"A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch but on it's own wings.  Always believe in yourself."

This past weekend I came home to find a friend inhabiting our front step.  This young fella was only a fledgling and still relied heavily on his mother to bring him food, which is why he was sitting about 3 feet from the tree that held the nest.  Each year, we have a Mockingbird that takes residence in this little shrub/tree in our front year.  I decided to affectionately call the little guy Mock, in part to the whole him being a Mockingbird thing, and in part to the fact that he has the most adorable grumpy old man face.  I enjoyed observing him from afar while he was on the front step.. it wasn't until he left the step that things got a little more animated.

 Mockingbirds are known for their "wing display," why they do this is often contested but non-the-less it is definitely something that fledglings learn from their parents, because Mock jumped off the front step and started strutting his stuff. 

Here are a few pictures of Mom from a few days before...

Here is one more of Mock, this time he had spotted me and decided to lay low and not draw to much attention to himself... look at his grumpy little face.

This time of year it is especially important to keep an eye on your pets when they are outside, especially if they like to go after moving objects (My dog Max is always on the look out for a fledgling).  Equally as important, birds are wild animals, they are MEANT to fend for themselves.  If you come across a baby bird, or really any baby animal, unless it is CLEARLY bleeding out, they will be fine, you don't have to interfere on their behalf, I guarantee Mom is somewhere close by (Mock's mother was sitting on the wires above my yard THE WHOLE TIME I was taking his picture).  Remember we live in THEIR habitat... they don't live in ours. 

Hello and Welcome to my Blog.. before getting down to business, I thought it would help to share a little bit about my desire to start this blog. 

I graduated from CNU in 2011 with my Bachelors in History, and again a year later with my Masters in Teaching.  And although I absolutely love my job as a History teacher, THE OTHER HALF OF ME has a real passion for the outdoors, which I have had my whole life.  I have spent the last 10 years volunteering and working at a living museum (similar to a zoo or aquarium) where I have had the opportunity to interact with not only animals and plants but also the people that devote their lives to caring for them.  As a photography enthusiast, I have recently began showcasing my love for nature in a more visual and artistic way, I hope to use this space to share some of my work, as well as, the things that fascinate me most.  

I hope you enjoy looking at my photographs as much as I have loved taking them, and encourage you to leave feedback and comments if something really inspires you. 

Over the last few weeks, I have found myself focusing a lot on bird photography, as spring slips away, the birds are getting more active as fledglings are leaving the nest, and everyone is out looking for food. 

The following picture was taken in my front yard, as an overprotective mother, this mockingbird was waiting for me to get away from her nest so she could deliver the delicious looking inch worm.

Top Picture: Snow Egret flying overhead

Bottom Picture: Mockingbird

Robin fledglings exploring the world

Great Horned Owl and Friend

I will continue to post pictures as things catch my eye.  As I go, I'll make sure to inform you of new tricks and tips I've learned about nature photography, as well as, life in general.  I hope you've enjoyed this short snapshot of my budding passion for photography, and I hope it encourages you to stop by again in the future.  

Until next time.

B.