My new family and Father/ Daughter moments.
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I always like black/white photos. All the clutter / fashion is swept away and the timeless emotion of the moment is amplified.

 

Easter egg hunt.
Breakfast for extra energy.

Ready to go!

 

Easter egg hunt.
Breakfast for extra energy.

Ready to go!

Last time I had an Easter Egg Hunt for my kids and their cousins, I put them out the night before (don't do this). The squirrels opened every one and ate all the candy. Scrambling, I filled a new set of eggs from the penny jar and my wallet.

 

Last time I had an Easter Egg Hunt for my kids and their cousins, I put them out the night before (don't do this). The squirrels opened every one and ate all the candy. Scrambling, I filled a new set of eggs from the penny jar and my wallet.

Only one or two squirrels here (cats keep them checked) ... but we have possums aplenty... disgusting little critters

 

Only one or two squirrels here (cats keep them checked) ... but we have possums aplenty... disgusting little critters

Vile.

 

Last time I had an Easter Egg Hunt for my kids and their cousins, I put them out the night before (don't do this). The squirrels opened every one and ate all the candy. Scrambling, I filled a new set of eggs from the penny jar and my wallet.

My money would have been on gophers .

 

Gorgeous, hungry hummingbird helping itself from a feeder I installed outside my kitchen window. This gif was created using a feature that was unknown to me on my Samsung S7 phone.

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Gorgeous, hungry hummingbird

Hard to imagine he could be in my back yard in May sometime!.
Max.

 

Gorgeous, hungry hummingbird helping itself from a feeder I installed outside my kitchen window. This gif was created using a feature that was unknown to me on my Samsung S7 phone.

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I looked for about a half hour but I could not find a video from a researcher studying how a hummingbird can keep their head so stable while flapping their wings. The high speed video was there that proved the head was stable but the second video is missing. It was a full motion, high speed X-ray that showed a sack of fluid behind the brain that sloshed to dampened the motion of the head. Very cool. Look up the 600fps video for a start.

 

As an engineer, there are two birds that I find fascinating. One is the hummingbird, for the reasons you've just described. And the other one is the woodpecker. It amazes me how its little brain is able to survive such mistreatment.

 

As an engineer, there are two birds that I find fascinating. One is the hummingbird, for the reasons you've jus described. And the other one is the woodpecker. It amazes me how its little brain is able to survive such mistreatment.

Birds are crazy cool. Hummingbird and woodpecker are cool for individual adaptations but the group flying is also amazing. Search murmuration and you'll find videos like this.

The first 1:50 is boring but convinces you these are really birds. The last half is amazing.

 

And the other one is the woodpecker. It amazes me how its little brain is able to survive such mistreatment.

Around this time of year they start to arrive and already one has hit the window.
They mistake the reflection in the glass for a stand of trees.
They usually get knocked out for 10-15 mins and then stagger off.
Any other bird would probably not survive.
Max.

 

I looked for about a half hour but I could not find a video from a researcher studying how a hummingbird can keep their head so stable while flapping their wings. The high speed video was there that proved the head was stable but the second video is missing. It was a full motion, high speed X-ray that showed a sack of fluid behind the brain that sloshed to dampened the motion of the head. Very cool. Look up the 600fps video for a start.

Not sure that it will directly provide an answer, but one of the best I have seen is this PBS Nature special. As I remember, several dedicated researchers were featured with stunning photography.

 

Gorgeous, hungry hummingbird helping itself from a feeder I installed outside my kitchen window. This gif was created using a feature that was unknown to me on my Samsung S7 phone.

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That's it, I am definitely getting a hummingbird feeder for my porch. Currently, I am at war with a crow who seems to visit daily and "taunt" me,
Heckle and Jeckle fashion

But when hostilities subside, I'm going all in on H-birds.

 

That's it, I am definitely getting a hummingbird feeder for my porch. Currently, I am at war with a crow who seems to visit daily and "taunt" me,
Heckle and Jeckle fashion

But when hostilities subside, I'm going all in on H-birds.

Judging from the photography experiments I've seen you perform... I can't wait to see the stunning images you're about to produce... good luck!

 

I looked for about a half hour but I could not find a video from a researcher studying how a hummingbird can keep their head so stable while flapping their wings.

I think it's counterbalancing its body using its tail... watch the video carefuly

 

Hummingbird and woodpecker are cool for individual adaptations ...

Woodpeckers are amazing. No matter what kind of cushioning you can imagine, their brains take a g-force beating that would kill...maybe anything else. And they can shave off wood curls that I could only do with a nicely sharpened chisel, and they do it fast. Truly amazing.

 

Three newborn kittens in my backyard:

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Strays? They're so cute. What will you do?
Btw, those aren't newborn. They could be 6 weeks or so.

 

Really cute!