For many years, the Air Force used the catch phrase ‘Aim High’ to recruit airmen. I think I still have my Aim High hat, although it doesn’t get worn very often. After highlighting my efforts to get better at photo editing the last couple posts, this week I decided to share images of birds in flight. Most are Hawks, because the Eagles are keeping an extremely low profile this year. We’re not sure if it’s due to the drought or the ranchers keeping the new calves away from the public roads. Regardless, Eagle pictures have been a premium this year.
For those of you near the Carson Valley, next weekend is the annual Eagles and Agriculture celebration (visit the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce website, http://www.carsonvalleynv.org, for tickets and more information). The festivities open on Thursday, February 19, with an art show at the Holiday Inn Express, 1659 State Route 88 in Minden. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and they have munchies. I will have several pictures on display, so come on down. I will also have pictures on display and for sale at the Carson Valley Inn, 1627 Highway 395 in Minden, on February 20 and 21. If you haven’t been on one of the E&A tours, you should go. It’s a lot of fun!
Okay, that’s enough unpaid advertising. Let’s get to this week’s images.
I saw this Blue Heron along Mottsville Lane. He took flight when I stopped the Expedition, but didn’t go far. I got a couple nice images of him in flight.
Also on Mottsville Lane, this Hawk had just launched from the fence post on the left, and he crossed the road in front of me.
When I first spied this Hawk, he was sitting on a cowpie, keeping an eye on his surroundings. He lifted off, flying fairly close…
…and promptly landed on another cowpie. Sometimes, you gotta’ wonder what they are thinking.
This Hawk was sitting at the very top of this tree. He allowed many pictures and then…off he went. This image is not cropped.
I drove by this Hawk once, but stopped on my way back. I was just putting glass on him and he launched. I didn’t get an image of him sitting on the fence. Shot south of Minden on SR 88.
I saw this Cooper’s Hawk on a utility pole on Jacks Valley Road. He posed nicely and then got a little fidgety (I’m starting to recognize the signs), so I changed focal length and began shooting just as he lifted off. These images of birds just taking flight are becoming my favorites.
Obviously, this is not a bird in flight. This was my submission to last week’s photography challenge – the theme was one shape. My shape is the circle of the wheel on the irrigation system.
This is also not a bird in flight. This is an image I made today of Job’s Peak – the premiere scenic element of the Carson Valley. I drove by this location many times and never saw this image, until today. The pond had water from the recent rains and it was reasonably still for the reflection. I’m not done editing this image – I may remove the fence post in the bottom right corner and make some other edits – but I am excited to have made the image and wanted to share it with you!
It’s been a good photography week, and pretty good away from the lens as well. I made contact with several people with whom I was on active duty. I haven’t heard from them in 25 years, so it’s great to connect. I’m looking forward to Eagles and Agriculture next week, and to seeing many of my friends there.
Enjoy – PHOTOROGR
The PHOTOROGR Project 
Loved them all. Roger is your email photorogr@gmail.com so I can send an email without hitting the reply back to you. That way you won’t get all your pictures back when I comment on them. Me – Sharon
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