Young Squirrels and Geese.

It’s been a busy week around here, how in the world I ever got anything done while I was a productive member of society I will never figure out.

I have received the battery charger for the Canon 70D camera a son-in-law is interested in selling. He offered it to me to determine if I want to buy it from him.

I took it for a test drive, the first photograph I took was this young Red Squirrel, notice his/her tail has not filled out yet. The size is a bit deceiving as it is much smaller than appears in this image. He knew I was sitting there watching him, being so young they are naturally extremely cautious. Overly cautious? I think not there are a lot of dangers for a small guy, Hawks, Owls and Coyotes are a few to keep an eye out for.

Her sibling was close by taking a different tour down by the dock. He was so fast I was set to take another picture but he disappeared between blinks of my eyes. The Squirrels occupy the Fig tree behind him, it’s actually a good composition for photographing the tree dwelling varmints. Plenty of hiding places made of thick branches and leaves spotting them in it is difficult. In addition they are so small, tiny in fact it’s easy for them to hide.

Above is a photograph of one of the parents taken in April 2021. I have not had the opportunity to take an image of all of them together. I’m not sure if this is a male or female, there is a need for a word writers can use when the sex is unknown; I’ve come up a few but they are all pretty dumb undiscriptive; I’m not even sure if that’s a word. Some where some Grammar Cop will most likely let me know if it is. This was not taken with the 70D, which brings up an issue. One of the tasks it does best is take pictures in low light, my T8i lags in that department. But I’m not sure if that is enough to make the purchase worth while.

The photograph of the Egret was taken with it, the image is a bit soft but of good quality for my blogs. During the summer the colors in the foliage is not real robust. Summer in California is when most of the plants go dormant, turning golden brown and becoming tinder dry. That’s what makes our Wild Fire Season of which we are in the grips of now. The wild ones are suffering as well, if I can smell the smoke I’m sure they are able to.

The Canadian is keeping guard as the brood feeds in the pasture behind him. The Goslings are full grown now most likely raised out of sight and the wind in the pasture. Of six that hatched three have made it to this time, I’m confident they are out of danger from a number of predators. Living on the wild side means exactly that.

The photograph is depicting the brood a few days after they hatched. I hadn’t seen them until last week when mom and dad took them on the show-off tour.

This is the same brood today, dad in front with mom bringing up the rear. They are responsible adults keeping a close eye on the now full grown youngsters. I have yet to see them fly, surely they are developed enough; perhaps the wind is too brisk for them. It is common for large birds learning to fly in the wind to lack experience to navigate it. A few years back I found a. young fledging Barn Owl that had hit a utility pole in a similar velocity wind. At any rate it appears they will not be migrating back to their summer grounds which I assume is in or near Canada.

The jury remains out on the camera.

Jaques Lebec Natural Self Reliance