scenic shots of my most favorite walk. Since I live right across the street from UVIC ( The University of Victoria) I take advantage of the jogging trail that boarders the entire property. This jogging trail also leads right into the UVIC Gardens which is another favorite location for my photography. I love this trail you can walk it everyday, but see something new you haven't seen before. Lots of birds and animal live in the wood surrounding the property. Excellent opportunities for each and every walk I take.

My Thanksgiving Walk ~ Bushtit's N Spotted Towhee

Morning everyone I'm glad to see that all of you enjoyed my post on the Cedar Wax Wings, beautiful aren't they. Soon after I got those shots of them I heard the lovely sounds of a group of Bushtit's in the same area so again off I went in search. Now in the spring I managed to find a nest and took a little series of them building and coming and going from their nesting sight. Unfortunately I didn't get a very good shot of the bird itself......today was my lucky day here was one finally at rest at the very top of this tree. These little guys are hard to get snaps of they are constantly on the go...jumping and feeding on bugs. So this was a definite treat to get this shot. Not far from them was a Male Spotted Towhee screaming his head off that I was stalking them..he was none to pleased to see me so close to him. As you can see here in the bottom shot. He was definitely yelling at me...LOL

My Thanksgiving Walk ~ Juvenile & Adult Cedar Wax Wings Caught Having Dinner

Wow what a fantastic day I had yesterday. Perfect weather to head out for a walk before I made my Thanksgiving dinner. I hit the jack pot everyone this whole week will be filled with fabulous shots of gorgeous birds and Nature shots...I'm truly excited about it and I hope you are just as thrilled as I am with the shots I'm posting this week. In this series I have posted some beautiful Cedar Wax Wings having a fabulous time in this tree eating if you can believe this Wasps!!! In one of my shots I have an adult with a wasp in it's mouth....the Juveniles were doing the same things. Fabulous. The top posts are the Adults and the bottom 5 posts are the Juveniles. Tonight my friends I will catch up with all of your blogs to see what has been happening with all of you. Sorry I've been so busy and haven't come more often. But when I do I love everything I see. See all of you tonight and have a wonderful day.