Theme day: Picture of the year

The theme for January is Picture of the year 2023.  

This isn't my best picture, but it's one of the best experiences of 2023.  The eagle swooped down, scared all the little killdeers, and then flew up to a tall tree and surveyed the lake.

 

Bottoms up

This mallard was really working on whatever was below the surface.

 

Tired turtle

I don't know if he was really tired or just lazy.  But this turtle looked like he was exhausted.

 

Cormorant

Looking very regal, this cormorant was drying off in the sun.

 

Snake snack

I heard a thump and a rustling in the leaves.  I looked, thinking it was a squirrel.  But instead it was a red shouldered hawk eating a little snake.

He choked it down, looking very proud of himself.

He then flew up to a nearby tree to look for his next meal.

 

Warbler

 

We've seen a lot of these bright yellow pine warblers lately.

War games

I went to the game store Christmas shopping, and found a war zone.  It was a tournament of people playing an intricate war game.  Each player creates their game pieces and buildings.

A busy  place.

 

Merry Christmas!

Deck the Halls!

 

Winter arrangement

No flowers left, only seeds.

 

Artsy

This exuberant mural sits across from the patio of The Mixx,  a bottle shop bar.

 Even the electrical meters on the opposite wall are artistic.

 

Sky II

Another dramatic sky.

 

Winter solstice

The shadows are long on the shortest day of the year.

 

Deer

This little guy reminded me of Bambi.

 

Mom and Dad were close by, on either side of an old fence.

Sky

The contrails made a dramatic sky.

 

Adventurers

Who's going to fall in first?

 

Kind of Blue

The Waxwing from yesterday wasn't the only one feasting on juniper berries.  This female bluebird took her turn also.

 

Waxwing

He was watching the other birds to make sure they didn't steal his juniper berries.

 

Lioness

This sculpture of a lioness was constructed out of Masai Shuka fabric and represents the killing and poisoning of lions in the area where the Masai live.

 

Hooded Merganser

This little Merganser was happily diving in the pond all by himself.

 

One more photo...

The Gyre is the most photographed installation in the NC Museum of Art's sculpture park.  How many people have taken the same picture?  (me too!)

 

Silhouette

Just an interesting silhouette.

 

Ghost forest

Along the coast of North Carolina there are forests of dead trees due to salt water intrusion.  This one is due to runoff from a development flooding the forest.  (see here)

 

Winter on the boardwalk

The days get shorter and the shadows longer this time of year.

 

Pumpkins, yum!

We found him munching on an old pumpkin at the entrance to the greenway.  He seemed well fed. 

 

The three shades

The Three Shades by Auguste Rodin in the NC Museum of Art's Rodin garden.  They stand at the end of a reflecting pool.  Much better than looming over the Gates of Hell.  (see here)

 

Another Squirrel

Fattening up for winter.

 

Red Bellied Woodpecker

He didn't stick his head out too far, there was a hawk circling.

 

Cedar Waxwing

He looks like a bandit with his black mask.

 

Shadows

Shadows on a wall at the NC Museum of Art.  

 

Duck Days

The migrating ducks are back at the lake along with the regulars.

Buffleheads,

Ruddy Ducks,

our ever present Mallards,

and a lone Cormorant.

 

Theme Day: Local History

Oberlin Rising.

The installation is new, but it is a monument to the history of Oberlin Village, one of a small number of freedmen's villages near Raleigh

(See here for a timeline. )  Today Oberlin village is close to the heart of Raleigh itself and is in transision as gentrification takes over.

The community is still strong and holding on to their history.

 

Mr. Skelly

Either he's a left-over from Halloween, or he's been waiting in the car for a long time.  

 

Squirrel

I usually avoid squirrel pictures, there are just too many.  But this guy was posing for me.

 

Tattoo?

This mural sits on the wall of a tattoo parlor.

If their work is this beautiful, I might be tempted...?

 

Chickadee

They're one of the most common birds, but the hardest to photograph.  They are constantly on the move.

 

Pond

It's only a little retention pond, but makes a good swamp picture.

 

Yellow

Sitting on a yellow leaf, its hard to tell where the Yellow rumped Warbler starts and stops.

 

Moon Bird

The Lunar Bird by Joan Miro  is hidden in a small courtyard outside the NC Museum of Art.

It looks more like a winged bull to me...