The Joyful Singer & Another Update On The Songbirds

Few things are more pleasant than the Appalachian Spring. I love being surrounded by the rugged beauty of my mountain and especially when it’s full of life. As I was walking out to my forest sanctuary the young robin perched himself right at the threshold in the snag of a dead birch tree. This tree is actually a hazard to one of my sheds but I just haven’t gotten around to bringing it down. Especially after it became the favored stage for one of my best singers. The little guy’s heart was so full of joy that his song rivaled that of a mockingbird. He had one of the most complex songs of any robin that I’ve ever heard. I actually didn’t realize it was a robin until I zoomed in with my long lens. Typically I pay close attention to the bird calls. It’s almost like forest sonar. If you can focus in on a particular area then the birds will tell you what’s going on in their individual zones. When they fall silent you know that a predator is near. Other birds like the Magnolia Warblers will make a specific sound when they spot a brown headed cowbird. The cowbird is a brood parasite like the cuckoo and a few others. They will remove the eggs from a songbird’s nest and lay their own in its spot. Cowbirds will even punish a songbird for rejecting it’s egg by destroying all the eggs in the nest. I’d seen a pair of cowbirds at my feeders a few weeks ago and became concerned but the organized response from the locals were actually quite impressive. The Warblers made their warning calls and all the birds returned to their nests except the blue jays. They actually came in and flew directly over the cowbirds while crying like hawks. One even dove at the male cowbird and chased it out of the yard. It’s interesting to know a common foe brought together various species that normally compete at my feeders. Robins also make a distinctive call when they see anything that’s out of place so to have this one sit in the branches above me and make such a wonderfully peaceful sound let me know that the pest birds have moved on. It’s also I sign that the local birds no longer see me as a threat and that my efforts to desensitize them to the point where I can get some nice shots of them is working.

Not only did the robin sit on his perch and relax enough to continue his song but he kept it up the whole time I was there. So now I’ve got him and a few of the chickadees as well as the female cardnial comfortable with me. Oh, and one of the Carolina Wrens is still coming to peek into my window occasionally. The Towhee is still coming around but hides in the thickets while I’m out. I’m sure he’ll get more comfortable eventually.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.

We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

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Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

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WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

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Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply use the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.