033. Memories of the Hummingbird

As November begins, thoughts of summer return... and some pictures of a hummingbird in my parents' yard!

a standoff?

030. Hawks Train Hunting

This is my favorite time of year, and not just because of that crispness in the air which fall brings.

No, it's because it's when young hawks are trained to hunt!

Usually this means there are two adults and one juvenile flying very close, and hang out in one spot (over my house) long enough to take photos... oh, and it helps there's an early-detection system, too, with a loud alarm: CROWS!!!

Crows don't like hawks "conducting business" in their neighborhood, so they gang up and "mob" the trespassers. Normally this means a close-range cacophony of belligerent ca-caws, but one brave crow actually went birdo-e-birdo against the youthful hawk this time! Maybe it's a mutually agreed upon training strategy between the species, who knows...

*** NOTE: these photos were taken in the driveway (and it's a residential neighborhood) ***

028. 2012 Chicago Air Show

026. Birds and Bees

Let's explore the animal instinct for survival...

Courtship: It All Begins Here

Seeing a female resting nearby...

... the male mourning dove prepares to make his move.

But she escapes just in time...

...and he retreats, hiding his head in shame.

She says to her female friend,

"You'll never believe who just hit on me..."

Lonely is the solitary mourning dove.

Pollination: Everybody Wins

Winner Takes All

Everything worth anything takes work.

Sometimes you may have to chase it.