Birds Part Two

Trumpeter Swans are natural art. They are just born that way. Certainly that long, willowy neck has much to do with it. Catching them as they show it off, is our job.

The male Meadowlark you see below, is smaller and has almost no neck, but often seems to also be an artist at heart.

The Common Snipe is a bird with which I thoroughly enjoyed the act of photography.

I captured (photographically) this male Eastern Kingbird in my backyard as it moved around on the fence. He nicely framed himself amidst the rectangles of metal.

The Mourning Dove is amazingly common around here. From the most common, to the rare visitor, I always looked at it to be my job to photograph all birds.

A common Grackle during color transformation. This was also in my backyard.

Despite what it seems, the majority of the birds I have photographed have not been in my backyard. Some were a thousand miles away or more.

The great Egrets you see blow were about 70 miles from home.

There’s nothing like a good marsh to build up our bird files.

Ah the male Greater Prairie Chicken. This particular image was made from a blind very early on a cold Easter morning in the days of film. He was dancing for the ladies while my friend and I froze.

While I went on to photograph several dancing Sharp-tailed Grouse in later days, alas this was my only experience with the chicken of the prairie, if you will.

Often the most common birds have the least fear of people and give us the best opportunities’ for close-ups.

Common or rare, get what you can while you can. Male Mallard duck.

Finally, a young Great-horned Owl checking me out while I checked it out.

Below you will find the lyrics for two songs. The first is a folk classic, Peace in The Valley as done by no other than Elvis Pressley, and the second is an Aaron Tippens classic called You Got To Stand For Something.

Peace in The Valley
Oh well, I’m tired and so weary
But I must go alone
‘Til the Lord comes and calls
Calls me away, oh yes
Well, the morning’s so bright
And the lamp is alight
And the night is as black as the sea, oh yes
There will be peace in the valley for me, some day
There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray
There’ll be no sadness, no sorrow
No trouble I see
There will be peace in the valley for me
Well the bear will be gentle
And the wolves will be tame
And the lion shall lay down by the lamb
And the beasts from the wild
Shall be lit by a child (Jesus)
And I’ll be changed
Changed from this creature that I am, oh yes
There will be peace in the valley for me, some day
(born again snd saved)
There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray
There’ll be no sadness, no sorrow
Oh my Lord, no trouble, trouble I see
There will be peace in the valley for me, for me

You’ve Got To Stand For Something by Aaron Tippens

Now daddy didn’t like trouble, but if it came along
Everyone that knew him knew which side that he’d be on
He never was a hero, or this county’s shinin’ light
But you could always find him standing up
For what he thought was right
He’d say, “you’ve got to stand for something
Or you’ll fall for anything
You’ve got to be your own man, not a puppet on a string
Never compromise what’s right and uphold your family name
You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything”
Now we might have been better off or owned a bigger house
If daddy had done more givin’ in or a little more backing down
But we always had plenty just living his advice
Whatever you do today, you’ll have to sleep with tonight
He’d say you’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything
You’ve got to be your own man, not a puppet on a string
Never compromise what’s right and uphold your family name
You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything
I know that things are different than they were in daddy’s day
But I still believe what makes a man really hasn’t changed
You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything
You’ve got to be your own man, not a puppet on a string
Never compromise what’s right and uphold your family name
You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything
You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything

Never before in history have so many “loud” people pretended to stand for things. They really just show us how they can follow and worship others. Non-religious people, as well as those who go to church, synagogue, temple. Atheists who actually either worship at the feet of man, or who worship at the alter of Satan. It seems everybody worships something. Drugs, porn, hate, totalitarianism!

On to better things.

The Second Epistle of Peter verse 2

Grace and Peace be multiplied through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.

The above verse shows us what is available to us via the Cross of Christ, Grace, peace, & Salvation.

God Bless,
Wayne