may 31

Today I had 2 bike rides!  yea.  Yesterday I drove the car, sorry.

My first ride was to Edna Taylor Conservation Park for some bird watching with housemate, and playing with my new camera.  Here's housemate leading the way:

It was a glorious gorgeous day.  Temperature was 61 F, winds SSW at 6 mph when we left about 11 am.  The park is only a couple of miles from our house.   

I really like this picture at full resolution.  sorry you can't see that...

It's just a little wetlands area:

okay, time to play with the camera.  A dragonfly:

A green heron (I think).  okay, still working on my photography skills...

turtle, obviously:

Lots of geese families, very cute:

Eastern bluebird:  

While trying to make room on my memory card to shoot the bluebird, I accidentally deleted a decent shot of a hawk flying overhead.  I have much to learn.  All I know is it wasn't a red-tailed.

Then this afternoon I went to get a massage.  Did I mention it was a great day?  Now it was up to 71 F, winds 7 mph at 2 pm.   here's the start of the bike path.

Afterwards, I went to look for the peregrine falcon.  He was on his perch and then flew off.  I got to watch him fly, didn't get to snap a picture.

On the way home at 5 pm, temperature was 72, winds 16 mph gusting to 24 from the NW.

Here's a female cardinal.  No, wait, on closer inspection, I think it's a summer tanager.  or a house finch?  okay, much to learn...

more of these poppies along the bike path.  I like them.