bird nerd...

well, i think we already knew that about me. let's just say my new lens (EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for those who asked - yeah, that's a mouthful) is making me even more eager to snap a shot of any little birdie catching my eye. the first three here are a northern flicker eating my cherries, a whiskey jack showing no fear when bread is on offer, and a blue grouse wandering the roadside with her babies (not pictured) - you know, the safest place to take your babies.

i know i was just recently complaining about the incessant rain and cold that had typified much of spring and summer this year. the last couple weeks had seen hot and sun - summer had finally arrived! and yet i smiled to wake this morning to grey skies. i wouldn't trade the sunny days for anything, but i am a west coast girl to the core and a little grey and rain is often where i'm happiest. it wasn't until the afternoon that the rain released from the black clouds, but then it came down in a deluge. i stood outside under cover, listening to the sound of it rustling all the leaves. when it eased a bit, i took my chance and headed out for a walk, dancing between the raindrops with my camera in hand. a cottontail froze on the road ahead of me but disappeared when i thought about swapping out for the telephoto lens. oh well. when i was nearly through my loop a white crowned sparrow flitted through some branches. i spent far too long trying to get close to him as he easily darted farther away, and the rain thickened around me. silly girl and her birds.

the rain is coming down again. but i am tucked in safe at home eating a warm bowl of beans and smelling the bread fresh out of the oven. if you follow me on instagram (@fogandswell) or facebook, you might have seen that something else popped up during the rain today too. come back here tomorrow if you're curious...