Birds from my window.

 It's been a while since I've done any bird photography but as the sky was overcast this morning I decided to give it a go. 

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Downy Woodpecker

American Robin

Mourning Dove

Mourning Dove

Red-bellied Woodpecker

American Robin

Carolina Chickadee

Carolina Chickadee

Chipmunk

Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

Clouds for a change

In Fall I often head a few miles North to the 2nd Mountain Hawkwatch to see the migrating raptors cruising along the Appalachian ridges. Recently it's been clear blue skies which makes it difficult to see the birds and even if someone has them in the bins, trying to steer someone else onto them with only a clear blue sky for a reference is difficult to say the least. Wednesday was windy and about 50% cloud cover so free from my house elf duties I took myself up to have a look. It wasn't great, several of the local Bald Eagles and Red-tailed Hawks along with a few other raptors and Ravens but unfortunately all pretty distant to get any photographs. I took a few scenic shots instead and on the way home I stopped at Memorial Lake and took a few more.

Historic Barns of Gettysburg and Adams County

Saturday we did a tour of some of the Historic Barns in and around Gettysburg. I never realized the Battlefield area was so big and although I've been once before I'm going to have to come back again.  

Round Barn

Biglerville

Used for Weddings and Events these days

Round Barn

internal structure 

Guernsey Country Club Barn

Biglerville

restored and used for weddings and events

Nice Dead Tree

Flower Garden

Rummel Barn

Gettysburg

used as a field hospital during the battle in 1863

Stone farm house

one of the cannons of the Army of Northern Virginia

McIntire Barn Farmhouse

Gettyburg

McIntire Barn

McIntire Barn Farmhouse

Three Springs Farm Barn 

Biglerville

At all of the barns were a variety of exhibits and displays of barn constuction, making nails, apples, making ice cream with an old John Deere tractor, how to sharpen a scythe and an exhibit of Civil War weapons and uniforms and day to day food ration for both armies.

2nd Mountain in early Fall

Looking South from the 2nd Mountain Hawkwatch.

 

Nearly a Bird Table Bird

While we get Turkey and Black Vultures in the yard all the time this is the first time one has visited the upper deck. I better not stand still for too long!

 

Black Vulture

Nearly 2 weeks ....

 ..... since I posted anything. No excuses other than senility I suppose. One of the advantages of keeping loads of images on disk is that you can delve into the archive of past photographic adventures. I know I once said I'd never go up to Ricketts Glen again because it's all too easy to break something, whether it's camera gear or myself, it really is dodgy. However I do miss going up there in the fall. 

Ricketts Glen

Ricketts Glen

Butterflies

 I spent a while outside yesterday power washing a years worth of grime and tree pollen off the upper deck along with a million Hickory Nut fragments that the squirrels are dropping from the Hickory Tree growing through the deck. There's a couple of Blue Mist Flowers in big half barrels on the deck which the butterflies, bee's and assorted bugs just love. I spent a few minutes with the 70-200 lens taking a few shots,

Orange Sulphur

Duskywing, Juvenal's or Horace's

Zebulon Skipper