Pure Happiness

     Joan is taking advantage of a rainy day to complete a photo book.  She goes on-line and creates books using the photos she's taken from the backyard and other outings.  These books are really neat to share with family and friends.  You can get them published from places such as; Kodak, Walgreen's, Shutterfly and MyPublisher, to name a few.  Joan has become a great photographer, much better than she'll ever admit.  Her photos have been featured on Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, National Audubon Society, Wild Birds Unlimited and Birds and Blooms websites.  She is also the winner of the Englewood Pioneer Days Photo Contest.  She submitted a photo of our beautiful Florida Scrub-Jays during mating season, and titled it "Pure Happiness".  Joan's winning photo announcement is shown below.
     The birds had a party today and invited all their friends.  Lots and lots of Doves and Grackles.  The Cardinals that were born this spring and summer have grown up.  They fledged as scrawny little things with black beaks.  Now, they have filled out and their beaks have turned orange.  Today's surprise visitor, was a male Red-Winged Blackbird.  He's a year round resident, but a rare visitor.  The female Red-Winged Blackbird visits even less.  We're not close to any lakes or ponds, which is usually where they hang out.  They nest in the reeds and perch on the cattails, which offers up some great photo ops.  Staying dry today.....tweet.....tweet!!
 

Joan's Winning Photo featured on the
Pioneer Days Photo Contest Poster
 

Red-Winged Blackbird (Male)
(Taken 4/16/12, Englewood FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird/id