Taking a walk practically anywhere in the early morning right now will reward you with a chorus of sound. Birds celebrate spring with a song calling practically as soon as the sun strikes them in the morning. It might seem they do so for our delight, but that song is all about the process of finding a mate. One of the very busy bodies and songsters is the House Wren. The male bursts into song at the mere sight of a female and seems to stay in song until either it gets the attention of the female or the female has moved on. Bringing that joyous song to an image first requires finding the songster. Next is getting close enough to obtain the image size you want. And of course, it has to be singing. Finally, it requires light. Hopefully, you’ve looked at this photo long enough to wonder how the side light could light up deep into its mouth? That’s because flash is being used. All it takes is a kiss of flash to brighten up the interior and therefore bring life to the song. Without that flash, the mouth would be dark or black and that doesn’t lend itself to song. As you head out to bring this song home, remember to take your flash as it’s needed for the song of spring.

Magee Marsh is such a treasure, a precious part of our wild heritage. I so love being here watching migrants come crashing in as they refuel to continue north. You get used to seeing them munch down bugs, little caterpillars, and bugs are gleaned by the thousands. Then there was this Yellow-rumped Warbler. It was up on a limb gleaning when like a big, mighty raptor it launched and went into a dive and as it pulled up from its fifteen-foot stoop it came up with a wasp that made the mistake of flying by. With great glee it mashed its head and then abdomen in before down the hatch it went. Once gone, it was so sweet looking again but now I know. Not so sweet.

but man cannot live without nature.” A wise friend of ours ended his presentations with this simple thought:

“If John Muir hadn’t had the foresight to preserve Yosemite, we wouldn’t have it today to enjoy! The question is, do we have the foresight (and I might add will) to preserve what we have today for future generations?”

Something to ponder … everyday and not just on Earth Day!

The Chinook on the ramp wasn’t like a killer subject but I checked it out none the less. The skies were OK, but nothing memorable. I kept walking about the helo just looking at the history, spending time with an aircraft I normally don’t. I got to the point going around it that you see in the photograph and I saw the sliver of the moon. Yeah, if you look really closely you will find it. That’s when I did what I often recommend photographers avoid. Taking a photo just because a moon in the frame. Now if I didn’t mention it, I doubt you’d see it and that’s my point. Including the moon doesn’t make it a photograph. And yet, knowing that, I still went click … argh