Sunrise over Watts Bar Lake

This Watts Bar Lake sunrise was taken during the fall of 2008,

while Jimmy and I were living out of the Spring City motel.

No Great Blue Heron here either,

but I probably saw him later that morning.

Great Blue Heron at Veteran's Park October 2008

Thursday I went looking for the Great Blue Heron

at Veterans Park in Spring City, Tennessee.

I didn't see my buddy anywhere.

So I decided to show some photos taken of him during October 2008.

Hopefully he will return soon, the park seems empty without him.

Sorry for another rushed post, just SO much going on right now.

Eastern Bluebirds at Veterans Park

These Eastern Bluebirds were at Veterans Park in Spring City, Tennessee on Monday.

Notice in the top 2 photos the female is in the lower left corner,

and the male in the upper right corner.

Acting like they don't want anything to do with each other,

but they had just left a birdhouse together.

Tree Swallows at Veterans Park

Last Wednesday morning was the first trip I had made to Veterans Park in Spring City, Tennessee this spring. I was in search of the Great Blue Heron that I have photographed so much.He was not around.

But the Tree Swallows were very plentiful.

They were almost nose bombing all the different birdhouses.

Tree Swallows are VERY hard to capture in flight. So I was wishing I could capture one in one of the blooming trees. Thinking the Tree Swallow would be so pretty with those pink blooms.

Well, I settle for what I get.

One did land in one of the bare trees and I started snapping away.

Brown Headed Nuthatch at Veterans Park

I thought this Brown Head Nuthatch was building his nest

in this birdhouse at Veterans Park in Spring City.

But now I am thinking maybe he was taking the nesting material to another location to build his nest. Or maybe he was cleaning out the birdhouse because he was going to use it. Either way it does appear he was taking something out, not bringing it in.

I like the way he looked straight at me, then gave me his profile again.

I will try to keep an eye on this box.

Canadian Geese at Veterans Park - Watts Bar Lake

As you can tell these Canadian Geese photos at Veterans Park were taken in the fall.

I have been posting duck photos from our recent trip to Florida. Thought I should drop back and post some from East Tennessee.

I was spending a lot of time at Veteran's Park until we bought our house in Rockwood.

Now I don't live in a motel half of the week (Woo-Hoo!), instead live in Rockwood half the week. The motel was very close to Veterans Park in Spring City, Tennessee, so I usually spent my mornings at the park.

Since Rockwood is 10 miles closer to my work than Spring City I am not sure how much I will go to Veterans Park. I have not been there since we were in the motel.

Flycatcher at Spring City Park

He just looks so pensive.

This photo was taken October 2 at Spring City Park in Spring City, Tennessee.

Since we ended out buying a house in Rockwood instead of Spring City I am not sure how often I will actually visit the parks in Spring City. Spring City is 10 miles in the wrong direction for me. I was going while we were staying in the motel in Spring City. What else to do while Jimmy was at work? The backyard in Rockwood appears to be so packed with birds I think it will keep my camera busy for a while. Later I might venture back there on occasion.

I am beginning to get my husband hooked on the photography too. Along the highway between Spring City and Rockwood on occassion there are Red Tailed Hawks on the phone lines. I have yet to capture one with the camera. Jimmy has my point and shoot with him this week to use at work. He was headed home yesterday afternoon and there was one of the hawks. He stopped and started to get out of the car and the Hawk flew to the other side of the road. Jimmy went down the road and turned around and stopped again, once again he started to get out of the car and the Hawk flew again. I asked him if he tried to get the shot without getting out of the car. He had not. If he sees it again this afternoon I bet he will be trying without opening the door. Hopefully he will get it. If he does I will post it.

I also have him filling my bird feeders at the Rockwood house because I want to keep the birds there so I can photograph them. Friday before he came home for the weekend he filled them to the top. Monday the feeders were empty. The same amount had been lasting 2 weeks, not just 3 days. He told me he could not afford to give them that much, which the 2 feeders do hold quite a bit. He said he would fill tomorrow. I gave him enough to fill twice this week, but they will never last for the 3 weeks we will be gone on vacation. I have to keep reminding myself these birds were there long before I started feeding them a month ago. I am going to have to stop trying to feed the whole county. But it is so much fun to see them all in the yard.

2 Great Blue Herons at Veterans Park

I have not been to Spring City since before Christmas,

these photographs were taken late September 2008. When he flew I must have been looking in the direction of the sun, because all of the photos while he was flying are a little hazy.

Notice the 2nd Great Blue Heron in the background.

Sunrise Watts Bar Lake - Sky Watch - January 1

Watching the sunrise over Watts Bar Lake from Spring City, Tennessee.

Please visit Sky Watch for sky photographs from all over the world.

American Robin at Spring City Park

This American Robin blends in so well with the rocks he thinks he is hidden from me.

These were all taken several months ago at the

Spring City Park in Spring City, Tennessee.

Before sunrise at Watts Bar - Sky Watch Dec 19

Just waiting for the sun to come up one September morning.

None of us seem to be seeing much color, so pulled this out of the archives to post.

A reminder this dreary look we are seeing right now will not last.

Please visit Sky Watch for great sky photographs from all over the world.

Great Blue Heron earlier this week at Veteran's Park

I am still visiting my hubby in Spring City a day or two each week. We don't have the new home away from home livable yet. Well, it has rained all week, and it rained while I was there. But I did venture out of the motel long enough to mail a photography order and since it was just drizzling at the time I thought I should go check on Veterans Park at the edge of Watts Bar Lake.I was shocked to say the least. This was the first time I had seen this beautiful lake during the winter. Granted Veterans Park is at the edge and can't even see the lake real good from this point, except the edge you are standing at. This spot is where I have been photographing the Great Blue Heron since Jimmy was transferred to Spring City.
Well, there he is, but with the lack of other humans he was more skittish than usual, and flew as soon as I got this first photo. I wasn't ready, and did not capture a clear photo at all while he was in flight. There he is on the other side.
So I decided to walk on around the walking trail, and come to another one.
This time I was just slightly more ready.

But as I tried to keep up with him as he was passing me by I clipped his wing off. These birds are very large and that wing span is huge. According to Sibley Guide to Birds the wing span is 72 inches, and I believe it. Think about that, I am 65 inches tall.

He continued on to the other side.

These photographs were all I got for my efford out in the drizzling rain.
That is why I have been staying in the house.

Except Richard At The Water is trying his best to get me interested in what is beyond my window, so I bought new types of bird seed (even the expensive stuff) and added some food to new areas around the yard. But I did not do it in my PJ's Richard, I got dressed to do it.