I was shooting from a platform overlooking the Boardman River when I spotted this Grackle in a nearby tree. I had just locked in focus when it took off. I stayed with it as it flapped its wings, eyes trained on me the whole time. When I got home and uploaded my images to the computer, I laughed at what I’d gotten. The bird reminded me of a spaceship: The Millennium Grackle.
Out shooting with my friends Don and Diana, we ended up beside the Boardman where the river had been returned to its original channel following the removal of Sabin Dam in 2018. We walked the path from the bend to the bridge, admired the wildflowers along the way, mesmerized by the rush of water around the rocks and eddies they created. But it was the sounds of the river that captivated us most.
Thank you for your kind emails and texts following my recent hospitalization. Some of you have asked whether I’m out shooting already and I’m NOT! I’m always a couple weeks ahead with my picture-taking in case of a spate of bad weather or other situations keep me off the lens.
Hay bales make for interesting landscapes on hillsides and in farmers’ fields. Sometimes I get surprises when I photograph them, like the lovely Eastern Meadowlark I found perched on one bale. I was also lucky to capture golden skies and a sunset as a backdrop for some of the hay bale scenes.
From a distance, I saw them atop a curved-sided barn. Two bald eagles, their white heads and statuesque shapes the giveaway. The one on the end looked ready to bolt, its white feathers ruffled and yellow eyes trained on me. Not wanting to disturb them, I decided to drive around the long block and see what else I could see. When I returned, the sun was setting and the orange-streaked sky provided a beautiful backdrop for the lone eagle on the end. I wondered where the other one had gone when it slowly dropped from the sky to the rooftop. Made my day.
