This week’s Sunday Stills photography challenge is all about creatures and critters, big or small, insect or mammal, bird or reptile, ugly or beautiful.

I’m choosing to add creatures with wings to my selections today, well, just because. They need to tell their stories.

Pink Lady Butterfly

On a recent trip to the Sierra Nevada Gold Country to visit my dad (so happy to get a change of scenery!) I mistakenly thought this butterfly enjoying her sweet pea nectar was a monarch. A sharp-eyed Facebook friend said it was a pink lady, very similar to the monarch. I was just so thrilled to capture her in my lens close-up; I didn’t really care.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzsvWuCleOX/

Birding in My Backyard

“Bird watching is now North America’s second most popular outdoor activity (second only to gardening).”

Bernd Brunner

In April, enjoying spring in the Sacramento Delta, I used the fabulous 25-600 zoom lens of my Lumix FZ300 to capture raven perched on the edge of a tree overlooking the Sacramento River. Framed within the blue sky, raven fills the bill for Becky B’s Blue Squares in July photo challenge.

Creatures and Critters

In my suburban neighborhood, (Sacramento is Tree City USA), I enjoy backyard birding observing the owls, kites, turkeys, and hummingbirds. Although I cannot boast about capturing owls with my lens, the others have put on shows over the years.

Bird of Prey Kite
White-Tailed Kite

For years, we’ve had large flocks of birds of prey that nest in the tall trees in our neighborhood. They hunt at twilight and fly all over the neighborhood. At first, I thought they were seagulls, then I pulled out the binoculars and saw their masked faces. I had always assumed they were ospreys, but a friend clarified that they were white-tailed kites, as he watched them one evening!

“In order to see birds, it is necessary to become a part of the silence.”

Robert Lynd
Kites Birds of Prey
Kite family loves our redwood

Sorry for the grainy images, but they fly at dusk and my camera was still set to auto!

One evening last October, I happened to look through the sliding door and saw several wild turkeys perched on the roof of the house behind our backyard! I counted at least 20 of them! These two flew up to the telephone pole to have a look around. These are the same ones that placidly stroll around the neighborhoods the day after Thanksgiving.

roosting turkeys

Of course, I had to include another pic of my resident hummingbirds who live here all year long.

Hummingbird feeding

“I don’t feed the birds because they need me; I feed the birds because I need them.”

Kathi Hutton

What sorts of creatures and critters can you share for Sunday Stills this week?

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© 2019 Copyright-All rights reserved-secondwindleisure.com

Published by Terri Webster Schrandt

Now retired, I am former university adjunct faculty, self-published author, and retired recreation and parks practitioner living in Eastern Washington State near the Idaho border. Second Wind Leisure Perspectives is my blog about living a leisure lifestyle that includes fitness, photography, and fun.

77 thoughts on “Sunday Stills: Creatures and Critters with #Wings”

  2. My husband LOVES watching the birds. In fact, I have to tell him to keep his eyes on the road when he’s driving and pointing them out…LOL!!
    XOOX
    Jodie

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  19. One of my favorite subjects…birds and other critters with wings. I’m on butterfly hunts in my yard almost daily at this time of year.

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  32. Great photos – I love that butterfly too! Way to take the opportunity in front of you and make it a spectacular photo. I’ve been watching birds this year too, it is so much fun! You’re lucky the little hummingbirds stay year-round. Ours come early spring and leave mid-fall. When the flowers are in full bloom, we don’t see them much. They know the real nectar when they see it. Thanks for the opportunity to play along. https://www.quaintrevival.com/when-things-heat-up-a-jump-into-the-bath-is-in-order/

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      1. We have a fun collection here, at least at this time of the year when they’re moving about and having more and more and more babies. Bird watching no matter where we live is fun.

        Liked by 1 person

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