Wednesday, May 28, 2014

My impressionist egret


I took my camera with me to a meeting this morning because I heard a white crane was in the marsh under the overpass. They stopped traffic last year, and seemed to have just arrived this year. The bird was on the other side; I would have to get my picture on the way back.


Which I did. Five lovely snaps that looked very good in the viewfinder. After work, after lunch, I downloaded them and found these. Impressionistic. I wonder if the wrap around sunglasses affected my focusing. I took the camera and went back for another try, but it was gone. I hope it will be back for breakfast tomorrow, and not just passing through. I'll have my camera!


On the way to take another picture of the white heron a squirrel ran across our grass and down the wall. I followed him all the way and snapped at the last instant. 


Since I was out and had a camera I detoured to take a memorable picture of the storm of the century a week ago. It actually is the second storm of the century; the last one was in 2003.


There was so much damage from this storm it's past recounting. It surpassed the last storm of the century. The railroad tracks belong to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway; I don't know when they will be repaired. The asphalt lane in the front of the picture below is the Towpath Trail through the park. It's being repaired, mile by slow mile.


27 comments:

  1. I love your crane shots. So beautifully misty and fairy tale like.

    Love,
    Janie

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  2. We're going to need an extra-long century to fit in all these storms.
    And I agree with Janie - the crane in the background framed by the sharp foreground is very effective.

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  3. So many storms around now, and "weather of the century" - a little alarming. And I'd have been alarmed to be in that one. The egret was out of focus but the foreground in focus, so I think it's the auto focus on the camera, not your eyes !

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    1. Actually, I was on manual focus and had the little fellow crisp as a new cracker. I cannot imagine what was going on except the sunglasses that protect my new eye lenses. I notice they distort more than a few things I look at.

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  4. I need a better camera...the crane is lovely! Good thing there wasn't a fox around, or you'd have feathers everywhere.

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  5. Love the crane shot. You should say the focus issue was intentional. It is kinda artsy.

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  6. That storm looks like it carried a lot of water to wash out the tracks and path like it did. I seldom see white cranes. Last one was in Michigan wading in a pond next to the Detroit Metro Airport's landing strips.I hope it survived. How nice that you have cranes that come through your area each year! -- barbara

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  7. How frustrating to think you had the crane absolutely right ... I have the same problem with my photos -- but always have blamed the camera!

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  8. Lovely snaps , thanks for sharing.

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  9. Beautiful, Joanne, and the reflections are awesome!

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  10. Hari OM
    The Crane Gaze. A kind of magic has taken place. ...YAM xx

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  11. That was pretty impressive storm damage! I love the crane pictures with the reflection of it in the water. Cute squirrel too!

    betty

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  12. I also saw an egret not long ago. I thought we were both too much North for them.

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    1. My bird book puts them in Ohio in summer. This is only the second year I've seen them. It also says they nest in colonies, like the herons, I suppose. This one wasn't fishing to feed youngsters; he was peacefully swallowing what he caught. The herons I've seen take the fish back to the nest.

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  13. Your pictures had a mystical quality to them.
    We have these little reddish squirrels, and they all are called Baby Squirrel.

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  14. I hope you frame those photos; they are a work of art.

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  15. No need to go back and photograph the crane...These were perfect and so artsy..Thanks.

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  16. Dear Joan,
    so your squirrels are grey (as in England) - in Germany we have still the red variety.
    The damages of the storm look awful!

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  17. The storm damage made me shudder and the crane and the squirrel both warmed my heart. I like them even in the impressionist images - but good luck in the next round.

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  18. I like the squirrel capture, the cranes look okay too, like you'd see them that way in a rear view mirror when glancing quickly. The storm damage worries me, are the rail tracks still safe for trains?

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  19. Nice picture of the squirrel. I admire your patience and aptitude for taking good photos.

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  20. Great shots, I really need to take some lessons

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  21. I like the soft egret photos. Nothing to regret about the egret :)

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  22. These remind me of a painting of H.I.'s of Egrets under a bridge in Central Park. Nice.

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  23. I rather like the way those shots of the heron looked.

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  24. The heron might be rare, but an in-flight shot of a squirrel is equally impressive to me. I didn't hear about your storm, it must have been a deluge to wash away that much ground.

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