Dave Wrote:  Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. The spring migration here in the Rome, NY area is just about non- existent. The neo-tropical insectivores are almost gone. They are the warblers,tanagers. thrushes and orioles. For someone like me who is really into birding and bird photography it is very depressing.Here are some pictures of birds at my feeder set up. That is about the only area where we are seeing any birds. Dave

05 15 2023 Dave Cesari

05 15 2023 Dave Cesari

05 15 2023 Dave Cesari

05 15 2023 Dave Cesari

05 15 2023 Dave Cesari

05 15 2023 Dave Cesari  

The Great Outdoors is a great place to see animals – some very wild and some sort-of used to people.  I do send this message to you – enjoy them but be careful.  Keep the Great Outdoors the Great Outdoors as long as we can.

Now days I have time to go out and about to look for animals.  I often use my iPhone camera to snap what I see.  Here are three snapshots:

I love snakes. I was thinking this is one of the most beautiful Pygmies I have ever seen – shinny, as large as I have seen, and tail rattling just like a Rattler should do.  I was also thinking, “Why did he take off like a Racer as I jumped off my bike? Most often they do not move so rapidly.”

I am afraid I did not respect this guys space as I should have. I walked up to him, talking all the while as if I was talking to a human – “How has your day been? Did you find some good food for lunch?”  He/she looked at me as if we were old friends. As you can see by its posture, now, I was invading its  space.  Off it flew – in disgust with me, I am sure. But I enjoy watching any bird in flight – it is a mystery to me how they can fly.

Did not have to go far to see this.  WOW – Three good sized gators right off my back porch! I wonder what each of these four animals were thinking – I am sure they each knew of the whereabouts of the other three. I think the bird on the far shore was singing “Praise the Lord, I saw the Gators” – It flew off shortly after I snapped this photo.

As you swing through life, be with nature,  enjoy nature, and be careful – Maybe try to think about what the animal is thinking.